William and Catherine Royal Wedding Guests Red Carpet Fashion Report: Part 2!

William and Catherine Royal Wedding Guests Red Carpet Fashion Report: Part 2!

Westminster Abbey Red Carpet Continues...

Proper Becks: David and Victoria Beckham

Footballer and all-around HUNK, David Beckham--and his wife Victoria--were "special guests" of William and Catherine and EVERYONE was awaiting their arrival. They stood with the rest of the invited guests in the "You Are Not Real Royalty" line--it's like an "Economy Class" Airport Security Line (as opposed to Premium Class). Needless to say, they acted and looked very Posh & Proper.

David, always a dandy when it comes to style looked handsome in his Morning Suit with top hat and silver satin cravat. Although many are docking him style points for apparently wearing his Office of the British Empire Medal on the wrong lapel!! Que Horror!

Besides those SKY HIGH Stilettos (hello, isn't she like 6 months pregnant??), Miss Victoria wore...

A tent-like dress from her own Victoria Beckham Fall/Winter 2011/12 Collection, seen above on the runway in brick red. Hers was a dark (almost black) navy blue. Her hat was from Philip Treacy. I really thought Mrs. Beckham was going to wear a "Va Va Voom" fitted dress that she would have had custom made to fit her growing tummy. But nope, she went the comfy route.

The Other Queen: Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish

Sir Elton John and David Furnish also went the Posh & Proper route, both choosing to wear elegant Morning Suits--as was suggested...strike that!... REQUIRED, in the Wedding Invitation. Many people expected Miss Elton to be all crazy and wear a fuchsia Versace suit but really kids, he hasn't done that in years and he knows that a Royal Wedding is NOT the place and time for that. I liked how Elton was the one giving you hints of color with his lemon yellow waistcoat/vest and violet tie. Proper...but with a "twist".

Cobalt Lady: Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

Socialite, "It Girl", TV presenter and all around "British Paris Hilton" TPT (as she's dubbed in the UK) wore cobalt blue HEAD TO TOE, with her dress matching her hat, gloves, shoes and clutch. When I first saw her on TV lining up in that "Economy Class Westminster Abbey Line", I was like "WHO is Miss FIERCE???". Leave it to Tara to not want to blend in. No pastels or blush colors for her, darling! I think she's FAB! I love women who KNOW they have an "Inner Drag Queen" and aren't afraid to use it! Especially at Royal weddings! How did she get invited again???

Swedish Class: Crown Princess Victoria in Elie Saab Spring/Summer 2011--and her husband, Prince Daniel of Sweden

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden (she's going to be Queen someday!) was one of my favorite royals at the William & Catherine Wedding. She looked every inch a "modern/next generation" princess. No fussy suits, no coat-and dress combination. Nope, just a sexy, side gathered salmon-colored dress from Lebanese designer Elie Saab and a variation on a dress from his Ready-to-Wear Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. A wide brimmed hat and matching shoes finished off her look. Why, though, is there something about Daniel that makes me want to slap him upside the head? Like a student who's trying to get one over on me...that's what he reminds of...Just sayin'

The New Grace Kelly: Prince Albert of Monaco with his fiancée, Charlene Wittstock

And then there's Prince Albert's fiancée, the statuesque Charlene Wittstock, who was born in the former British colony of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Their upcoming nuptials on July 2, 2011 is THE next "Royal Wedding of The Century" in case you wanted to know and Armani is designing her wedding gown. Until then, we can all live in the splendor that is Charlene above as she arrives--Prince in hand. Dove-gray princess seamed coat, stand-up Peter Pan collar, gloves, clutch, nude heels and sleek wide-brimmed hat. Her mother "done taught her right". She knows what it takes to look like a Royal darlings. Seriously.

William and Catherine Royal Wedding Red Carpet Report: The Pre-Wedding Gala Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel London!

William and Catherine Royal Wedding Red Carpet Report: The Pre-Wedding Gala Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel London!

Gowns Gowns and More Gowns...

Ladies In Red--and Orange: Crown Princess of Sweden, Countess of Wessex, Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

My faithful Royal Red Carpet Watchers and Readers: Here's what I think will be my final "Nick V. Royal Wedding Red Carpet Report" (for now!). It's from the very fabulous Pre-Wedding Gala Dinner given by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in very posh Knightsbridge overlooking Hyde Park. The dinner was a Black Tie-Only affair with the ladies wearing Gowns Only. The Guest List was strictly reserved for the inner Royal Family, and all its associated members, as well as top royals from neighboring European countries --who are related to the UK Royals anyhow; first cousins, distant cousins... well, you get it, they're all "family".

Red Princess: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in Escada

In the first group of four (pictured above) are Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, who looked SMASHING in a scarlet red draped silk crepe Escada gown held by a small diamond brooch. Next to her was Sophie Countess of Wessex Wife to Prince Edward, who also wore red--a red silk taffeta gown with interesting bust detail.

Orange High-Water Gown: Princess Mathilde of Belgium Duchess of Brabant

Next was Princess Mathilde of Belgium, seen above with her husband, Prince Philip of Belgium. She wore an orange scooped-neck shirred gown with cascade front drapes, which weirdly enough, made her look pregnant. It looked a bit ill-fitting and almost "off-the-rack", and THAT length?? What was that! FLOOR length darling! To the floor!!! Was she expecting a flood?

Duchess Elegance: Maria Theresa Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

And next to her was Cuban-born Maria Theresa Grand Duchess of Luxembourg with her husband, the Grand Duke of course. Much better than what we saw from her the day after at the actual Royal Wedding. At least here, she looks less like a Soccer Mom in a cheap suit from Dillard's and more an elegant Duchess!! Her hair looks FAB, the off-the-shoulder red gown with over-sized waist-bow detail is elegant and HELLO: It hits the FLOOR! She just gets my Instant Nick Love, just for that!

A-List Royal Guests: Princess Beatrice, Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark, Queen Elizabeth II

Above, three women who didn't disappoint--Royal Red Carpet style. Fashionista No. 1, Princess Beatrice--she of THE Hat that has its own Facebook Page!!--yes, her. Beatrice wore an ivory and silver metallic one-shoulder "Mermaid-shaped" gown by designer Rachel Gilbert. It's a bit "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" but I still say "At-A-Girl!". On her right is Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark, wife of Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark.

She wore a navy blue silk satin strapless gown with grosgrain ribbon detailing from Giorgio Armani Spring 2011 Collection. Interesting that on the runway, the dress was shown in a more casual manner, above the floor and with flats, but on her, she correctly had it to the floor and wore it with heels.

The Queen Exotic: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Then, there was the Hostess with the Mostess: Her Majesty The Queen. Three Words: You Go Girl! Only Elizabeth II can host a Black tie Royal Wedding Party in a brightly printed drop-waist gown in lilac with metallic details, gold pumps and matching gold leather handbag. The gown had a Near Orient motif which was perfect since the Dinner Party was at the Mandarin Oriental. A good hostess thinks of everything darlings, even coordinating her hosting gown with the locale!

Ball Gown Happy: Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia, Queen Sofia of Spain

A Trio of Royals: Prince Felipe of Spain, his wife, Princess Letizia and his mother, Queen Sofia showed up to the Night-Before Dinner dressed to the Nines! Felipe looked dapper in a complete tuxedo. So handsome. His mother, Queen Sofia was REGAL, in a bronzed taffeta ball gown from designer Margarita Nuez. She accessorized it with several layers of pashmina shawls to protect her from the cold London evening.

Princess Seam Princess: Princess Letizia of Spain in Felipe Varela

And to finish off the Spanish Royal contingency, Princess Letizia wore a lavender strapless gown with embroidered applique detail by Spanish designer Felipe Varela. I loved that she wore a ball gown, however, I just thought it was a rather "unexciting one". Basic sweetheart bustier neckline; princess seams...Seriously Letizia? There are soooo many more creative ball gown designs. This just seams so "pattern book" cookie cutter. It was pretty but very "David's Bridal 101".

Billion Dollar Man: Sultan of Brunei and his Queen

Sultan of Brunei, Sir Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah and his first (and currently, only) wife (he had three total, but divorced two) Queen of Brunei, Pengiran Anak Saleha , who incidentally, is his first cousin (Hello!).

Margrethe II Queen of Denmark (above) was of course, invited to this Pre-Wedding Gala Dinner. She's known for her fluid but yet very sumptuous ball gowns--always in big (rather tacky) floral prints. But, this time, someone must have advised her correctly: She looked classy, restrained, and dare I say CHIC! Love th color contrast between the lavender and the chocolate silk satin. Margrethe II gets my "Most Improved Royal" award for this one.

Speaking of the Danes, above we have Queen Anne-Marie of Greece (she was born Princess of Denmark in Copenhagen). She looked quite elegant--and fun--in this flower-printed silk chiffon gown, bronze waist tie and gold shoes...and THAT necklace! As we know, Queen Anne-Marie is the wife of Constantine II, the former King of Greece (who is also Danish and from the same House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg)...Where was the King, you might ask?

Admiring Princess Michael of Kent right before going inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel (as wife looked on). The Princess--an Austrian-Hungarian member of the British Royal Family, is...
The wife to Prince Michael of Kent Grandson to King George V (above left), She wore a gorgeous chocolate brown silk draped-and-shirred gown with a stunning diamond brooch at the center front bust, a sequined clutch and bronzed satin shawl. She was definitely one of the most stylish royals that night, even with that 80's braided hairdo of hers.

WHO WORE WHAT?.....Cannes Film Festival: Days 4-6 Top 10 Best Dressed/Best Dresses!

WHO WORE WHAT?.....Cannes Film Festival: Days 4-6 Top 10 Best Dressed/Best Dresses!

 Red Carpet Goddess: Thai-British actress and L'Oreal Paris Ambassador Araya A. Hargate in Alexis Mabille Couture Fall 2014

This year's Cannes Film Festival has been OUT OF CONTROL FABULOUS in terms of the COUTURE that has been on display on the red carpet. I've covered my Top Ten Best Dressed (or Best Dresses!) of Cannes 2017 Day 1-3 which you can read HERE, so now it is time to continue my "Red Carpet Report" and discuss my Top Ten Best Dresses of Cannes 2017 Days 4-6. Lots of $100,000+ costing gowns to discuss. Oh, and on a side note: Why actresses don't look THIS COUTURE FABULOUS at the Academy Awards is beyond me and very, very frustrating but oh well. It seems the red carpet mantra is...Oscars: Safe. Cannes: Go For It!

Gown Divas: (L to R) Araya A. Hargate, Sonam Kapoor and Aishwrya Rai Bachchan--2017 Cannes Film Festival Cannes France

Let's begin with one of the Red Carpet Divas of the Cannes 2017 Festival--Thai-British (and slightly pregnant) actress Araya "Chompoo" A. Hargate. I must admit that I had no idea who she was until this year's Cannes Film Festival--even with her (as of writing this post) 7.2 MILLION Instagram followers! But now, darlings...she is my new favorite STYLE MUSE...

Queen Araya: Araya A. Hargate at "The Meyerowitz Stories" Cannes 2017 Premiere--Araya wore this entrance-making gown from French designer Alexis Mabille Couture Fall 2014. This style may be from a 3-year-old collection, however, it is still SO NOW, and SO RED CARPET FAB! The strapless design featured an off-white column gown with a gorgeous lipstick red "puffy" overcape attached in the bust line with volants and Empire-waisted bustier. All that stitching you see on the overcape was done BY HAND. It's Haute Couture after all. Araya sure knows how to make an entrance! Definitely, one of my Best Dressed of Days 4-6 Cannes 2017 Film Festival.

Fuchsia Araya: Leave it to Ms. Hargate to not just have one--but TWO--of my Best Dresses from Days 4-6 Cannes Film Festival 2017. This is another fabulous gown that she wore, this time to the Premiere of "120 Beats Per Minute" (120 Battements Par Minute). This UBER Princess gown is from Zuhair Murad Spring/Summer 2017 Haute Couture. The gown was EVERYTHING! Araya has learned that if there was ever a moment to wear SUPER HUGE ballgowns...it's Cannes! (Maybe Aishwarya Rai Bachchan taught her this!). 

The strapless gown featured an asymmetrically placed front bodice bow and multi layered silk tulle ballgown skirt all sewn by hand. How anyone sits in one of those small velvet movie theater chairs in this $100,000+ costing Couture gown is beyond me. But, she looked beautiful and Red Carpet perfect--at least for Cannes.

Sonam Kapoor in Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2017 to "The Killing of a Scared Deer" Cannes 2017 Premiere: Bollywood super-actress and L'Oreal Paris Ambassador (naturally!) wore this golden gown from Elie Saab Haute Couture. The gown featured gold and crystal hand-cut lace applique over nude tulle column gown with overskirt with a plunging sweetheart neckline. She looked DIVINE.  The gown was the finale "Wedding Gown" look of his most recent Haute Couture collection shown in Paris in January of this year. The gown--as seen on the runway--was a tad bit more "revealing". For Sonam, there were more golden appliques added to cover her up and the sequin work was changed so it didn't look so much like palm trees in a Dubai dessert oasis.

Sonam Kapoor in Custom Elie Saab Couture to "The Meyerowitz Stories" Cannes 2017 Premiere: Yes kids, Sonam Kapoor is now TWICE on my Best Dressed of Days 4-6 of Cannes 2017 List. In other words, this Bollywood Diva is SLAYING it! I loved this pink sequined-and-organza-crinoline gown from Elie Saab Haute Couture. The gown had a gorgeous column base dress with a soft silk georgette overskirt. It was belted and she accessorized it with...

FABULOUS jewels including those incredible finger-to-wrist bracelets. Oh, and by the way,  did I mention that her gown was CUSTOM?. So, yeah, not just Haute Couture but really, really, really...made JUST FOR HER. For free! (This would be beyond the $100,000 price tag). Kapoor has 10 MILLION Instagram followers so I am guessing the Elie Saab P.R. crew is hoping some of those followers might buy an Elie Saab perfume or pair of sunglasses the next time they're in at Duty Free or a high-end department store! Irregardless, Thank You Sonam for being Two-For-Two in the Fab Cannes Red Carpet Moments!

Andie MacDowell in Roberto Cavalli at "The Meyerowitz Stories" Cannes 2017 Premiere: Model/Actress Andie MacDowell looked gorgeous at Cannes in this black and violet gown from Italian fashion brand Roberto Cavalli. The gown was elegant, chic, and sexy! And MacDowell looked AMAZING in it. I loved the shape, the dramatic bow, the draped bodice and side front slit. Andie is almost 60 years old (You GO GIRL!) and seriously, she could teach some of the 20-year-old's a lesson in red carpet fabulousness!

Aishwarya Rai in Ralph & Russo Spring/Summer 2017 Couture at the "120 Beats Per Minute" Cannes 2017 Premiere: Oh yes...everyone bow down to Queen Aishwarya. I love that she basically has showed up to this year's Cannes Film Festival to show everyone in the world why she was crowned Miss World many, many years ago. This gorgeous actress/model/Bollywood Diva has still got it (not that anyone thought she lost it!).  I loved this strapless red ballgown (Aishwarya loves a ballgown!) from Ralph & Russo S/S 2017 Couture collection.

The original style--as seen on the catwalk--featured a less-structured bustier (mainly because it was for the super teeny 32" bust measuring model!), and for Rai Bachchan, the bustier was constructed with a little more, shall we say, support. I thought Aishwarya looked like a Red Carpet Goddess...in Red! One of these days, she just needs to bring out that "Miss World" crown and just wear it on the red carpet. It would make A LOT of gays very, very happy! (i.e.: Me!).

Eva Longoria Marchesa Pre-Fall 2017 at "The Killing of a Scared Deer" Cannes 2017 Premiere: Miss Eva gave you some Cannes Red Carpet Realness in this blush colored sequined-and-applique tulle gown from Marchesa Pre-Fall 2017. This is such a beautiful gown, a beautiful 30's-like silhouette, but updated with the nude/blush coloring. I especially loved the capelet detail of the gown and her styling was perfection. Muy bella Eva!

Lana El Sahely in Ralph & Russo Couture Fall/Winter 2016 at "The Killing of a Scared Deer" Cannes 2017 Premiere: Freelance stylist and founder of LArmoireDeLana Blog, Lana El Sahely wound up wearing one of my Top Ten Best Dresses from Cannes 2017 Days 4-6. I have no idea who she is but she was important enough to get a free Ralph & Russo Couture gown--at least for a night. And it looked gorgeous! The style featured white silk crepe gown with pale blue silk organza overskirt hand appliqued with ruffles and embellished with China blue silk thread-work, crystals and glass bead embroidery.

Barbara Meier in Alexis Mabille Spring 2017 Couture at "The Meyerowitz Stories" Cannes 2017 Premiere: German fashion model and actress--best known as the winner of the 2nd cycle of Germany's Next Top Model--wore one of my Top Ten Best Dresses of Cannes 2017 Days 4-6. This royal blue gown was from French designer Alexis Mabille. His Couture creations have been getting some exposure at Cannes which is great; I ADORE his designs. This dress featured an off-the-shoulder style with sequined godets highlighting the neckline with a beautiful simple belted column gown. I also loved her center parted chignon hairstyle.



Last but Not Least in my Top Ten Best Dressed of Cannes 2017 Days 4-6...

Naomi Campbell in Atelier Versace Spring 2017 at the Cannes Fashion For Relief Fundraiser Gala: Leave it to Miss Naomi Campbell to make it onto my Top Ten Best Dressed of Cannes 2017 Days 4-6. She wore this super sexy Atelier Versace Spring/Summer 2017 gown at the "Cannes Fashion For Relief" fundraiser event. The blush colored silk georgette dress featured an intricate Swarovski crystal encrusted web over the base of the gown, as well as side front slit to show off Campbell's iconic legs. This was a perfect choice for Naomi and she, naturally, wore it fabulously.