
We were treated to a blockbuster fashion week with a royal wedding, the Chelsea Flower Show, and a Buckingham Palace garden party. There’s much to cover, so let’s take a look at some of the style highlights:
Guests at Lady Gabriella’s wedding
Lady Gabriella Windsor married Thomas Kingston on Saturday, 18th May, and we were treated to an array of amazing outfits. We’ve already covered the bride’s gown here, so let’s take a look at three of the best-dressed guests (both royal and not!).
My number one guest ensemble, hands-down, is Pippa Matthews. Looking fantastic in a vintage-style pale blue dress by Kate Spade, Pippa joined the rest of her family for the royal nuptials.
She wore the brand’s now sold-out ‘Spade Flower Devore’ dress, described on their site as:
“…decorated with our spade flower print which we made by joining four spades together like leaves of a clover. Then, there’s the draped neckline and the puffed sleeves that gently cascade down your arms. And finally, the little buttons along the side add to the overall charm.”
Her bang-on-trend headband from Jess Collett (the ‘Azure’ style, per the milliner’s Instagram) was the icing on the cake for this look, and she paired her dress with matching blue heels. Spring wedding perfection.
Next up is Princess Beatrice, who loves to take a fashion risk. Her edgy navy lace Self Portrait dress with tiered ruffles was an absolute win for me. The cross-over front is really what makes this dress different, and she carried it off with aplomb.
The £370 dress is currently on backorder until July, and I might just consider it if you have an upcoming late summer or autumn wedding.
I’m not sure I would have chosen a white fascinator for this look, but her floral-topped headpiece (bespoke Jess Collett, per Replicate Royalty) was lovely all the same. Similar thoughts about her beige satin ankle-strap Manolos: Love the shoes, but maybe a black heel would have suited this look better. Accessories aside, this dress was fabulous and ranks up there as one of her best wedding looks ever.
Our final guest outfit comes from Lady Frederick Windsor, who looked gorgeous in a feathered confection by Catherine Walker.
Catherine Walker’s site describes their ‘Bliss’ coat as “an exquisite A-line wool crepe coatdress in pale blue” and adds that “a soft roll collar frames a central zip that disappears into a sea of aqua ostrich feathers that lend gentle movement and glamour.”
Blue seemed to be the colour of the day, and she looked perfectly springlike in this pastel coat and matching oversized hat (also Catherine Walker) with a subtle veil detail. Feathers are tough; if not done right, you definitely risk looking too costumey or tacky, but this coat gives off an elegant and airy feel.
The whole look was just a bit over-the-top but in a very fabulous and regal way.
Kate at the Chelsea Flower Show: Sunday
Kensington Palace released photos and videos from the Cambridge family enjoying the special Back to Nature garden the Duchess of Cambridge worked on for the Chelsea Flower Show, and Kate’s dress was a quick sell-out.
She wore the & Other Stories floral ruffled maxi dress, and it was nice to see her choose an affordable brand we haven’t seen her wear in the past. The dress gives off somewhat of a Little House on the Prairie vibe, with its ruffled bottom and small yellow floral print, and it looked great amongst the backdrop of the garden.
She paired the dress with a new pair of brown suede Casteñer Carina wedges, per What Kate Wore, and a bargain pair of £8 pink ‘Polly Petal’ earrings from Accessorize.
Kate at the Chelsea Flower Show: Monday part one
The Duchess of Cambridge headed back to the flower show the next morning, showing a group of children around the garden she designed. She chose a comfy and casual outfit for the day, wearing a button-up white broderie anglaise shirt by MiH Jeans with tan culottes from Massimo Dutti, per What Kate Wore.
Let me just get this out there: I’m not a fan of culottes. Never have been, never will be. But Kate’s tall enough that she can somewhat pull off this look, and let’s give her props for trying something out of her usual comfort zone of skinny jeans for casual engagements.
The white blouse was an ideal choice for the event with its subtle floral print and could be paired with jeans or a skirt in future. A brown braided belt tied her look together, and finally, her often-worn Superga trainers were perfect for climbing treehouses.
Kate at the Chelsea Flower Show: Monday part two
Later in the day, The Queen and other members of the Royal Family came to the flower show, and Kate chose a floral frock from Erdem. Princess Eugenie has a shorter version of the dress, and the Duchess of Kent wore the exact same ‘Shebah’ dress to Harry and Meghan’s wedding (with white trainers!) proving women of all ages can rock Erdem designs.
Kate opted for the same tan Castañer wedges she wore for her outing to the flower show on Sunday and chose the pearl cluster earrings by Cassandra Goad that she wore to Prince Louis’s christening last year.
Not many people can rock a Victorian-style floral maxi dress, but the Duchess pulled this one off perfectly. It also coordinated well with the floral dress The Queen wore – you might remember this lime outfit from Harry and Meghan’s wedding last year.
Buckingham Palace garden party
Tuesday we were treated with yet another appearance by the Duchess of Cambridge, who attended the second Buckingham Palace garden party of 2019 alongside the Duke of Cambridge. She looked garden party-ready in an Alexander McQueen coat dress in pale pink along with a matching Juliette Botterill hat and the Collingwood diamond and pearl drop earrings that belonged to her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.
This look was classic Kate: a solid-colour double-breasted coat dress with a fitted waist and full skirt. But she knows what kind of silhouette works for her, and the Duchess always looks beautiful in pink.
The Queen wore an elegant pale blue coat with a floral dress underneath, both by Stuart Parvin. She enjoyed the sunny day with shades and a floral-topped Rachel Trevor Morgan hat that coordinated with her coat. Her Majesty wore her usual pearl accessories and, according to Victoria Howard, The Queen wore her sapphire snowflake brooch, a Sapphire Jubilee gift from Canada that was made using sapphires found on Baffin Island.
Finally, the Countess of Wessex looked lovely in pale pink and black. She repeated the Emilia Wickstead ‘Dionne’ dress she wore last year at Royal Ascot, and a bespoke percher hat from Jane Taylor, per Replicate Royalty. The long-sleeved dress has an interesting black latticework detail which coordinated perfectly with the black design on her hat.
We’ll be back next week with the details from the next garden party of 2019 and more of our fashion favourites.