Wedding Wednesday: Empress Farah's Gown

HIM The Shah of Iran and Farah Diba

December 21, 1959

Tehran, Iran

By 1959, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was in a bit of a desperate situation - he needed a wife. Well, he needed a son, to be more accurate, as only men could inherit his throne and he had no heir. An unsuccessful first marriage to Princess Fawzia of Egypt ended with one daughter; his second marriage to Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari ended in 1958 when it became clear she couldn't bear children; reported interest in marrying Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy had been shot down by Pope John XXIII.

Lucky for the Shah, 1959 was also the year in which he stumbled upon just the girl to solve the Great Matter for him. While in Paris he held one of his customary meetings with Iranian students studying abroad and was introduced to Farah Diba. By November they were engaged, and in December they married. Farah was 21; the Shah was 40.

For her wedding dress, Farah returned to France and sought out Yves Saint Laurent, then the designer for Dior. (The friendship between the empress and the fashion icon would last the rest of Saint Laurent's life.) The dress itself featured a scoop neck, with a modest coat to go over top. The whole affair was embroidered with Persian motifs depicted in sequins, imitation pearls, and silver thread. The train had a distinctive fur-lined hem; unseen, blue was sewn in to some of the hems as a sort of a good luck charm for the birth of a boy.

To go with her dress, Farah wore the Noor-ol-Ain Tiara containing one of the world's largest pink diamonds as well as a selection of other pieces from the Iranian crown jewels.

After her marriage, Queen Farah dispensed quickly with the pressure to produce a son by delivering a crown prince in less than a year. Three more children would follow - two girls and a second boy. Farah was initially quite popular; she didn't restrict herself to a purely ceremonial role as queen and dug in to some real issues. The Shah showed his appreciation for all she'd done in 1967 by crowning her Empress, or Shahbanou, of Iran in an elaborate ceremony. She was the first of his wives to earn that title, and indeed the first to carry it in modern Iran. The Shah even took it a step further by naming her Empress Regent in the event that he died before their son was old enough to rule on his own - an unusual promotion for a female in the region.

But as with all things, backlash ensued. Farah was criticized for excess, particularly in her coronation and in the lavish celebrations for the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire in 1971. Unrest was building in Iran as a whole against the imperial government, and the imperial family fled the country in 1979.

Farah's coronation

Life in exile has not been kind to Farah. The Shah died of cancer in 1980. Her youngest child, Princess Leila, was found dead after an overdose in 2001; her youngest son, Prince Ali-Reza, committed suicide in 2011. Today, Farah splits her time between Paris and the U.S., and we get to see her occasionally at big royal events where she is always impeccably turned out.

What do you make of Farah's wedding gown?

Photos: Topfoto/Rex Features

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 10-16 July

Here's what Victoria wore from 10-16 July:

1. Out for a walk.
2. Attending a ceremony to unveil trees that she and Daniel received as wedding gifts, 13 July, a) on Victoria and b) from Diane von Furstenberg with those YSL heels. This is one of those things that I hate on the hanger, but actually on her it looks pretty good. (And hey: no ponytail!)
3. Celebrating her 34th birthday, 14 July. Simple, but effective. 
4. At her birthday concert, 14 July. 

It was a very cute week in Victoria Land, from delight at wedding presents and birthday fans...

...right down to getting drenched with the family while enjoying her birthday concert. Gotta love the trash bag rain protection!

Photos: Getty Images/AP Photo/Daylife

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 19-25 June

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

1. Attending the opening of an exhibit at the Prince Eugene's Waldemarsudde Art Museum, 21 June. Repeating her H&M dress, YSL sandals, Malene Birger bag. Meh.

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 15-21 May

Here's what Victoria wore from 15-21 May:

1. Speaking at the opening of the Nobel Laureate Symposium on Global Sustainability, 17 May. Here's a full length view from a previous outing.
2. Arriving in Ockelbo (Daniel's home) for their three day visit, 19 May.
3. Dinner at Gavle Palace, 19 May, a) on Victoria and b) from Escada. We have this one in navy, and the long version in red...wow, when she likes something, she goes all out, doesn't she?
4. More engagements, 20 May, with YSL shoes and Malene Birger bag (Victoria often goes with Birger for bags).
5. Reception in Ockelbo, 20 May. The traditional outfits were a wedding gift.
6. Last day in Ockelbo, 21 May. Ah, a repeat from the glorious stylist days before the wedding. Nostalgia!

Best and Worst of the Week

Let's start with the worst. Outfit 2...well, it looks like something Queen Elizabeth would have worn in at Victoria's age, sensible lady that she is. Which is fine. For 1956. I'm no fan of that H&M dress from outfit 4, but at least it's youthful! The Alberta Ferretti is also a rather mature look, but it gets my best anyways because I'm still clinging to the notion that she might make a triumphant return to her pre-wedding style one of these days. A girl can dream.

Photos: PPE/Svenskdam/ANP/PurePeople/Abaca

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 24-30 April

Here's what Victoria wore from 24-30 April:

1. Easter with Daniel's family, 24 April.
2. Pre-wedding dinner in advance of the royal wedding, 28 April.
3. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding, 29 April, a) on Victoria, and b) from Elie Saab. My favorite!
4. Attending a wedding after party at Pavlos and Marie-Chantal's house, 29 April. Update: This dress is from Filippa K.
5. Back in Sweden for the 65th birthday of the King, 30 April. And...back to suits and ponytails. She gets an excuse for being in London until midnight and back in Stockholm by noon on duty again, I guess.

What's your favorite outfit this week?

Photos: Aftonbladet/Getty Images/Daylife/ANP

Royal & Non-Royal Fashion Awards: The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge's Evening Wedding Party

After the wedding, the lunch and a "time of reflection" for the bride and groom at Clarence House (which the talking heads on the broadcast I watched were quick to toss innuendo at), it was time to party. A très exclusive evening bash at Buckingham Palace was hosted by Charles and orchestrated by Harry and The Pips, and lasted well into the morning hours. And you know what that means...more fashion to judge. Let's go:

Best in Hair

Zara Phillips

 

Top, left to right: Zara Phillips with Mike Tindall, Princess Anne with Tim Laurence

Bottom, left to right: the three eldest Spencer sisters with their brother Viscount Althorp, Lady Sarah McCorquodale (and is that her daughter Emily behind her?)

Being a private party, photos were limited to guests coming and going. Endless questions about what gowns they wore will never be answered. So, hair evaluation it is. Princess Anne and Lady Sarah may win in the bling department, but their hair is nothing to chat about. In the young and blonde category, Zara's sleek updo wins out over the assorted peroxide Spencers. Her hair throughout the wedding festivities has been excellent; I hope this was a trial go for the hairdresser she'll use for her wedding.

Best in Questionable Gowns

Chelsy Davy

L to R: Princess Beatrice in purple Marchesa, Chelsy Davy in blue Alberta Ferretti

Even among the guests that we did get full-length shots of, I still have some questions. For example: WHAT is happening with Bea's dress in that second picture? Should we just be glad those kicks don't have toilet paper stuck to them? (I do love the shoes, though. Good for her for not pretending like a day in 4 inch heels doesn't take a toll.) I also question Chelsy's second Alberta Ferretti concoction of the day. The sketch looks great, but so did the sketch for her teal number, and we all saw what happened there. Nevertheless, I'll give it a prize. Awarded for sheer potential, I guess.

Best of the Rest

Pippa Middleton

 L to R: Princess Eugenie, Pippa Middleton, the Duchess of Cornwall, Carole Middleton, Rose Ruck Keene, Olivia Hunt, Lady Rose Astor

Eugenie's looking fab in another great shape which must be Westwood. Camilla stuck with the same designer for the whole affair as well, and Anna Valentine certainly suits her - but this is a repeat. Out of funds for more new clothes? Mrs. M.'s showing off that diet she was supposedly on in her Diane von Furstenberg, but I do love her hair up. Of the last three friends, Olivia Hunt is my favorite in a true red carpet gown, Lady Rose Astor's doing some sort of updated flapper thing, and Rose Ruck Keene's...fine. It's The Pips that takes my  prize, as she plunges low yet again in another step on her quest for world domination. A perfect example of the prettiness that is so uniquely Temperley.

One last attendee, in a category all his own:

The Party Prince himself, working the open tuxedo look. You're welcome.

And in other party news...

Pavlos and Marie-Chantal hosted a party for some of those that didn't warrant an invite to the exclusive Buck House bash. Among the attendees were Victoria and Daniel and Katherine and Alexander.

Victoria's so cute. I love the little mod shirt dress. Still don't like the YSL shoes, but with this dress, they work.

UPDATE: More attendees at the other after party at Pavlos and M-C's casa - Anne-Marie and Constantine and Prince and Princess Michael.

Who makes your list of favorites? And how long do you think it will be until The Pips achieves full world domination?

Photos: Getty Images/Daylife/Aftonbladet/Big Picture Photo/Daily Mail/Splash/Isopix

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 29 August - 4 September

Here's what Crown Princess Victoria wore the week of 29 August - 4 September:

1.  Polar Music Awards, 30 August, and the Escada dress and Yves St Laurent shoes that are reappearing after Nikolaos and Tatiana's pre-wedding party.  This is a little too rock star for a princess, I think, but at least she's showing that model a thing or two.  Mostly I can't handle the shoes. 
2. Attending the final concert of the Östersjöfestivalen, 2 September, a) from the back and b) from the front.  It's one dress but it would be so much better as a top tucked into a high-waisted skirt, no?  It needed something, but that necklace wasn't it.
3. Attending the ceremonial first blasting of the Karolinska hospital in Stockholm, 3 September.  Lovely color, but this outfit scares me.  It's too much like the Victoria of yore: dressing too old (the boxy cut on that jacket isn't flattering) and it marks the return of the dreaded ponytail.

I can't pick a best from these selections.  I refuse!  We've seen how good she can do, and these things are just not it.

Photos: Svenskdam, svt.se