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

Flashback Friday: Silvia at the Nobel Prize Ceremony

If Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine do Nobel style right, it's because they learned from the master: their mother. Queen Silvia has always made very specific sartorial selections for the events surrounding the awarding of the Nobel Prizes. She's been at it since her wedding in 1976 and has amassed such a collection that it was even worthy of an exhibition a while back. Here we have a slew of dresses that are usually specially selected for the event and are carefully coordinated with their jewel mate. (The majority of those magnificent hair creations we looked at earlier this year? They come from the Nobel ceremony.) So, we're devoting the last flashback before we get to see what the ladies have in store for us this year to the Queen and her most memorable Nobel looks.

This is where it all begins, Silvia's first Nobel ceremony. A very 1970s look, and a marked contrast to the queenly appearances she'll make later on; even her demeanor is less polished here - such a relaxed posture, legs crossed. We never see that from proper Queen Silvia today. This is also the first and last time we see her turn to her wedding dress designer, Dior, for a Nobel look.

Click here to see all of Silvia's gowns from the 1970s, and here to see a focus on the jewels.

The 1980s! Always good for an overstuffed giggle. Actually, Queen Silvia fared pretty well during this fluffy decade, and several of her gowns could be reused today (notable exceptions above). The 80s are also notable for the introduction of Danish designer Jørgen Bender in Silvia's repertoire. Apparently Silvia had a fairly close relationship with Queen Ingrid (a Swedish princess turned Danish queen), and this seems to be her influence at work: Bender was responsible for a lot of couture (including wedding gowns) for the Danish royal ladies.

Click here to see all of Silvia's gowns from the 1980s, and here to see a focus on the jewels.

If anything, her most voluminous gowns belong to the 1990s, where she kept a string of giant skirts but thankfully forgot all about the huge matching sleeves, so they just fit the fairy princess bill (fairy queen, I suppose, though perhaps that first black and white number is more of a jailbird queen sort of thing) instead of falling into the cringeworthy retro category.

Click here to see all of Silvia's gowns from the 1990s, and here to see a focus on the jewels.

Our last decade was a period of transition for Silvia. Her last froofy (technical term) gown was really in 2001, with the Nina Ricci creation above. While I love it - come on, she looks like she just flounced off of the Swan Lake stage and happened upon the Nobel Prize ceremony - I also can't help but wonder if our lovely queen had by this time reached an age at which such gowns should be left to her daughters. And perhaps she wondered the same, as the rest of the decade sees her trimming down her wondrous hair creations and the size of her gowns.

Click here to see all of Silvia's gowns from the 2000s, and here to see a focus on the jewels.

Last year's appearance receives special recognition, and not just for the divine shape that dress cuts on her. The mixture of the jewel-toned green with the deep blue sapphires is so unique and it just works. It almost makes up for the fact that the miraculous creations of hair art seem to have disappeared.

Now, we must tally the tiara tiara appearances, in order to accurately guess what Her Majesty might spring on us this year:

• Nine Prong Tiara: 14
• Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara: 12
• Cameo Tiara: 4
• Connaught Diamond Tiara: 3
• Queen Josephine's Amethyst Tiara: 1

As you can see, that's zero appearances for the big ol' Braganza Tiara, since apparently the Nobels are important but not that important. I'm feeling like the amethysts have been woefully neglected, and perhaps it's time for their day to come once again (when am I not feeling that way about amethysts?). I'll take anything but the Nine Prong, really.

Favorite year? Bet for this year? Hmmm?

Psst: There's a second dinner at which tiaras will be present that isn't represented above. Also, here's some exciting news: since one of the Nobel laureates this year is from Luxembourg, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess will be in attendance! Luxembourg bling and Swedish sparkle, be still my heart.

Psst again: The Nobel Prize Award Ceremony is on Saturday and will stream live on the Nobel Prize website, and also at SVT though not all of their material is available to viewers outside of Sweden. It starts at 4:30 pm CET (that's Stockholm time), and here's a handy tool to prevent time zone math migraines should you need it. I will be watching; if you're so inclined, feel free to join me on The Twitter. The Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony in Oslo starts at 1:00 pm CET, and will be attended by the King, Queen, Crown Prince, and Crown Princess of Norway.

Photos: Nobelprize.org/Svenskdam/Scanpix/Corbis

Flashback Friday: Victoria at the Nobel Prize Ceremony

It really is the most wonderful time of the year, friends. Holidays, sure, whatever: I'm talking about the Nobel Prizes. Held in Sweden, the royal ladies treat it as the important event that it is and come out tiaras blazing. (The Nobel Peace Prize will get a set of events in Norway involving that royal family, but they never involve their tiaras, so...) The grand ceremony is on December 10th, and it's well past time to start getting excited. Today, as I grasp onto the hope that Victoria will pull out of her maternity style slump and wow me, we look back at her past efforts.

Victoria's been attending the Nobel festivities since she came of age, but it is her second appearance, rather than her first, that claims one of the most memorable slots. In 1997, Victoria was suffering from anorexia, and it had just been confirmed by the palace that she was seeking treatment. Those bad memories aside, that dress has always been a favorite of mine and she would have looked amazing in it at any size.

 

If it looks familiar to you, then I'm sorry to inform you that you have just been outed as a fan of The Princess Diaries, starring Anne Hathaway. No judgements.

By 2004, Victoria started to pull out of her prom gown phase and started to get some real princess flair going, trains and all. I'm not a huge fan of 2007 - can't we just leave the fading whatnot to tie-dye shirts and call it a day? - but 2005 and the famous 2006 gown are divine.

Like most, Victoria gets better with age. The only thing missing from her outfit of grape perfection in 2009 is a proper outing of the amethyst tiara, and everything about last year's Elie Saab still takes my breath away. You know my fingers and toes are crossed that she's convinced Mr. Saab to take a turn in maternity wear for this year.

Tiara tally! One appearance of the pitiful 18th Birthday Tiara, 2 of the Cut Steel Tiara (including probably the best showing of that tiara ever, last year), 2 of the Six Button Tiara, 3 of the Jeep headlights Four Button Tiara, and 4 for her trademark Baden Fringe Tiara. What do you think we'll see this year? I keep hoping that Queen Silvia will let her dig a little deeper into the family foundation and bring out something she's never worn before, or at least the Cameo Tiara again. There's a second tiara-filled Nobel event too that isn't covered above, so really you can pick two tiaras you'd like to see on dear Victoria.

What's your favorite year? Anybody want to start a tiara bet for this year?

Photos: Svenskdam/nobelprize.org/Getty Images/Zimbio

Royal Fashion Awards: The Nobel Prizes, 2010

I meant to post over the weekend, my lovelies, but I ended up snowed in miles away from my laptop, a blizzard keeping me from my snark. Good thing reader Deidre emailed today to remind me of the overwhelming need for a post. I've never met Deidre, but I sense she's got that Claudia Schiffer look to her, topped off with an Einstein brain. Anyways: we shall continue forward in the spirit of "better late than never", for it is the most wonderful time of the year - that's right, time to award some Nobel prizes!

Norway kicked things off, awarding the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday with a concert on Saturday, and the rest of the prizes were of course awarded on Friday in Sweden with the traditional King's Dinner following on Saturday. To the clothes!

Most Typical

Queen Sonja at the Peace Prize ceremony, Princess Christina at the Nobel Banquet, and Queen Silvia at the King's Dinner

Nothing much to see here, friends. Queen Sonja held down the sartorial fort in Oslo with Mette-Marit out and about on her world travels, and she didn't venture a foot outside her comfort zone. I mean, sure, the hat's kinda oddball, but that IS her comfort zone. Princess Christina turned in a perfectly respectable appearance at the Nobel ceremonies in Sweden on Friday, and Queen Silvia did the same on Saturday (though I do not like that tiara and I can not be convinced otherwise).

Best Black Tie

Crown Princess Victoria at the King's Dinner

I can't hate on Crown Princess Victoria in a jewel-toned Elie Saab gown. That would be sacrilegious. But I can admit that this just wasn't the right occasion. There's too much going on at the neckline here for a necklace and a sash. Plus, that's some black tie hair right there. (What is up with that 'do? Part of the reason why the Nobel functions are so fabulous is because the Swedish ladies turn the tiara hair volume up to 11. This does not go to eleven.)

Best Repeat

Princess Christina at the King's Dinner

Yes, we've seen this one before, at Victoria's wedding. But it's fab, and thus she shall be excused from repeating a gown during the Nobel festivities. Yet again I fall prey to the allure of a luscious jewel tone.

Best Overall

Crown Princess Victoria at the Nobel Banquet

 

Oh, yummy. Elie Saab again, and this time absolutely perfect for the white tie event. The draping, the back - I mean, jumpy claps! It's even managing to make that steel cut tiara look alright (Napoleonic dress, Napoleonic tiara - nice), though this is yet another piece I can not get down with. It's just so...plume-tastic. And there's no diamonds on it! Come on now.

Best Use of Color

Queen Silvia at the Nobel Banquet

Combining colored jewels with colored gowns is dicey business. (Think back to Mary's combo of rubies and that mint-ish green dress at Victoria's wedding, or Sonja's coral and emerald pairing at the same event. Risky business.) But this - now, this was a good call. The sapphires and the green dress just play so nicely together. Well done, and the hair gets an A+ as well for having just enough volume to balance out the weight of that tiara.

Worst Use of Color

Queen Sonja at the Nobel Banquet

Well, this is amusing. Army green and fuchsia? Really? With a black cummerbund? Someone please tell me this is a recycle from an era gone past. I think what I like best is that she took such an overwhelming color combo, busied it up by contrasting the fabrics, paired it with an overwhelming pattern on the top, and then topped the whole thing off with MORE pattern - brooches and a choker that might as well be part of the dress, that neckline's so high. The magpie in me can't help but admire the spirit.

Who made your best dressed list for the Nobel Awards this year? Speak! Type!

Photos: Svenskdam/Daylife/Getty