William and Kate Visit California

I know I'm starting at the end, but as a Yankee I somehow feel it my patriotic duty to look at what Kate wore in California before heading north of the border.

Date:  July 2011
Place:  California
Event:  Royal Tour of Canada and California (lots of individual events)

The Duchess of Cambridge touched down in style in Los Angeles wearing a bluish-grey dress by Roksanda Ilincic, a London-based designer.

The heavy zipper in the back took away from the otherwise airy quality of the dress.

Kate's tiny figure got a bit lost in the swag of the dress, but standing next to a man in that bold of a pinstripe suit . . . she could have worn a garbage bag and still looked presentable.  Anyway, she teamed the dress with an L. K. Bennett clutch, an unidentified pair of shoes (U. P. S.), and a pair of earrings by Kiki McDonough ("Grace").

The next day, Her Royal Highness attended a reception held by the British Counsel-General and smartly wore a green dress by Diane von Furstenberg.

The shoes look the same as the day before, but they're still U. P. S.

With her outfit, she wore the so-called "Camilla" bracelet and carried a coordinating leopard-print clutch also by Diane von Furstenberg.

On the same day, Kate went with her man to the polo wearing a Jenny Packham dress (hurrah).

She carried, again, the same L. K. Bennett clutch from the day before.  She debuted a pair of shoes, also by L. K. Bennett ("Silver Sandal").  Word has it this was the first time on the tour that the former Ms. Middleton went without hosiery.  Oh my!  (PS:  We love how the lady on the right is wearing a similar dress.)

Next up, what everyone has been buzzing about--what would she wear to the BAFTAs shindig.

Well, she looked stunning (though a bit repetitive) in a flowing lilac gown by Alexander McQueen.

She wore taller than normal heels (5.5 inches)--a pair of Vamp Glitter Sandals by Jimmy Choo.  The coordinating clutch is also by Jimmy Choo called 'Ubai'.

The next day, we saw Kate in just one California get-up.  And a gorgeous half-up, half-down 'do.  (Look at that lovely snail!)

Kate donned lovely jewelry, including a bejeweled cross pendant and sapphire and diamond earrings.  The earrings are rumored to be reworked from stones that came from jewelry that Princess Diana owned.

Both the top and the skirt are by British brand Whistles.  The top is from several year ago, though the skirt is on the new side (and just £95).  She carried a tried and true nude-colored clutch.

We love how enraptured Reese Witherspoon looks here.  (Though her clothes make her a look a bit scrunched up!  We wonder what on earth the woman in the purple frock was thinking with that . . . thing in her hand.)

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Aaand off they go.  I had heard a talking head on CNN mention that the Duke and Duchess would depart on a commercial flight for London, "like any normal people."  Yeah, this looks normal.

That's all for this time.  Thanks for reading Fashionably Royal.  Stay tuned--we've got lots in store!

Ascot 2011 (Everyone Else Edition)

And now for everyone else....

Date:  June 2011
Place:  Ascot, England
Event:  Royal Ascot

Day one:  Beatrice is wearing a black jacket by Philosophy de Alberta Ferretti and a nude and black dress by 3.1 Phillip Lim.  Eugenie is wearing a teal lace dress by Issa.  We are less than enamored with Eugenie's shoes.  They look just plain wrong with that outfit.

Day one:  We're not sure who created their toppers, but we think Eugenie's falls flat--neither flattering nor interesting.  (And it's Ascot--hats are supposed to be interesting!)  Beatrice on the other hand is wearing a low topped, wide brimmed hat that is super flattering.  Why can't people dress like this on a daily basis?

Day three:  We are simply in love with Beatrice's blue look.  (We'll get to Anne, on the left, later on.)

Day three:  We've not confirmed who created this ensemble, but we're agog.  The hat is a bit lukewarm, but from the neck down Beatrice really looks like royalty.  One quibble is that it looks awfully warm for summertime.  But we don't see her breaking a sweat.

Day four:  Eugenie seems to be wearing both navy and black with a sand colored jacket.  The dress is a bit blah, but at least her hat (mildly flattering) is getting in the spirit of things at Ascot, as is the lady's beside her. 

Day four:  The hat is, by the way, a Philip Treacy creation.  You probably knew that though--those tell-tale "horns" are hard to miss.

Day five:  Va-va-va-voom!  We are a fan of red vixen-ish dresses around here, let me tell you.  (Your faithful narrator got married in one.)  This Alexander McQueen dress donned by Eugenie on the final day of Ascot is particularly interesting.  It's a slightly different version of that bridesmaid's dress worn by Pippa Middleton to Kate and William's wedding.  We're not joking. 

Day five:  On the off chance that Eugenie is actually employing a tailor, seamstress, or otherwise to fit her clothes, we beg her to considering hiring someone else!  This is a gorgeous dress and she really pops in it, but . . . it simply does not fit.  The bunching around the hips, thighs, and under the bosoms is a clear sign, it doesn't fit!  I wonder if she stood all day in fear of busting open a seam.

Day five:  Call us crazy, but did she borrow her sisters' shoes--the ones Beatrice wore on day three with that delicious blue outfit?  Sisterly thrift.  Finally!

Day two:  Not much to say about about the Countess of Wessex.  We want to like the hat--getting into the Ascot spirit and all that--but it looks a bit like she went through a car wash with it.  Oh well.

Day one:  Our last Ascot lady is the wonderfully frugal and perennially slim Princess Royal.  Her outfit on the first day was not terribly flattering--looks a bit big and frumpy.  But we don't hate that color on her.  And for sedate Anne, we must applaud the effort in the hat department.  Too bad about the shoes.

Day two:  Here Princess Anne is wearing a caramel colored get up that looks rather dated.  Honestly, the high-necked dress doesn't bother us so much as the color of the coat and hat (and also the cut of the hat). 

Day two:  But considering Anne first wore this dress in 1980 (lower right-hand corner) for Trooping the Colour . . . we'll overlook those faults.  She wore it again in 1983 (lower left-hand corner) to Epsom and also in 1991 to Ascot (upper right-hand corner).  Bravo for keeping your figure over three decades!

Day three:  We reckon this is a slightly more recent outfit and it's quite a nice color for her.  Not everyone can pull off a pale lavender.  If she had tried a bit harder below the ankle and, perhaps, gone for a bigger hat, she would look really rocking.  So to speak.

And that wraps up Royal Ascot for this year.  Stay tuned for lots, lots more!  Thanks for reading Fashionably Royal.

Trooping the Colour 2011 (with bonus coverage)

What is ostensibly a military parade has become an all-out royal affair.  Trooping the Colour marks the monarch's official birthday in June each year (opposed to the Queen's actual birthday, in April).  So, we get to see some royals in their military get-ups and others in the latest (or not-so-latest) fashions.

Date:  11 June 2011
Place:  London, England
Event:  Trooping the Colour

The Princess Royal is wearing the outfit of a colonel in the Blues and Royals (in which her nephew Harry serves), an honorary role for Anne.

Here, the Countess of Wessex is wearing an unidentified outfit that commentators have noted is just a bit too low-cut for such an occasion (but then again, the Countess doesn't mind showing off her assets, does she?)  At one point on the balcony, her bra was in plain view.  But at least she wears underclothes.  In any event, her hat is a repeat from Ascot 2006.  She was criticized at the time for the gigantic cabbage rose plastered on it.  One wonders why she has failed to prune it back in the intervening years.

Oh, and for the first time in my memory, Prince Edward got to wear a military uniform to the Trooping.  Here he is seen wearing the uniform of Colonel in the London Scottish regiment--also an honorary role for him.  We'll get to Eugenie in a bit.

Prince Harry is wearing the outfit of a Captain in the Blues and Royals, a position in which he actively serves.  His uncle Prince Andrew looks a bit plain in what looks to be a morning suit and top hat.  (His waistcoat has nearly disappeared!)

Royal watchers usually enjoy the balcony appearance during Trooping the Colour as it is when the extended family (including some far-flung cousins) is most likely to make a public appearance.

This is only about one-third of the folks on the balcony!  Look how happy the Queen looks.

Now back to Eugenie....

What . . . what is that thing on her head?  To me, this is worse than what her sister Beatrice wore to Kate and Will's wedding.  This wouldn't fetch anything for charity if sold on eBay.  The bow alone should be a prosecutable offense.

Also, whatever she has on from the neck down is doing her no favors.  She's a curvier girl than her sister and thus needs more structure in her clothing to keep her from looking dumpy (which, actually, she isn't).  The smocking on her belly adds a stone of weight that she hasn't got.  Why, Eugenie, why?  Silver lining:  we can happily distract ourselves with how adorable Lady Louise is!

Next up, Camilla and Catherine--the two Cs are chumming it up a lot.  I wonder if they decided they should both wear cream.  It's sort of Camilla's signature color and she doesn't look half-bad in it.  Here, she's recycled the Philip Treacy hat she wore to her civil marriage ceremony in 2005.  It's an absolute stunner (even if we think it's a bit odd to re-use one's wedding apparel).  Also, her outfit looks similar (but still different) to the cream outfit she wore at Buckingham Palace when the Obamas visited last month.  Same designer perhaps?

The Duchess of Cambridge is also wearing a Philip Treacy topper, except hers is black (guess they forgot to coordinate that bit).  Her coat is by Alexander McQueen.  This whole white-coat-thing is starting to get to me.  The royal family may be a bit barmy, but there's no need to run about in straightjackets all the time! 

Also, this is quite a structural jacket that really loses something when the wearer is seated and covered by a tartan blanket.  Here's what it looks like:

Then, of course, there is Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh.  Word has it that the Queen's ensemble is a repeat, but from when and where exactly we've not quite figured out.  Philip is wearing the uniform of a colonel in the Grenadier Guards, another honorary position.  Considering he's just turned 90, he's still pretty spry!

Later that day, Kate joined her sister Pippa at the wedding of friend Sam Waley-Cohen to Annabel Ballin.  Beatrice even showed up, though she was absent from the Trooping.  Kate's hat stayed put, but changed into a black print dress by Zara that she was first seen wearing in May 2007 at a nightclub with Pippa (during that famous, and temporary, break-up with William).  Or maybe she had this dress underneath the coat.  She carried a black silk purse by Anya Hindmarch, which she also carried when meeting the Obamas at Buckingham Palace this spring.

Pippa was seen wearing a poorly fitting coat in a most pungent color--it didn't seem to go with anything else she was wearing.  Not to mention the wrinkles!

Finally, Beatrice wore a cute blue lace dress and stylish high heels.  Unfortunately the fussiness of the jacket takes away from the whole look.  The mismatched hat doesn't help, either.  We are always glad to see Beatrice with her best accessory--long-time beau Dave Clark.

Stay tuned as we continue to catch up on June--our favorite month of the year!  Lots to cover in July as well.  Not to mention, blasts from the past.  Thanks for reading Fashionably Royal!