Designs by Worth and Other Haute Coutures Part I

Talking about fashion houses dreseing Royals and nearly Royals today, I think whoever is styling Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall is dressing her much to old.

I also think Sarah, Duchess of York and her daughters need immediate emergency help.  The dreeses the York Princesses wore to QEII's birthday party either did not photograph well or were just plain ghastly! 

The York Princesses need to make an appointment with Zara Phillips' current stylist immediately.

TampaBay

I didn't see what the York Princesses wore to QEII's party but I wouldn't be suprised if they were ghastly, remember the hideous outfits they wore when they were younger? horrible shiny materials some of them. I think Camilla sometimes gets it right and other times she just dresses to plain. She has worn some nice suites and hats. I think she needs to grow her hair and have it pinned up, would look much more sophisticated and show of her neck.

I agree with your comments about Camilla's suits and hats, they are usually "good" and more than passable.

However, I think her evening attire looks as if it is not properly tailored and not paired with the correct jewels.

I think you are right about her hair:  let it grow and do an upswept "do".

TampaBay

A Patsy chingnon perhaps ?

Someone needs to post a picture of a "killer" gown as I am going into style withdrawal. 

Your favorite professional begger,

TampaBay

Camilla has been wearing some very beautiful jewellery lately. I thought that her wedding outfit was her best. It was very simple and elegant - lovely for an older bride!

Regards,
Lisa
www.webwritereditor.com
www.bookaddiction.blogspot.com

Camilla has been dressing much better as of the last six months.

I have been reminded may times by my friends who make a living in the world of fashion that dresses that photograph well and look beautiful in photographs  or on live camera may look absolutely hideous in person and dreses which are absolutely to die for in person may not photograph well.

TampaBay

I have been reminded may times by my friends who make a living in the world of fashion that dresses that photograph well and look beautiful in photographs  or on live camera may look absolutely hideous in person and dreses which are absolutely to die for in person may not photograph well.

Very true.  Someone was showing me the photos taken when Diana visited the office where I work.  She was dressed in that hideous royal blue she kept wearing at the beginning of her royal career which suits nobody, it fitted badly (not just the weight thing, it didn't look well-made), and the back hem had creased.  She looked absolutely fabulous and made the outfit look glamorous.

Kate, do you have a picture of Diana wearing the dress at your work or another occassion? I would love to see it. 

Yes Camilla has been wearing some very gorgous jewelery sometimes I do not like the way she dress her clothes look terrible sometimes. Wow Diana had visit the office where you work before she died that is so cool. Can I please see a picture that you were talking about Katie Diana had on Royal blue?

I'm afraid I couldn't get hold of any copies of the photos I was shown of the Diana visit - the lady who took them actually doesn't work in my office any more and just dropped in to see her old work colleagues and had the photos with her - and took them away again!  I've looked at other pictures of Diana and the nearest I can describe the (we all thought) rather horrid suit she was wearing was that in colour it was a bit like the outfit she wore at her engagement, but the skirt was more a pencil line and the jacket had the boxy 80s shoulders she was rather prone to .  No hat.  The visit must have been in the mid to late 80s, so she was starting to dress much better than she did just after she was married, but I certainly didn't get the impression of glamour from the clothes she was wearing on this visit.  It was all really her and the charisma she projected.  Poor Camilla is just like most of us - if she makes a fashion mistake it rises up and hits her.  Diana made fashion mistakes and you still thought she was sensational.

Can some one please post a picture of my favorite Worth gown.........Viscountess Curzon's "Peacock Dress"?  It is shown in the Geoffrey Munn "Tiaras" book, but my scanner is down at the moment.  Also, is there a color version(painting) of this gown?  It is stunning even in the black and white photos.  I can only imagine what it looks like in color!

Here is a picture of it...



Spectacular!

I'm afraid I was rather disappointed when I saw the dress at Kedleston Hall.  It may have been the display - the lighting was very dim, understandably - but the dress was made to be seen under bright electric light which would pick up the gold thread and in the darker conditions unfortunately it just looked a bit dingy.  One thing which surprised me was that the embroidery was gold - I had always supposed it was the irridescent green/blue of the peacock and that the painter had somehow got it wrong.

How sad, CountessKate, that the Worth peacock dress was dsiplayed so badly.

Textiles really need to be displayed sympathetically and under the correct lighting conditions, otherwise they are at risk.

Mary Curzon's peacock dress would have cost a fortune in the first place, not simply because of the work involved in producing such a gown and its component parts ( I am sure that I have read somewhere that the dress was embroidered with real gems), but mainly because it was from Worth.  Now it must be priceless.......

That dress needed to make a big impact and I am sure that Mary Curzon thought it worth every penny.........