Royal Wedding

posted in: Style advice | 14

I have held off from writing this post as I didn’t have time to watch the wedding. But a few people have asked for my opinion. Well Claire has. So this post is for you Claire.

Overall I was a little disappointed. Here were the rich, the glamorous, the famous, the international, and yet. To my eye it all looked a little dated and predictable. Images from The Kit. 

Full disclosure – I am not keen on fascinators, preferring a proper hat. Not many were worn, which was a great shame. I also feel the long midi dresses that dominated the wedding were not the best length for all. Just above, on or just below the knee is a better look for many figures. I think summer weddings are just the moment for a nice summer dress – I love florals – and slightly informal shoes rather than spikes. A vintage summer hat that looks like it could protect you from the sun is preferable, or for something smaller perhaps a hair band with fresh flowers.

Let’s start with the dresses I liked. These three were successful because the wearer looked comfortable and pretty. They suited what they wore. All three are nice dresses and the hats were complementary. I love the green worn by Kitty Spencer. It is a nice, A line shape and the orange heels and little bag complement the painted flowers. The neat hat works well. Her cool blonde hair and silver jewellery looks nice too, and the wide neckline is flattering and stops the Dolce and Gabbana dress looking dowdy. I would have made it a shorter and perhaps used pinks rather than orange, but otherwise very nice. I think Sofia looks really great. The blonde colours in her dress, with pretty floral reds, blues and yellow really suit her colouring. The fascinator is a good colour with the dress and I like the black shoes which give an edge. And Jacinda’s deep maroon dress is a winner for me. It really looks lovely with that above the bust triangle, and the interesting shaped sleeves. I like the little hat too with just enough trimming to lift it above ordinary, and the nice brooch and simple black shoes. As she is quite fair I think brighter, lighter accessories might have been more interesting, even silver. But this elegant shaped dress with lovely pleating and shaping is very attractive.

Now let’s look at some maybes. Princess Eugenie is wearing a nice sixties inspired dress with a sort-of pill box hat. She has got shapely legs and this length is OK on her. While I like the overall shape and colour of the dress it emphasises the bust a bit too much. She would be better with a lower or V-shaped neck. The bag isn’t quite right either. I like Cressida’s dress, in pink and green stripes, with dangly bits and surface detail, and think the light coloured shoes look good too, and the restrained fascinator.  It is a nice shape for her figure, but maybe it is just not quite special enough. Joss Stone looks grand in her light short dress and bouffant headdress. I really like the shape and length of this dress, but I dislike the black accessories which are just too heavy. Dark green or light navy would have looked better, or brown.

Finally let’s get to the not so good looks. The men are much more successful I would say. Caroline has chosen a nice colour but it just looks messy with all the ruffles, cut out shoulders, flounces and layers, the matching hat and shoes, sunglasses, fluffy hair and bag. Too frilly, too much going on. Giada has got a great figure and this shade of ice turquoise does flatter her nice deep colouring. But again it is messy and the coat is baggy and unflattering. It looks like she is just nipping out to the shops. If she had taken her coat off it may have been a big improvement. While black shoes are not the best wedding colour here I think they would have done something to ground the outfit. The hat is fussy with her long hair. Pippa just looks “meh”. The sludgy pastels just look too ordinary. She has strong, deeper colouring and I think a more fashionable dress in a stronger colour – red or orange for example, would have set her off better. The hat looks a bit like a cake.

Finally, here comes the bride. I am a big fan of Meghan. But I was a little disappointed, to tell the truth. The dress was too simple for me, and the fit was off. I loved the fabric and the purity of the whiteness. Darted from bust point, and with an off the shoulder Raglan sleeve, I just found it nice, but too ordinary. I didn’t love the tiara, nor the hair style. I loved the sentiment of the veil and Meghan looked sublime lit by the sun when she entered the church. I may be going out on a limb here but no.

The evening dress was better in terms of its shape, and the bloke looks great. But I wonder why she went for another long white dress? I would have chosen a deeper colour. Also, while halter necks are a good look for women with straight bodies (like Meghan and Harry’s Mum Diana) I thought her shoulders looked wide in this Stella McCartney dress. It does fit really nicely and I love the drape over the hips and the full skirt. Very elegant.

 

And best dressed? That would be Amal. In another Stella McCartney number this dress was spot on. A great, strong colour that complemented Amal’s deep colouring, a great shape for her figure with just enough detail, including a swishy train, a nice hat that works well with her long hair, and discrete accessories.

Amal Clooney

 

What do you think?

14 Responses

  1. Elaine Sabin-Simpson

    I agree, I agree, I agree. I had to watch just to see The Dress, and I wanted some hat inspiration…but most of them were rather meh. Bloody fascinators, and all that scraggly hair on most of the guests. The film/TV folk of course came off better than the nobs [or knobs].
    It gave me plenty of pointers on what NOT to wear for DD’s wedding next year though!

  2. Marianne

    I agree on everything except the evening dress. Can’t blame her for choosing white, she’ll have plenty of opportunities to wear deeper coloured evening dresses for the rest of her life. I like the look and fit on the shoulders, but after seeing Stella McCartney’s design sketch it’s obvious that this dress was supposed to be very close fitting at the waist!

  3. Hila

    I agree entirely about her dress – I thought for the cost of the dress as well, it was very meh. Lovely but meh. Kitty’s dress was my favourite and I also really loved Serena’s William’s dress at the and then the gown she wore for the reception with trainers. When I saw Pippa’s I thought “What on earth?”. I was not a fan of Beatrix’s – She looked too much like an air stewardess to me.

    I had kept away from the whole royal wedding fever as I dont believe in monarchies in modern society but I tuned in 10 mins before noon and was pleasantly swept in by the genuine affection between the bride and groom. By the time they said “I will” I had a huge dopey grin on my face – the sort you get at seeing two lovers in love. I didnt expect that. I was also very struck by how she fully embraced and showed her heritage by including black American bits to the service – it was touching. I hope she doesnt change herself too much to fit in with them. Though I was very annoyed at how the media went overboard with calling it a “black wedding” – because if you have ever been to a black wedding you’d know that we don’t have cello played at a wedding! It would be drums!

    • fabrickated

      Oh I just looked up what Serena wore for the evening do. Yes, I have to agree – total success. Colour, shape, style, shoes – completely wonderful (I didn’t really care for that muted pink, rather tight dress and fussy fascinator on the day).

  4. Vicki

    Yes agree. However I really didn’t like Princess Eugenie’s outfit. Too costumey and dull. I watched the whole event and thoroughly enjoyed it. Good saturday night viewing (here in Australia).

  5. ceci

    Yes, the Clooneys both looked delish. I was so happy not to see ANOTHER skin tight strapless backless bride that the contrast was a relief, and it looks like yummy fabric. I too like real hats more than the tiny confections that seem to be popular.

    ceci

    • thatgirl

      Amen to that! So over the strapless and backless on every bride, when so few can truly pull it off with success.

  6. neucarol

    The Rich and Famous are only human and often, their taste is all in their mouth.
    But my gripe is with the designers; they need to go to art school as they obviously haven’t picked up design principles before slapping together a garment.
    Another thing, don’t these People have wardrobe Stylists? Maybe the stylists need a refresher course.
    AND, Meghan’s Givenchy gown is magnificent! A la Audrey Hepburn, Jacquie Kennedy. It suits her personality. Perhaps it is not appreciated by those with other/different style likes
    Well, you asked. ?

  7. Lesley

    I have read your post in detail and agree with almost everything I thought Amal Clooney looked really lovely as did Kitty Spencer I too was disappointed with the brides dress it was positively boring and didn’t seem to fit well and I though her hair looked messy. I really expected something show stopping and couldn’t quite understand why the bride went for that design. The only saving grace was the veil.
    With regard to their evening outfits…..I loved the dress but I thought the way they walked out and the car scene it all looked like something out of a film I didn’t like it at all very false. Rather like James Bond film.
    Generally I was disappointed as was most people I have spoken to.

  8. SJ Kurtz

    All we wanted to talk about here was Harry’s uniform. The….flaps down the front. Not many photos show them off. They are…..interesting.
    I like all the things people put on their heads because why the devil not?

  9. Pia

    I thought it odd that both bride & groom looked less glamourous than some of the guests. Was it a deliberate message perhaps? I like the mother of the bride’s outfit too. I won’t hand the glamour crown to Amal for that would make her an inconsiderate guest! 🙂

  10. Kerry

    Oh my, how individual tastes differ! Both in outfits chosen by the guests and by those commenting on the sartorial choices of those guests! As an Australian I am bemused that a hat or a fascinator is de rigueur at an English wedding, given the constraints of weather and comfort. I mean, one has already been waxed and plucked and hair-sprayed into shape and squeezed into an uncomfortable or too warm/too cold outfit and new shoes. However I do admit to enjoying the occasional opportunity to put on a party frock and look glamorous. So why did some of the female guests choose outfits that were ‘ordinary’? Something they could easily have worn to pop into the shops for milk and bread? Why not enjoy the opportunity to dress up? Or is it not appropriate to look too smart for a daytime wedding? Are there rules? And why did some female guests wear expensive outfits that were not flattering in shape and/or colour? By the way, Doria, as mother of the bride looked very smart in her outfit, very dignified, but appeared oh so lonely sitting there on her own in that sea of celebrity and royalty.

    As for the bride – she looked elegant, the sentimental touches were perfect and she looked so happy. I thought her wedding dress was beautiful and her evening dress also stunning.

  11. Jay

    I’ve read many complaints about the fit and the simplicity of The Dress. To be honest, this was not my reaction when I watched the ceremony. I felt relieved that she chose the more classic couture fit on the waist (both outfits), rather than the body con look we’ve become used to seeing everywhere from news and weather readers to Oscar guests, and the simplicity seemed absolutely right to me, both to show off the veil which carried the main symbolic value in the embroidery representing Commonwealth nations, and to bring a hint of modesty to the proceedings. I read it as unpretentious, celebrating a common touch. I’m not fanatically royalist, though the more I see of heads of State, including those elected, the less sure I am that we could improve on what we have. These costly shindigs go on everywhere, side by side with real poverty and need. The human race seems to need figureheads, pomp, ceremony, and vicarious consumerism. Might as well enjoy the spectacle, and be glad two people found their happy.

  12. Anne

    I liked Meghan’s wedding dress – and the evening dress. I did like Amal’s outfit. I thought Doria’s outfit was lovely. Doria and Meghan are so alike in their attitude of serenity. I was unimpressed by many of the others.

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