Royal Fashion Awards: Monaco Rose Ball 2011

Monaco's Rose Ball usually brings us a whole array of fashion to gawk over, but that wasn't so much the case this year. The royal family bowed out due to the recent death of Princess Antoinette (Prince Rainier's sister and Prince Albert's aunt). Still, there were a few appearances worth discussing (and awarding), so let's get to it:

Most Appropriate

Andrea, Charlotte, and Pierre Casiraghi

The Casiraghi trio were sent to man the festivities in the absence of Albert, Charlene, and Caroline, and they made their mother proud. The gentlemen stuck to basic tuxes (because you can't ever go wrong with a James Bond move) and Charlotte opted for Lanvin. It's not something I would have in my closet, but it's perfect for her: sticks to her couture-without-a-care style without venturing into flashy, inappropriate territory. And she accessorized with a brooch handed down from her grandmother, Princess Grace, as the icing on the cake.

Worst Boho

Tatiana Santo Domingo

Andrea's long-time girlfriend, socialite Tatiana, has an interesting style indeed. It's a talent, really: the ability to take any piece of clothing, no matter how expensive (such as this Missoni gown), and turn it into something that looks like a thrift store find. A talent or a curse, I suppose - you be the judge.

Best Duchess of Windsor Move

Beatrice Borromeo

With Charlotte's style toned down for mourning purposes, Pierre's other half turned hers up to an animalistic level. Does that necklace not scream Wallis, Duchess of Windsor to you? That's all I can think about. Such ornamentation is typically not my drug of choice, but I find this quite intoxicating nonetheless. It's either tacky or fashionable, depending on your taste I suppose. I think she's working it.

Worst Royal Barbie

The Duchess of Castro

Here we have the Duke and Duchess of Castro, also known as the other Charles and Camilla. (Charles is one of two claimants to the head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.) Camilla here is clearly trying to fill the fashion void left by the absence of Caroline and Charlene, to a most disastrous plastic end. Yikes.

What did you make of the showing at this year's Rose Ball?

Photos: Pascal Le Segretain/Zimbio/Getty Images Europe/Pool

Flashback Friday: Mary at the New Year Courts

The Danish royal family kicks the new year off in my kind of fashion: with tiaras ablaze and orders all shined up at the New Year Courts. Sadly, though, this year just didn't live up to past years for me.

Margrethe in that green dress we've seen time and again, and Marie in a great dress with an unfortunate neckline (for the occasion) that happens to bear a stark resemblance in form to Mary's orange number from last year. Sartorially speaking: very boring, with the exception of the run away zipper on Prince Henrik's trousers...and I won't post a picture of that. (You're welcome.) I mean, for the second reception, she even wore precisely the same thing she's worn for the past few years to the same event:

I miss Mary (she took the year off to gestate the royal twins). Good or bad, she brought more to talk about. So let's flash back to her previous New Year's appearances, just for kicks:

Here we have Mary showing us the two sides of dressing for these types of occasions. The good way, on the left: well fit, great color, appropriate for January weather. And the bad way, on the right: upholstery.

My favorite year, ever. I absolutely love this red velvet dress, without reservation. It's just so medieval. (Loved it when she wore it for King Harald's 70th birthday too. Very sad it didn't get to make a reappearance this pregnancy.) And the blue/purple color is divine, with the darker portion on the bottom adding just the right amount of interest.

Part of me loves that purple gown, and part of me thinks the cut plus the fabric sheen plus that pink/purple color so often seen on the tutus of small girls equals a costume from a Disney princess movie. And part of me loves the blue dress, and part of me thinks it ages her. (I do love the hair, no matter what.) Make up my mind in the comments for me, would you please? Many thanks.

Woe is me, the upholstered coat makes a return. Better than 2006, without the necklaces cluttering it up, but still: it's a sofa. In coat form. She makes up for it by repeating one of her pretty pre-wedding gowns, this lovely ice blue. I do love that color combination with the rubies.

And now we come to the orange gown, subject of conflicting opinions in the comments on Mary's Best of 2010 post. I like the gown itself, but I do not care for the orange. With the rubies, and the gold...my eyes are starting to burn. What we need is this neckline, combined with the color of Marie's gown from this year. That would be a winner. Next up we have the repeated blue, which as you know I can't make up my mind about, and this meringue-ish dream of a third outfit. Now, this is a princess costume I can get down with.

Tell me: what's your favorite (and un-favorite) gown? And what did you make of the ladies this year, in Mary's absence?

Photos: PPE/Colourpress/Christophersen