Royal ladies wearing black & white: March 2006 - October 2007


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Crown Princess Mary
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/jmj21983/marywiththebride.jpg
In a white skirt. Photo: Royalty magazine
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/jmj21983/mfhspw.jpg
Photo: Billed Bladet
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y298/jmj21983/maryshovel.jpg
Photo: Royalty magazine
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c7/jules112004/347579895205_0_ALB.jpg
Photo: Billed Bladet
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c7/jules112004/362396195205_0_ALB.jpg
Photo: Billed Bladet
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c7/jules112004/812861315205_0_ALB.jpg
Photo: Billed Bladet
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/marie112/marywhiteairport.jpg
Photo: Billed Bladet

Princess Alexandra:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c7/jules112004/Joachim%20and%20Alexandra%20and%20their%20family/317529895205_0_ALB.jpg
Photo: Billed Bladet
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b41/marie112/Joachim%20and%20Alexandra/walkathon2.jpg
Photo: Billed Bladet
 
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 So let's all start talking to each other!!
Why do you like royals in black/white/grey?
Are there occasions when this wearing this colour was symbolic?
Maybe when it seemed completely out of place?
Who wears this colour the most strikingly?
Are there eras in time when this colour was more popular?
What style of clothing to you think looks best in this colour?
Are there colours that are OK for younger princesses, but not for more mature Queens?

Let the discussion begin!
 
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White is a fantastic color in which most, if not all, royals can get away with. Thankfully, it compliments everyones skin tone.

The white dress Mary wore to the reopening of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek on June 27, 2006 with Frederik looked fantastic on her. (post #159)

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f24/danish-royal-family-current-events-part-2-a-9448-8.html

The cut was simple, elegant and the white bold faux pearls made the outfit totally chic. The dress was not unique by any standards, but I do believe it was the right dress for the occasion. It didn't detract from the purpose of the event, which is a good thing.

The off white/cream coat Mary wore to the opening of the Danish Parliament, October 3, 2006 was another perfect choice for the occasion. Love the wool fabric and the cut almost looks like a dress. Futhermore, it wasn't an outfit that detracted from the purpose of the event, but nonetheless Mary did stand out amongst a sea of dark colors that other people wore that day.


Another white piece Mary chose was the white silk skirt she wore when she and Frederik received motets at The Royal Library on October 11, 2006. Topped off with a black cashmere fitted scoop sweater the ensemble was minimal, but nothing that grabbed attention. I believe the fabric combination was off to be truthful.
 
It's interesting how only 25 years or so ago, there was controversy over Diana wearing a black evening gown, yet now we see it every royal event. Although I can think of two recent examples where black seemed somewhat out of place.
http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/56996310.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=AAAB1D3D22B8F28CE6C7550445F7BEFF
Maxima at Sverre Magnus' christening. I thought the outfit was beautiful, yet really looked funeralish.
http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/71350281.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A668FE09B20E59F13FEC7C5022FB410D56
Kalina of Bulgaria at the Luxembourg 25th anniversary. Just awful. Although I think it would have been out of place in any color!
 
kwanfan said:
It's interesting how only 25 years or so ago, there was controversy over Diana wearing a black evening gown, yet now we see it every royal event.
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Good point- most royal formal gowns are colours other than black, aren't they! I the past few years we have seen some black gowns but they are still in the minoirty. That's the first colour I put on when going to a formal event.... maybe that sets royals apart from us common folk!

Come to think of it... it's not often that we see a princess in a "little black dress" is it?
 
azile said:
Good point- most royal formal gowns are colours other than black, aren't they! I the past few years we have seen some black gowns but they are still in the minoirty. That's the first colour I put on when going to a formal event.... maybe that sets royals apart from us common folk!

Come to think of it... it's not often that we see a princess in a "little black dress" is it?
Click to expand...

Personally I think black gowns are more elegant than other colors. Black works well on almost all people and can make you look slimmer as well.
 
Well, black does not work for a day time event (depending on how you wear it, you can dress it down) not to forget it is a very formal color which can also represent saddness. Black is elegent for an evening gown which also is slimming, but is it right for a royal to always be seen in black?
 
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azile said:
Good point- most royal formal gowns are colours other than black, aren't they! I the past few years we have seen some black gowns but they are still in the minoirty. That's the first colour I put on when going to a formal event.... maybe that sets royals apart from us common folk!

Come to think of it... it's not often that we see a princess in a "little black dress" is it?
Click to expand...
I guess that sort of comes from the idea that a royal must stand out in the crowd. I remember seeing a picture of Diana wearing the white lace halter dress in 1996(?). She stood out so well among the countless black dresses.
 
Interesting point- certainly, wearing black during the daytime suggests mourning, whereas black at night suggests simple elegance! A century ago, Queen Victoria adopted permanent black fashion after Albert died. Queen Beatrix, for example, clearly mourns the loss of her husband but did adopt mourning fashion (except for the time around the funeral).

Is this because wider society does not adopt formal mourning attire?
 
kwanfan said:
Although I can think of two recent examples where black seemed somewhat out of place.
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Masterly understatement kwanfan!
kwanfan said:
http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/56996310.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=AAAB1D3D22B8F28CE6C7550445F7BEFF
Maxima at Sverre Magnus' christening. I thought the outfit was beautiful, yet really looked funeralish.
Click to expand...
Beautiful, severe and definitely funereal! In which case it makes the wearer at best thoughtless and at worst self-centred. I bet she was the most striking person present..... at a Christening?
kwanfan said:
http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/71350281.jpg?v=1&c=MS_GINS&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A668FE09B20E59F13FEC7C5022FB410D56
Kalina of Bulgaria at the Luxembourg 25th anniversary. Just awful. Although I think it would have been out of place in any color!
Click to expand...
What can I say...... bad taste on any day, at any occassion and in any colour! :eek:
This woman needs help! :bangin:
 
is it right to wear black to a christening?
 
In general as women get older, they tend to wear black especially evening wear. In royals cases, we dont find many of the older generations such as Queens who dress in black, we find most of the younger ones who wear black and alot of it. Does anyone know why that is? why no older royals wear black evening wear?
 
Queen Sonja wore a black suit for the Munch Award.

I think black makes women look elegant (especially suits and eveninggowns).
But it doesn't fit for every event. I don't think black is a good colour for a christening (like on Sverre's christening, where many Royal Ladys wore black).
 
dazzling said:
In general as women get older, they tend to wear black especially evening wear. In royals cases, we dont find many of the older generations such as Queens who dress in black, we find most of the younger ones who wear black and alot of it. Does anyone know why that is? why no older royals wear black evening wear?
Click to expand...
In the case of Queen Elizabeth II generation I think black really is reserved for mourning, and when they go into mourning they do it large!

For those not quite that old when you think of the sheer number of evening/after 5 gowns they wear I would guess that that 'little black dress' would get both old and boring very quickly. Think of the wonderful colours and vibrant florals that Queen Margrethe often wears.

Lets be honest. Every function they attend they are photographed and their attire disected in the minutest detail......we even do that here (in the nicest posible way I hope). If large numbers of Royalty, aristocracy etc. all gave in to the mantra of the 'little black dress' we, their adoring (or not so adoring) fans would be bored witless at the endless parade of black!
 
Personally, I found Caroline´s black dress that she wore to Felipe & Letizia´s wedding inappropriate - I just found it too dark or too formal, or something about it just didn´t fit. I also didn´t like Mette-Marit´s choice for Sverre- Magnus' christening.
 
Maxima did not wear black to Sverre Magnus christening, she wore a beautifully tailored suit in rich chocolate brown, it is very apparant in print picture, she also wore nude stockings.

Mette-Marit on the other hand wore a rather cheap looking navy blue suit who lookd just to simple for her sons christening and with the dark stockings and silly badana and loose hair, one of her worst outfits ever IMO
 
Lauritas138 said:
Pirnces Letizia in her last event :flowers: (Source: isifa and Comunidad de Madrid)

http://new2.isifa.com/tools/get_preview.php?idp=13040120

http://www.madrid.org/lapresidencia/img/noticias/20061125/01_ampliada_03.jpghttp://www.madrid.org/lapresidencia/img/noticias/20061125/01_ampliada_03.jpghttp://www.madrid.org/lapresidencia/img/noticias/20061125/01_ampliada_03.jpg
Click to expand...
Generally I don't think Princess Letizia looks good in black. She has such delicate colour that black seems to leach it out of her making her look pale and wan.
However, pregnancy has put such a bloom in her that black seems to highlight it. She looks almost luminous. :flowers:
 
Lauritas138 said:
Pirnces Letizia in her last event :flowers: (Source: isifa and Comunidad de Madrid)

http://new2.isifa.com/tools/get_preview.php?idp=13040120

http://www.madrid.org/lapresidencia/img/noticias/20061125/01_ampliada_03.jpghttp://www.madrid.org/lapresidencia/img/noticias/20061125/01_ampliada_03.jpghttp://www.madrid.org/lapresidencia/img/noticias/20061125/01_ampliada_03.jpg
Click to expand...

I's a very good sample of how to match up white and black to be very elegant. ( not the single one as we cand see:flowers: ) As usual Letizia is adding some refined details as long gloves or nice evening bag.


The black for the gown could be absolutly elegant in particular when it's wearing with a red color sash or when it's mixing with white as Letizia for the last concert in Madrid with the President of Potugal or as Elena in New York for the reception at the Fondation Reina Sofia.
 
Some pics of Princess Stephanie wearing white, for some years in the 90s she did wear white quite often:

Princess Stephanie in 1996 at the Red Cross Ball, looking like a greek goddess in that dress
P. Stephanie in 1999 celebrating her father's jubilee, one of her best dresses, that makes her look so elegant
P. Stephanie in 2000 at the opening of the Grimaldi Forum, the combination looks simple but that is it's charme
P. Stephanie in 2000 at the ball for animals, I don't like that dress that much, it looks more like a casual dress, together with her hairdo
 
Great pics you've chosen, Iceflower. I think I like the second one best, that dress is really so elegant, I can't remember any other similar dress that made her look that elegant and feminine. Stephanie should wear white more often again.

I post a pic of her at the Red Cross Ball in 2000, that white dress has really been extraordinary - especially for a princess :cool:

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/5421/2000redcrosspb5.jpg
 
You are right Romy, that dress is really extraordinary, it's sexy and fresh, I can't imagine any other princess wearing a dress like that, but it's okay for a princess living at the Cote d'Azur ;)
Here are some more pics of Princess Stephanie wearing white:

1. At the Night of Brazil Ball in 1997 a very sweet and nice little Brazilian dress
2. At the Red Cross Ball in 1995 very elegant dress
3. At the Red Cross Ball 1999 a simple and wonderful dress that goes very well with her hairdo
 
What a sweet little white dress, Princess Stephanie wore in 1997, Iceflower. Thanks for that, I had not seen that before, I would like to have that as well ;) The others are also quite nice.
I found two more outfits of her in white, at the National day in 2000 and
at an exhibition in 2004, a totally different outfit, take a look
2000
2004
 
It's nice to compare these two outfits you've posted pics of, Romy and it shows what different kind of styles you can make out of a simple white fabric..:)

As we've posted several pics of Stephanie wearing white dresses, here are some of her black ones:

1. 1996 at the Rose Ball - very elegant together with the jewellery
2. 1996 National day - elegant black dress and a very rare ocassion that she combined it with a hat
3. 2000 at a charity event - the black dress is a huge contrast to her hair colour
 
Very lovely pics, Iceflower, I like all the outfits in black, and I also have some to dicuss:

The first one is from the circus festival in 2003, it's a very high slit dress, I don't like the combination with her hairdo:
2003a
A pic from the Rose Ball also in 2003, like that dress with the silver special:
2003
The third one is from the National Day in 2004, a leather outfit in black, I'm not sure about it:
2004
 
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Thanks for sharing more pics to dicuss, Romy :) As to the first of your pics, I did not really like the dress, it's been a bit too much, the second one was lovely and I agree with your feelings about the last outfit, on some pics the leather jacket looked a bit too hard - I do not find any better words for that ;) :)

How do you like these black dresses Steph wore:

1. At a concert in 1990 - like that very much, as it's quite elegant and feminine
2. At the magic festival in 1999 - one of my favourites, it's been very special with these dips
3. At the rose ball in 1998 - a bit too much fabric, but it was because of her pregancy..
 
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