Saturday 7 January 2017

The Royal Wardrobe: seven days, seven gala gowns


Queen Margrethe of Denmark leads the way in a glittering gala gown as the Royal Wardrobe 2017 opens its doors
(photo dr.dk screengrab)

The Royal Wardrobe is open for 2017 and it's beginning with plenty of glitter. In new year week, we've had seven gala gowns for seven days with a handful of tiaras thrown in for good measure. Well, what else do you expect from a royal wardrobe. Enjoy the glitter, don't forget to vote in the poll and settle into another year of fabulous regal fashion. Welcome to the Royal Wardrobe 2017.





The New Year galas in Copenhagen dominated the royal week with Queen Margrethe leading the way on New Year's Day in a dress that had several colours, plenty of jewels and enough glitz to keep us going all year. This is so Margrethe it almost needs its own adjective to describe it.  It's beyond regal and really rather fabulous with its sweeping skirts, strong silhouette and sparkle from diamonds, pearls and gold. And it's got the added wow factor of looking just how a queen should dress now, yesteryear and every day in the future. It's downright dazzling.


Crown Princess Mary went for gold in a glittering gown that will take some beating and a plum coloured cape that was clearly meant to go with something else (as we found out later in the week, keep reading!). The gown is a stunner, the rubies are expected and who doesn't love a princess doing the whole 'just popping something over the top to keep the chill out but no one will really notice' thing to start the New Year. Oh, to see this dress without the royal equivalent of a cardigan over the top of it. We've got a whole year of hoping ahead on this one.



Princess Marie has the tough job every year. She's first out of the car for the New Year galas which means she's got the first big royal gown to pull out of the bag and she bagged it and then some in 2017. This burnished bronze sheath dress is sparkly enough for a big gala, modern enough for a 21st century princess and it does what every royal gown ever is meant to do - it goes really well with diamonds and gold. No surprises on the tiara front but then when you've found your dream dress for the year and the whole shebang isn't quite 24 hours old, who cares. You can live with predictable diamonds.


A quick break from the Danish dazzle for a trip to Madrid where Queen Letizia ended the first week of 2017 at the annual Pascua Militar. You'd think by now Letizia would have realised that however gorgeous the gala gown, it needs either a) a jacket or b) more room underneath for thermals. The Queen of Spain looked frozen through as she shivered in a teal gown that ticked the boxes while underwhelming all at the same time. There's also some kind of weird eighties plait thing going on in the hair and earrings that don't match. Let's just hope someone got her a cup of tea as soon as she was indoors, she clearly needed it.


Back to Copenhagen and as it's New Year, Queen Margrethe got out her old favourite royal blue and furs combo. This gala outfit has been going almost as long as the New Year levees themselves and it got two outings in 2017 as the Queen of Denmark rounded off her receptions. It is rather chic and looks very warm (take note, Letizia, high collars are the way to go), it's just we've seen it about 576 times before. That's what you call royal recycling.


Mary did a spot of recycling as well with a silver gown for the second New Year reception on January 3rd. She changed the top of this gala dress (for the better) and its simple shape is super chic while the slightly flared skirt adds a touch of grandeur. And with no walk from the car to contend with, Mary was able to leave the plum cape at home.


Not for long. The final reception of the New Year saw Mary all in a soft regal purple and finally the cape worked. Matched to a long, simple gown in the same shade it did all the royal things it was meant to do on New Year's Day and then some. This final look for Mary this week was elegance in a royal nutshell. No wonder she's smiling.

Seven gala gowns, seven days and a sparkling start to the 2017 Royal Wardrobe. You can choose your favourite in the poll, on the right hand side of the page at the very top. Results here on Tuesday 10th January. 

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