Saturday 6 September 2014

Darker days of autumn

Things are getting darker for Europe's royals as the princesses with a passion for fashion are grabbing the black from the back of their wardrobes.  In the last week, four leading ladies have stepped out in this most sombre of shades even though the summer isn't quite gone.  As far as Europe's royals are concerned, black is the new black.


Queen Letizia of Spain in sunny Malaga choosing sombre black
(photo casareal.es)

Queen Letizia donned a black cocktail dress for her first public engagement since the summer holidays.  The frock, which she has used several times before, features a sheer panel on the back dotted with applique flowers - in black, of course.  And it meant that the fashion conscious queen could put her own spin on another autumnal trend that her royal counterparts have been working this week - florals with black.



Earlier the same day, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark had attended events for her country's national flag day which honours all those who have been sent on missions on behalf of their country. She laid a wreath at the national monument, alongside Crown Prince Frederik, and the couple also attended a service at the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen.


The Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark at the church service for Flag Day
(photo kongehuset.dk)

Mary also chose an outfit that's been seen before although this time it was a series of separates that have been worn on different occasions combined into a new look for the princess.  And there was plenty of black - perhaps appropriately for such a solemn event.  Along with a floral skirt with a black background, Mary wore a black peplum jacket and matched it with nude coloured accessories.  


The Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark lay a wreath on their country's flag day at the Citadel in Copenhagen
(photo kongehuset.dk)

Black with florals had already been the choice of another Crown Princess when Victoria of Sweden went for a long dress featuring red flowers on a dark background for an engagement in Stockholm on September 3rd 2014.





The princess was presenting the Junior Water Prize which is awarded every year to someone between the age of fifteen and twenty for their work in trying to improve the environment with a focus on the health of the water system. The princess matched her sleeveless, three quarter length dress with black strappy sandals and wore her hair swept back.


Only one Crown Princess went for solid black with not a flower in sight. Crown Princess Mette-Marit chose a black lace coat with matching pillbox hat when she joined the rest of Norway's Royal Family to welcome the President of Estonia to Oslo as he began a one day state visit.


Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway before one of the ceremonies that took place to welcome the President of Estonia on his State Visit to the country
(photo royalcourt.no)

The knee length, long sleeved coat looked slightly too warm even for the cooler weather in Norway and was worn with black tights and shoes, easily the most sombre looking of the four outfits on display this week.


Crown Princess Mette-Marit welcomes Toomas Hendrik Ilves to Norway
(photo royalcourt.no)

But her choice is part of a wave of royal rendezvous with the fashionista's favourite colour.  As Europe's royals head back to work, it seems we might be seeing a lot of black in the weeks and months to come.

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