Royal Fashion Awards: A Very Royal Christmas 2011

Well ho, ho, ho, friends: Christmas brought some of our favorite royals out to play. With Prince Philip still hospitalized but reportedly in good spirits, the British hit church on Christmas morning at Sandringham; meanwhile, Christmas Eve services were attended by the royal families in Norway and Denmark. It was an understated holiday all around, but that's never stopped us before...

Best Pass

Queen Elizabeth 

 Christmas without your spouse at your side? Pass. Wear whatever you like, QEII. Carry on.

Best in Festive

The Duchess of Cambridge

Left to Right: Princess Eugenie, The Duchess of Cambridge, Zara Phillips. Click to enlarge.

On a low-key holiday, those that made an effort shall be commended. Eugenie is awarded for adding some Christmas-y color in, while Zara gets points for turning in the required amount of hat flair for a British royal event. Only Catherine did both, though, with her gorgeous wine coat and déjà vu hat. She wins the most festive award of the day.

Worst in Mismatched

The Duchess of Cornwall

L to R: The Duchess of Cornwall, The Princess Royal

Oh, the combos. Anne's slightly off hat-to-coat combo (what season are we in again?) is no match to what I am pretty sure are army green boots on Camilla. What a mishmash duo...and somehow, I'd expect no more from either.

Best in Plaid, Tartan, etc., etc.

Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

L to R: Autumn Phillips, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Queen Margrethe, Crown Princess Mary

I suppose there's a certain festiveness to a good tartan...alas, certain things are never quite as charming past a certain age. Lady Louise was cute as a button, Queen Margrethe was Queen Margrethe, and Autumn and Mary sadly furthered two of my least favorite trends right now: short maternity tents, and anything resembling a SHOOTIE. Sigh.

Best in Miniature Headgear

Margarita Armstrong-Jones

L to R: Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Princess Isabella

This one's the hardest to award, by far. Ingrid's cute bow? Isabella's adorable purple? It's gotta be Margarita with the combo for the win.

Best in Understated

Princess Beatrice

L to R: Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Queen Sonja, Princess Beatrice, Lady Sarah Chatto

Ingrid's bow really was the best part of the whole Christmas appearance from the Norwegian royals, with Mette-Marit and Sonja blending right in. Lady Sarah did the same, but then again, understated is a permanent state for her. Understated is not at all Princess Beatrice's regular mode, but she managed to pull out the best-coordinated look of the non-looks.

Best in Retro

The Countess of Wessex

L to R: The Countess of Wessex, Viscountess Linley

Retro's tricky to do sometimes. Sophie's almost there, just a wee bit bigger on that pill box and we'd've had it, but Serena...well, she overdosed, poor dear. Though I'll say this: that's a hat.

Who made your best- and worst-dressed list this year?

Photos: Chris Jackson/Getty Images/Zimbio/Daylife/Belga/Newspix

Royal Fashion Awards: The Nobel Prizes 2011, Part 2

The Nobel Prize celebrations are wrapping up in Norway and Sweden with a second day of tiaras n' dresses at a dinner for the Nobel laureates given in Sweden by King Carl Gustaf and a concert for the Peace Prize in Norway. And as usual, most of the participants took it down a notch from the first day's festivities, but you never know who might strike your award-giving fancy...

(Click here to see day one's awards if you missed them.)

Biggest Change

Crown Princess Mette-Marit

From prairie mama to saucy schoolgirl in 24 hours...ladies and gentlemen, Mette-Marit! She looks fantastic in this sexy Emilio Pucci dress. Could have used a little of yesterday's hair flair, but it's still a change for the better, and my best dressed for day 2.

Best Festive Spirit

Princess Märtha Louise

Well, she's hard to see, but we've got a sparkly skirt and that's a win. Though perhaps the festive style award should belong to Ari instead?

Most Improved

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa

No giant bow in the middle of the sash, and an updo (though it seems like it might be a rather messy one)...it counts, it all adds up. Plus, hand-holding. She also made my tiara prediction come true by wearing the pearl and diamond choker tiara, even though it's far from my favorite Luxembourg piece.

Best Wish Fulfilled

Queen Silvia

Many of you had your fingers crossed for an appearance of the Connaught Diamond Tiara, and Silvia's got you covered. The dress is a repeat of her turn at the wedding ball in Monaco, so I'm thankful she didn't repeat the Nine Prong Tiara also.

Saddest Repeat Title

Princess Christina

Yesterday Christina won my title for Biggest Missed Tiara Opportunity, and today she gets it again by sticking to her tiny pearl and diamond tiara. Aw, man, couldn't we have pulled something from the vaults instead? 

Best Repeat

Crown Princess Victoria

No, I refer not to the dress, which I don't dislike or anything but is not spectacular like yesterday's creation, and I am also not referring to the Baden Fringe Tiara. I'm talking about the huge diamond earrings that she debuted at her pre-wedding celebrations. Just amazing!

Worst Substitution

Princess Madeleine

For those that asked where Madeleine was yesterday, here's your answer: she attended an event in New York City (her home now) commemorating the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie's Nobel Prize. And while she looks lovely - New York really does agree with her, apparently - it's not a valid substitute for tiaras and diamonds. Sorry, Madde.

Is anybody tickling your fancy on day 2? Have any overall Nobel ratings for 2011?

Photos: Reuters/Daylife/Style.com/ANP/Bunte/danapress/SVT/Svenskdam

Royal Fashion Awards: The Nobel Prizes 2011, Part 1

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in the presence of the Norwegian royal family today, and over in Stockholm the rest of the Nobel Prizes were celebrated with royals from Sweden and Luxembourg present. They have their prizes; we have our awards for the sparkliest event we’ve had since this summer…

Worst in Christmas

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa

Well, Maria Teresa did what I hoped she'd do: got her Elie Saab on. But alas, this repeated gown could headline a seminar titled How Not to Wear a Sash 101. And her pairing with the Chaumet Emerald Tiara kicks off an unexpected theme for our ladies today: Christmas! 'Tis the season indeed. (Boy, she really must not travel with a hairdresser. I'm worried about this baby slipping off!)

Most Elegant

Queen Silvia

Another pre-wedding event repeat (from a different wedding, of course), Queen Silvia's altered Jacques Zehnder (I believe) gown is perfection. Unfortunately, she has done That Which I Wished She Would Not Do, and brought out The Pronger, a.k.a. the Nine Prong Tiara, a.k.a. Queen Sophia's Diamond Tiara. It has history, it has diamonds from here to the North Pole, it has sparkle...and it has antlers. I suppose every Christmas festival needs a tiny bit of reindeer love.

Best Sparkle Spirit

Crown Princess Victoria

YAY!!! I wanted Saab. She delivered Saab. (UPDATE: Nope, it is not by Elie Saab.) I wanted something new in the tiara department...and she almost delivered it, wearing the brooch, earrings, and hairpins from the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure. Sadly she paired it with the Six Button Tiara which I am no fan of, but I'll let it go because the rest is exactly what we haven't seen from her throughout this pregnancy. She abandoned her tent dresses for a bump-clinging gown, she abandoned her thrown-together look for a thoroughly coordinated blue party, and she even abandoned her love of comfort for the evening in a gown that has to be heavy and earrings so cumbersome they require the use of small over-ear wire hangers to distribute the weight. She and her sequined bump are the prize shiny ornament on our Nobel Christmas tree.

Biggest Missed Tiara Opportunity

Princess Christina

If the Six Button must be worn, Christina should be the one to do it. She just does it best. Instead, she stuck with her small pearl and diamond tiara (which she owns personally). Obviously she was elegant as always...if it ain't broke, don't fix it, I suppose. (By the way, lest I come across as too harsh on the button front, I'll say this: it was out-sparkling the Nine Prong Tiara on the broadcast by quite a bit.)

Most Consistent

Queen Sonja

Keeping up the Christmas theme, Sonja was sleek in red with a gift-wrapped bow at her waist and a ribbon sculpture on her head during the day, and elegant in snow white for the evening. (Note to Sonja: look, you don't need so much extra business happening. You're lovely. Keep it simple, just like this!)

Biggest Contrast

Crown Princess Mette-Marit

Perfect as the quintessential Ice Princess in Valentino during the day (even with a little Goth misletoe wreath on her head...all the better to elicit smooches from Hunky Haakon, I suppose), it all went astray in the evening, in her second Valentino of the day. First of all, Marie-Chantal already did this look. Second of all, she's not a grandmother from the olden days. And third...and this might be the only time I will ever say this...she should have stolen her mother-in-law's dress.

And Just Because...

The Rest of the Men

Haakon can't be the only one getting some appreciation. That's just not fair; after all, he's not the only one that got all spruced up. Gentlemen, well played.

Who is your best-dressed for the day? Worst?

Nobel events continue on Sunday, so tune back in for Part 2!

Photos: Scanpix/Expressen/Svenskdam/Getty Images/Reuters Pictures/Daylife/Zimbio

Royal Fashion Awards: National Day in Monaco

Well friends, the day of reckoning has arrived, in which we begin to sort out what kind of National Day Princess Charlene will lead. And the results...are a mixed bag. So, business as usual for the Monaco bunch, basically. To the awards!

Worst of the Mixed Bag

Princess Charlene

Straight out of the gate, Charlene was an early favorite for the best dressed lady of the day. Yes, it's beige, and it's nonhatted. But it borders on a fierce level of chic with the cape (yay!) and the long gloves (YAY!) and just the right amount of textural contrast to the skirt. Plus, the hair and makeup are perfection - Her Serene Highness was glowing. So how on earth did she end up with a "Worst" award? Because the night came...

...and THIS happened. CHAR. Sweetie. It's like a Juicy Couture sweatsuit on evening duty. But the thing is, I'd be prepared to take the fabric and the single sleeve shenanigans if we could get a proper color up in here (you could call this "mink", I suppose; I'll go with "barn mouse") and a makeup and hair combo that didn't wash her out all alien-like. And you know, you know, I'd forgive every single above sin if she would've gone the tiara route. But she didn't, and my hopes have been forever dashed.

Best and Also Worst Because I'm Sad

Princess Caroline

Put Charlene and Caroline together and I think you've got one of the least formal, least blinged-out National Day galas in quite some time. Le sigh. I give up. In other news, Caroline's looking notably lovely - my irrational disappointment aside, she really did look younger than she's looked in a while.

Most in Need of a Switcheroo

Princess Caroline and Charlotte Casiraghi

As a matter of fact, she looked so young I'm gonna throw something out there: I think she and her daughter got their outfits mixed up. Caroline's day outfit, with a hat so very reminiscent of the one Charlotte wore to Albert's coronation, could use a dose of Charlotte's youthful irreverence, while Charlotte looks like she's been caught playing dress up in her mom's business suits. I like them both, I'm just saying: maybe we've got a Freaky Friday situation on our hands.

Best Expression

Princess Alexandra

I like this kid, and her wee polka dot tights. I like to think that expression says, "I'm in on the joke, and you're not." And clearly she's right!

Best Streak

Princess Stephanie

I don't know, guys. She was pretty good at the big wedding, and now I'm really liking her demure take on National Day. Here's hoping she keeps up the streak, as entertaining as her foibles can be.

Most Dependable

Prince Albert, Andrea Casiraghi, Pierre Casiraghi

Whether you're disappointed in the ladies or not, you can always turn to the men for a solid sartorial appearance, right? Right.

What did you make of family's National Day appearances?

Photos: Getty Images/Reuters/Daylife/PLS Pool/Zimbio

Flashback Friday: Princess Alexia's Wedding Guests

As promised, a look today at the fashions of the guests at Princess Alexia's wedding in 1999. Greek royal events are always well attended - far better attendance than most of their fellow non-reigning royals get, at least. Why? Because it's all in the family: King Constantine is the brother of Queen Sofia of Spain, and Queen Anne-Marie is the sister of Queen Margrethe of Denmark. Family ties go much farther back as well; Prince Philip was born into the Greek royal family, as was the late Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. The guests at this wedding were not only plentiful in number, they were plentiful in Easter egg 1990s fashion too.

Best in 90s Simplicity

Princess Madeleine

Left to Right: Crown Princess Margarita of Romania, Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

I don't know, maybe it was sheer backlash from the overly frilly 1980s, but the Nineties had a tendency towards simplicity bordering on dull. Princess Madeleine has to win this one, if only because the pretty pink gives us at least some clue she wasn't headed to a meeting at her lawyer's office.

Best Loudest Statement

Infanta Elena

L to R: Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Princess Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleberg, Infanta Elena of Spain, Queen Sonja of Norway

Tame as it might have been for Margrethe, but her literal interpretation of a Spring garden still stands out from the crowd. Not nearly as much, though, as her sister Benedikte's ruffled Big Bird wonder or Queen Sonja's iridescent lime affair. But nobody - nobody - made a bigger fashion splash than Elena and the hat she crafted from the skin of a dead Muppet.

Best in Elegance

Queen Silvia

L to R: Queen Ingrid of Denmark, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Princess Michael of Kent, Queen Silvia of Sweden, Queen Noor of Jordan, Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia, Infanta Margarita of Spain

With the few exceptions noted above, the older generation at this wedding turned out in an array of purely elegant ensembles, from Ingrid and Anne-Marie's lilac numbers which made them unofficial members of the bridal party to Noor's simply chic mourning affair (King Hussein died earlier that year). I loved Princess Michael and her giant hat, but something about Queen Silvia's unique take on the traditional suit and skirt wins it for me.

Best in Typical

The Duchess of Gloucester

L to R: Princess Alexandra of Kent, Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, the Duchess of Gloucester, Queen Sofia of Spain, Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg

These ladies showed up in their regular elegant uniform, basically. Queen Elizabeth rarely ever attends foreign royal weddings, but since this was in London she made a sunny appearance. My best, though, is the Duchess of Gloucester, elegant in blue.

Best in Show

Princess Rosario

L to R: Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, Princess Miriam of Bulgaria, Princess Rosario of Bulgaria, Infanta Cristina of Spain

Of all the elegant appearances at the wedding, these four were my favorite. Cristina's maternity outfit nearly won it, but in the end Rosario takes it home. Not for the suit - for the hat. It may have been a Greek wedding, but it was in London after all; you have to have some kind of crazy millinery!

Who was your best dressed from this wedding?

Photos: Getty Images/Gammarpho/Tim Graham/Hola/The Royal Forums

Royal Fashion Awards: The Queen in Australia

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have just wrapped a much-publicized trip to Australia which some have been billing as her "last" trip Down Under. I doubt it myself, but that doesn't mean we won't give her the applause she deserves in the form of a single person edition of the Royal Fashion Awards. It's QEII vs. QEII, head-to-head-to-head-to...let's just get on with it:

Best Outfit

Perfectly Pink in Melbourne

Click to enlarge

Tip o' the hat to outfit #7 - a repeat of sunshine from the royal wedding - and the divine white and silver #5, but the pink of #10 wins the trip. Perfectly vibrant color, perfect hat shape, perfect all over. Plus, it resulted in this bit of cuteness:

Twinsies!

Best Brooch

The Australian Wattle Brooch

Click to enlarge

First, the brooch lineup:

1. The Australian Wattle Brooch
2. A sapphire, diamond and ruby brooch that was a gift from her parents in 1945
3. A diamond and pearl brooch from the Queen Mother's collection
4. One of her diamond bow brooches, looks like one of the three Queen Victoria had made in 1858
5. Flowers in precious and semi-precious stones, a gift from a Sri Lankan state visit in 1981
6. A diamond and gold rose brooch
7. A diamond paisley brooch from the Queen Mother's collection
8. The Jardine Star, a gift from Lady Jardine and one of HM's faves
9. A diamond lily brooch, a gift from the City of London in 1947
10. Rubies, diamonds and gold in a modern design
11. Repeat! See #3.
12. A sapphire flower, again from the Queen Mum's stash
13. The Rhodesian flame lily brooch, a gift from the children of Rhodesia for her 21st birthday

And now, the undisputed best of the trip: the Australian Wattle. It's not just one she brings out of duty to the Australian people, who gave it to her in 1954, it's actually one of the gifts she wears on the regular. And who wouldn't? It's just lousy with white and yellow diamonds (in the form of a spray of wattle, the national flower).

Biggest Omission

The Andamooka Opal

Hey, Your Majesty, speaking of Australian gifts: why have you left the Andamooka opal in the vaults for so long? The people of south Australia gave this massive 203 carat opal to you in 1954, you wore it once, and you've neglected it ever since. I know opals are an acquired taste (they're not my favorites either), but I think Angela Kelly could come up with a gown to make this baby work. Or maybe that's just my absurd fondness for a statement necklace shining through.

Worst Hat

Teal in Perth

Brim's all kinds of stumpy, ornamentation is just too much...giant no to this one.

Best Picture

Meeting Elizabeth Cambage

Ha! Extra props to Ms. Cambage because she had heels on. I mean, when you're 6'8", what's the point in playing around?

Best Only Tiara

The Brazilian Aquamarine Tiara

This parure stems from a set of aquamarines QEII received as gifts from Brazil. It's gone through a lot of changes through the years (a story for some future Thursday), and the redesign merry-go-round stopped on this clunky thing. Can you tell it's not my favorite? I want to like it, I really do - who am I to argue with stones that size? - but it just fails me in the execution department. And you know how irrational I get when faced with sparkle let-down.

What were the trip highlights for you?

Photos: Daylife/Zimbio/Getty Images/Reuters/AP Photo/Royal Collection

Royal Fashion Awards: The American-Scandinavian Foundation's Centennial Ball

America's just riddled with royals at the moment! Prince Harry's been making his way through southern California's selection of cocktail waitresses on his way to Arizona for military training, while Princess Beatrice acted as boyfriend Dave's plus one in New Mexico and Las Vegas. But the main royal gathering happened over the weekend in New York City as a whole slew of Scandinavian royals on separate visits to the U.S. collided to celebrate with the American-Scandinavian Foundation and give us something sartorial to talk about (the real purpose of their trips, I'm quite sure...).

Best...uh...Assets? I don't know.

Crown Princess Mary

I am in love with the idea of this: the interesting neckline, the sort of va-va-voom quality of this shimmery fabric, the usage on the whole of a shimmery fabric for a non-tiara event. But I am in, well, not hate, per se, but dislike with a single raised eyebrow at the execution. That's one clingy dress, m'lady! In some pictures it's perfectly lovely, but in others...whoa. Kudos for the after-babies bod and all, but I'm just not sure we needed to see all of that.

Best Bling

Queen Silvia

Who you gonna call when the dress code says no to tiaras? Queen Silvia! (She's like the Ghostbusters, only prettier.) There's a brooch in the hair and a tiara (her modern fringe tiara) around the neck. A+. Oh, and PURPLE! Yay.

Best in Typical

Princess Madeleine

She's got a taste for strapless dresses that just make you want to give them a wee tug north, doesn't she? That said: she does look awfully pretty here. I love the styling.

Worst in Typical

Queen Sonja

Oh, man. I do not get her taste sometimes. She looks like she's being strangled to death by lace and pearls. Which, I suppose, if you've got to go, that might be the way to bow out, but still. She did put a brooch in her hair too, to be fair, but it takes a lot more than that to make up for the gown.

Best in Scandinavian...wait, huh?

Princess Tatiana

Just me that wondered why Nikolaos and Tatiana of Greece took their globe trotting party machine to the American-Scandinavian bash until suddenly remembering that they are princes of Greece and Denmark? Fine, whatever. Smartypants. Anyway: it's always hard to see what she's wearing, on account of the posing (argh), but I'm sold enough on what I can spy here to give the evening's prize to her. Lovely red, little bit of interest, and easier to move in than some of these other gowns.

Who was your best-dressed for the night?

Photos: Zimbio/Daylife/Getty Images/CTK/Bekia