Royal style & gossip: look out, duchesses about!

[QueenOfTheAndals]

Completely missed the ball with the previous thread so hope this thread is easy enough to find!

Previous thread

Very unimpressed with Meghan's outfit - she could be any corporate executive coming to talk about their H&S policy. Bit more regal please.....

But when she does look regal she's criticised for spending too much!

I love the colour of Kate's outfit, and I'm going against everyone else on here and say that I love the shoes! She's got rid of the nude pumps, I hope!
I agree that Meghan's outfit is a strange choice for the occasion, and it's a bit disappointing. The fit isn't good, and the colour all bland. Her maternity wear generally has been a bit disappointing imo.
Bare legs in January? Fine if you're in a car I suppose! She's got a lovely smile and both women look happy and relaxed.

Loads of royal pics in the DM today.
Max is out with some lovely grey pearls and poor Stephanie of Lux at the funeral of her father.

DM Queen Mathilde attended the funeral of Philippe De Lannoy in Belgium
mol.im/a/6598245

Queen Maxima of Netherlands looks business chic in grey in Amsterdam
mol.im/a/6598705

Feels wrong to be commenting on someone's funeral attire but Steph's mantilla is beautiful.

Meghan's done a lot of private visits at the Mayhew, so sayeth the twitterati. For such a short visit what's the problem with a clean colour scheme? Too bright yesterday, too beige today! I love both outfits - today's is the kind I wore a lot when pregnant as I loved showing off my bump and got very hot.

Stella McCartney bag is great for an animal rescue as it's a vegan brand, and British. She's nodding in the same way Kate does, mixing some high street in. Seems like she's listening!

Stella McCartney bag, Emporio Armani coat and high street dress. Do we know where the shoes are from?

Twitter are thinking these @Clionba
paulandrew.com/products/coquette-392-su01-1

Or these. Hard to say

Yes, they look similar.

I’m not so keen on Kate’s outfit today, it’s the gathered skirt and shoes, they have a real 80s vibe to them. The colour wouldn’t be my choice but really suit her complexion and she looks like she is glowing.
With the criticisms of Meghan I sometimes wonder if we are looking at the same photos, I don’t look on the DM anymore but look on the Mad about Meghan blog and the photos were very flattering. I wasn’t so keen on her bag, even though it matched her outfit today I thought it looked a little cheap. I would like to have seen filled in shoes (if that makes sense) rather than sling backs for this time of year, though the bare legs were fine.

According to this Tweet Meghan met a little girl in Birkenhead yesterday who said she wants to be a mental health nurse and immediately took her over to meet Harry. The look on the girls face is priceless! (No sound on the video)

That's sweet.
I notice Meghan's hair is loose, unusual for her of late. She's obviously still having it straightened, maybe just using a gentle process.

Glittery Roland Mouret dress tonight! Black, but all the sparkles.

I sometimes wonder if we are looking at the same photos

I know I made the point earlier in the thread, but when there are so many photos being taken there are always going to be a few shockers - weird faces being pulled, clothes a bit askew, hair a bit rumpled. The Getty link someone else posted of the Birkenhead visit shows that - pages and pages of pics, and those were just the ones deemed worthy of being put out there for sale. There will be loads of outtakes as well!

(As an aside I found it fascinating that there were specific shots of outfit details like shoes and bags on those pages, I always assumed they were cropped out of larger shots by looks like they are taken specifically - which makes sense).

So whatever the angle the outlet has to push, there will likely be a photo to fit. If you're a clothes blogger wanting to show the outfits at their best there will be flattering ones - if you are a media outlet with an apparent axe to grind, you'll be able to find some less kindly shots. And the audience's impression will be formed accordingly.

I can just see the headlines - Meghan SPARKLE!

Apparently it's this dress a Roland Mouret Resort 19 Sarandon gown

Here it is both on Meghan and a better look on the model I know it's back to the dark colours but compared to the royal variety dress this is massive improvement

I thought MM looked fab again today. I love how she's showing off her bump! I've probably said this before, but I was similar age to her when I was expecting my first child and I felt unbelievably lucky to have gotten pregnant so quickly. I loved showing off my bump 😄 I'm undecided about KM... love the colour but the skirt is not great, pencil style or slightly flared suits her better. Don't like the shoes and black tights combo at all

I sometimes wonder if we are looking at the same photos

I think to an extent we are sometimes but we are also looking at them with our own biases so for me I hate coat dresses (not that I ever mention it I know ) so that always colours the way I view those outfits. It might be a lovely well made classic out fit but I think it makes her look matronly and old. Where as Meghans more modern style is closer to what I like (if I was a skinny and rich) so her outfits are instantly more appealing to me although I can see the need for a seamstress.

It's a stunning dress
twitter.com/royalreporter/status/1085613106980667392?s=21

Black opaques with patent stilettos AND gold bows?
No. Just no. Send them back to the 1980s where they should stay.

DoS looks lovely today - she's brave going barelegged in January though. My corned-beef legs don't see daylight at all between Halloween and April. Not jealous of her at all. Nope, not me...

On the question of whether Meghan should have been dressed more casually for an animal charity, I just watched the video. Several of the women visitors were dressed up, especially the older ones. In this context what she was wearing looked quite appropriate.

It looks lovely from that pic @Paradyning

I feel like we've come over very critical today! As if I'm any kind of fashion guru.

To be suddenly given the job of Looking Appropriate and Perfect At All Times, whilst your body is undergoing intense change in MMs case, must be terrifying.

Like someone else said upthread, the sheer futility of it all must feel quite ridiculous at some points. I'd like to think that, if any of the subjects of this thread were to stumble across us talking, that we'd be overall positive. We've been a wee bit picky today for my liking.

I thought Meghan looked fab today. Good for her for remaining fashionable and a bit different.

Kate looked perfect as always but utterly blah.

I wish Harry would shave off that awful prickly looking beard