The Belgian ladies put on quite a show for National Day today, and it was an interesting sartorial display indeed. Let's give out some awards, shall we?
Best Get Out of Criticism Free Pass
Queen Fabiola
Queen Fabiola's just cute. She's earned the right to scarf it up, wear pants and no hat to a cathedral service, and to leave her house in the granny version of John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever wardrobe.
Most Mind Boggling
Queen Paola
This is a
whole lot of look. There is a planetary ring of lace around her head, and it's just the ignition in this giant sartorial explosion: we've got a basket weave jacket, a froufrou jacket closure, and a skirt that's both wrapped and too long. I have no idea where to look first. My head hurts.
Biggest Costume
Princess Claire
I want to like this. I'd like more princesses to channel a little fifties glamour every now and then. She supported a young Belgian designer, Bernard Depoorter. But...no. I'm sure there is a woman that can pull this off at a day event without looking like she's on her way to a fancy dress party, but it's not Claire.
Best Close Call
Princess Mathilde at the Military Parade
This comes so close to being fabulous. I like the orange on her and as far as NATAN goes, it's a pretty good fit. And I love a giant hat. But she took it just a step too far - why the orange shoes? You can just dip into the citrus cocktail, you don't have to jump in feet first.
Biggest Contrast
Princess Mathilde visiting a Food Stand
Looks like Mathilde just ran out of steam for her third outfit of the day (outfit 2 above, outfit 1 below). This is...normal. I guess that's what you get when you attempt to pull a sartorial hat trick.
Best Dressed
Princess Astrid
Uniforms: appropriate for the time of day, appropriate amount of costume. It's a no fail solution.
Worst Dressed
Princess Mathilde at the Te Deum Service
Mathilde has attended this event many a time in the past, so I'm not sure how she got so mixed up about the time. It's not an evening event, yet this is what she wore. That's an evening dress (sleeveless at the Te Deum! Scandal!), and a bad one at that. This NATAN creation puts the waist of the dress right where no woman wants it and then has the audacity to add bulk with that strange black band. The hair's evening wear too - there's no need to be that intricate during the day - and that hair ornament (can you call it a fascinator? I'm not sure you can) feels like something Spain's Princess Elena might wear with one of her olé! ensembles. And then there's the shoes and the bag which is beige which makes no sense....I'm truly confused. Mathilde's the only one that changed between the Te Deum and the military parade. She just should have stuck with the orange number.
Photos: Belga
Uniforms: appropriate for the time of day, appropriate amount of costume. It's a no fail solution. 
