Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 6-12 February

Here's what Mathilde wore from 6-12 February:

1. Visiting the 'Ecole des 4 vents' school, 11 February. We saw this in September, though she's opted for different stockings and shoes this time. This is one NATAN dress that I really like (for a change!).

Photos: Isopix

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 6-12 February

Here's what Princess Máxima wore the week of 6-12 February:

1. Attending a Women in Financial Services meeting, 7 February. In the photos where this looks more red than brown, I like it (with the exception that the stockings, which are overkill on the monochrome theme).
2. Opening the Produs praktical education school, 8 February. This sleeveless dress is a repeat. Cute and flattering!
3. At the Goed Geld Gala (Good Money Gala) of the Nationale Postcode Loterij, 9 February. Oh, this might be the chicest daywear I've seen Máxima in since I started this blog.
4. Visiting the closure of the BizWorld project at the Christoffel school, 10 February, a) with her wrap and b) inside without. This is a NATAN top, Mathilde has the same one in different colors, and we just saw Máx's red version last month. With the wrap, it's a whole lot of beige, but I like it without.
5. Attending the signing of one of the agreements between Qredits and the European investment foundation EIF, 11 February. Oh, dear. More thoughts below.

Best and Worst of the Week

Let's start with the worst, shall we?

It's like she took every sartorial complaint I've ever had about her and mashed it into one train wreck outfit! We've got tights that are color-matched to the outfit (such a pet peeve of mine, especially when we're not talking about black-on-black). We've got shoes that don't go with the outfit and are totally wrong for the tights. We've got messy hair, and last but not least, we have curiously overgrown jewelry. And it's a shame, too: on its own, that dress is quite flattering. Thankfully, she also showed us the other end of the spectrum in the same week:

No overly opaque stockings, no messy hair, no excessive accessorizing. All together, an outfit worthy of jumpy claps. What say you, my sartorial-minded friends?

Photos: PPE/Dutch Photo Press

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 16-22 January

Here's what Princess Mathilde wore the week of 16-22 January:

1. Attending the GSK Biologicals Awards, 17 January, a) with coat and b) without. Boring gray, but well fit.
2. Annual Diplomatic New Year's Reception, 18 January, a) full view and b) close up. Interesting jacket: sort of faux bois or zebra-esque in pattern.
3. Reception for NATO representatives, 20 January. Color! Yay!
4. Opening the Brussels Antiques & Fine Arts Fair, 20 January. Oh, those NATAN boots. Too high, and too pink.

Best and Worst of the Week

Gotta go with #3 for the best, hands down. Such a lovely color of pink - it really lights up Mathilde's face. And the dress is a great fit for her. Outfit #4 is also a great fit, and I when I first saw it I loved it. But I only loved it until I saw the boots, and now it's my worst of the week. How about you?


Photos: Isopix/Belga/hln.be

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 9-15 January

Here's what Princess Mathilde wore the week of 9-15 January:

1.  New Year's reception, 12 January. We can go ahead and assume this is NATAN, since Máxima's been seen in similar tops.
2. Visiting an exhibition, 14 January.

On the left, we have a great winter outfit for Mathilde, complete with a great brooch to liven it up. On the right, we have half spring and half winter. I like the skirt, and I could learn to like the sweater, but I do not like them together.

Photos: Reuters/Daylife

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 19-25 September

Here's what Princess Mathilde wore the week of 19-25 September:

1. Visiting CKG, a help center for children and families, 24 September.   She looks good.

Photo: Belga

Royal Trend Watch: Máxima's Other Twin

NATAN's fashions, as we know, run unfortunately amok among the ladies of the Benelux royal houses.  We've seen Princess Máxima play the twin game with Luxembourg's Princess Alexandra - on the same day, even - and now we're moving on to her other twin, Princess Mathilde.

Mathilde, today:

Máxima, two days ago (she's carrying a tan cardigan, even):

At least Mathilde wasn't wearing black tights with brown shoes.  (Seriously, Máx?)

You'd think their stylists or dressers would pay attention to this.  I mean, it's happened before:

And surely it will happen again.  Until next time, ladies...

Photos: Belga/Albert Nieboer/Eric Vidal

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 22-28 August

Here's what Princess Máxima wore the week of 22-28 August:

1. At Sail Amsterdam 2010, 22 August.
2. Attending the signing of new financing for microcredits, 24 August.
3. Pre-wedding party for Nikolaos and Tatiana, 24 August, from NATAN.  When you get the real up close pics of this one, it's quite wrinkly.
4. Greek wedding, 25 August.  From Benito Fernandez.
5. Funeral of the Duke of Parma, 28 August.

Best and Worst of the Week

Well, I don't know.  Not that much of a banner week for Máxima.  I wasn't enamored of either wedding outfit, but they're both preferable to the flowers on that blue jacket (sweater? thing?).  It's a shame too, because what could be a good cut for her is now fare for starting up her own marching band.

Photos: PPE/van Katwijk/Buys/Nieboer

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 18-24 July

Here's what Princess Mathilde wore the week of 18-24 July:

1.  Elisabeth Concert at the Palais de Beaux Arts, 20 July.  Looks like she's wearing white stockings, which is killing the whole thing for me.
2. National Day Te Deum, 21 July, a) at the cathedral and b) on the NATAN runway.  If the model can't even make it look good, stay away.
3. National Day military parade, 21 July, a) in action and b) the jacket on the NATAN runway. 
4. Visiting a stand during National Day, 21 July.

Best and Worst of the Week

This week is telling me that the Princess needs a shoe intervention.  Seriously, not a good selection among the lot of these looks.  Disregarding the orange overkill on the shoes, I'll pick her second look of National Day as the best of the week and the black and white disaster as the first.  Slim pickings this week - the other 2 dresses are boring me.

Photos: Belga/Peter Schultz

Royal Fashion Awards: National Day in Belgium

The Belgian ladies put on quite a show for National Day today, and it was an interesting sartorial display indeed.  Let's give out some awards, shall we?

Best Get Out of Criticism Free Pass

Queen Fabiola

Queen Fabiola's just cute.  She's earned the right to scarf it up, wear pants and no hat to a cathedral service, and to leave her house in the granny version of John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever wardrobe.

Most Mind Boggling

Queen Paola

This is a whole lot of look.  There is a planetary ring of lace around her head, and it's just the ignition in this giant sartorial explosion: we've got a basket weave jacket, a froufrou jacket closure, and a skirt that's both wrapped and too long.  I have no idea where to look first.  My head hurts.

Biggest Costume

Princess Claire

 I want to like this.  I'd like more princesses to channel a little fifties glamour every now and then.  She supported a young Belgian designer, Bernard Depoorter.  But...no.  I'm sure there is a woman that can pull this off at a day event without looking like she's on her way to a fancy dress party, but it's not Claire.

Best Close Call

Princess Mathilde at the Military Parade

This comes so close to being fabulous.  I like the orange on her and as far as NATAN goes, it's a pretty good fit.  And I love a giant hat. But she took it just a step too far - why the orange shoes?  You can just dip into the citrus cocktail, you don't have to jump in feet first.

Biggest Contrast

Princess Mathilde visiting a Food Stand

Looks like Mathilde just ran out of steam for her third outfit of the day (outfit 2 above, outfit 1 below).  This is...normal.  I guess that's what you get when you attempt to pull a sartorial hat trick.

Best Dressed

Princess Astrid

Uniforms: appropriate for the time of day, appropriate amount of costume.  It's a no fail solution. 

Worst Dressed

Princess Mathilde at the Te Deum Service

Mathilde has attended this event many a time in the past, so I'm not sure how she got so mixed up about the time.   It's not an evening event, yet this is what she wore.  That's an evening dress (sleeveless at the Te Deum! Scandal!), and a bad one at that.   This NATAN creation puts the waist of the dress right where no woman wants it and then has the audacity to add bulk with that strange black band.   The hair's evening wear too - there's no need to be that intricate during the day - and that hair ornament (can you call it a fascinator? I'm not sure you can) feels like something Spain's Princess Elena might wear with one of her olé! ensembles.  And then there's the shoes and the bag which is beige which makes no sense....I'm truly confused.   Mathilde's the only one that changed between the Te Deum and the military parade.  She just should have stuck with the orange number.

Photos:  Belga

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 27 June - 3 July

Here's what Princess Mathilde wore for the week of 27 June through 3 July:

1. Visiting the Namur province, 29 June.  That is a very high waist, and a lot of beige.
2. European Business Summit Gala, 30 June, a) in action and b) separate pieces on the NATAN runway.  That is a mighty high slit for a Princess (and mother of four!). 
3. At a concert celebrating Belgium's EU Presidency, 2 July. Good hair, good earrings, another mismatched outfit.  I actually like the top a lot, but it makes no sense with the black and white skirt.
4. At a dance event celebrating Belgium's EU Presidency, 3 July.  Looks like a strapless black top with a bolero-type wrap.  

Best and Worst of the Week

The black and white is a simple combination, but it looks chic.  The magenta and sparkly beige is not chic, not at all - she looks like she's trying too hard.

Photos: Belga

Month in Review: Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, June

Here's what Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore in June:

1. Solemn Return of the Luxembourg Bar, 4 June.
2. Sporting Day for Those With and Without Disabilities, 5 June. 
3. 25th Anniversary of the Schengen Agreement, 13 June, (a) on the NATAN runway and (b) on official duty.  I'll just say that I'm glad she doesn't patronize NATAN for all her evening wear too.
4. Visit to social groceries, 14 June.  Couldn't find very good pictures of this - looks like MT kept on her trench jacket the whole time.  All I can tell you is that she has a blue dress on under there, and that I'm bored.   
5. Visit from the President of Lituania, 15 June.  I'm pretty sure this is NATAN, and a much better showing at that; short cut jackets over dresses is always a good look for her.
6. Pre-wedding dinner and concert, 18 June.  This appears to be a wrap over the dress, but she didn't take the wrap off all evening (from what I can tell).  And that's a shame, because it's shapeless like this.  Focus on the gorgeous aquamarine necklace instead - it's one of the best of the Luxembourg parures (in my humble opinion) and I love combining it with the brown. 
7. Crown Princess Victoria's wedding, 19 June, a) on the runway and b) the variation worn on the blue carpet. Much better shape this time - and way to bring out the big guns with the Luxembourg Imperial tiara.  How much do you think that sucker weighs?  Our fair Grand Duchess is a brave woman.
8. National Day, Part 1: Diekirch visit and evening fireworks, 22 June, a) the cardigan on the Elie Saab runway, and b) on Maria Teresa.  Oh no.  I can't believe I'm going to say this - but I think we have an Elie Saab fail on our hands.  The ruching just isn't doing MT any favors.
9. National Day, Part 2: Te Deum and military parade, 23 June.  Back on form!  Amazing suit.  I even like the crepe paper hat.
10. National Day, Part 3: Gala, 23 June, a) on the Elie Saab runway and b) in action.

Best and Worst of the Month

 Busy month for the Grand Duchess, with the wedding and National Day.  So much to choose from, but the pale blue with major jewels is the hands down winner for me.  A little too often lately, Maria Teresa's been using wraps around her sleeveless dresses more as permanent parts of the dress to cover up her arms than as the accessories that they truly are.  The great thing about this Elie Saab is the unique way it incorporates the shoulder and arm coverage right into the dress while still maintaining a waist shape (unlike the brown dress in #6).  Also creating a waist shape - but a tragically wrong one - is this jail bird jacket from NATAN.  It's even making the model look wide (which you'd think would be impossible), and the shape is just so ridiculously dated.  I can only hope we won't see the full on stripe extravaganza we see on the runway modeled in Luxembourg anytime soon.

Update:  An additional outfit from preparations for the gala, screen capped from this video:

Now, this is a good fit!  Flattering as can be.  More of this, please!

Photos: Royal Press/Nieboer/Belga/Cour Gr Ducale/Marcio Madeira/Mark Renders/Getty Images/Wire Image/Stella Pictures/RTL

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 20-26 June

Here's what Princess Máxima wore the week of 20-26 June:

1. At the Dol-Fijn school in Deventer for a meeting about financial upbringing, 21 June. Unfortunate wrinkling situation with the trousers there.
2. Opening the new campus of the British School in Leidschenveen, 22 June. Normally I'd have to say the pink-raspberry-orange color combination is a bit retina-searing, but if anyone can pull it off, it's Máx. Same strappy orange sandals we just saw in Stockholm, by the way.
3. Received the scenariostudie NL2040 and attending the CPB Lecture in The Hague, 22 June. Interesting, this. A dress with vertical ruffles under a coat edged in the same fluff. It's bordering on too old for her, but I think she's working it.
4. Financial Action Task Force meeting, 23 June, a) on the NATAN runway, and b) in action. In the battle between Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg and Máxima, I have to declare a win for the Netherlands. At least Máxima's wearing the dress, and not letting it wear her (as was poor young Alexandra's problem). But a win in this dress for anyone is a win with heavy reservations: it's just not pretty. At all.

Best and Worst of the Week

This magenta number is bright and cheery and pretty. The mustard NATAN monster is none of those things. It doesn't even look good on the runway, for heaven's sake. The cardigan makes it worse. (Though, for the record, I came thisclose to giving worst of the week to outfit #1. Totally forgettable, a pretty egregious offense for a princess, if you ask me.)

Photos: PPE/Buys/ANP/RoyalImages/Marcel Antonisse/Belga/PPHolland

Royal Fashion Awards: National Day Celebrations in Luxembourg

I'm feeling very spoiled: first, my favorite Luxembourg royals turn out in force for Victoria's wedding, and then they just roll right into National Day celebrations.  I think you already know the gentleman will be getting equal billing alongside the ladies in this very special edition of the Royal Fashion Awards.

Day 1
Guillaume and his little sister Princess Alexandra visited Esch-sur-Alzette, while their parents the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess visited Diekirch during the day.  The evening brought a fireworks display and all the rest of the family. (Almost.  Where for art thou, Félix?  You are the most delicious of them all.)

Left to Right: Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Princess Alexandra (she wore just the pink sleeveless dress underneath during the day), Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Prince Louis, Princess Tessy, Prince Sebastien

Day 2 - Day

In the morning, the family attended a Te Deum mass, and then the Grand Ducal couple and Guillaume reviewed a military parade.

L to R: Guillaume, Alexandra, Henri, Maria Teresa, Louis, Tessy, Sebastien

Day 2 - Evening

Gala time!  Very disappointed we aren't seeing Alexandra and Tessy here; both of them made tiara appearances two years ago.

Crown Princess Victoria has this Elie Saab in gray (and we just saw it, too).  The deep blue is gorgeous with her sapphire and diamond jewels, and I think we're working a new hairstyle here.  Love it, and love the gentlemen all dapper in their uniforms.

And now, for the awards.  Drumroll, please....

The "How old are you, again?" Awards

Princess Alexandra, Day 2 - Day, and Princess Tessy - Day 1

Alexandra went woefully older than her youthful age for the Te Deum, and for proof you need look no farther than the fact that Máxima wore the exact same thing on the exact same day.  Tessy ran straight in the opposite direction for the fireworks - this is like a little girl's party dress, not something you want to see on a mother of two.

The Coco Chanel Award
Princess Tessy, Day 2 - Day

Louis's baby mama turned it on for the Te Deum, didn't she?  This is trés chic.  A little black dress, barely accessorized - it may not actually be Chanel, but it's surely worthy of praise from the Great One herself.  A great multi-use choice for Tessy, who certainly doesn't have a need to go buying outfits suited solely for royal duty.

Fiercest Pose Award
Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Day 1

Dare I say, this is the most attractive picture of Guillaume I've ever seen?  And I'm predisposed to finding all his pictures attractive.  The beard, the stare....oh my.  Someone had to make up for Félix's absence.  Well done, G. 

Worst Dressed
Princess Alexandra, Day 2 - Day

Oh, NATAN.  A bow flopped straight on top of the boobs is flattering only to flat-chested runway models (who, coincidentally, are not exactly NATAN's target customer).  And the yellow....is it mustard?  Or something out of either end of a sickly baby?  On its own, I'm a big fan of the hat - she's working a whole International Princess of Mystery air here - but the wide brim combined with the lines of the dress are making her shorter and wider than she really is.  Alexandra, you're a lovely girl.  But please, wait at least 10 more years before you become a full-time NATAN patron.

Best Dressed
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Day 2 - Day

See what happens when our Grand Duchess gets it right?  Day 1 might have included some dodgy ruching choices, but this makes it all better.  The suit is divine, and the hat gives it a retro flair - my favorite MT is the MT that gets her Eva Perón on.

UPDATE!

A video from the National Day celebrations, as referenced by Mlle. Sunshine Awesome in the comments below, is online now: view it here.  It's a very interesting watch - Maria Teresa appears at around 9.30.  I grabbed a few quick screen caps:

 The dress Alexandra is wearing has many layers, like something Mette-Marit might wear.  It has great movement.  And Tessy is shining in fuchsia, which is an excellent complement to the family's turquoise tiara she's wearing.  Alexandra appears to be wearing the same tiara she's been seen in before, the smaller of the family's floral tiaras (they have at least 2 diamond-only floral ones that I'm aware of):

Photos: PPE/Nieboer/Mark Renders/Getty Images/Cour gr ducale/C. Hommel/Belga/RTL