The Duchess of Cornwall's Fashion and Style Part 1: April 2005 - December 2009

[milla Ca]

I just have seen the pics from the service at Westminster Abbey again.
And i like Camilla´s ensemble very much: The jacket, the skirt and also the hat fits her well. It´s her style but also someting special for an important event. And i also like who this ensemble matches with the hadbag and the gloves. Stylish but reasonable.
Only the colour is not my taste. Brown is okay, but here it´s a bit to much.
Maybe the brown could be combined with another colour.

 

[dee4855]

I think her brown outfit would have been much nicer if the skirt had been either a sleeveless dress, or the same skirt and a very light silk blouse. I think it would have looked much better if the sweater was able to be worn open. It looked so heavy all buttoned up. She is like many women her age, the bust is sagging, and it is very hard to wear a sweater that does not show this. It was a lot of brown, and for some reason the whole outfit was just so heavy looking. She did look very pretty in the brown. I am like others I wish she could have had another color somewhere on the outfit to kind of break all the chocolate up.

 

[Incas]

I love that hat, it's just so amazing looking. Personally, I think the rest of outfit would be better if they were the same fabric. The skirt would be great as part of a summer outfit.

 

[muriel]

I think Camilla's outfits on their recent tour of the Caribbean were impeccable. Given that she often had to spend quite long hours outdoors in quite high humidity and with high temperatures, she always managed to look very elegant. It must be quite tricky to design clothes for trips like this - where they are cool and summery, and yet do not crush and can "last the day." All I can say is well done to Camilla and her designers. The only outfit I did not like was the dark purple one, but Camilla got a lot of positive reviews for that dress as well.

I am sure we will see all these clothes recycled soon, either in the UK over the summer or when they do overseas trips. You can't fault Camilla for recycling - in fact, she often manages to dress up the same outfit differently carefully selecting her jewellery and accessories.

Would be lovely to hear what other forum members thought of her clothes, and the recycling in particular

So, when she was at the Sandringham Flower Show wearing the previously-worn pale green suit, she wore her frequently-seen 2-tone spectator pumps, black and tannish. (I saw it on another website.) She must really like these shoes.

I think it is unfair to have a go at Camilla for wearing the same pair of shoes repeatedly. The reality is that if you have to be dressed formally in the summer, beige is probably the colour of choice for most British women - given that we don't do white shoes any more!!!! And if it has to be beige, there are only so many beige pairs you will get. Camilla typically gets her shoes from LK Bennett, and she has got a few pairs from their regular collection - all very elegant, and I am sure, comfortable!

 

[giov]

Nice gallery of Camilla wearing hats from Isifa
Fotobanka isifa image service

 

[muriel]

Camilla has probably emerged as one of the most elegantly dressed royal ladies of the current times. She may stray a bit and experiment with fancy beret style hats, but her basic style is impeccable and can't be faulted. Classic, timeless elegance at its best!!!!

 

[QueenElizabeth]

http://img247.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1day8uh9.jpg
[img=http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4271/06ascot6qx7.th.jpg]

You say that she wore this only once, but I think she wore this outfit for Trooping the Colour 2007 again, although certainly the hat.

 

[jcbcode99]

I think Camilla's outfits on their recent tour of the Caribbean were impeccable. Given that she often had to spend quite long hours outdoors in quite high humidity and with high temperatures, she always managed to look very elegant. It must be quite tricky to design clothes for trips like this - where they are cool and summery, and yet do not crush and can "last the day." All I can say is well done to Camilla and her designers. The only outfit I did not like was the dark purple one, but Camilla got a lot of positive reviews for that dress as well.

I am sure we will see all these clothes recycled soon, either in the UK over the summer or when they do overseas trips. You can't fault Camilla for recycling - in fact, she often manages to dress up the same outfit differently carefully selecting her jewellery and accessories.

Would be lovely to hear what other forum members thought of her clothes, and the recycling in particular


I think it is unfair to have a go at Camilla for wearing the same pair of shoes repeatedly. The reality is that if you have to be dressed formally in the summer, beige is probably the colour of choice for most British women - given that we don't do white shoes any more!!!! And if it has to be beige, there are only so many beige pairs you will get. Camilla typically gets her shoes from LK Bennett, and she has got a few pairs from their regular collection - all very elegant, and I am sure, comfortable!

I completely admire her fashion sense--she's a classic. I love that recycles clothing, and I especially love that she wears the same shoes often--if they're comfortable, why not wear them. I love those little beige numbers with the bow!

 

[muriel]

I completely admire her fashion sense--she's a classic. I love that recycles clothing, and I especially love that she wears the same shoes often--if they're comfortable, why not wear them. I love those little beige numbers with the bow!

The beige ones with the bow are great. I have a very similar pair, also from LKBennett which I use also often. In some ways, it is heartening to see Camilla use accessories that are accessible to most of us. The shows from LKBennett were probably around £100 - hardly extravagant.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Visit to Japan & Brunei

Arriving in Japan, 27th October

http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/83...83A05122D2369184C0455A4F30FBEE30A760B0D811297

A blue something, not too excited about that but the colour looks good on Camilla, suitable for travel / arrival.

October 28th

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A lovely cream coat that would have been a winner but I don't like these applications on the shoulders, too much wild-west for me. Charles is impeccably dressed as usual.


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Meeting with TH the Emperors

A frumpy blue dress, old fashioned cut. The jewellery is unflattering IMO.

 

[PrincessofEurope]

Visit to Japan & Brunei

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Meeting with TH the Emperors

A frumpy blue dress, old fashioned cut. The jewellery is unflattering IMO.

totally agree - the cut is really not flattering on her at all

the back view looks like it has some sort of bow and makes her look really big
http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/D...9669,83459667,83459666,83459664|0&id=83460831

 

[giov]

The bow on the back has a Japanese style, IMO.
The colour is nice and suits Camilla very well, but I don't like this dress at all!

(Pics from Zimbio)

 

[Boris]

The evening gown is quite perfectly terrible IMO, the one saving grace being the color.
It's fitted badly and the two different fabrics don't really work together, one rather too shiny and the other one looking rather too much like upholstery.
Cut interchanging wildly, in panels which are placed as if to highlight the fact that the Duchess is neither six feet tall nor the Twiggy type, the confused result is a very unflattering, frumpy silhouette.
Even on a skinny woman though, the design itself would seem weird... and the 'Japanese' homage in the back may be well intended but looks more pathetic than charming.
Is this Anna Valentine again? I always notice that she seems to be incapable of producing clothes for the Duchess that fit properly - which is very strange, considering how much she designs for her.

 

[Skydragon]

The bow on the back has a Japanese style, IMO.
The colour is nice and suits Camilla very well, but I don't like this dress at all!

(Pics from Zimbio)

I like the neckline, the upper body fit and the colour, but it seems to go wrong put together with the skirt. Would I buy it, no but then again I probably wouldn't be seen dead in the clothes many think are 'fashionable'!

 

[jcbcode99]

She does look better in the jacket/skirt combinations but after reading some of these comments--goodness! A little harsh? We must remember that the Duchess is 60 years old! The dress has a classic cut--I agree, the bodice embroidery is really not working with that shiny stuff on the skirt--but the neckline was appropriate and I like that flare of the skirt.
Isn't it interesting--so many of us talk about how wonderful Charles looks, so elegant, so dashing--yet we will smash Camilla's outfit to smithereens if she makes one wrong step. I can't help but be reminded of Diana and her miss-steps fashionwise (Italy comes to mind) but she came to be known as a fashion icon. I'm not sure that Camilla will achieve the same iconic stature, but I have to say, as a female with some extra curves, I have often seen something on the Duchess and thought "I'd look good in that"--that the Duchess certainly has inspired this woman with her elegant suits and sensible shoes.

 

[Skydragon]

Well said, a sensible woman and with those extra curves all woman! That's according to a majority of men! I do wonder that if the so called fashion designers were made to wear their 'fashions', whether we might see a change in attitude regarding style and size.

 

[Boris]

Dressing well is not a matter of being 'all woman' (as compared to half man? ), which I believe you might consider synonymous with 'fuller figure'. Whether curvy or skinny, clothes worn in public simply need to be very well fitted. Without a proper fit, the most elegant garment will look poor in photographs.
The Duchess' mother-in-law, certainly blessed with a 'fuller figure' as well, very much succeeds in this regard when it comes to her daywear which is quite wonderful these days, while the Duchess' designers rarely do. Wearing an older one-piece frilly dress she has grown out of as today in Japan doesn't help matters.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Day 3 in Japan:

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Creme dress, very flattering, IMO all in all a bit bland as everything in one colour - dress, shoes, bag, scarf, even Camilla's hair. A colourful accessory - apart from the red poppy - would have been nice.

Charles looks great, one of the - if not THE - best dressed royal men around.

 

[Madame Royale]

Charles looks great in every suit he wears! His a class act through and through.

IMO all in all a bit bland as everything in one colour - dress, shoes, bag, scarf, even Camilla's hair.

I agree. She looks a little washed out, though this day dress seems to have good fluidity and sits well. Horrible necklace though. An utter waste of pearls, imo.

 

[Skydragon]

Dressing well is not a matter of being 'all woman' (as compared to half man? ), which I believe you might consider synonymous with 'fuller figure'. Whether curvy or skinny, clothes worn in public simply need to be very well fitted. Without a proper fit, the most elegant garment will look poor in photographs.

'All woman' refers to women with curves as opposed to the rake thin girls seen on most catwalks, why on earth would it be compared to half man, (whatever that is supposed to be).

The Duchess' mother-in-law, certainly blessed with a 'fuller figure' as well, very much succeeds in this regard when it comes to her daywear which is quite wonderful these days, while the Duchess' designers rarely do. Wearing an older one-piece frilly dress she has grown out of as today in Japan doesn't help matters.

'Blessed with a fuller figure', hmm, well fuller than the catwalk queens that is sure, but then again HM is over 80, Camilla 60+ and for 60+ Camilla has a fine figure. Is it the same as a 20 something... no definitely not! HM's daywear might be seen as wonderful by some, (she has had a long time to perfect it but seems to have taken some style tips from her daughter in law) however the reason for the looser styles on both women is probably to ensure they can avoid creases and sweat marks.

It seems as if many are judging Camillas' clothing with that of the 20 - 30 somethings, or the 18 - 20 somethings that we see staggering out of nightclubs. Worse than that the concoctions offered to us as Haute Couture! With so many 'fashion experts' on here, I anticipated good natured suggestions.

 

[giov]

Charles looks great, one of the - if not THE - best dressed royal men around.

Undoubtedly THE!

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

The Duchess' mother-in-law, certainly blessed with a 'fuller figure' as well, very much succeeds in this regard when it comes to her daywear which is quite wonderful these days, while the Duchess' designers rarely do.

I honestly don't think "figure" matters, it's all a question whether a design suits a woman or not, no matter if she has a "fuller" figure or a "model" figure. A designer doing the job properly will adapt to the facts in best possible way by stressing the strong points and concealing the weak points. Depending on the woman's figure this task might be easier or more difficult but the job is about challenge, isn't it? I agree with you Boris - I am surprised by how often Camilla is let down by her designers keeping in mind how well the other protagonists of the BRF do (HM, Charles, Duke).

 

[Madame Royale]

A designer doing the job properly will adapt to the facts in best possible way by stressing the strong points and concealing the weak points

Absolutely. And it's for this reason that I believe the Duchess is being woefully letdown, on occasion. Last nights evening gown was a clear example of that. It was undeniably frumpy, as I mentioned in another thread, and the stressing point is that it didn't have to be.

It's not her figure I have an issue with..not at all. But her figure should be agreeably tailored too.

 

[MARG]

IMHO I think that Camilla is getting sort of "pressured" to wear more cutting edge clothing. Big mistake! Huge mistake. There is really nothing at all appealing seeing a woman turned out looking like mutton dressed as lamb, and that is where all these "styles" are heading.

Camilla has more stlye in her little finger than a lot of "stylists. I really hope that she reasserts her own naturally elegant stlye (a la her wedding dresses), fires the new-age stylist, and we all get to sit back, sigh and say "really like that look, something like that would even look good on me . . . . . . hmmmmm"!

 

[muriel]

Wearing an older one-piece frilly dress she has grown out of as today in Japan doesn't help matters.

I think the grey one-piece dress is a classic, and looks lovely on Camilla. Very much her own style. I also don't think she has grown out of it

 

[MARG]

I'm with Boris on this one. Definitely not the sort of dress a woman of 60 should be wearing. MDAL!

 

[Madame Royale]

IMHO I think that Camilla is getting sort of "pressured" to wear more cutting edge clothing. Big mistake! Huge mistake. There is really nothing at all appealing seeing a woman turned out looking like mutton dressed as lamb, and that is where all these "styles" are heading.

Camilla has more stlye in her little finger than a lot of "stylists. I really hope that she reasserts her own naturally elegant stlye (a la her wedding dresses), fires the new-age stylist, and we all get to sit back, sigh and say "really like that look, something like that would even look good on me . . . . . . hmmmmm"!

I too don't want Camilla to adpot a 'cutting edge' wardrobe. I just want her wardrobe to accomodate her figure (as many women and man would expect of their wardrobe) whilst retaining a flattering style and cut. I'd love to give her stylists and tailors a foot up the**

And I couldn't agree more, MARG! Her wedding dress (to Charles) was an exemplary choice and so very elegant. She couldn't go wrong

 

[Skydragon]

keeping in mind how well the other protagonists of the BRF do (HM, Charles, Duke).

It isn't hard to dress a male, a good well cut shirt and suit and that's it. Same suit day in, day out.

 

[Skydragon]

I think the grey one-piece dress is a classic, and looks lovely on Camilla. Very much her own style. I also don't think she has grown out of it

It is, I think Duck Egg Blue and not Grey at all, nor do I think it is something she has grown out of, what a strange thing to say. I loved the pale blue silk dress and coat she arrived in. Not a suit but a lovely semi fitted dress with Duster Coat. The suggestion that it was baggy made me wonder if posters had realised it was a coat over matching fabric dress.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

It isn't hard to dress a male, a good well cut shirt and suit and that's it. Same suit day in, day out.

I don't know if you follow for example the Danish Royal Family Skydragon but when looking at CP Frederik it must be extremely hard to dress a male Seriously, it's not that easy and Charles is definitely standing out among his peers or future peers.