A Royal Review (And Rant)

I can never get through InStyle magazine.  By the time I'm a couple pages in, I already have an intense desire to whip it across the living room into an imaginary pit of fire.  Exaggerating?  Well, not really, actually.  InStyle lays claim to that middle ground between a fashion magazine and a celebrity gossip magazine.  I can handle celebrity gossip magazines because they are in their very nature sensational and completely pointless.  I would never in my life read one, but I let them be.  InStyle, on the other hand, promotes fashion through celebrity power.  Now that is annoying.  InStyle idolizes celebrities in their articles and every attempt I've made at trying to find an actual model among their pages has failed.  I'm much more interested in what an anonymous girl on the street is wearing than what some actress decided to sport while grocery shopping.  Tell me about a celebrity's next film/song/whatever it is they're actually supposed to be famous for, and I'm all ears, but what she's wearing?  Is that supposed to change my opinion of her?

So, on that completely relevant note, some may consider Kate Middleton a celebrity, but in my eyes, she is nothing like that.  She is an incredibly intelligent woman who has handled the limelight and responsibility of royalty with a sort of dignity, grace, warmth and style that not even a seasoned celebrity can aspire to. She is not a celebrity; she is us.  And because of that, I have no shame in blogging about her.  Everything she's worn has been a fashion hit, but here is a look at some of my favourites:

Alexander McQueen

As if her wedding dress wasn't gorgeous enough, her post-wedding ensemble stunned me.  The entire look is so perfectly polished it shines like a diamond, but that fuzzy cropped jacket tops it off like a cherry, exuding warmth and approachability.  Every woman wants to look drop dead gorgeous on her wedding day, and Kate can put a large checkmark beside that.

Erdem

I adore Erdem because it's a label that allows me to shamelessly indulge in my love of all things lacy.  Being one of the looks worn during her Canadian tour, this dress holds a special place in my heart despite its otherwise simple demeanor.

Alexander McQueen

This look is another simple one, but the colour is utter perfection.  The lilac, being so light as to almost pass for white, makes the gown both ethereal and glamorous - a unique combination.  On any other person, the gown might be a typical red carpet choice, but a touch of royalty makes it an instant hit.

Jenny Packham

I first saw this dress while waiting for my groceries to be scanned - no doubt it made waiting in line much more enjoyable.  The intricacy of the beading and sequin design resembles the detail of a mermaid tail.  An aquatic goddess, but in soft pink, making this yet another glamorous and ethereal combination.

Prabal Gurung

Kate shows us she can go bold too!  Admittedly, I absolutely loved the collection this dress came from (I'm still yearning for those sheer pants with dripping, purple liquid down the thighs), so I may be biased.  Nonetheless, this was a bold, artistic move for Kate and a definite eye-catcher.

Beulah London

If I ever needed something to describe the word "angelic", this would be it.  Everything about this look was so heart-achingly beautiful.  Soft, kind, respectful...never have I seen an outfit I would attribute such a personality to.  People Magazine can speculate all they want about The Most Beautiful Woman, but step aside celebrities, because the crown of that title belongs to Kate.

Image Source: Wedding, Erdem, McQueen, Prabal, Packham, Mosque

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M

I know, I know...old news yet again.  Shame on me.  But ever since I started this blog, I have not failed to do a review on every one of H&M's collaborations.  I'm not going to break that tradition now!

First things first: Maison Martin Margiela.  When I heard the news, shrieking at my indifferent laptop might be an apt description of my response.  Margiela is not only one of the most avant-garde labels out there, it's also one of the most mysterious.  With no one at the helm, it's really more of an abstract entity of fashion talent.  Just imagining a radical, yet so elusive and secretive label collaborating with H&M was too much to bear.

There really is no point spending too much time on whether the results of this collaboration are true to the Margiela label.  I think that is obvious enough.  Being the most avant-garde collaboration H&M has done, I think it's fair to say the Margiela image is undoubtedly present.

What is worth talking about, however, is the quality and style of the pieces.  With H&M collaborations, there is always the fear of a cheaply made high fashion look.  But with Margiela, there seems to be no problem whatsoever.  Perhaps it's because Margiela always focused more on construction that it's really the architecture of these H&M pieces that make it look like quality Margiela.

And that brings me to style.  These H&M pieces are beautifully dramatic; they are unlike anything you will ever find in a regular shopping mall (until now).  There will always be the critics, lamenting how unwearable these fashions are, but life would be so boring if everything you wore was predictable.  These are standout pieces made for a woman with standout taste. 

Consisting of oversized silhouettes and masculine cuts, it quietly encapsulates the love of living, freedom and expression.  They say it's a woman's character that gets her noticed, but hey, I'm just saying, these clothes help.

As I mentioned last time with Lanvin, Versace, and Marni, I had yet to see an H&M collaboration where both the clothes and the accessories were a hit.  This time, there's no question about it: the accessories are amazing.

Plexiglass heels, candy wrapper clutches, and gloved handbags.  I love these accessories beyond belief.  And much like the clothing, there's a surprising high quality feel to them.  This H&M collaboration was perfect in every conceivable way.  Is this my favourite H&M collaboration of all time?  Oh gosh, you can bet it is.

See the entire collection here.

Image Source: Logo, Fashionologie, Vogue, Flare, Shoes, Bag1, Bag2