Gold Star: Marie in Japan

With Victoria skating along in her maternity style and leaving us with "What a glow she has!" as our only source of praise, it's time to shed a little light on another member of the royal baby boom that's having a better sartorial time of it.

Princess Marie hasn't been hitting it out of the park at every appearance (come on, nobody does - that's unrealistic), but she's made some particularly lovely choices during her visit to Japan with Prince Joachim.

For a meeting with Empress Michiko, this black dress and white coat combo is simple but alarmingly chic. All thanks to the collar, I think.

Adding a jacket over a tighter fitting dress is a perfect way to remind people that you still have a shape under there (Victoria, take note) while still keeping it classy.

Oh, and this one is my favorite. Enough for a gold star all on its own. Bright color, perfect fit, flattering as can be. Gold star: awarded for not letting us forget that you've still got it, even with a baby on board.


Photos: Profimedia/Billed-Bladet

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 16-22 October

Here's what Victoria wore from 16-22 October:

1. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in Copenhagen, 17 October.
2. At the Kunskapspriset award ceremony, 17 October. A sequined friend for the tent dress. Very Vegas.
3. Meeting with the Deputy President of South Africa, 20 October. 
4. Attending a UN seminar, 21 October. At this point, this is probably one of the best dresses she has. Shame about those shooties.
5. At the Elvis theater show, 21 October. I'm not sure what this dress was supposed to look like, but every picture seems to catch it alternately bunching too loosely or squishing too tightly around various parts of her. I feel like the dress is being mean to our Victoria. 

Photos: Purepeople/Abaca/Svenskdam/Lehtikuva

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 9-15 October

Here's what Victoria wore from 9-15 October:

1. Attending a WWF Council meeting, 11 October, where Victoria and her father got a look at the book of the year, Cows: A Love Story. Alrighty then!
2. At a seminar on the Royal National City Park project in Stockholm, 13 October. If our only options are tent dresses or trousers and untucked shirts, which do you vote for? I might have to vote for the trousers. Yes, even when it results in the dreaded brown shoe/black pant combo. I think she looks much more her actual size this week; at least I'm not questioning the palace's given due date (March) this time.

Photos: Lehtikuva

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 25 September-1 October

Here's what Victoria wore from 25 September-1 October:

1. Meeting with the Arctic Council working group, 27 September.
2. a) Attending the opening of the General Synod, 27 September. The Crown Princess seems to have been hit in the head with a giant flying penguin. The Crown Princess would prefer you not mention it (b). I do hope there were no casualties.
3. Opening a children's culture center, 28 September. I suppose if you're going to go the tent dress route, you might as well get one with a big ol' arrow pointing towards the culprit of your tentish ways.
4. At a charity dinner, 28 September. Well, hello there baby bump! Nice to finally meet you properly.
5. Visiting a cancer center in Stockholm, 30 September. In the context, I can't help but think this looks like a hospital gown.

Photos: Kungahuset/Purepeople/Abaca/Svenskdam/Finest.se/Lehtikuva

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 18-24 September

Here's what Victoria wore from 18-24 September:

1. Attending a memorial in Uppsala, 18 September.
2. Visiting Turku in Finland, 19 September, a) with and b) without coats. Different shooties are still shooties. Sigh.
3. Official dinner in Turku, 19 September. Ah! Very thankful for the repeated color and print.
4. Day 2 of the Turku visit, 20 September.
5. Attending an emergency simulation exercise, 21 September.
6. At the opening of "Victoria Square" in Haparanda Tornio, 22 September. Three shootie appearances in one week. I have a headache.

Photos: Lehtikuva/Purepeople/Abaca/Suomen Kuvalehti/Kaleva

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 11-17 September

Here's what Victoria wore from 11-17 September:

1. Attending a boat detachment as part of the Sustainable Seas seminar, 12 September. So this is basically just the navy version of the black one she has.
2. At the International Paralympic Committee meeting in the Netherlands, 13 September. And this is basically the maroon version of all the rest of the dresses she's worn so far in the pregnancy.
3. Attending the opening of the Swedish Parliament, 15 September. But THIS is how you do it, see. This is how we do the sorta-maternity wear.
4. At the Opera House, continuing the Parliament celebrations, 15 September. And this is NOT. No, no. I know some of you have given Vic here a free pass on account of how adorably happy she is, but this is a shower curtain and a tent and a muumuu, and she's too cute to be dressed like that. Also, I find the necklace a bit dubious.

Strange. Queen Silvia was thoroughly typical for the whole Parliament extravaganza, which leaves Madeleine to be my star.

She's so hit and miss, but when she gets it right, I think her take on the trendy young princess look is the best one around. (And in case you're wondering: black and white is the dress code for the Parliament opening, they didn't just all wake up feeling boring.)


Photos: lehtikuva,fi/Bekia/Expressen/Stella Pictures/Belga

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 28 August - 3 September

Here's what Victoria wore from 28 August - 3 September:

1.  Naming a paddle steamer boat, 29 August, in a symphony of beige.
2. Attending the 2011 Polar Music Prize ceremony, 30 August. I find this...questionable. Questionable sheerness, questionable hair...just questionable.
3. Visiting Gothenburg, 31 August, with (a) and without (b) the coat. SHOOTIES. Yes, I am having a conniption, you called it right. What a cute, swingy take on the sack dress she's favoring on account of the bébé...ruined by a dubious pair of boots. Le sigh.
4. Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Swedish National Union of Local Governments, 2 September. A cute little tropical antidote to those horrible winter shooties.

Photos: Svenskdam/ANP

Flashback Friday: Princess Marie's Maternity Style

Last week, Princess Marie and Prince Joachim of Denmark announced that they were expecting their second child together (and his fourth) - proving, I suppose, that when it rains, it pours. So how about a little look back at some of the highlights of Marie's maternity style from the first time around? (Be sure to read through to the end for some tiara news...)

Evening maternity wear is tricky business, no? Marie happens to be the owner of one of my favorite royal maternity gowns ever: the midnight blue dream second from left up there. Please please please can we see it again this time?

Turns out, her maternity style is pretty much the same as her regular style: not bad, not amazing. She does prove how quickly a fantastic piece can go downhill, though, with the coat seen twice on the right above. The first photo of that coat is divine, worn all on its own, but it sure does get a wee bit circus-y with a tiny hat and some wide-legged trousers.

And here we have a few of the things we've seen her in during this pregancy, with special love to the casually elegant outfit on the right:

Now, the tiara news. Do you see her examining something in the third photo there? That's her new tiara. Aww, yeah.

The details:
Whether this modern piece will be Marie's property or just something she can borrow at her leisure (like Mary's Midnight Tiara) remains unclear. Now, I am generally not a huge fan of modern designs, especially ones that are sparse on the diamonds; but as always, I will await its debut appearance before judging. And either way, I'm just glad the girl has a second tiara option - she's been among the most jewel-poor princesses since she married!

So...anybody know when the next Danish tiara event will be?

Photos: Billed Bladet/Belga/Flora Danica

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 21-27 August

Here's what Victoria wore from 21-27 August:

1. Attending a memorial service for the Norway attacks, 21 August.


2. Meeting with WaterAidSweden to accept their patronage with Daniel, 22 August.


3. Awarding the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, 23 August.


4. Celebrating Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit's 10th wedding anniversary, 25 August. I applaud her for not going the safe route with her accessories...but snakeskin and polka dots? Not so much.


5. At their anniversary dinner, 25 August. This looks fabulous. Do you think if I stomp my feet loud enough, someone will produce a full length picture? No? Well, I tried.

So, it seems we have Victoria's maternity style: get a sack dress from Greta or Mayla, add some random necklaces and bracelets, call it good. Personally, I'm hoping that this is just the product of an emergency shopping trip because that baby grew too much for her to fit in her regular clothes, but not enough to make proper maternity wear work, and not a permanent staple until March. I don't think my attention span can handle it if that's not the case.

Anyway, let's end on some cuteness, no?

Victoria, a.k.a. Europe's godmother, and shy little godchild Ingrid Alexandra. Aww. At the service, Victoria read the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, which I do believe is the same reading she gave at the wedding ten years ago.

Photos: PurePeople/Abaca/Kungahuset/Svenskdam

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 14-20 August

Here's what Victoria wore from 14-20 August:

1. At the annual "Swede of the Year" awards, 17 August, the very same day her pregnancy was officially announced. Glowing in the face and in the dress: this is so vibrant! Love.


2. a) Opening the 39th Nordic Convention of Lawyers (sounds like a party), 18 August, in b) a dress from Mayla. A purple overdose. I am obliged to love it.


3. Attending Daniel's sister's wedding, 20 August, in a Malina dress. A whole week without a single neutral dress in sight. Bliss, I tell you!

Photo:  Billed Bladet/AOP/Reuters Pictures/Daylife/Mayla/Aftonbladet

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 31 July - 6 August

Here's what Victoria wore from 31 July - 6 August:

1. Attending a symposium on the Antarctic, 3 August. The Diane von Furstenberg again. This might be one I can like only in small doses, but I am liking this loose take on her ubiquitous ponytail.

Photo: Svenskdam

Flashback Friday: Leaving the Hospital in Style

Mary's leaving the hospital with her twins today! Yay. Even snarky old me has to love a snugly little baby (times 2!).

What a tricky appearance, though. I'm not a mother myself, but I can imagine that the absolute last thing you'd want to do so soon after birth is present yourself before the world's media. You're not back to your pre-pregnancy form (not even close, assuming you're human!), you're tired, and sweatpants must be carrying a far greater allure than they ever have before.

Let's see how past royal mums have handled the situation, shall we?

I think there are only two pictures in existence of my mother pregnant. Now I know why. If I ever decide to gestate a human of my own, I'll make sure to thank my lucky stars that maternity fashion's come so far in the last few decades.

Nowadays, the rules of regular fashion still apply to maternity and après-maternity wear: when in doubt, go with a flattering jacket. Seriously, how cute is Mathilde in that red number?

Here's another useful strategy for new mothers that might not want the spotlight on their fashion or their figure: apply the art of distraction. You've got a cute baby, use it! There's no reason to focus on the mother.

Here's Mary showcasing the pretty blanket strategy, Claire employing the extra fabric strategy, and Letizia going straightforward by showing off that little munchkin face. I'm far more concerned with trying to figure out how much of Claire's bundle is baby and how much is just fabric than I am with what she's wearing. (Though, for the record, Mary's appearance there with baby Isabella is my fave. No need for distraction there - such a lovely top.)

If I were a royal mum, though, I think I'd push for another strategy altogether.

Let the mother sneak quickly out and leave the parading to the new father. Pose for family photos later on, after you've had plenty of pajama relaxing time.

Who wins your prize for best dressed new mother?

Photos: Life/Getty Images/Hola

Flashback Friday: Mary's Maternity Style

Maternity fashion is a tricky thing, isn't it?  When done right, it enhances the mum-to-be's glow tenfold, but it can go off the rails so quickly.  Mary's ready to suit up again; let's see how she did the last two times, shall we?

Some casual gear:

A selection of dresses:

More mommy daywear:

And evening maternity wear, featuring the Diane von Furstenberg black and white print we saw again right before the announcement:

Also, that lace top on the far right sure looks like something she sported back in Stockholm, but I can't be sure.

I liked the black von Furstenberg better the first time around, how about you?  Any other repeat requests for the Crown Princess?  Personally, I'm hoping we get the opportunity to see a little maternity gala wear, tiara and all.  But that's mostly because I'm always hoping for more tiaras.

Photos: bt.dk/msn.dk