Week in Review: The Duchess of Cambridge, 22-28 April

1. At the premiere of African Cats, 25 April. It's all in the details this week...an off week in accessory land to me.
2. Attending a reception for the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race, 26 April.
3. Launching the World War I galleries at the Imperial War Museum, 26 April in the gray version of an oatmeal sheath we saw before.
4. She was also spotted this week recycling the (a) Erdem lace from Canada and (b) wearing this shirt.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images/Reuters

Random Royal Appreciation: Sophie in the West Indies

Queen Elizabeth is sending her family far and wide to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee while she and the Duke of Edinburgh stay in the United Kingdom. The Earl and Countess of Wessex have kicked it all off with their ongoing tour of the West Indies, where Sophie has debuted a distinctly Caribbean take on her usual wardrobe.

I won't go so far as to say every outfit Sophie has worn so far has been a hit, but overall I'm loving her easy and breezy take on her typical style. Sleeveless or looser cuts with her hair up is perfect for the climate, and she's even brought out some fun prints which seem extra appropriate here.

I could do without the black flower off a little girl's party dress for the state dinner they attended in Barbados, but the dress itself is great for her. It's just one of several notable repeats during the trip: we've seen her hat from William and Catherine's wedding, her hat from Garter Day, her dress from Albert and Charlene's wedding, and this dress from Albert's coronation.

The tour began on February 21st and lasts until March 7th. The Wessexes have hit St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago as far as these pictures go; the tour will take them to Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda before they head home. This last bit is overlapping with Prince Harry's first overseas tour - all of that when we next pick up with the Touring Windsors.

How do you think Sophie's doing so far?

Photos: British Monarchy/Press Association/UK in Barbados/Trinidad and Tobago News

Week in Review: The Duchess of Cambridge, 23-29 October

Here's what Catherine wore from 23-29 October:

1. Hosting an event for In Kind Direct at Clarence House, 26 October - her first solo engagement, filling in for Prince Charles who was away paying respects to the recently deceased Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. She wore an Amanda Wakeley gown and accessorized with her standard diamond earrings and bracelet (and engagement ring, obviously) as well as those sparkly Jimmy Choos first seen in L.A. I really think she knocked this one out of the park. She looks fantastic! Even the hair is just right - out of her face, but still adding some shoulder coverage.

Photos: Just Jared/Paul Burns/Clarence House/Zimbio/Daily Mail/Mirror/Net-a-porter

Week in Review: The Duchess of Cambridge, 25 September-1 October

Here's what Catherine wore from 25 September-1 October:

1. Opening a new children's cancer care center at the Royal Marsden Hospital, 29 September in Amanda Wakeley with her trusty LK Bennett Sledges and Natalie handbag. I hope you like this dress, apparently she bought the £450 frock in this oatmeal and gunmetal and black. I'm a fan, it's safely elegant and what have you - hard to go wrong. It's like a bowl of oatmeal: trusty and sturdy, but definitely ready for some accoutrements...you gotta have some raisins or something in there. Apples, granola, you get my drift. I like the dress though, and am in total agreement with HRH here that this is the sort of thing you buy in bulk.

Can we agree that the star of this visit  is Prince William, though? This dude showed up on no sleep after working one of his 24 hour shifts saving lives and such and then spent 2 1/2 hours at the hospital with the wifey. You know, as you do.

What a stud, am I right?

Also, Kate spent some time this week at the National Portrait Gallery, dressed all in black. I guess all that red from last week was enough to tide her over for a while?

Photos: Hello/Getty Images/Daylife/Amanda Wakeley/Bauer Griffin/Zimbio

Week in Review: The Duchess of Cambridge, 19-25 June

Here's what Catherine wore from 19-25 June:

1. Official portrait released for the Canada trip, repeating the Amanda Wakeley jacket we saw pre-wedding.
2. a) Presenting medals to the Irish Guards on Armed Forces Day, 25 June, wearing b) a shamrock brooch previously worn by the Queen Mother and the Princess Royal while on Irish Guards engagements, c) a new charm bracelet engraved with her royal cypher, a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat, Anya Hindmarch clutch, Prada shoes, and an Alexander McQueen coat dress, a combination of styles d) and e) from the Pre-Fall 2011 collection.

To all of those that called her out for pulling a Diana move with the military coat for the military engagement, I say: pfffft. That's not a Diana move, that's a royal move. See also: Elizabeth, Camilla, Sophie, pretty much everything Anne's ever worn, etc. If you want to see a Diana comparison here, in my opinion, you have to go to the bracelet. Diana had a known penchant for gifts with the personal touch. Interestingly, this bracelet appears to have been a gift from Camilla as it seems to have Camilla's cypher on the other side.

The hat seems a little froofy (technical term) to me when paired with that stark coat. But at the same time, it's the froofiness of the hat that's keeping this from being a soldier costume, or from being something that the Princess Royal might wear. And I do like the coat (c'mon, she had McQueen make her something, you know I'm loving that). I think it was a great choice for this engagement. She went simple, since it's not like she could compete with her hubby's ensemble:

This, by the way, solves the mystery of the second uniform William wore on his wedding day as the couple drove Prince Charles's classic car away from Buckingham Palace. I shall update his wedding post tout de suite.

In other Armed Forces Day news, Camilla made a half-hearted attempt to compete with her man's uniform with this kicky new hat:

Alas, her efforts were for naught. I mean...look at that uniform. Yowza.

What did you think of Kate's military effort?

Photos: Chris Jackson/Getty Images/Alexander McQueen/Style.com/Daylife/Daily Mail

Week in Review: Catherine Middleton, 10-16 April

Here's what Catherine wore from 10-16 April:

1.  a) Visiting Darwen, in Northern England, 11 April. The jacket is Amanda Wakeley from 2007 (which apparently qualifies it as "vintage") and the shoes are L.K. Bennett (b), and the bag's showing some nice detailing (c).

Overall, a nice appearance. "Fine", I believe, is how I put it to a reader that emailed to ask my thoughts after the event. She pulled her hair back, and that always gets bonus points with me. I like the detailing on the jacket; it adds some youth to what could very easily be an aging ensemble. And I like that she dipped into the Amanda Wakeley pool, since she was one of the designers I hoped she might consider for her wedding gown. Though I prefer my Middleton with a little more meat on her bones, I thought she looked happy and had a good vibe with William during the event, and that's more important. I don't care for the shoes, but if you're just going to do this to them, I suppose it doesn't really matter:

Now, if you're 100% happy with this appearance, you're welcome to wait here for me while I nitpick, but there's a reason why "fine" is the highest praise I'm coming up with. Last week, smart cookie Wendy left a comment that got me thinking. Wendy reminded us all of the Queen's method of dress, which is to wear bright colors so people can see her. And that's all that runs through my mind when I see these pictures of Kate.

When you first look at that picture, who do you look at? My eye jumps right past Kate to the turquoise lady with the child's umbrella. With the rain, the dark umbrellas, and William's navy suit, I just felt like she blended in. I can't help but pine for a sunshine yellow, or an Easter shade of pink to brighten things up and make her the stand out.

Do you agree, or am I alone here? (Wouldn't be the first time.)

Photos: L.K.Bennett/Style/Chris Jackson/Getty Images Europe/Zimbio

Month in Review: Tatiana Blatnik and Princess Theodora, July

Here's what a few of the Greek royal ladies wore in July:

Tatiana Blatnik

1.  Arriving in Greece, 3 July.  Perfect travelling outfit, love it.
2. Attending a wedding, 15 July.  It's fun, it's summery, it's young, it's making me a little dizzy.

Also, I stumbled across this:

It's the dress and wrap Tatiana wore to King Constantine's birthday party in June, and it's from Amanda Wakeley (who also made the dress Sophie, Countess of Wessex wore to Victoria's wedding, by the way).  It looked gorgeous on Tatiana, but I have to say it's not at all attractive in these photos!

Princess Theodora

1.  Academy of Couture Art Premiere Grand Fashion Gala, 24 July.
2. Power Players celebrity cruise benefitting 'Rally For Kids' Charity, 29 July.

Best and Worst of the Month

While I think Tatiana had a fair month, it's Theodora that ends up at the top and bottom of my list.  This little black dress is fabulous, and it's doing all the right things for her figure.  The blue dress is just plain trying too hard; it's coming off like a little girl's princess Halloween costume.

Photos: AFFUSA.com/ANP/Paul Archuleta/Film Magic/Getty Images/Star