Mette-Marit and the Perils of Sash Coordination

In Suzy Menkes' The Royal Jewels, she recounts a story dating from the early days of Diana, Princess of Wales' marriage: Queen Beatrix had come to Britain on a state visit, and Diana had chosen a pink dress to wear for the return banquet. Then, the day of the banquet, an orange sash was delivered. Beatrix had given Diana a royal order, and she would be expected to wear her new honor for the banquet that evening. The gift sent Diana into fashion frenzy - a new dress had to be readied (a blue one), and new jewelry had to be collected (she borrowed a choker from her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth), all in the name of sash coordination.

Clearly, Mette-Marit has no such qualms. Here she is attending the state banquet given for Queen Beatrix during her state visit to Norway - another orange Dutch sash.

This is a whole lot of color - bright pink dress, red family order, orange sash, topped off with an amethyst tiara. Maybe it's how great the hair and makeup are (this is a Crown Princess that can glow), but it doesn't bother me as much as it should.

This photograph cracks me up - on one side, Queen Sonja and Queen Beatrix represent the school of neutral dressing for maximum sash-coordination possibilities, and on the other side, Mette-Marit joins Princess Märtha Louise and Princess Astrid in the school of what-the-hell-let's-just-go-for-it color coordination.

Photos: PPE/v.d Werf/pool