Style Speculation: Elie Saab Spring 2012 RTW

I saved my favorite collection for last! If you haven't figured it out already, I'm a huge Elie Saab fangirl. (Ladylike with a touch of bling? Sign me up.) So you'll have to excuse me while I have a bit of a picturegasm:

Elie Saab Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Potential royal models:

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Queen Rania, Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Beatrice

This collection was Saab at his finest, starting out with beige and moving through a rainbow of saturated colors one at a time. Princess Beatrice was a front row guest; I hope she scooped up a whole range of these perfect day dresses. They're just perfect for the royal grind, and there's no end to the royals I'd like to see wearing them. The Countess of Wessex and Crown Princess Mary come to mind for starters. (Why isn't Mary an Elie Saab girl, and who can we petition to make that happen?)

The green number with the jacket there should become a royal uniform, no? And I'm in love with the first yellow dress here: this would be perfection on Victoria (after baby, of course).

There were some interesting takes on sleeves for evening gowns in this collection which I hope we'll see on Rania and Maria Teresa. Máxima would be an interesting new Elie Saab client too, especially in the evening wear department.

See the full collection here.

And finally, for those that share my Saab love, you'll want to make some time to see the collection in motion:

Who would you like to see wearing this collection?

Photos:Alessandro Viero/GoRunway.com/Style.com

Style Speculation: Valentino Spring 2012 RTW

There are some definite Valentino devotees among our royal ladies, plus a whole lot more that are casual fans. Will this collection will draw even more into the Valentino realm?

Valentino Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Potential royal models:

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Máxima, Princess Marie-Chantal, Princess Rosario

The collection this season is totally girly and frilly; it just screams Mette-Marit to me. I'm not sure how she'll choose which ones she wants, this is so much her style. In fact, apart from people like Princess Rosario (a former Valentino muse), it's kind of hard to imagine other royals wearing these dresses.

I definitely see some Máxima gems in here, and the above looks I think would be great on some of the younger royals as well. I could even see Crown Princess Mary in that blue lace, or the crisp white frock.

I'm absolutely expecting to see Mette-Marit in some of these gowns, and I can't help but wonder if occasional Valentino client Queen Sofia might be interested as well (especially in that red long-sleeved number).

See the complete collection here.

Who do you see wearing this collection?

Photos: Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com/Style.com

Style Speculation: Chanel Spring 2012 RTW

Chanel is one of those lines that you know will always include some princess-appropriate options - it's just in the blood - and Karl Lagerfeld's icy dream of a collection doesn't disappoint. Though we are most guaranteed to see the line on firm Lagerfeld favorites Caroline and Charlotte, loads of royal ladies have at least a little bit of Chanel in their closet. And that makes our little speculating game all the more fun...

Chanel Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Potential royal models:

Charlotte Casiraghi, Princess Caroline

The above styles I think are candidates for Princess Astrid of Belgium and Infanta Elena, and maybe even Princess Charlene; after choosing Mr. Lagerfeld for her civil wedding ensemble, I'm hoping we'll get a little Chanel in with her Armani/Akris mix. They'd also be great on Queen Sofia or Queen Paola, and if we could get any of our Natan princesses to switch camps for this stuff instead I'd do so many jumpy claps I'd probably hurt myself.

This set of looks I'd love to see on the younger royals that have a little more fun with their style. Charlotte Casiraghi to be sure, but also Princess Beatrice or Princess Madeleine. Maybe even Charlene, if she really means what she says about turning Monaco into a fashion capital.

See the whole collection here.

Who would you like to see wearing these looks?

Photos: Yannis Vlamos/GoRunway.com/Style.com

Style Speculation: Alexander McQueen Spring 2012 RTW

When I started the blog I used to do "Runway Monday" posts, where I'd take a collection and pick what I hoped the royals would wear from it. Obviously those posts are extinct now, but Paris Fashion Week has brought the fashion fortune teller back out of me. Care to play along?

Sarah Burton's most recent collection was definitely the true McQueen (something I honestly was relieved to see in full force, given that their most famous model these days is the quite un-McQueen Duchess of Cambridge). That means: a little bit of Victorian flair, a little bit of fetish, and a whole lot of artistry and stunning craftsmanship.

Alexander McQueen Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear

Potential royal models:

The Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie

The deal with McQueen is this: you don't wear the runway looks. There is a commercial collection put out that's tamed down for actual wear. If the past is any indication, the Duchess is most likely to pick from the tamest of those tame looks...and then possibly tame them down further. (That's not an insult, by the way: it takes a certain attitude to rock McQueen properly, and she doesn't have it. Which is okay, because you probably don't want that attitude in a future Queen of England anyway.) As I've said before, I do hope that Kate's continuing relationship with Sarah Burton will help her gain more confidence in her dressing, and some of the silhouettes from this collection would be great ways to manifest said confidence.

We might have a little more luck getting Beatrice or Eugenie to wear something resembling the proper collection. Neither is as much a McQueen client as Kate, but they've both dipped toes in and I'm hopeful they'll jump full in (especially considering there's a stylist in the mix there).

See the complete collection here.

The Resort 2012 Collection is also worth a look, since we haven't seen this in royal use yet:

Far more wearable right off the bat. I'm really, really hoping we get to see some of these wide belts in use; they'd look amazing both on those with curves to work with (Bea and Eug) and someone that could stand to have a few curves created (Kate).

See the complete collection here.

Any looks you're hoping to see get a royal outing?

{Psst: this replaces our regular Flashback Friday post today. Also, we'll be taking a look at a couple of the other big name Paris collections ripe for royal use over the weekend.}

Photos: Marcus Tondo/GoRunway.com/Alexander McQueen/Style.com

Style Speculation: Charlene Wittstock's Bridal Gown

With one week to go, it's time for another round of everyone's favorite game: The Royal Bridal Guessing Game!

What will Charlene Wittstock wear for her big day? Here's what we know: she'll have 2 dresses, one for her civil wedding and one for her religious wedding. Since the religious one is the thing that we (well, I) really care about, let's skip right to that.

Armani has been confirmed as the designer, and this is no surprise: he's been taking care of Charlene for a long time. Queen Rania is a big fan, and if the Belgians aren't trouncing about in Natan, they're probably in Armani. I was surprised, given his level of royal popularity, to find only two royal wedding dresses to his name. (Unless someone's got one I'm missing?)

Left to Right: Archduchess Catharina von Österreich, Princess Tatjana of Leichtenstein

Well, he's no Valentino, that's for sure. If this is any indication, simple will be the name of the game.

If we branch out from the royal circle into some of the celebrity gowns Armani has whipped up, though, we find that that's not necessarily the rule:

L to R: Danielle Spencer, Katie Holmes, Megan Fox, Mira Sorvino

So, not really a cohesive look.

Here are some of the more notable Armani confections that Charlene has sported, for further reference:

Now, let's play our game.

What will Charlene's wedding gown will look like?

My guess: very simple, not much in the way of lace and/or other baubles. With a slim skirt, as I just can't picture her in a full one. And an epic train/veil length - they're making a big to-do of this wedding, you know. Can't be too simple.

Your turn!

The Royal Wedding Guests: An Illustrated Guide (and Fashion News!)

Some fifty members of the British royal family will be in attendance for  William and Kate's nuptials. FIFTY. It occured to me that I'd probably have some trouble just naming fifty members of the Windsor clan, let alone recognizing them on sight. So I put a little guide together for my use, and thought I'd share. These are the Windsors with golden tickets to the Abbey, from the most recognizable down to the ones that we hardly ever see, and it's pretty much the entire family (except those too young to behave themselves reliably). Feel free to print and use as a fashion scorecard...that's my grand plan.

 

The most obvious. William's immediate family: grandparents, father, stepmother, brother (and best man).

William's uncles, aunt, and assorted spouses.

William's cousins and spouses/spouses-to-be. Not pictured: William's cousin Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (age 7), who will be in the bridal party.

The children and grandchildren of the late Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister. The pictures of the kids are woefully out of date; there are only sketchy photos here and here from last summer that are any closer to current age. Not pictured: The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones (age 8), who will be in the bridal party.

The Duke of Gloucester is the Queen's cousin, a grandson of King George V. He, his wife, and their three children (with accompanying spouses) will be in the Abbey.

 

The Duke of Kent is another cousin of the Queen and grandson of George V. He and his wife will be in the Abbey along with their three children and their three oldest grandchildren.

Prince Michael of Kent is the Duke of Kent's brother. He, his wife, and their two children will be there, along with Frederick's wife.

And the last of the Kents: Princess Alexandra is the sister of Prince Michael and the Duke of Kent. She will be in attendance on Friday with her two children and her daughter-in-law. And on the end we have not a Kent, but The Lady Saltoun. She's related through marriage way back to Queen Victoria, is primarily know as Chief of the Name and the Arms of Fraser, and is considered a member of the extended royal family by the Queen.

Foreign Royals

In addition to the Windsors, plenty of foreign royals will be there. Keep an eye out for these folks:

• The Prince and Princess of the Asturias
• The Sultan of Brunei and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha
• King Simeon II and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria
• The Queen of Denmark
• King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes
• Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and Prince Constantine of Greece
• Sheikh Ahmad Hmoud Al-Sabah of Kuwait
• Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso and Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho
• The Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg
• The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia
• Prince Albert II of Monaco and Miss Charlene Wittstock
• Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco
• The Crown Prince and Princess of The Netherlands
• The King and Queen of Norway
• Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman
• The Emir of The State of Qatar and Sheika Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned
• King Michael I of Romania and Crown Princess Margarita
• Prince Mohamed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Princess Fadwa bint Khalid bin Abdullah bin Abdulrahman
• The Queen of Spain
• The King of Swaziland
• The Crown Princess of Sweden and The Duke of Vastergotland
• Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
• The King of Tonga
• The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
• Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Yugoslavia
• The Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia

Guest Fashion News

I've been trying to keep up with news on what the guests will be wearing, though it's certainly not as plentiful as "news" on what the bride will wear. Here's what I've got so far (and I'll keep updating!):

• The Countess of Wessex will be in Bruce Oldfield.
• The Duchess of Cornwall will wear something from her own wedding gown designer, Anna Valentine.
• Chelsy Davy will wear Alberta Ferretti.
• The Queen will probably be in something designed by her personal dresser, Angela Kelly.
• We should see Philip Treacy hats on the Yorks, Sophie, Camilla, Zara, and many, many more. Fabienne Delvigne hats are a likely possibility for Princess Maxima and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, if not Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Mathilde as well.
• Carole Middleton was said to have had a falling out with Sarah Ferguson's wedding dress designer, Lindka Cierach, resulting in the cancellation of a commission. Who knows if that's true or not.
• I'd put my money on Charlene Wittstock in Armani. Nope, looks like Charlene will go with Akris. Color me shocked!
• I'd also put my money on Sheikha Mozah in something worth more than my car.
• Victoria Beckham will wear her own design, topped by a Treacy hat and custom Louboutins, with David Beckham in Ralph Lauren.
• Samantha Cameron will opt for Burberry's Christopher Kane, as will Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman.
• Anya Hindmarch will wear Emilia Wickstead.
• Sara Parker-Bowles will be dressed by Osman.
• Lady Helen Taylor will be in Erdem.
• Viscountess Linley is wearing Roland Mouret with Manolo Blahnik heels, an Anya Hindmarch clutch, and a Stephen Jones hat.
• Holly Branson will wear Irwin & Jordan.
• Lady Frederick Windsor and Princess Mathilde will wear Armani. The Daily Mail (I know, not so much on the reliability) also claims Armani will dress Princess Nikolaos, who isn't on the released guest list.
• Princess Letizia will be wearing Felipe Varela, per usual (thanks to @elpalais on Twitter for that one!).
• Bridesmaid's dresses are now reported to be Nicki Macfarlane.
• Princess Eugenie will wear Vivienne Westwood.
• Lady Sarah Chatto will stick with her own wedding gown designer, Jasper Conran.

Have you seen any others confirmed? Any guest fashion guesses?

Source

Style Speculation: Catherine Middleton's Bridal Gown

It's time to play a game! The Royal Bridal Gown Guessing Game, to be exact. Place your bets now: what will Kate wear on her big day? The winner gets...uh, eternal sartorial glory. GAME ON:

Question #1: Who will the designer be?

First of all, I think it's right smart that Kate's keeping this under wraps. None of that paparazzi-digging-through-your-trash business the Emanuels had to put up with back in 1981. Besides, why would you want your designer all concerned about press? Focus on the dress! (Selfish, but true.)

The top two names so far have been Daniella Helayel of Issa and Bruce Oldfield. Issa's an obvious favorite and Oldfield's an experienced bridal designer with ties to Diana. I hope it's neither of them, personally. Worth a thought: though Issa's considered a British label, Helayel herself isn't British, and the expectation will be for a purely British creation. Oldfield's become the front runner, but he's been giving so many interviews. Don't you think the clamps would be firmly shut on the mouth of the actual designer?

Two other names often tossed around: Phillipa Lepley, a couture bridal designer, and Jenny Packham, both a bridal and ready-to-wear designer with a long celebrity client roster. Lepley would make a lovely dress, to be sure, but would it be epic? (And isn't that what we're looking for, something along the Diana/Grace lines of memorableness?) Packham's dresses are gorgeous and girly and intricate, and I think her vision's strong enough to bring Kate to a new style.

Two other names I hope she took a look at: Amanda Wakeley and Emilia Wickstead. Wakeley's aesthetic is a clean and modern line that fits with what we've seen of Kate's style so far. She's an experienced bridal designer, and she's known among royal circles: she dressed the Countess of Wessex for both of Crown Princess Victoria's wedding events last year, and Tatiana Blatnik wore a stunning green gown from Wakeley's range last June. I think she'd do something different, not just a trumped-up version of typical off-the-rack gown style. Wickstead, on the other hand, doesn't run a regular bridal line, which is part of the reason I'd like to see her take on The Gown. She's got a prim yet feminine style - like a modern take on the kind of elegance we associate with Princess Grace or Audrey Hepburn.

Lastly, I have to place a bet for the total unknown. I'd love it if she took a totally new face and created the Next British Fashion Star. In fact, my number 1 request for her Princess Style on the whole is that she use all this attention and fury and put it to good use getting some brand new fashion talent off the ground. And I'd love to see her do that with all things British, but also show some love to Australian, Canadian, and other Commonwealth country designers.

 

Question #2: What will the gown look like?

Truthfully, I'm having a hard time picturing Kate's gown. We just haven't seen her in evening wear that often, and what we have seen has been fairly one-note. Mainly, these three appearances:

So I guess I'm really just hoping we don't see some version of this thing done in white with a veil and train tacked on. (The pink and charcoal numbers are both Issa. Blue is BCBG Max Azria.)

What do I think we'll see? A v-neck, that seems to be a favorite, and nothing too fussy. (She doesn't strike me as a meringue-ish kind of girl.) I think a coat dress over a simpler gown is a possibility given the weather and that the day lends itself to having an evening look later on. I simply can't picture a big ballgown skirt on Kate, so I'll place my bets on a slim silhouette from the front that widens out to a train at the back. And speaking of the train, I'll guess something in the 15 foot range for length. Also, personally, I prefer a simpler gown paired with a more intricate veil, so I'll hope for that.

Okay, your turn: who will design The Dress, and what will it look like? This is high-stakes stuff here, kids.

Style Speculation: Kate Middleton

So: Kate Middleton's day in the sun has arrived. Let's talk about her.

I've never covered Kate on this blog. Three reasons for that, really:

1. I may or may not be harboring a slight resentment for the girl, ruining my fantasies of snatching old Wills for myself. (What? A girl's got to have something to daydream about.)
2. Her style...it's never interested me. I do not think she's badly dressed, per se, but I don't see an innate flair there either.  That said....
3. I've never felt it quite fair to hold her to the same standards as I would a princess. She's been going it on her own, likely without the help of a stylist or the team of designers, hair and makeup people and other assorted lackeys a royal would have access to. And certainly without a full-fledged royal budget.

But she's engaged now, so the game is afoot. Let's revisit her most recent appearance:

Clarence House says the couple were engaged while in Kenya, which was before this appearance, which makes this the first of Kate's official princess-in-waiting outfits. It's a little boring, no? Not bad at all, but there isn't anything making my skirt fly up here. I'm hoping this all changes, and soon. I hope that Kate gets herself a stylist, or that some designer will take her under a wing.

See, I have a theory, and it goes like this: a royal family needs all kinds of people in it for greatest appeal. You need your workhorse royals (like the Princess Royal, and Queen Elizabeth), but I think you also need a bit of glamour to make it work, and the Windsors don't have that right now. Even crusty old me can admit that Kate's a gorgeous girl with a hell of a figure, which makes her potentially the best thing to happen to British fashion since Diana. I'm not sure that will happen, though, precisely because it would invoke a Diana comparison. And one can only imagine the royal family's thoughts on that.

UPDATE: Photocall time! Diana's ring, which I think is sweet.

  

While I switch my daydreaming focus over to Guillaume and Harry, tell me: What do you think? What are your predictions, and your hopes, for the style of the future Queen Catherine?

Photo: Zimbio/Reuters