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!

Breaking News: Camilla's Hat Was Recycled

We recently brought you coverage of the fashion of the royal wedding party including information about the Duchess of Cornwall's Anna Valentine outfit and Philip Treacy hat.  Now we can also tell you that Camilla's hat for the big day was not new!

Date:  June 2009
Place:  Ascot, England
Event:  Royal Ascot Horse Races

Seen here in 2009 wearing an outfit by Vivienne Westwood, the Duchess of Cornwall also wore that familiar-looking Philip Treacy topper.

She was picked to hand out a trophy, so she was sure to be photographed.  Funny how no one seems to have noticed yet that her hat was reused.  She even seems to have worn the same jewelry!  Well, good on her for saving a bit of money.  It went perfectly with her outfit on Kate and William's big day.

Tune into Fashionably Royal next time when we explore more Ascot fashions with a look back at 1981.  See you then!

The Wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William: The Wedding Party Edition

Now, let's get down to looking at the rest of the wedding party.  My working definition of the wedding party is "anyone who appeared on Buckingham Palace's balcony to wave to the crowd."  See here:

Date:  29 April 2011
Place:  Westminster Abbey, London
Event:  Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

First, let's look at the parents of the bride:  Michael and Carole Middleton.  Mrs. Middleton wore a light blue suit designed by Catherine Walker's design team.  (Catherine Walker designed more clothes for Princess Diana in her life than any other designer; she passed away last year.)  The coat was wool crepe and the dress was made of silk shantung.  Her hat was designed by Jane Corbett.  There were reports in the press that she hired and fired a number of designers to create her look for the day.  I like to think she's a bit more decorous than that.  Either way, she really looked lovely--elegant but not too look-at-me.

Next, the father and brother of the bride.  They wore matching morning suits--the type of suit traditionally worn at weddings in England.  The suits are believed to have been made by exclusive Savile Row tailors Ede and Ravenscroft.

Both Middleton men wore tie pins that were specially made by Robinson Pelham.  They were made to match the jewelry worn by Kate, Pippa, and Carole--all of which was based on the newly created Middleton coat of arms.

I would like to take a moment to give a shout-out to Mr. Middleton for looking so, so proud of his daughter.  The look on his face really made me think he would be just as proud if she were marrying a janitor, so long as she was happy.  (Warms the heart, doesn't it?)

On to the parents of the groom!  Well, the father and step-mother--in case you're not comfortable with Camilla being referred to as William's "parent."  Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, wore a champagne silk dress and hand-embroidered champagne and duck-egg blue coat, and carried a coordinating clutch bag, all designed by Anna Valentine.  Valentine also designed her outfits when marrying Prince Charles in 2005.  Her shoes were made by Jimmy Choo and her hat was one of many Philip Treacy creations seen on the wedding day.

Charles, Prince of Wales, wore his Royal Navy Ceremonial Day dress uniform.  He served in the Navy from 1971-76 (and was also in the Air Force).  In 2006, he was granted the rank of admiral--thus the uniform.  As much as the royal family tend to have a laughable number of military decorations on their uniforms, they often earned most of them by actually serving in multiple branches of the military.

Next, we come to Her Majesty, the Queen.  She chose a lovely shade of yellow for her Angela Kelly created crepe wool dress and matching coat with hand-sown beading at the neck in the shape of sun rays.  The bright color not only looked love on the unusually-spry monarch, but also indicated an optimism for the marriage.  Her hat was also designed by Angela Kelly and, rather sweetly, the Queen wore her grandmother's True Lovers' Knot brooch.  (Awww.)

The Queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, of course wore a military uniform.  Specifically, he wore a Grenadier Guards uniform, with whom he has ranked as a colonel since 1975.  Of all the uniforms he could have chosen, it is unclear why he chose it especially considering he was a long-serving naval officer.  (He had just entered the navy when he first met Elizabeth; they were both teenagers.)

Prince Harry's uniform was, in my opinion, the most dramatic and hulking of the day.  He, like his brother William, is actively serving in the military.  He wore the uniform of the Blues and Royals, a cavalry regiment within the Army, with whom he serves as a Captain.  The tassels and epaulets alone must have weighed 20 pounds!  One of the most interesting aspects of his uniform was where he kept the ring William placed on Kate's finger.  He had a pocket specially sewn in his left cuff so that he could easily retrieve it when the time came.

The bridegroom himself, William, wore the Irish Guards Mounted Officer's uniform--he was appointed an honorary colonel with them in February of this year.  It came as a bit of a surprise as nearly everyone assumed he would wear the uniform of Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, with whom he actively serves in Wales.  The uniform he did choose to wear is the highest military rank he holds and, additionally, the motto of the Irish Guards is "Who shall separate us?"--perhaps a sentiment he feels toward his new bride.

Now, the bridesmaids and pageboys.  (Bridesmaids are not to be confused with the maid of honor, Pippa Middleton, who is featured just below.)  The bridesmaids included Grace van Cutsem, 3, Eliza Lopes, also 3, Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, 8, and Lady Louise Windsor, 7.  Their dresses were made by Nicki Macfarlane and her daughter Charlotte and were designed to echo the bride's dress.  They were made of the same fabrics (silk gazar with Cluny lace trimming and net underskirts) as the bride's dress and had similar "structural" qualities.  The girls also had optional capes that were not worn because the weather behaved.  Their shoes were created by Rainbow Club of satin in the Mary Jane style with buckles decorated with Swarovski crystals.

Sweetly, the bridesmaids wore ivy and lily of the valley wreaths in their hair as Kate's mother Carole had in her wedding in 1980.  The bridesmaids also carried bouquets made of hyacinth, sweet William, and lily of the valley.

The pageboys were William Lowther-Pinkerton, 10, and Tom Pettifer, 8.  Their outfits were made by Kashket and Partners (who also fitted William's uniform); the design originated in the Royal Household--but we don't know who exactly!  They were made to look like uniforms worn by Foot Guards in the 1820s Regency period and included the insignia of the Irish Guards (as seen in William's uniform).  The collars and cuffs were produced by the Royal School of Needlework, who also made the lace for the bride, bridesmaids, and maid of honor.  (Tom Pettifer, the blonde pageboy, had the biggest, happiest grin on his face throughout the day.  If only all children involved in weddings were so well-behaved!)

Last, but certainly not least, was the most talked about member of the wedding party--maid of honor, Pippa Middleton.  In another surprise, Pippa, Kate's sister, wore a white dress!  I have never seen a maid of honor wear white before.  I can't say that I disagree with it, as smashing as Pippa looked--but at the same time, it was a bit distracting from Kate, and it was her big day.  Pippa's dress was a very figure-hugging white, satin crepe dress, also designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, with a low cowl neck, a row of buttons down the back (matching the bride's dress), and lace details (also matching the bride's dress).

Well, there you have the wedding party!  Next time, Fashionably Royal will explore The Wedding Reception and Day After.  Until then!