Royal Outfit of the Day: January 17

 

Last summer, Princess Marie-Chantal (left) wore an Oscar de la Renta Spring 2013 embellished dress (runway, center) for Princess Madeleine's pre-wedding dinner. At this year's Golden Globe Awards, Michelle Dockery of "Downton Abbey" fame (right) sported the same look.

You know, I very nearly included M-C's look in my honorable mentions for 2013, and when I saw it pop up this past weekend at the Globes, my appreciation for the royal styling grew even more. In the epic battle of "Who wore it best?", I have to give this one to M-C because the shoes and her overall bearing are making the look. This is one dress that benefits from the eh, I wear couture to grab the morning paper attitude, if you get what I'm saying. Et toi?

(Celebrity fashion isn't within our normal scope here, but I can't let a reference to the awards pass without saying LUPITA! and CAPES! That is all. If you missed the Globes gown parade, Buzzfeed's got the quickest fashion wrap up.)

Photos: Getty Images/Style.com

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: December 4-9

Hmm.

The Duchess of Cambridge

Video: William and Kate attend the London premiere of "Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom"

Look, I find this outfit rather baffling, but the whole thing takes on an extra unimportant tone considering the death of the great Nelson Mandela was announced while they were at this premiere. William's short statement when they left is included in the video above. (Kate also paid a visit to a children's hospice, smartly wearing trousers to avoid any precarious situations when crouching to kid level. Click here for some video cuteness.)

HMM.

Queen Máxima

Attending a concert given in Princess Beatrix's honor

Well, the outfit above is nothing compared to the level of bafflement this brings. From the unflattering bands to the messy skirt to the overly dark stockings - I just can't.

Best of the Rest

Crown Princess Mette-Marit

Mathilde visits Hong Kong (this was my favorite from the trip - click here for a nice video featuring more), Haakon and Mette-Marit at a meeting, Victoria pays a visit to discuss bioenergy, Mary hosts a holiday reception for her foundation

Some lovely business happening here, but the winner has to be Mette-Marit - she's alive! (She's been out of commission for weeks due to a neck problem that required surgery, if you haven't been following your Norwegian royal news.)

Who was your best dressed last week?

Photos: Raad van State/RTL/Kronprinsparet Fond/Lehtikuva/Maryfonden

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

Royal Fashion Awards: Prinsjesdag 2013

Prinsjesdag made me a little sad yesterday, guys. We're not only missing Queen Princess Beatrix from the festivities now, but Princess Margriet and her husband Pieter van Vollenhoven too. Such a small group, only the King, Queen, Prince Constantijn, and Princess Laurentien. Oh well. The pomp remains, and so do our (pared-down) awards.

Video: Prinsjesdag in action

Most Metallic

Queen Máxima

It was Jan Taminiau once again for Máxima, a gold frock with a studded diamond design that grew in size as her dress neared the floor. I'm all for sparkle and I'm all for covering oneself in gold, but I also think this looks like super fancy modern chainmail. Like, swap the clutch for a sword and she'd really be in business.

Most in Need of a Uniform

King Willem-Alexander

Video: The speech

Yes, I know. There are reasons the King has abandoned his military uniform-wearing ways. But I have reserved the right to be fully superficial in this space, and so I say: Booooo! Bring it back! Prince Constantijn was in morning dress too, as he always is, but I missed the presence of at least one royal gent with uniform and sash blazing. Nevertheless, he did do well with the speech and all. I mean, I don't speak the language or anything, but he's got a good voice, no? Kingly.

Most Evening

Princess Laurentien

Some of you remarked on our recent Prinsjesdag flashback that you felt the dresses were a little too obviously evening gowns with hats on top, and so they usually are - after all, we are out of the court dress habit these days. It usually doesn't bother me (why not get a gown that you can also wear later on?), but this one is a little too obviously evening for me. Maybe that's because we've already seen it in evening mode, during the inauguration festivities.

Who was your Prinsjesdag favorite?

Photos: Pool/Getty Images/ANP/NOS

Royal Trend Watch: Metallics for Madeleine

The festivities have begun! The King and Queen hosted a pre-wedding dinner this evening for Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill, and I'm already a happy girl because I spy a trend among the ladies: metallics, and really all sorts of things that glitter and shine. You know it doesn't take much to make this magpie happy.

The royal family and the O'Neill family

The bride herself started the trend in a wonderfully metallic Elie Saab, and she's my favorite because I'm terribly predictable like that. Victoria also brought a bit of shine to the occasion with the top of her Jenny Packham gown (which nearly became a cocktail dress thanks to the wind outside, threatening to reveal more than we need to know about quite a few of the ladies present, poor loves). Even the top of Queen Silvia's gown is made to sparkle, though - dare I say it - I'm detecting a hint of eau de figure skater.

Madeleine's Elie Saab, Victoria's Jenny Packham

(Also rocking Elie Saab, though not of the embellished variety, was Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie.)

Plenty of guests got in on the shimmery action in one way or another.

L to R: Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, Princess Tatiana of Greece, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, Princess Charlene of Monaco

Two of our Greek princesses went sparkly, M-C in her Oscar de la Renta - I'm more interested in her shoes, to tell you the truth. WANT. - and Tatiana in her sparkle toned down with a top layer. (Perhaps they should have advised the third Greek princess to go shimmery instead of matte, since Princess Theodora...did not do so well. Sometimes going up a size can actually makes you look smaller, true story.) Märtha Louise gave us a shiny take on a basket weave craft project, and Charlene gave us a splash of Elvis in gold. (Does a gown need a vest? I'm just asking.) Char might be on an Elvis roll, actually, given her recent level of shine. Stand by for a big collar and a bejeweled belt tomorrow.

For loads more guests, click here, and here, and also here. (But don't bother searching for two of our regulars, Mary and Mette-Marit - they won't be in attendance until the wedding itself, due to their schedules.)

Are you loving the night's metallics, or something else?

Programming Note: We'll have an open post up before the wedding for those of you that want to chat here during the broadcast.

Oh, and P.S.: Yes, the court made it official today, Valentino has designed the wedding gown.

Photos: Kungahuset/B.Grenfeldt/Style.com/Elie Saab/Getty Images/Scanpix

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: May 26-June 1

Best in Trips

Crown Princess Mary and Crown Princess Mette-Marit

Attending the Women Deliver 2013 Conference and associated events in Malaysia

Trips for causes near and dear and a bonus appearance by Princess Mabel! So, that's all good. The wardrobe here fits the bill, as this is not a big state visit or anything of that nature.

Best Trend

Queen Máxima

Beginning tours of all Dutch provinces with the King, opening the Fioretti College, at a symposium, and opening the Holland Festival

Yes, I think we're officially seeing a trend to the new Queen Máx: more instances of neat hair, more hats (and not-hats, I guess). If we can just get the trends to sort out the sadly fitting orange trousers...

Best of the Rest

Princess Mathilde, Princess Letizia, Crown Princess Victoria

Mathilde at a reception for the Antartic Treaty Consultative Meeting and at a lunch for jury members for the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition; Letizia at the theater in Barcelona and at Armed Forces Day; Victoria presenting the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, meeting the President of Indonesia with the rest of the royal family, and at a conference

I think we have a little something for everyone here, don't we? These are just the highlights. I'm liking Mathilde's second try at the bright green, this time happily without the matching shoes, and her repeat of that chic white dress (she also had a cheery floral going on elsewhere, which was delightful). Letizia's touch of sparkle (here and at a dinner for the President of Uruguay) and her prim suit were lovely, though the Barcelona appearance is notable because the couple got booed both inside and outside the theater. Unfortunate, but probably not all that surprising given the current climate - click here for video. And Victoria's ladylike beige-y pink continues my current love of the pale shades on her. (I'll throw an extra honorable mention to Queen Silvia at the same event, with a fresh take on a floral jacket.)

And an Honorable Mention to...

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

At the races this weekend, Eugenie indulged my weakness for a full skirt and Beatrice rocked a bold print. I'll pass on the hat - which is not from the back of the late Queen Mum's closet, believe it or not - but I'll take the rest. Princess Haya was also looking very glam, click here for more.

Who was your best dressed last week?

Photos: Getty Images/AP/BilledBladet/Scanpix/DutchPhotoPress/PPE/Scanpix/AllOverPress

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: May 20-25

Best in Turbans

Queen Máxima

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Sophia Children's Hospital; at the University of Utrecht; meeting with the Deputy-General of the U.N.; paying a one day visit to Luxembourg

Máx sure did have a turban-y week, didn't she? I don't mind turbans on her, really. Only her. I'm more bothered by the stiff construction of her green suit in Luxembourg, which I think is letting her down in major structural ways.

Best in Fresh

Princess Letizia, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Mathilde

Letizia visiting the APROCOR Foundation and holding audiences at Zarzuela Palace; Kate attending a garden party; Mathilde at the King Baudouin International Development Award Ceremony and supporting Philippe at the Brussels 20K run

There's something refreshing in all of these, I think: Letizia's cropped trousers (which I happen to love on the right royal, and she's it - plus, it's a nice break from things like her audience outfit), Kate's sunny yellow (which is an Emilia Wickstead I actually like as much as I usually want to like Wickstead on her), and Mathilde in casual wear for a change.

Best in Pastel

Crown Princess Victoria

Attending the release of Princess Estelle's Prayer Book; celebrating Enskilda Upper Secondary School's 100th anniversary; at the OECD environmental conference; visiting the Italian Cultural Center; attending a World Wildlife Fund meeting

The pastels are where Victoria's really been shining lately, I think. (And maybe it's catching: Crown Princess Mary was snapped wearing Victoria's pretty pink dress from earlier this month.) I will give her a non-pastel tip of the fascinator for the Missoni dress she wore to the Italian Cultural Center - see what she did there, eh?

Who was your best dressed last week? 

Photos: Getty Images/DutchPhotoPress/WPA Pool/AllOverPress/Stella Pictures/IBL/Kungahuset

Gold Star: Máxima in the Evening

I added Máxima's evening attire to the post on her inauguration gown, but I'm gonna feature her again because it needs to be said: girlfriend looked good. It was her second Jan Taminiau look for the day (huzzah! Can we get a switch to mostly Taminiau instead of...well, you know?), a burgundy-purpleish lace number with an elegant neckline and just enough train to make it count without dragging her down.

 

This was worn to the water pageant and the dinner following, and unfortunately because it was outdoors and on the water she ended up covering that masterful dress with a wrap (two wraps, part of the time) for most of the evening. But the dress wasn't the only sparkling thing: this was no tiara event, but Queen Máx still wore diamond stars in her hair, because she's our girl.

Video: A stop on the river cruise, and the gown in action

The King was in black tie, while the princesses wore their Natan dresses from earlier in the day with capes also provided by Natan.

Bea was there too, in purple no less. Once again, she's not only color-coordinated with Máx, but they're jewel-coordinated too - notice the diamond stars on her shoulder - and I am once again charmed by their teamwork. Bea's accompanied there by her sister Margriet, wearing Addy van den Krommenacker, as several members of the family were.

Left to right: Mary, Mette-Marit, Letizia, Mabel, Victoria

The royal guests were there too, though this was not their event and their presence was subtle. Mary repeated her gown from the Luxembourg wedding, and managed to sneak in some bits from her ruby parure (major earring alert!), so she was my default fave. Mabel's surprisingly understated in her Viktor & Rolf, but still all bow-ed up. (I've heard from several of you that the bow on her shoulder at the inauguration was, according to reports, in fact a bow from her wedding dress, which just breaks my heart. She looked especially emotional all day.)

Christina, Juliana, Annette, Sophie, Laurentien

Annette's wearing her inauguration dress without the jacket. I thought it was curiously dramatic with, and without I'm in love.

Mathilde, Margarita, Mozah, Aimée, Marilène, Irene

Plenty of glitter and sparkle among the guests, you know I approve. I loved Victoria's hardware above, and - this will come as a shocker - Mozah's particularly enchanting to me. (Some of you called her day outfit scary. No, my loves, no. We call that fierce.)

Gold stars nearly all the way 'round, don't you think?

And oh yes, before I forget, there was a brunch today for those still around, and then the royal family departed the palace to get back to business.

NOS has a short video of a few of the guests departing, click here to see. And click here to see Princess Beatrix leaving, once again with cheers of "Bea Bedankt" ("Thanks Bea") in the background.

Photos: NOS/PPE/DutchPhotoPress/Getty Images

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards (and Bonus Tiara Watch!): March 3-9

Best in Kids

The Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Letizia

Kate visiting the city of Grimsby; Letizia opening INDESA 2010, at a tribute concert for victims of terrorism, and attending World Rare Diseases Day

What interested me the most this past week for these two? The kids. That would be the princess and the nose picker for Kate, and the double dose of infantas for Letizia while visiting King Juan Carlos in the hospital for his most recent surgery. Hey, we didn't get any Estelle this week, and I'm in withdrawal. 

Best in Surprises

Princess Mathilde

Visiting the province of Vlaams-Brabant; visiting La Hulpe

I was surprised to see Mathilde in this suit - somehow it feels like we've been seeing the same old stuff from her for a while now - and I was even more surprised to see that I like it so much. And then we were back to some of the same old, but thankfully it was one of the better ones from the same old category.

Most Dubious Accessorizing

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Princess Victoria

Mette-Marit accompanies King Harald to open celebrations for 100 years of women's suffrage in Norway; Victoria receives the speaker of the Lithuanian parliament

That's just a lot of business happening there, on Mette-Marit. Lovely pieces on their own, together...not so much. And I like Victoria's earrings, and that's about it. But she gets a pass, as her dark clothing turned out to be sadly appropriate.

Speaking of dark clothing, I'm throwing in a bonus Tiara Watch post here, as Sweden held a tiara event on Monday. The state visit from the President of Turkey was already postponed once (it was supposed to be in September), so the show had to go on despite the unfortunate timing just one day after Princess Lilian's death. I'm sure she of all people understood that the show must go on.

The visit is being conducted in mourning, so black clothes it was. Victoria is wearing the brooch she wore the day of her engagement press conference, which was a gift from Lilian, and which makes me a little teary.

The brooch from Lilian

The gala dinner was still sparkling, tiaras and all. Proper mourning jewelry (pieces made in jet and the like, for the days when mourning lasted months and attire was extremely restricted) is gone from many royal collections these days; mourning periods aren't as official and extensive as they once were. The Swedish ladies at the gala dinner did a modern take: black dresses, and a mix of their regular jewels.

Video: The gala dinner

Silvia wore the Pronger, Princess Christina wore the Four Button Tiara, and Victoria wore the Cut Steel Bandeau. A little selection of three of my least favorite Swedish jewels, but appropriate nevertheless, particularly Victoria's steel choice (plus, she is again wearing Lilian's brooch).

Who did you like last week?

Photos: WPA Pool/Getty Images/Lavenir/BestImage/AllOverPress

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: November 12-18

Some weeks, you just nod and smile and wait for the next tiara event. C'est la vie! But we do have someone earning back some sartorial points this week, and that's enough reason to forge on...

 

Best Dash of Red

Princess Letizia

Information day of the "Importance of Research in Cancer"; Opening ceremony of the XXIII Ibero-American Summit of Head of States and Governments

I'm so delighted with her elegant red coat, I'll forgive the boring gray suit underneath. 

Strongest Commitment to Red

Princess Mathilde

At the Te Deum for King's Day (with Princess Claire and Prince Laurent, and Prince Lorenz and Princess Astrid)

Speaking of red...you give Mathilde an idea, and she'll run it right into the ground. You hated those shoes on Máxima last week, and now theeeyyy'rree baaaaaack.

Celebrating at Parliament

Stiffest Tin Man

Princess Máxima

Future of Banking conference; At a school visit for Money Week; The award ceremony for the Erasmusprijs 2012; Growing SMEs conference; Welcoming Sinterklaas with her daughters

First things first: that navy number is a jumpsuit. I boycott further comment on principle. Second, that silver number is a repeated from the baptism of Princess Ariane. I liked it then, but now I think she could double for the Tin Man in the local Wizard of Oz production. (Can you guess what movie I watched last night? Yeah.)

Most Improved

Crown Princess Victoria

Meeting with Ewa Kopacz; At an event for World Diabetes Day; Attending "Children and Young People — The Archbishop's Meeting 2012"

I'm just ridiculously happy to see her without a confetti apron tied around her waist, or a spaceship bolted to her forehead. It's time to pull it together: the Nobel Prize Ceremony is fast approaching, and we need our V at her most elegant.

Who made your best dressed list last week?

Photos: Getty Images/Best Images/DutchPhotoPress/Abaca

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: October 1-6

Here we go: a week of action, including an official visit, a parliament opening, hanging out with awesome friends, and a case of sleeve-itis.

Best in Mini Trips

Princess Letizia

Attending an homage to the Regimiento de Caballeria Acorazado Alcantara Nr 10 with the royal family; departing for an official trip to Ecuador and Panama; day 1, morning and evening; day 2 (two outfits); and one last white suit for day 3

And here's your Mini Trip Report for Letizia in Panama and Ecuador: she wore blergh. I prefer the blue before she left, myself - she does always take it up a notch when the King and Queen are hanging around.

Best in Fifties Prom

Crown Princess Mary

Launch of High Level Task Force for ICPD in New York; attending the opening of Parliament; visiting Statens Museum for Kunst with the family; at the awards ceremony for the couple's annual culture prizes

Am I the only one that thinks she could be an extra from Grease in her culture prize dress? Just me? Okay.

Here's what the rest of the hatted gang wore for the Parliament opening:

Queen Margrethe, Princess Benedikte, Princess Marie

Hats off to Benedikte. Hats off....literally.

Best in Orange

Princess Mathilde

At the International Polar Foundation gala dinner; meeting members Belgian Olympic and Paralympic teams; visiting a coffee company

How big is the orange section of Mathilde's closet, do you think?

Best in BFFs

Princess Máxima

Opening an exhibit; visiting a women's project; receiving Sheikha Mozah of Qatar for a short visit in the Netherlands

Look! My favorite magpie and my reigning girl crush, reunited. All this meeting is missing is even more bling.

Best in Sleeves

Crown Princess Victoria Princess Madeleine

At a seminar

Victoria was fine this week, but let's be honest: the Swede drawing the most attention was her sister, Princess Madeleine.

Attending an awards dinner for the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in New York City

Poor love seems to have brought out her sparkly witch costume a touch early - Halloween isn't until October 31st, dear. Alas!

Who raised your sartorial eyebrows last week?

Photos: MujerDelite/Semana/Purepeople/Abaca/BestImage/Sudpresse/PPE/ noordhollandsdagblad/Getty Images

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: September 24-30

Last week's royal doings included a sad note: the funeral of Norway's Princess Ragnhild, sister of King Harald. When you're in mourning, you can wear what you like as far as I'm concerned, so let's move on to the other official business of the week:

Best in Biker

Princess Letizia

Opening the General Assembly of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions; opening World Tourism Day 2012 and visiting La Gomera Island; celebrating her 40th birthday with a gathering of 12 women of her generation for Tiempo magazine

I'm amused at the use of her royal biker jacket. Also, I would like a pair of those shoes.

Best in New York

Princess Máxima

Máxima presenting her annual report on her activities as Special Advocate of the UN; Mary at the Why Poverty launch

Everybody's in New York these days, and we've seen some good outfits...and some bad. Mary's dress isn't Natan, but it sure does look like something that belongs in Mathilde or Máxima's closet instead. Máx is my favorite, just for wearing a glittery skirt to the UN and making it work. That's my girl. (Máxima also turned in a blue appearance back home this week.)

Worst in New York

Crown Princess Mette-Marit

United Nations Every Woman Every Child Dinner; Fashion 4 Development luncheon; Women Deliver breakfast

Mette-Marit had a very up and down week: I like the blue, I'm on the bleh side of the green...and those shoes on the end there are gonna give me nightmares. Oh, the humanity.

Who wins this week in the fashion stakes for you?

Photos: Purepeople/Abaca/Tiempo/Hola/Svenskdam/Getty Images

Royal Trip Report: The Danes in Brazil (Updated)

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have been on an official visit to Brazil, visiting Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro this week. They are there to promote Denmark and strengthen business ties, and they have a whole delegation with them. Luckily for us, Mary also has a whole wealth of outfits for our frivolous enjoyment.

 Day 1: Visiting an exhibit, the Scandinavian Church, and a reception

This is so light and fresh! And that's saying something when a coat (basically) is involved - many would have stopped at the blue Prada underneath. Makes me wish for summer, even though it's fall in my corner of the globe, and I love me some sweaters. That's my typically long-winded way of saying: I like it.

 

Day 2: Visiting a center for abused women, followed by a dinner in the evening

Note that her purple accents match the purple gates of the center she's visiting, and note that if you need me I'll be out buying purple paint...and a gate of some sort. (I can't believe my own humble abode isn't already guarded with purple, it's a terrible oversight on my part.) (My nonsense mutterings are just going to continue on, you've been warned.) She's dipping into the design world of Alberta Ferretti here on both accounts, and I would tell you here that I wish royal ladies would wear Ferretti more often, but that's a funny statement to make when the bronze dress has already been worn twice - are you feeling the déjà vu? Princess Beatrice wore it to the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Day 3: Visiting a hospital, an institute for the blind, and an exhibition, followed by a reception in the evening

There's a lot of furniture involved in these visits. They're forever opening a chair exhibition of some sort, or something else about Danish design. I think the sitting portion of the job is the one I'd be really good at. (Helps when you have hunky assistance when the sitting portion of the job is over.) ANYWAY...quite a contrast in outfits here: light and airy, and then sort of dark and choking.

Day 4: Visiting a youth center, a university, an exhibit opening, and an evening reception

Is it an option to have your hair done by Mary's hairdresser instead of Mary herself? Let me be clear: I'd say yes either way. Beyond that, these are two good dresses, and I continue to be intrigued by Mary's varied use of that statement white belt.

Day 5: Visiting a breastfeeding project, and then meeting with the Brazilian Olympic Committee
...........................................................................................................No.

Mary and Frederik leave Brazil today, hopefully before she has a chance to bust out any more printed jumpsuits. As you may be able to tell from my pointless non-sartorial musings in this post, I found it a serviceable if not thrilling trip from the wardrobe front (though we shall see what, if anything, else it brings before she boards the plane for home). But still, I shall ask you:

Which is your favorite Brazil outfit?

UPDATE: The remainder of the outfits from the trip...

Day 5: Dinner

MUCH better on the print front. Yes. Flowy, as close to an evening gown as you can get while remaining out of black tie territory.

Day 6: Final engagements

This has been an acceptable recovery from the first day 5 outfit. Let's all forget it ever happened...

Photos: SN/Terra/BilledBladet/Reuters/Agencia Minas