Introducing Fashion Follow-Up!

    Guys, it's a big day. Presale codes for tickets to Taylor Swift go out today. I am manifesting a win. I thought in the meantime, I would try out a new series: Fashion Follow-Up! The name is still up in the air. It came to me while I was typing so definitely not set in stone. Fashion is one of my favorite things to read, watch. and talk about! I mean, it's the first word you type in to get here. I always wanted this blog to have a fashion focus but I feel like I haven't lived up to the dream. So, this week I'm putting my first attempt out in the universe and we'll see how it goes from there. Just please be nice as I find my footing these first few weeks. 
    So, what exactly is Fashion Follow-Up? Well, anytime an event happens that I think had some notable looks, I'll recap it here over the following day or two. Simple enough when you're not taking into account all the behind-the-scenes research. Honestly, though, I LOVE the research part! With that, I am so excited for you all to read the first edition of Fashion Follow-Up! The first event up on the "chopping block" is Remembrance Sunday which took place this past weekend in the United Kingdom. Remembrance Sunday is a yearly event dedicated to the memory of fallen soldiers in the UK's armed forces. It is one of the biggest events in the royal calendar all year because the monarch is commander-in-chief of the UK's entire armed forces and many senior members have served in the various branches. This year was especially poignant because it was the first since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September. There was a special tribute to her Saturday night at the Festival of Remembrance.  
    Saturday's event had many members of the royal family in attendance including: King Charles, Queen Camilla, The Prince of Wales, The Princess of Wales, and The Princess Royal. The Princess of Wales is notorious for her fashion and eagle-eyed watchers are always waiting to see what she wears next. 

​Here's the full look:

    I only have one huge dislike of the whole outfit: that skirt is absolutely atrocious. The dress is by Self-Portrait and it is their black tailored crepe and chiffon midi dress. It clashes with the top of the dress so badly. It's like fitted beautifulness on the top and then a flowy, silky thing on the bottom. To me, the designer couldn't figure out where they wanted to go so they just incorporated two ideas that are not complementary. However, I will give her a slight pass because she wore this same dress in white to the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and this whole outfit was a tribute to the Queen. 
    I LOVED the rest of the outfit! the blazer look, I think, was super chic and the fitted style was gorgeous. The neckline allowed for the jewelry to be the centerpiece of the look. And let me tell you: the jewelry was S-E-R-V-I-N-G!! For this event, The Princess of Wales opted to re-wear some familiar pieces to eagle-eyed royal watchers. The choker is from the late Queen's collection. It is the Japanese pearl choker and was gifted to Her Majesty in 1975 when she and the Duke of Edinburgh made their first state visit to the Empire of Japan. Originally, she was given just the pearls and they were later set into the four-strand piece, anchored with a curved diamond clasp. Made in collaboration with the Crown Jeweler, it is also thought that Prince Philip had a hand in the design as well. When she was the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Kate wore the choker to the celebration of the Queen and Prince Philip's 70th Wedding Anniversary. She also wore the piece at both of their funerals in April 2021 and September 2022. Her earrings were also steeped in symbolism. This particular pair was the Bahrain Pearl Earrings. Their inception begins all the way back in 1947 when the then-Princess Elizabeth was gifted seven pearls by the Hakim of Bahrain on her wedding day. Two pearls were set aside for the earrings and they are suspended by round diamonds of varying sizes accompanied by three baguette diamonds. Since then, the earrings have been loaned to Princess Diana and the Countess of Wessex and Forfar. Princess Kate has worn the earrings dozens of times: Remembrance Sunday Services in 2016 and 2019, 2017 Royal Ascot, Balmoral Church Services in 2018, 2019 Trooping the Colour, and the funeral services of both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Her bag is the Mulberry Black Suede Clutch in "Baywater" 

    The following day was actual Remembrance Sunday. Members of the Royal Family came together in a massive ceremony of pomp and pageantry. Remembrance Sunday honors fallen members of the United Kingdom's armed forces. Every year, the monarch leads the country in the honors. The Cenotaph in Whitehall was dedicated by King George V in 1920 to honor the fallen of the First World War. Every year since, the monarch has laid a floral tribute at the base of the Cenotaph. Members of the royal family who served, including Prince Edward and the Prince of Wales also laid tributes of their own. Meanwhile, other senior members were watching from balconies along Whitehall. The Princess of Wales stood with the Queen on the central balcony of the Foreign Office.

Here's the look:
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    This outfit is stunning! Princess Kate went with a go-to designer, Catherine Walker, who was also a favorite of her late mother-in-law. The dress she went with was the Evie Asymmetrical Coat Dress in black. The fit of it was flawless and the diagonal pintuck added a nice pop from the simple, clean lines of the rest of the dress. Her choice of earrings on Sunday were the South Sea Pearl Earrings. These were a favorite accessory of Princess Diana throughout the 1990s. Her daughter-in-law wears the earrings in a little different way. She kept the top part but replaced the original very large hanging pearls with the pearls from Princess Diana's Collingwood Pearl Earring Set, which are much more understated and classic.
    I love a wide-brimmed hat moment and this was no exception. Philip Treacy is the designer to see for any royal hat. Countless designs of his have been seen on the heads of royal women for decades. From my research, this hat was a custom design based on the designer's AW20 collection. This hat reminded me very much of what Princess Charlotte wore to the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19th. 
    Finally, we have to discuss a new piece added to the Princess of Wales's collection. Tucked discreetly under the poppies is a previously unseen brooch. This particular stunner was designed by Bentley and Skinner. It is their Art Deco Diamond Brooch and is genuine from the 1920s. The diamonds altogether come in at around 4.5 carats and this glitter-lovers dream retails for an impressive $17,147.26 USD.
   
     What did you think of the Princess of Wales's outfits for Remembrance Sunday? Were there things you liked or disliked that I didn't mention? What are some other events I should cover? For royal fans like me, the South African State Visit is coming up and you know what that means? Tiara season is back! EKKK!

XO,
​Caroline