Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: October 28 - November 3

Well, this is weird: everyone seems to have decided that they didn't need to live life in living color last week. I don't know who sent out the colorless memo to the royal ladies, but they should be stopped.

 

Sharpest Interpretation

Princess Letizia

At the Living Awards 2012

I do like this repeated Felipe Varela outfit, even if black and white loses its sharp edge in a sea of monochrome.

Darkest Interpretation

Crown Princess Mary

Attending a gala hosted by the Danish Lung Foundation; launching the 2012 Christmas Seal

A repeated dress from Heartmade - apparently after a bit of a haircut for the skirt - at least brings some sparkle to this week.

Flowery Interpretation

Princess Mathilde

Attending a concert in Paris

Look, even Philippe got the colorless memo.

Most Hopeful Interpretation

Princess Máxima

At the Africa Works! conference; attending a school breakfast; at a conference for international food stability

Finally, some blue! (And not even the dark kind, like Mary wore.) I don't even like this outfit, but this week - I'll let it go.

Which interpretation of life before color television was your favorite?

Photos: Getty Images/Purepeople/PPE/Dutch Photo Press/Abaca

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 18-24 March

1. Receiving the team for Expo 2017, 21 March.
2. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Queen Astrid Hospital, 22 March. Gorgeous suit. This is how I like my Mathilde - nice and tailored.

Photos: Imageglobe

Week in Review: The Duchess of Cambridge, 25-31 December

Here's what Catherine wore from 25-31 December:

1. First church service of the day, 25 December. That's a lotta churchin' in a day. I suppose you better be game for a double-header church service if you're going to sign up for life as the wife of the future head of the Church of England.
2. a-d) Christmas service, 25 December, in a Jane Corbett hat, Mascaró shoes, new Kiki McDonough earrings (green amethyst with diamonds) and a coat by an independent British designer, who I don't think has been found out yet. I love that she used an independent designer, but I wish they would've stated the name. I mean, McQueen would still be McQueen with or without Kate - let's make some new fashion careers while we're at it! Talk about your economic stimulus. But, I digress...back to the outfit. This is, as I said, a bit of hat déjà vu from Remembrance Day, but I like it better with this sort of coat.

Photos: Zimbio/Daily Mail/Grazia

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 18-24 December

Here's what Mathilde wore from 18-24 December:

 

1. At memorial for the victims of the attack in Liege, 20 December.
2. Visiting the Queen Fabiola Children's Hospital on its 25th anniversary, 21 December.

Photos: Deredactie

Week in Review: Crown Princess Mary, 18-24 December

Here's what Mary wore from 18-24 December:

1. a) Doing some shopping, 20 December, in b) a coat from Prada.
2. Christmas Eve church service, 24 December.

Photos: bt.dk

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 18-24 December

Here's what Letizia wore from 18-24 December:

1. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 20 December.
2. Attending a Cirque du Soleil performance, 23 December. Purple all around! Banner week by default.

Photos: Zimbio/Hola

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 11-17 December

Here's what Letizia wore from 11-17 December:

1. Attending a lunch at the palace, 13 December.
2. At a ceremony for the Prince of Girona Foundation, 14 December. Again with the strangely matched shoes. Why?

We also got a glimpse of the family's Christmas card this week, prepare your awwws:

 

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 4-10 December

Here's what Máxima wore from 4-10 December:

1. At the closing ceremony of the Thousand and One Force project, 9 December, in an outfit she also wore for an audience on 6 December. Hmm...while I think we have a good silhouette on our hands, somehow the overall efffect is that of Queen Elizabeth taking a stroll at Balmoral.

Photo: PPE/Nieboer

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 4-10 December

Here's what Princess Letizia wore from 4-10 December:

1. Watching the changing of the guard at the palace in Madrid, 7 December, rockin' the shades.

Photo: Purepeople/Best Image

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 27 November - 3 December

Here's what Mathilde wore from 27 November - 3 December:

1. Meeting military families, 3 December. I am, as ever, baffled by the brown/beige and gray combo - that's a page out of Máxima's book - but YAY for capes.

Photo: Getty Images/Zimbio

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 27 November - 3 December

Here's what Máxima wore from 27 November - 3 December:

1. At the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund Awards, 28 November. Va-va-voom! This is a great dress. Me likey.
2. a and b) Opening a new care home, 29 November. Meh.
3. a) Attending a gala dinner during an official visit from Mali, 29 November, in b) a repeated dress and shrug made of...used tinfoil from Máx's last highlight?

Photos: Getty Images/Zimbio/PPE/Buys/112 Nederland/Nieboer

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 27 November - 3 December

Here's what Letizia wore from 27 November - 3 December:

1. Attending an awards dinner, 29 November. A classic repeated Letizia LBD. Can't go wrong.
2. a) and b) At the XIVth State Congress of the Voluntary work, 1 December. Mmm...maybe we should've left the scarf on, I'm thinking.

Photos: Xunta/WireImage

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 20-26 November

Here's what Mathilde wore from 20-26 November:

1. Visiting schools with UNICEF Belgium, 21 November.
2. a and b) Attending a round table on human trafficking, 24 November. The giant sweater masquerading as a coat is growing on me.

Photos: Belga

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 13-19 November

Here's what Máxima wore from 13-19 November:

1. Visiting Deventer Home Entrepreneurs, 15 November.
2. Opening the Amsterdam Participation Market, 17 November.
3. Making a school visit, 18 November.
4. Attending the world premiere of a Dutch documentary, 18 November. The best in an extraordinarily typical Máxima week, I suppose.

Photos: PPE/Buys/Het Koninklijk Huis/ANP/Dutch Photo Press

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 13-19 November

Here's what Mathilde wore from 13-19 November:

1. Celebrating King's Day in Brussels, 15 November. I'm not even going to try and play like I'm pondering it: I LOVE the leopard. So help me, I do. It takes a lot to make an animal print classy and not trashy, and she's pulling it off with the assistance of those gray accessories. J'adore.
2. More celebrations at Parliament, 15 November. This, on the other hand...not so much. Too. Much. Fringe.
3. a and b) Visiting the province of Luxembourg, 16 November in a colorblocked coat which is lovely, but Princess Claire did it better (see below).
4. a and b) Visiting a literacy project, 17 November.
5. Launching the "Week of Reading Aloud", 18 November, in a combo that I disliked so much I think I ended up coming around to the other side and now find it oddly enjoyable.

King's Day is a family affair (except not for the actual King and Queen), and Princess Astrid is the only other one that hatted up, in her upturned mixing bowl with the Hello Kitty bow stuck on front. That eternal rebel Queen Fabiola went without (can't be messing up the hair, man)...

...as did Princess Claire, who seems now to be back in royal action with her errant hubby, Prince Laurent. In the realm of colorblocking, both Claire and Mathilde picked outfits that seem to be aiming for that young mod look, and Claire (who looks like she's 15 anyway) is just a better fit.

Photos: Zimbio/Getty Images/PPE/Nieboer/Belga

Week in Review: Princess Charlene, 13-19 November

Here's what Charlene wore from 13-19 November:

1. Attending the Parish Saint-Martin Centenary Anniversary Celebration Mass, 13 November.
2. a) Handing out packages at Monaco's Red Cross Christmas celebration, 17 November, b) in an Akris suit with a boxy little jacket. This outfit inspired some of you to ask me if I think she's pregnant...and I have to tell you, the whole Bump Game gives me a case of the mehs. Until it becomes smack-you-upside-the-head obvious, I'm perfectly happy to be surprised when the parents-to-be decide to share the news. This is, like, the one area in which I actually do consider how I personally would feel if someone placed the same microscope on me. (Usually, my response to that argument would be: "Give me a tiara and you can say what you want, yo." Only without the yo because I can't actually pull that off in real life.) Yeah. Those that want to analyze the state of my belly should be forewarned that I have ninja skillz and I am not afraid to use them. ANYWAY: rant over, to each their own. Not my deal, is all I'm saying.
3. At the annual presentation of the Order of St. Charles and Grimaldi, 17 November, hiding behind Albert.
4. National Day, fierce day activities, 19 November.
5. National Day, tragic evening activities, 19 November (also in Akris).

She also visited the No Finish Line charity, but since she did (and wore) the same thing on the 20th too we'll just chat about it next week.

Photos: Purepeople/Abaca/Palais Princier/Marcio Madeira/Firstview.com/Style.com

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 13-19 November

Here's what Letizia wore from 13-19 November:

1. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 14 November. A very quiet week, literally and sartorially, for Letizia. Must have been gearing up for the Chile trip they're on this week.

Photo: Daylife/Getty Images

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 6-12 November

Here's what Máxima wore from 6-12 November:

1. Opening Money Week 2011, 7 November. A cape! Yay! I hope she swooped it around a bit, if so then I will forgive the matchy-matchy shoes.
2. At the opening conference of the European Office of the Sustainability Consortium, 8 November. A thoroughly typical outfit, topped with a new Natan coat.
3. Attending the Erasmus Prize award ceremony, 9 November. This is a little...lackluster, no?
4. Receiving the first coin made for Money Week, 10 November.
5. Welcoming Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) with her daughters, 12 November. My, my, I'm not sure when the last time was our colorful Máx was this monochrome for whole week (leave it to her to go with a reddish week instead of a grayish one, at least - bless!). We need some color variety, and for that we turn to the A-Team and their jaunty chapeaux:

Well done ladies, well done.

Photos: PPE/v.d. Werf/Dutch Photo Press/Nieboer

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 6-12 November

Here's what Letizia wore from 6-12 November:

1. Visiting an international tourism fair in London, 7 November.
2. At a gala dinner put on by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in London, 7 November, repeating one of my very favorite Letizia looks! Huzzah.
3. Attending an event for the ONCE Foundation, 11 November. Hey, a whole week of some of my favorite Letizia dresses (they're all Felipe Varela, by the way)! It's like a little present.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images

Week in Review: Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 30 October-5 November

Here's what Mette-Marit wore from 30 October-5 November:

1. Attending a Rihanna concert, 30 October.

Photo: Espen Braata/VG