Royal style & gossip: a visit from He Who Must Not Be Named

[QueenOfTheAndals]

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We must have read different newspapers Curly.

“BeetrandRussel I always imagined you as living on a houseboat in Campden, not a horsey mum in the Home Counties.”
As it happens, I do live on a boat! But in the Home Counties, not Camden.......

I always thought Meghan looks really polished, I would not compare her to Kate because that wouldn't be right at all.

If I could raid a wardrobe though, I would definite choose Meghan's.

Poor old Fergie got it in the neck for everything back in the day. She was constantly compared to Diana. One of the cruelest jibes from the press was calling her the Duchess of Pork, just because she had curves.

FWIW, I love Meghan's style - all those clean lines, block colours and the detail that is the beautiful tucking, darts and fabric, stitch work etc.

That forest green leather skirt ensemble she wore to Ireland (I think?) is my complete fave. Closely followed by the pic posted by @frugalkitty ... which I think is from the Aus tour. And then her night-before-the-wedding frock, which was amazing (below).

In fact - while considerably older, whiter, dumpier and poorer - I have spent months looking for a designer or label that will mimic those looks but on my budget.

I'm in Australia, looking ahead to spring racing - which is just as well, as I have found nothing under $$$. Desperately hoping spring fashion will bring a revolution in trends our way in a month or two.

I remember Fergie as being very heavily criticised too. Her hair is red and curly, both traits that have been looked down upon in British culture in the past as unattractive and/or inherently messy. Nowadays when hair is expected to be so sleek and insanely well kept the poor woman wouldn't have lasted a day. Do you remember how messy hair was allowed to be in the 80s? The expectations on women really are getting higher and higher in many respects.

Fergus went to Wimbledon and a camera was trained upon her, counting how many chocolates she was eating.

@DevonUkelele Cue used to be good for sleek numbers back in the day. No idea what it's like now, or indeed if it's still around!

I think it’s Meghans hair which has been messy in the past anyway. She used to let it hang round her face and didn’t always look appropriate for the occasion. I think she makes more effort now.
If she didn’t straighten it I imagine it would be full on Afro, as it was in picture of her as a child. And no, that isn’t a racist comment.

I don’t know about Meghan’s hair being messy and inappropriate.

Kate certainly likes her hair big and blowing in the wind , too.

Meghan has worn ill fitting clothes in her pregnancy and her white coat in her engagement announcement appearance was oddly big for her. Pre-Harry photos of her show she is very well dressed so I just think she's been badly advised or found her changing shape difficult. I spent 90% of my pregnancy in two dresses and one trouser & top combo, not something someone in the public eye can get away with.

Naturally curly hair (which I have) can look great but any sort of humidity / wind / random reason can make it look untidy in an instant. I spent years straightening mine but have now embraced the curls because it is a losing battle and looking back at photos of me with straightened hair I still look untidy and it doesn't suit me. I honestly don't think people with naturally straight hair know what a gift they have.

I think some of Meghan's dresses have had a bit too much detail, which makes them look fussy. One ends up looking at the dress rather than at her. In the pics posted a couple of pages back, the dark blue dress was lovely, but the tie belt on the lighter blue dress was distracting. There was a sleeveless coat dress that she wore last year that was similar. There were so many features to look at on the dress, that one hardly saw Meghan herself.

The Queen and Camilla tend to go for quite plain coats and dresses, then wear hats or jewellery which frame the face and draw attention to it. Kate seems to be following the plain coat style, but is too young for that style of hat or jewellery, except on very formal occasions.

Fergie was criticised for everything. The poor woman couldn’t do right for doing wrong. It must have added immense pressure to their marriage.

She used to let it hang round her face and didn’t always look appropriate for the occasion.

See, I think this is the difference. I am not sure why loose strands from an undo around the face are more distracting than Kate's Long hair that tends to be blown out so big that she's constantly pushing it back from her face/shoulders.

Curly - I think you and I were reading the same kind of newspapers. Diana was front page news CONSTANTLY.

I honestly don't think people with naturally straight hair know what a gift they have.

I used to think that but now I prefer my curls! And I can always straighten my hair - my straight haired friends say any attempt at curling their hair only lasts a couple hours and then the curls drop out.

I really think we need to rethink what's "neat" and what's "messy" hair as it's extremely Eurocentric. Half or more of the world's population will not have straight hair!

Meanwhile I'd love to know what both Kate and Meghan's secret is to having a sleek ponytail that doesn't involve their hair lying too flat against their head!

Looking forward to a shiny new thread "Balcony Groaning with Royals" for the Trooping of the Colour.
What mad, zingy colour will HM be wearing? I'm going for a fuschia pink. Camilla in cream. Kate has done blue and pink in the last couple of years. I haven't seen her in light green. I think she will also try and coordinate with her children. It will be a new McQueen frock. I think maybe yellow for a change?. Updo; small.Jane Taylor hat.

Fergie did have an awful time of it. You didn't have to read the papers, the Red Top headlines were there for all to see.

I've never understood what she did that was so wrong - not in relation to what we now know about Charles, Anne and Diana.

She has been unfailingly loyal and respectful all these years, and her daughters are a credit to her. If the third person in the Wales's marriage can be tolerated there should be room for the DoY.

*Waleses' do I mean?

I think in relation to Fergie, she suffered from the same syndrome Meghan suffers from- She is part of a pair of SIL's who then have to be pitted against each other by the baying press and public. MM is too brown to be a Princess and Fergie was too fat/ bouncy/ ginger etc.

My hair is wavy and is an absolute pain in the bum. It's not curly enough to hold a good curl and I'm too chicken to try the curly girl method to try to establish the curls properly, so I tend to blow dry and straighten it. Great in nice weather but and damp in the air and it starts kinking and going fluffy. I've always wanted poker straight hair that just hangs there, no effort needed. My DD has gorgeous curls, in the damp or rain it just goes into ringlets.

Poor Sarah:

Sorry @noodlenosefraggle but I have to respond to the "too brown to be a Princess" comment. I really don't give a stuff about that, it's irrelevant to me. I have other reasons not to like her which would apply irrespective of heritage.

Have you met her @Myimaginarycathasfleas? Not trying to be snarky, it's a genuine question!

No I haven't, @QueenOfTheAndals and I do remind myself of that when I feel mildly antagonistic towards a complete stranger. Believe it or not I was a huge defender of MM, I really deplore some of the comments I've seen and I think she has a tough job to do. I also think she has an impressive work ethic which puts Camilla and Kate to shame. But I can't warm to the Instacrap stuff and the spin. Tiaragate didn't help. You're right though, no personal experience to justify it!