Sarah, Duchess of York 9: November 2007-February 2008

[jcbcode99]

Originally Posted by Skydragon

Sarah Ferguson turned back the clock as she revisited her eighties fashion past in London last night.

The Duchess of York, 48, flashed her legs in daring black opaque patterned tights with a rose motif

Back to the eighties: Fergie revisits her fashion past with racy patterned tights | the Daily Mail

Oh Skydragon--what a hoot! I love the photos of Sarah from the 80's in the fruit hat, the polka dot dress, etc...with the caption below saying that the DUchess was known for her elegant taste! Such sarcasm!
I will say though, that Sarah has "come a long way, baby" since then, but I stand by a previous post where I suggested that perhaps Sarah had found a sale on ugly patterned stockings--I think these are the worst.

[Roslyn]

Yikes! That was a mistake.

One day she'll surprise us all. She'll appear at an evening event dressed really elegantly, with a nicely cut dress of an appropriate length, not too tight or low cut but still showing off her nice shape, with tasteful accessories and and wearing ordinary stockings and standing up straight, and with her hair worn up in a French roll or something else chic.

[Russophile]

I'm not going to hold my breath and would somebody turn "TAINTED LOVE" off???
Whaddareyou? Stuck in the '80's???

[Madame Royale]

Actually, I think that's why Sarah was "shuved" out of the fold...no one wanted to be seen beside the travelling circus that was the Duchess of York...

I mean, the woman even made a tiata look bad! How on EARTH can anyone make a tiara look bad?.lol. I don't know, but she did it!

I respect her, quite a lot, and think she's no doubt a top lady, but she has no idea!!!

[Madame Royale]

Come to think of it, did anyone feel oblliged to tell her that It's A Royal Knock Out wasn't an ongoing series?...

[jcbcode99]

Oh, she really made a tiara look bad (well, except on her wedding day--she looked lovelyl)--but who can forget that hideous Southern-belle purple gown she wore with the tiara--I mean,SHUDDER SHUDDER. I was embarassed for her. To illustrate my point:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...6&d=1050009510 I mean, really, even Andrew is looking pretty embarassed!

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

Oh, she really made a tiara look bad (well, except on her wedding day--she looked lovelyl)--but who can forget that hideous Southern-belle purple gown she wore with the tiara--I mean,SHUDDER SHUDDER. I was embarassed for her. I can't find a pic--anyone????

I thought it was in that article SkyDragon posted???

[COUNTESS]

Yes, it is true that Sarah has no taste. But, I have seen the queen dressed in what looks like a white bag, with a tiara, and, if you did not respect her, she is no fashion plate, either. Actually, she often looks better today than for many years, when she just looked frumpy. And Princess Anne wore a cape at King Haakon's birthday that made her look like a bagpipe. Anne has a stunning figure, but her dress sense is lacking, too. It just isn't garish. How could Sarah ever put on some of that junk, I don't know. I, think, she had advisors, but, they may have had no taste, either. And, jcbcode99, Andrew doesn't looked embarassed, he looks befuddled. He could have told his wife, that doesn't become you. The gown didn't arrive 5 minutes before they left. Sarah is an easy target. Today's picture is just as bad as the others.

[jcbcode99]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

Yes, it is true that Sarah has no taste. But, I have seen the queen dressed in what looks like a white bag, with a tiara, and, if you did not respect her, she is no fashion plate, either. Actually, she often looks better today than for many years, when she just looked frumpy. And Princess Anne wore a cape at King Haakon's birthday that made her look like a bagpipe. Anne has a stunning figure, but her dress sense is lacking, too. It just isn't garish. How could Sarah ever put on some of that junk, I don't know. I, think, she had advisors, but, they may have had no taste, either. And, jcbcode99, Andrew doesn't looked embarassed, he looks befuddled. He could have told his wife, that doesn't become you. The gown didn't arrive 5 minutes before they left. Sarah is an easy target. Today's picture is just as bad as the others.

Andrew has the same look on his face that my husband had when I tried to get into a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans. It couldn't have been pretty for him to see, I must admit.
But, Countess, you make an excellent and often overlooked point--Sarah is an easy target. She certainly looks better today than she did in the past--but she still never looks right or together, do you know what I mean? There have been times when she looks fantastic, but that is when she is something simple and tailored with minimal extra stuff. I think Sarah likes to have fun and that she thinks that reflects in her clothing choices--I do feel badly for her. She just can't get it right--
and those stockings--enough already. Poor Russophile is going to go blind!

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

Oh, she really made a tiara look bad (well, except on her wedding day--she looked lovelyl)--but who can forget that hideous Southern-belle purple gown she wore with the tiara--I mean,SHUDDER SHUDDER. I was embarassed for her. To illustrate my point:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...6&d=1050009510 I mean, really, even Andrew is looking pretty embarassed!

Andrew did not look embarrassed. He was smiling goofily as usual. As for Sarah's gown, well, as a woman who matured during the '80s, I can state with undeniable horror that we had a rather large and unfortunate affinity for puffy satiny gowns that didn't look good on anyone. I can offer a glimpse of my bridesmaids in my wedding album to anyone that wants to see how poofy satin gowns make fashion disasters of any woman regardless of waist size. I'm amazed that they still talk to me today.

[COUNTESS]

Well, you are right. Those stockings are atrocious. She seems to go out of her way to look "funny". She is a pretty woman, lovely features and hair. She just is totally lost when it comes to dressing to maximize her looks. Too bad. I loved your anaolgy with the jeans.

[jcbcode99]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

Well, you are right. Those stockings are atrocious. She seems to go out of her way to look "funny". She is a pretty woman, lovely features and hair. She just is totally lost when it comes to dressing to maximize her looks. Too bad. I loved your anaolgy with the jeans.

Thank you! I only wish it were a made-up story--I said to my husband the other day that I just couldn't seem to lose the baby weight and he looked at me and said that the baby was 7 years old and maybe I shouldn't try to blame it on him anymore!!!

What I never totally understood was that Sarah had Diana as a sister-in-law and as a friend--and she just didn't rub off on her? That boggles my mind. You would think that Diana could have influenced Sarah a bit.

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

She just can't get it right--
and those stockings--enough already. Poor Russophile is going to go blind!

It's okay, really it is! I'm having some Merlot so everything's good! Eyesight is keen!

[Cinderalla]

Have also often wondered, as sisters-in-laws and best friends, why Diana didn't take her under her wing, and offer all the resources and personnel that she had at her fingertips. Particularly when she could see the Duchess becoming a laughing stock and being ripped to shreds on a daily basis for her absolutely less than fabulous style decisions. Her dressers really did have, a lot to answer for.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by Cinderalla

Have also often wondered, as sisters-in-laws and best friends, why Diana didn't take her under her wing, and offer all the resources and personnel that she had at her fingertips. Particularly when she could see the Duchess becoming a laughing stock and being ripped to shreds on a daily basis for her absolutely less than fabulous style decisions.

Well she did lend her some shoes once......

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by selrahc4

I see that the Wikipedia link states that the house was built on land purchased for the Queen from the Crown Estate. That must be the connection I had in mind before about the Crown Estate owning it.

According to this article in regard to the property "The Queen retained ownership until 2000, four years after the Yorks divorced, when she signed it over to Andrew."
Link to Article

Unfortunately, the article is by The Mail. Many sources state it was a wedding gift to both of them. I don't see HM saying 'here is a wedding gift for you Andrew, but I retain ownership of the property'.
Who knows, stranger things have happened at sea!

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by jcbcode99

What I never totally understood was that Sarah had Diana as a sister-in-law and as a friend--and she just didn't rub off on her? That boggles my mind. You would think that Diana could have influenced Sarah a bit.

She probably did advise her!

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by Roslyn

Yikes! That was a mistake.

One day she'll surprise us all. She'll appear at an evening event dressed really elegantly, with a nicely cut dress of an appropriate length, not too tight or low cut but still showing off her nice shape, with tasteful accessories and and wearing ordinary stockings and standing up straight, and with her hair worn up in a French roll or something else chic.

Yes. And the next thing she will do is starting to dance CanCan....

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by kimebear

Andrew did not look embarrassed. He was smiling goofily as usual. As for Sarah's gown, well, as a woman who matured during the '80s, I can state with undeniable horror that we had a rather large and unfortunate affinity for puffy satiny gowns that didn't look good on anyone. I can offer a glimpse of my bridesmaids in my wedding album to anyone that wants to see how poofy satin gowns make fashion disasters of any woman regardless of waist size. I'm amazed that they still talk to me today.

Yes, but you could get through the 80ties without fashion destasters as well. I was the time when the V-line lived: broad shoulders (polstered, of course), jackets, pullovers going to the hips and end up hip-hugging and tight jeans or trousers or small skirts with high heels. A bit androgyn, I still like the pics that were taken back then.

I married at the registry office in a white dress by Lanvin consisting of a wrapped skirt and a fitting blouse made from silk with a cressboard pattern in white and silver and a jacket purely in white silk with a high collar. I still have the ensemble but of course there is no way I could fit into it...

[Avalon]

Time to close this thread and open a new one.
The new thread for Sarah, Duchess of York can be found here.

Thanks to everyone, who contributed!