I thought the British royals did a pretty good job of their outfits for Zara Phillips's wedding last week. (And isn't it great that she's still Zara Phillips after it, not Zara Tindall? Loving her for that.)
According to my strict code of wedding etiquette, I don't think Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge should have worn cream but there does seem to be a trend for royals to wear very pale pastels to weddings this northern summer.
When I first saw the pics of the Monaco nuptials, I nearly had a conniption because it looked as if the bride's mother and Princess Caroline were both in white! Zut alors!
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On closer inspection, both outfits turned out to be subtle pastels - green and pink respectively - so it's only fair to give the Duchess of Cambridge the benefit of the doubt. I'll think of her outfit as the palest imaginable lemon instead. (But it was cream, wasn't it?)She certainly wasn't the only one at that end of the colour wheel at the wedding. Most of the senior lady royals gambolled in similar shades. Even the Queen looked like an adorable sugar almond in her pastel pinks.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall looked very pretty in a hint-of-a-mint-tint coat, set off by that lovely clipped feather hat like a floral spray. Such a pleasant change from the ubiquitous satellite dish pieces I am beginning to loathe.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex was working the palest pink-cafe au lait to great feminine effect (while picking up Channel 63 on her head), in what looks like her continuing campaign not to be entirely outshone sartorially by her niece-in-law. She's got her work cut out - did you see the emerald green frock Catherine wore to the pre-wedding party? Sensational.
Two guests way off on their own colour tangent were the princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, one in brightest blue and the other in chocolate brown and cream. They appeared to have heeded comments about their hat choices at their other cousin's wedding. Relatively restrained this time.
But I do wish the lot of them would reconsider their shoes. They were all wearing versions of the nude platform high-heeled pump - I'm so sick of those camp clodhoppers, they've become such a cliche.
When French shoe guru Christian Louboutin first brought out the platform sole teamed with a stiletto heel, it was a truly new genre of shoe. Previously, platforms had always had a balancing chunky heel (think early Elton John), so the slender stiletto looked outrageously, fabulously ''off''. But it's been around a while now and for me, the fish is beginning to smell.
I know royals can't have their toes hanging out in strappy sandals and the older ones feel they have to wear sheer stockings, so a closed shoe is a must. You can't wear a black court shoe with pale summer colours but surely there are alternatives?
I appreciate that the neutral shoe is flattering and leg-lengthening but they look like a surgical appliance in that flesh colour. Prosthetic shoes.
Fashion is a pendulum in perpetual motion and it's time for the dress shoe to swing back to witty refinement.
Read Maggie Alderson's blog at maggiealdersonstylenotes.wordpress.com.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/no-nudity-clogs-call-to-ban-kate-middletons-shoes-20110808-1iioi.html#ixzz1UQjkLaL3
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