Royal style and gossip: get yer crowns out for the lads!

[QueenOfTheAndals]

Previous thread.

Usual rules - say what you like about the clothes, keep it civil re the wearers.

Re dressing for seasons, London really isn't that cold at the moment, plus the royals go from car to indoors - it's not like they have to layer up in scarves etc to get on the tube like we do. I'd say that given she's pregnant and used to Toronto winters, it's positively balmy!

Oh just ignore Katekat, she never misses an opportunity to criticise Meghan. Yawn.

I like that Meghan is dressing in fashionable clothes, and thought she looked great today as she always does to be fair.

Grinchly

Now you’ve done it!!!!

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Does no one find it a little ludicrous though that Meghan is visiting a charity to help women dress for interviews etc, women who are very impoverished, and arrives in clothes that cost more than those women have probably ever spent in their entire life on their outfits? A little ironic.

Of course it is. It’s totally inappropriate.

I actually really like Meghan’s outfit, on her, very much her style and the dress fits her so well she looks so slim and healthy. The grey flowery number she wore to the retirement home for actors was such an awful fit, she seemed to be resisting maternity wear but she looks so much better! I’m also one of the few that like her shoes - they’re fun and with such a plain bodycon dress they make her outfit more interesting.

Regarding her messy bun, I read an article from her “Suits” days (and I wish I could find it to share with you) where she explained that she really likes the French style of imperfect perfection when something is messy and relaxed and so often she would chose that to be her hair.

Unfortunately as we are not France and also because of her new role I think the messy hair look just didn’t work, or only occasionally. A sleeker look works better with the style she is developing and it also suits her very well as she has beautiful bone structure. I can only imagine the struggle of trying to get it right when your background is relaxed Californian and you’ve been in a very casual industry to the jump of literally Royalty. I think she’s managed very well.

@ida
I remember that article. She really admired a French fashion editor Emmanuelle Alt

I’ve been wondering about her hair as well. I suspect it’s because she hasn’t had any chemical ( straightening) treatments since pregnant, so she has probably used straighteners and maybe gel to smooth it.

Given she has this photo on the Royal.uk website to announce her patronage’s, I suspect we will see a return to the messy bun after she’s had her baby.

I love the messy buns. I get my hair done at George Northwood not with George though and before Christmas had a messy bun up do and it was fab!

I thought she looked great yesterday and as others have said it is very mild at the moment so I think a light coat and bare legs from car to engagement would have been fine.

I think the messy bun suits her, just sometimes it doesn’t suit the event and the outfit i.e. clearly she has to dresss much more formally than the rest of us of a regular basis.

I have been loath to say this, but have to agree that she does seem to have spent vast amounts on clothes this year (although to be fair she also had the trip to Oz and NZ where she was expected to have wardrobe for the huge number of events). The irony is that she has such a great figure she could easily look fabulous in more modestly priced brands. Of course she can also get easy access and first look at new collections each season too. In 2019 I would really love to see her in more British brands at every price point. For example has she worn any maternity wear from a British brand yet?

I also want to give her the benefit of the doubt when she had an extremely steep learning curve without the long introduction to Royal life that Catherine had for example. Also dealing with a public pregnancy. I think overall she has done herself proud especially with the ridiculous amounts of vitriol she still receives from certain quarters just for breathing.

I concur, Ida - I thought she looked absolutely stunning and it's a great cause. True about her clothes and general look, but she's an intelligent woman, and she'll get it sorted. More modest priced and British brands though, I agree.

I think she looked great. The shoes weren't to my taste, but they did liven up the outfit.

Re William and Kate - you can tell they adore each other and are absolutely best friends. It's lovely to see.

Didn't she wear a seraphine dress to a private engagement (or are they a French brand?)

Well Grinchley I’m most definitely ordinary, Meghan is stunning. No way can she be described as ordinary!

Does no one find it a little ludicrous though that Meghan is visiting a charity to help women dress for interviews etc, women who are very impoverished, and arrives in clothes that cost more than those women have probably ever spent in their entire life on their outfits? A little ironic.

Yes, I thought the Oscar de la Renta coat and VB bag should've been left at home. But her dress was from a mid-range maternity brand and the shoes were ones she's had for years.

Surely it would be worse if the only time she wore cheap clothes was to a charity event helping women? She is successful in her own right & married to the Queen’s grandson, it would be insulting to Smartworks clients for her to dress down to be there.

There's a balance between something like VB etc and "cheap". Mid price, maybe? Pp have said about her dress, fine.

That's also a good point @BigGreenOlives. Imagine if the Queen showed up at your event wearing something from the M&S Classic collection! From the photos, it looks like she discarded the coat and bag once she got indoors anyway and, most importantly, she seemed really engaged with everyone she met there.

Having looked at the Hatch Collection website, I think it's far more Marklesque than Seraphine!

The royals visiting the public (in their royal capacity) is always jarring in some way when you start thinking too hard about it.

Some of the Hatch stuff looks very Meghan. Clara shirt dress in navy? Think it is an American brand. Maybe some Isabella Oliver will make an appearance to?

@IPromiseIWontBeNaughty I guess we all have different taste. On another thread a while ago Diana was described and plain and ordinary! Ok then...

No idea where this black lines came from🤷🏻‍♀️

I've worked with charities helping people get back to work and charities providing help for the homeless etc (giving grants) and I think it is hard to estimate how important it is to service users that they are acknowledged and treated as individuals.

Lots of the big law & accountancy practices in the City hold days on which staff can donate their unwanted work clothes to Smartworks or Suited and Booted (same thing for men) and the clothes are then distributed. Suited & Booted also help men leaving prison and care leavers. They give people interview training and help them produce CVs (here endeth the advert for Suited & Booted).

In simply turning up members of the Royal Family signal to other people that those in less fortunate situations are important to them and valid - think about the impact Princess Diana had social acceptance for patients with AIDS.

I can see both sides of the argument, as I do think Meghan spends a lot. However I don’t think we will see a return of the £56k engagement dress.

ThevQueen Mother was always dressed up, even when visiting the bombed East End in the war. It was her attitude that she didn’t leave London, and was there being cheerful.

Kate equally wears thousand pound dresses for visits.
Meghan did wear a reasonably priced Maternity dress. She could probably have worn a coat and hand bag which cost in the hundreds rather than a couple of grand each....

V true re the QM @CurlyWurlyTwirly. I don't think it would've ever occurred to her NOT to be looking and wearing her best when she visited the East End! If people wanted the Queen they'd get the Queen in all her finery! She was a canny old bird...