Royal Fashion Awards: Ascot 2010

Let's take a wee break from our single-minded wedding fever and dip over to England for a refreshing sip of Ascot fashion...

Sad quantities of royals at Ascot this year.  Camilla was a notable absence (presumably convalescing with Charles as he gets over his chest cold), Sophie only made it to the first 3 days before departing for the Swedish wedding, and Anne dashed off to Germany and missed the last 2 days.  Not one single Zara Philips sighting - harrumph.

Let’s meet our players:

Day 1

 Sophie, Alexandra, Haya, Anne, and Elizabeth.  Blue dress code, huh?

Day 2

Sophie, Elizabeth, Anne, Haya.  Pink dress code today!

Day 3: Ladies Day

 Eugenie, Haya, Elizabeth, Beatrice, Anne, Sophie.  Finally, multiple colors!

Day 4

Elizabeth, Haya, Princess Michael.  Black and white, My Fair Lady-styles.

Day 5

Beatrice, Chelsy Davy, Elizabeth, Eugenie.  Short skirt day!  Can't find a full length pic to see if Lilibet played along.  Heh.

Now, let’s play our game:

Double Take Award

Sophie, Day 1

One must look twice to ensure our fair Countess isn’t wearing a dickie.

Never Thought I’d Say This…. Award

Anne, Day 2

Can we please have the old Anne hairdo back? This one frightens me. There are things attached to it. (Also, what’s the deal with the gloves? Awkwardly short and black? In June?)

Best Bling Award

Elizabeth, Day 1

This is a lovely outfit that is tragically becoming a giant snooze due to excessive reuse. Best to focus on the brooch, then: the Cullinan V Heart brooch. Doesn’t go with the coat, dress, or hat, per se, but check out the size of that rock!  18.8 carats, baby!

Stand Still, Please Award

Beatrice, Day 3

I think this is actually a cute, well-cut dress with the potential to be very figure-flattering, but it looks a hot mess trampling through the grass.  Poses only, please.

Best Hat-to-Suit Coordination Award

Sophie, Day 2

Froofy pattern on the suit, froofier…thing?...on the hat. Overall combo: pure froofy delight!

The "Fine, You're Asking For It" Award

Chelsy Davy, Day 5

Here's the thing:  I have nothing personal against Chelsy here.  But she doesn't have the cleanest image.  One of the (only?) reasons I like her is that she does seem to do whatever she pleases without basing her whole life around being a good girlfriend for Harry (ahem, Kate).....but showing up like this?  In a low cut red dress that you've accessorized by placing your name tag as close to your cleavage as possible, and that looks like it could fly up at any minute?  Walking around with a drink in your hand (when you know those are the only pictures that will get used)?  You're just asking for the whole "Is she a suitable future wife?" discussion to fire up again.

Most Up and Down

Haya

 Day 1, technicolor nightmare.  Day 2, lovely but perhaps out of season.  Day 3, did you not see what that dress is doing to your body??  Day 4, back on par - amazing collar on that jacket.

Worst Overall

Anne

She went from a slightly too long skirt (minor infraction) on Day 1 to total disaster on Days 2 and 3.  No wonder she fled the country.

Best Overall

Meh.  The Queen, I suppose.

No one really caught my imagination this year.  When in doubt, go with the Queen - consistency over all else. And she did sport 3 new outfits to close the show out, which is incredibly rare these days, so extra marks for that.

Photos: Getty Images/Daylife/Belga/Press Association/Newspix/IBL