Royal Fashion Rules

While going through my photos of our trip last summer, I realized that I hadn't shown you the display of royal clothing at Kensington Palace. This post has been in the planning for a week or more. The news of yet another horrific attack in London this weekend had me wondering whether or not to post this.

I decided to go ahead and post what I was planning because normal life is what these terrorists want to disrupt, and I think it important to carry on as normally as possible. Let's be loving and kind to each other. The people of London, particularly those directly affected by the attacks, along with their families, are in my prayers and thoughts.  

The exhibit Fashion Rules Restyled was a fascinating look at the wardrobes of three royal women: HM Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, and Diana, Princess of Wales. 

The rules of royal fashion are: High impact, Bold Accessories, On Trend, Diplomatic Dressing, and Attention to Detail. Above is an example of High Impact - a stunning embroidered gown that The Queen wore to a state function in France in 1957. It's difficult to capture the sheen of the fabric and the sumptuous effect of that hand embroidery in a photo. Trust me, it is magnificent. 

The designer, Sir Norman Hartnell, said, "I despise simplicity. It is the negation of all that is beautiful." I have to disagree with him on that, for simplicity can be utterly beautiful, but he did know how to add details that enhanced rather than detracted. 

This red and white striped dress is an example of On Trend, worn by Princess Margaret in 1949. After the war, fabric rationing ended and designer Christian Dior introduced the New Look that incorporated yards and yards of fabric. 

Can't you imagine how wonderful it would be to swish those skirts around?

Diana, Princess of Wales, wore the dress above while on a royal tour to Japan in 1986. I never realized how much taller she was than The Queen or Princess Margaret, but her dresses were significantly longer. 

The dress is artfully designed to echo the cherry blossoms beloved to Japanese people which were in bloom at the time of the royal visit. The details of this dress are exquisite. I would have loved the opportunity to examine the clothing more closely, inside and out. 

Other than High Impact, I'd say these royal rules for fashion could be ones I could follow as well. Dressing appropriately for the occasion, paying attention to detail, being at least somewhat on trend, and accessorizing wisely make a lot of sense. Do you agree? 

I leave you with a garden view from London last July. 

Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life. 

Mosaic Monday: The Tower of London

While looking through my blog book (see the previous 2 posts), I realized that I hadn't shared a few sights from our trip last summer. So, let's pay a very quick visit to the Tower of London.

We walked along the opposite side of the Thames River for our first glimpse of this massive place. I could hardly believe I was there, in this place where so much history occurred. I've read history books and historical fiction since I was a child, and much of it was English. 

The building with the four towers in the photo is the White Tower, built in 1080 by William the Conqueror as a royal residence. Subsequent kings added to it. 

From the river, many prisoners entered the Tower via this entrance, now blocked up. What fear they must have felt going into this prison, knowing that the likelihood of their release was minimal, and highly dependent upon the whim of the current monarch. Among them two young queens - Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey (the Nine-day Queen). Anne Boleyn most likely entered through another gate.

The Tower sprawls over 12 acres of land (5 hectares) and encompasses residential housing for the Yeomen Warders, who guard the Tower. 

Yeoman Warder Towell gave a great tour of the Tower. He is a wealth of information and kept us all moving through the grounds. 

One thing I learned was that very few executions took place within the Tower walls. Most occurred on a mound outside the walls. However, the three queens previously mentioned, along with a few other unfortunate souls, were beheaded within the walls, privately, and this glass memorial marks the spot. 

 These bodies (and heads) were then immediately interred in the floor of The Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula without memorials. In the 19th century their remains were interred in the crypt. It is a solemn place to enter, and respectful quiet must be maintained. 

After the tour, we wandered about the walls and encountered this brave knight, about to take part in a reenactment. He is wearing chain mail. I asked him how much it weighed and he guessed about 50 pounds! That's weight-bearing exercise for you!

These charming little patios, seen from the inner wall, belong to the Yeomen Warders who live on the grounds. 

We saw much, much more, including the magnificent Crown Jewels. If you ever get to London, the Tower is a must. History echoes in every stone. 

Linking with Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life. 

Not a Fashion Blog, but a Fashion Post

Clothes. We all wear them. I like wearing clothes that suit me, that I feel comfortable in, and that are reasonably fashionable. People seem to dress in similar ways throughout the Western world, with a few differences.

Here's a little bit of what I observed being worn in Paris and London: 

Skirts - short (not just on younger women), mid-knee, and maxi (but never trailing on the ground). Lots of prints, usually small geometrics and florals. In Paris the prints were in softer shades, like the skirt above, than in London, where black backgrounds were seen more.

Dresses, again in a variety of lengths and prints. Black was not uncommon. Lots and lots of jean jackets, on big girls and small ones.  

The weather was warm, but not hot, and almost everyone in Paris wore sandals, either flat or wedged. Scarves almost always. Above is one of our tour guides. Lace seems to be a continuing trend - yokes on knit tops, or more rarely, a textured top.

Well-fitted and well-balanced outfits - fitted pants and top with a more flowing third layer that was never over-sized. 

Then there was tourist style - earbuds and listening devices, hats and sunglasses. 

Walking into our home very very early on Sunday morning (12:30 am) was lovely. We slept well, spent yesterday quietly at home, and today Tim is back to work. The garden needs attention and I have a list of projects I'd like to accomplish. All in good time. 

There will be more posts about our trip - so many places I have not yet shown, but they will come slowly.