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

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

Reporting From the Royal Red Carpet...

Viva España: Queen Sofia, Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain

First up on my "William and Catherine Royal Wedding Red Carpet Fashion Report" is the Royal House of Spain. Queen Sofia of Spain wore a mauve-colored silk taffeta suit with jeweled button accents and stand-up shawl collar. I think she looked great; loved the color! And as always, she has her pashmina shawl which she never leaves her Palace without! Her son, Crown Prince Felipe, dashing in uniform and Princess Letizia...

Wore a pleated mousseline blush-colored dress by designer Felipe Varela and matching shoes by Magrit. The dress was simple, understated and "Wedding Guest Appropriate". I would have loved to have seen a more dramatic hat however.

L'Afrique C'est Chic: Prince Seeison and Princess Mabereng of Lesotho

A good friend of Prince William and Prince Harry, Prince Seeison Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho was accompanied by his wife Princess Mabereng Seeiso, who wore a colorfully printed floor-length fitted "Mermaid"-style gown.

Takchita Couture: Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco

Princess Lalla Salma is the princess consort of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and she showed up sans her husband (but with some SERIOUS body guards!) to the Royal Wedding, in a traditional Moroccan caftan gown or takchita in silk organza, gold center front covered buttons and gold embroidered applique.

Dutch Royal Treats: Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima of The Netherlands

Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander and his wife, Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands. Maxima wore a blush pink Chantilly lace dress featuring a "belted" waist tie and scalloped edges. Her "hat" was more of a turban/pillbox combination and very 1950's Retro.

Millinery Divas: Zara Philips and Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium

Two Royal Guests stand out for their fabulous Philip Treacy (of course!) creations. On the left, Zara Philips--only daughter of Princess Anne (Prince William's aunt)-chose a gunmetal colored hat of buckram with twisted side detail. On the right is Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium...

Seen above with her husband, Prince Philippe of Belgium, heir to that country's throne. She looks rather chic in an Armani Prive custom-made teal-blue satin "trumpet"-style dress and matching jacket that featured interesting waist-drape tie. The black asymmetrical ankle-strapped pumps are rather stupendous. Her hat: Philip Treacy. Her necklace: AMAZING!

Blue Boring: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark was a disappointment for me. Usually HRH is the Go-to gal for KRAZEE florals and dresses and suits that an old Costume Designer who has retired to Boca would wear--and that's why I LOVE HER! But for William and Catherine's Wedding, she came rather conservatively dressed, in a lilac blue coat-and-dress ensemble. No prints, no KRAZEE. Boring. Even the hat did not excite me. At least, she had a winning smile which actually was the best thing she "wore"!

Wrinkled Duchess: Maria Teresa of Luxembourg

Another snooze-fest in terms of "Royal Wedding Red Carpet Fashion" was Maria Teresa, the Cuban born (yep!!) Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, one of the smallest countries in the world. Wrinkled, ill-fitting and almost cheap-looking. The style of the dress and suit ensemble is better suited for--dare I say it--a commoner, as opposed to the Duchess of a country!

Miss Diva of Greece: Marie Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece & Princess of Denmark

On the other spectrum, leave it to Marie Chantal of Greece, wife to Prince Pavlos, to bring it when it comes to some fashion. Marie Chantal wore Chanel Spring 2011 Haute Couture darlings. A gray-lilac tweed dress with "spiderweb" hand beaded embroidery. Notice that her style has longer "glove length" sleeves. It is a Couture-ordering client's prerogative to change things a bit--especially when you are paying about $30,000 for a custom day dress darlings! Her flower-adorned hat: Philip Treacy.

For now, we'll end our "William and Catherine Wedding Day Red Carpet Report" with Prince Pavlos of Greece's father and mother--former King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie (she's from the Danish Royal Family, in case you didn't know). Both look quite handsome, elegant and Royal Wedding Appropriate, just the way exiled royals who have no country to rule should look like.

How to wear Pretty Pastels

How to wear Pretty Pastels

WEARING PASTELS

It’s true what they say; all things old become new again and isn’t that true for the timeless, ever-so feminine and beautifully classic pastel trend. Pastels always find their way onto our radar at this time of year. Pale, romantic and pretty pastels are a simple yet playful colour palette to keep in your closet. Soft and gentle, pastels can give you the ultimate feminine look. Pastels are a reoccurring feature in summer fashion so it's no great surprise that they are back on the high street again. However, this year sees even paler tones.

Look for colours such as pale yellow, blush pink, icy blue, or light lavender, it's both pretty and appropriate for the season. Feminine and pristine this trend is probably one of the most suited to summer as it looks beautiful combined with subtle ditsy floral prints. This trend will ensure that you look cool, girly and stylish. 

Here are just a few fashion tips to help you wear this popular trend:

I am a massive fan of casual dresses which come up in pastel hues for that luxe carefree look. If you’re looking for the ideal way to look sweet and pretty, then aim for a solid pastel dress. A delicate pastel piece can be used in a variety of ways and is unbelievably versatile. Add a tan bag for the perfect finishing touch.


One of the easiest ways to wear pastels is wearing prints, if you prefer not to go for an all-over print choose one pastel printed item such as a skirt and team this with a neutral coloured top with no print! 

You can separate an all over pastel outfit by keeping neutral shades in your accessories. Turn to tan or grey in particular with belts, shoes, handbags and hats. These break up the colour and help you avoid looking washed out.


Pastels can be mixed with darker colours such as navy and grey. These muted tones are a great slimming technique if you’re worried pastels highlight problem areas.  

Wearing pastel coloured pants would be the most timeless option. It can easily be worn with a neutral top; white, grey, black, etc. All depending on the chosen colour! try wearing your trousers with pumps of the same colour but in a darker shade. 

Choose one colour and stick with it throughout your outfit. Pastel coloured clothing itself looks good without too many finishes – the simpler your pastel tone clothing, the better.

You can never go wrong with denim, and pairing your pastel top with a pair of jeans, it adds a touch of sweetness and modernity to the look. A darker wash will give it a more formal look, so if you want something fresher, a lighter wash like chambray will do the trick.

Wear Pastels as Accessories, Wear a neutral outfit-it makes pale accessories really pop.  Choose a statement necklace or a light-coloured handbag. Cream and beige tones are the most versatile of all the pastel shades. They go with any other pastel or neutral shade. 

Yet another way to tackle the pastel trend is to colourblock.  Wear Pastels with Other Pales but Make sure all your pieces are in the same colour family and Make sure that pastel tones you pick do not look like a continuation of your skin.

The most important rule of pastel shades is not to overdo it with all the sweetness. Instead, try to tone it down by accessorising your pastel clothes with pieces in black, white or other neutral tones. Beige and grey shades will also help you balance things out.  

Here are a few chic pastel pieces that will ensure you are on trend this season.

ASOS UK Cord Jacket in Pastel Blue

ASOS UK - Pastel Stripe Rib ruffle bodysuit top

ASOS UK Pimkie Pastel Pink Ripped Detail Skinny Jeans

Zeagoo Women's Loose Ruffle Sleeveless Chiffon Pastel Blouse

AX PARIS Bodycon Midi Dress Pink

DOLCIS BEATRIX Sandal Pastel Pink

CALL IT SPRING Mateare Sandals Blue

For a little more inspiration, take a look at how these fashion bloggers are styling their pastel colour this season.

Elle fanning pastel fashion

Kristina Bazan - Paris Fashion Week street style

I hope these style tips on wearing pastel colours has given you some inspiration! Till' next time xo





WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Editors notes:  This post was originally posted in August 2012 and has been updated

British Fashion Minute: Royal Ascot 2012: The Fashion Hits and Misses

British Fashion Minute: Royal Ascot 2012: The Fashion Hits and Misses

Over The Top Hats, Colorful Ensembles, Kooky Costumes...no it's not RuPaul's Drag Race, it's Royal Ascot!

Team England: A Royal Ascot guest showing how much she loves sports, Royal Ascot, Ascot England

Every June, for five days, Great Britain celebrates Royal Ascot. Dating back to (wait for it) 1711 when it was founded by Queen Anne, the Royal Ascot is one of Europe's most famous race meetings. it has become a national institution all these years, THE centerpiece of the British social calendar. What people wear to the Royal Ascot has become almost more important than the races themselves. First, it's all about the HATS. Then the ensembles; the more colorful, the better. This is not the place to be a "wallflower", it about getting noticed and standing out.  Let's take a look...

British Music and "Hollywood" Royalty: (Left to right) Dame Shirley Bassey decided to don a coral-orange hat with left-and-right over-sized organza flowers. I wished her outfit was just a teeny bit more COUTURE though (to match the over-the-top hat!)--a short-sleeved macrame sweater/cardigan over a dress? Not so much. But...Miss Helen Mirren looked AMAZING in this dark blue and white ensemble and blue wide-brimmed hat. Très Elegant!



The Royals:

 

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Queen Elizabeth II LOVES her pastels, we know that. Take a look at this coat and dress ensemble in a pale pink color with matching hat she wore on Day Two of Royal Ascot. It looks "Queen"-appropriate enough--in terms of its non-fashion dowdiness. However, take a look at that sleeve--it's a sign of whimsy and yes, Elizabeth might still have some Fashionista in her!

Princess Anne and Princess Beatrice: On Day Three, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal and her niece Princess Beatrice, arrives via Royal Carriage (naturally). Both looked great in their contrasting color flower-printed ensembles. Beatrice has become quite a Royal Fashion Icon of sorts (lest we forget that infamous Philip Treacy hat and Valentino ensemble she wore at Kate and William's Wedding.

Red and Gray: (Left to right) Carole Middleton, mother of Catherine Duchess of Cambridge in a red suit and matching colored hat and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex (Prince Edward's wife) who chose a slate gray coat-dress and yes--a matching wide brimmed hat, of course.

Top Hat Chic: (Left to right) Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall arriving on Day One looking like the Picture Perfect Royal Ascot couple. Prince Charles made GQ's Best Dressed Men List for 2012 recently and he is living up to that title in his impeccable Morning Dress suit and black top hat. Camilla looks quite elegant in her vanilla coat-and-dress ensemble and hat. Recently hospitalized Prince Phillip--the Queen's husband of course--also could take "Best Dressed Man at Royal Ascot 2012" in his black Morning Dress suit with a grey top hat and waistcoat. Traditionally, the waistcoat is supposed to be matching the Morning Coat, but here, Prince Phillip dares to be a "Dandy" by bucking tradition and wearing a contrasting colored yellow-creme waistcoat.



The Hats:

Pearls and Lips: Royal Ascot racegoer shoes off her colorful over-the-top hat

Like I said in the beginning of the post, Royal Ascot is ALL about the HATS--here are some of the Standouts--in Themes:



Food:

Breakfast and Tea & Crumpets: I absolutely LOVE the racegoer with her "Breakfast is Served" hat consisting of a fried egg, sausages, beans...she definitely should get the "gays LOVES Brunch" prize! The ladies above went with the "Tea and Crumpets" food theme. very, very British.

A Blueberry Custard Pie: I also love this hat--why? Because I wanna EAT it. She gets a "YUMMY" Prize for sure!

UK Love:

Of course, it would not be Royal Ascot without some hats featuring a LOVE for Great Britain. Here are two good ones: A King's Crown with feathers and yes, the "Union Jack" flag over-sized bow-on-a-headband headdress. These should be the hats the British Airways Flight Attendants should wear--well--if I designed their next uniforms!



Ornithology Hat Chic:

Flamingo and Swan Ladies: I really hope none of these hats are "dropping" eggs! Here are two Royal Ascot racegoers giving you some "Bird Hat Style", Ascot England

At Royal Ascot, the dress code is strictly enforced. For women, only a
day dress with a hat is acceptable, with rules applying to the length
and style of the dress. In addition: strapless, off the shoulder, halter-style, spaghetti straps and dresses with straps that are less than 1" are NOT permitted in the Royal Ascot. There are even "Dress Code Assistants" walking around making sure that your ensemble is a "Royal Ascot Yes"; in other words, within their rules.



What do you guys think of these Royal Ascot looks: Yeay or Nay???

And here is a definite Royal Ascot DON'T:

UK Hoochie: Ladies, if you are planning to attend next year's Royal Ascot, look above for the ensembles you should NOT be wearing! These tacky, hoochie iridescent blue jumpsuits are courtesy of the Tantric Blue Strip Club Girls. Needless to say, they were NOT allowed into the Royal Ascot since well, they did not really meet the "Dress Requirements" so they remained outside the grounds and handed out promotional material for the club. Bless their Hearts. Their parents should be so proud. This is a definite Royal Ascot Fashion DON'T.