Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: September 15-21, Plus a Tiara Watch!

Best in Visits

Queen Máxima and Princess Letizia

Video: Felipe and Letizia meet their Dutch visitors at the airport

Willem-Alexander and Máxima got back to their one day visits to fellow European monarchs this past week with a quick stop in Spain to see the King and Queen. So many things to love just in this video: the warm greetings, the best thing Letizia wore all week, Máxima's abundant use of aquamarines, and her excellent response to the Spanish monarchy's anti-hat and currently anti-bling culture.

 

That would be a jeweled butterfly in the hair, of course. Attagirl!

Most Curiously Hatted

Queen Mathilde

Continuing visits across the country with King Philippe

Mathilde had other events this week (she was in New York, and I think we'll cover that when we cover the rest of the people in NYC next week), but this one sort of wiped them all out. There are outfits that you can casually throw a hat on...and then there are outfits that you can not.

Second Most Curiously Hatted

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit

Visiting Vest-Agder

I don't know what exactly is going on here, but these two together without context humors me. If I hadn't seen them next to each other on video (click here!), I might think someone had Photoshopped this up: one Arctic survivor bundled up for life and one dude in a suit, just out for a stroll.

Best in Family Events

The Swedish Royal Family

King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Chris O'Neill, and Princess Madeleine attend a reception celebrating the King's 40th Jubilee

First, the Jubilee festivities continued with a reception, where Victoria's simple dress was the perfect day dress to pair with her father's order, and a much less distracting choice than Silvia's Easter egg suit...

The Opening of Parliament and the evening performance (King and Queen not pictured)

...and then it was time for the annual opening of Parliament. The black and white on the ladies is the standard dress code, and a throwback to the court dress of earlier days, and Madeleine's winning it (during the day at least).

Best in Variety

Crown Princess Mary

Mary at an awards ceremony, and during the state visit from Vietnam (with her Erdem dress)

Mary had a busy week, more events than this, and she had some interesting designers too. A blue Gucci number - not unlike the Gucci worn by Máxima earlier this year, sans the Bea sleeves - and Erdem! Count that as another royal Erdem that I actually like. I like that blue coat too, and as a bonus it was worn for a state visit, and you know what that means...

Tiara Watch!

Reason #597 why fall is awesome: we usually get a couple state visits out of it, and state visits = tiaras. Tiaras in all their sparkly action, no less:

Video: State banquet for the President of Vietnam

Queen Margrethe is wearing the Baden Palmette Tiara; Mary has on her wedding tiara; Marie is wearing her regular floral tiara; and Benedikte is also in her floral tiara. A regular diamond party! And thank heavens for the tiaras, because I'm not wild about the gowns. Marie's is lovely, but that waist ornamentation has no business being cluttered by a sash and a star. And Mary looks like she's reusing the skirt from one of my favorite New Year's Court outfits, and yet I still don't love it. Hmm...

Who was your best dressed last week?

Photos: IBL/Belga/NRK/Expressen/BestImage/Abaca/Kongehuset

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: October 21-27

Sadly, it can't be weddings and tiaras all the time. Here's to the ladies that were back to the regular royal working grind last week, minus the things we've already chatted about:

Best in Sparkle

Princess Letizia

At a literature awards ceremony; audiences in Oviedo; the closing concert of the XXI Musical Week in Oviedo; the annual Prince of Asturias Awards ceremony; visit to Bueno

You know what's sad? That little hair ornament might be the closest thing we'll get to a tiara on Letizia this year. Let's all console ourselves with hugs from adorable traditionally dressed children.

Best in Usual

Princess Mathilde

Visiting the International Design Biennale; visiting Luik; attending a concert for the Festival van Vlaandoren with the rest of the royal family (Princess Astrid, pictured); at an academic meeting

A thoroughly typical week for Mathilde, so much so that I am distracted by the fabulousness of Princess Astrid at the concert, in her shiny dress and her pink (pink!) gloves - as I couldn't help but wonder on Twitter, she may have come straight from washing up the dishes, but it's irresistibly fantastic nevertheless.

Best in Trips

Princess Máxima

Máx made a quick, not highly publicized trip to Nigeria as a part of her role with the U.N. in inclusive finance. Good work, even if it meant missing a potential tiara appearance.

Worst in Muppet

Crown Princess Victoria

At a U.N. Seminar; at an awards ceremony; visiting Gothenburg; at the opening of the Friends Arena

Listen…first,Victoria stole Big Bird’s apron. And now she’s wearing Kermit’s jacket and shoes made the shaved pelt of a Cookie Monster. I’m all for color, heaven knows I’m happy to get away from a sea of blergh, and if this were flattering in any way I’d probably be all on board…but it must be said: leave Sesame Street alone! Let's stick to the flattering faux animals, like that leopard dress up there.

Who piqued your interest last week?

P.S.: I hope all of you in the path of Sandy are safe and sound.

Photos: Getty Images/Belga/Ku Leuven/RVD/All Over Press