Miss Elaineous

Tuesday, 8 June 2021

THE BEST ROYAL WEDDING DRESSES AND ENGAGEMENT RINGS...

My interest in royal wedding dresses began at the age of ten, when Princess Diana walked down the aisle at St Paul's Cathedral.

It wasn't my first foray into fashion- that began at the age of five or six, when I'd copy illustrator Veronica Papworth's sketches from the Daily Express (like the one below) then play around with them, by re-designing the dresses, accessories and even the hairstyles.😀

Do you remember the cardboard cut-out dress-them-yourself dolls like these?

I used to draw around the doll then design my own clothes with tabs to fit onto her!

I was fascinated by the pageantry, and by the sheer glamour of Diana; who was young, fresh, beautiful and fashionable. I'm know she wasn't the first royal woman to be all of those things, but she was the first I became interested in.

The recent launch of the Royal Style in the Making exhibition at Kensington Palace (which I'm booked in to see😀), which contains this iconic dress, inspired in me the need to share my favourites.

I have only shown British royal brides, as that's what I know most about (feel free to comment and educate me regarding foreign royalty of all cultures).

Most of the royal wedding dresses and engagement rings are pretty darn nice. But, for me, only a handful really stand out and "speak" to me.

I've put a collection together (I don't think I need to point out that the majority of photos in this post are PDFs- I'm yet to be invited to a royal wedding!)

Here's my top five, in order of loveliness...

Sarah, Duchess of York, often got things wrong in terms of fashion- who could forget the black dress with that awful, duvet-like red satin wrap she wore for an evening event? If ever there was a woman in need of a stylist, it was Fergie in the 1980s.

But here, in 1986, she nailed it just perfectly and looked the best she ever did. I adore the fact that this Lindka Cierach gown sparkles and glistens, and find the gorgeous, simple neckline really appealing.

The back features a huge bow and it's magnificent. It worked for this dress and Fergie made bows her signature.

This is the dreamy crinoline I adored as a child, discovered in a book my mum bought me of royal wedding dress sketches. Worn by Queen Alexandra (then Princess Alexandra), consort to Edward VII at their wedding in 1863, and designed by Mrs James of Belgravia, my mum slung the book away without my permission. Grrr, grrr and a thousand grrrs!

Princess Alexandra had the dress altered so that she could wear it again. Here's a photo of mine, taken at the Fashion Museum, Bath. It was actually the second time I'd seen this dress- the first was at a 2002 Kensington Palace exhibition of royal wedding dresses. That exhibition also included the wedding gowns of the Queen, the Queen Mother, Queen Mary and Queen Victoria.

2018, and a stunning Peter Pilotto dress for a pretty girl with all her curves in the right places, and I love the deep V at the back. It was designed that way, and the dress worn without a veil so that Princess Eugenie could show off her scar from surgery to correct her scoliosis.

This twist at the back is very modern, and the 21st century equivalent to a bow.

It was difficult choosing between Princess Beatrice's 2020 wedding dress and her sister Eugenie's dress for third place, but the more sophisticated neckline of Eugenie's just clinched it for me.

That's not to say that this is not spectacular- designed by Norman Hartnell and previously word by the Queen, Beatrice's dress was altered with the addition of cute puff sleeves and also appropriately lengthened as Beatrice is taller.

I couldn't not include the 1981 Emanuel dress which sparked my interest- the wedding itself was the royal wedding to beat all royal weddings. As we all know, the marriage wasn't as much of a success.

After studying fashion I seriously considered working in the field of bridalwear. Interesting, as I've never been in a rush to walk down the aisle myself, and if I did it would only be a small affair (a romantic elopement appeals). I'd make sure my dress (something which could be dyed and worn again) was gorgeous, though!

Here's one that almost made my list, and it's good ol' Queen Victoria marrying her beloved Prince Albert, in 1840.

Interestingly, it's quite revealing in terms of being off-the-shoulder (like her daughter in-law, Princess Alexandra's was). It's something that's not well thought of for royal brides nowadays, and that's a shame.

When it comes to engagement rings, this iconic sparkler, worn by Princess Diana and then the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has got to be the best. I even own a copy, worn as a dress ring.

Funnily enough, despite loving it, if I ever got engaged I wouldn't want a ring like this- I'd want a solitaire diamond.

Camilla Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall's Art Deco heirloom ring was once worn by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

It's timeless and absolutely stunning, but to me more of a dress ring than an engagement ring.

This was designed for Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) using diamonds hacked from a tiara once belonging to Princess Alice of Battenberg, the mother of her intended, Prince Philip.

The queen wanted something she could wear every day, and so would I. So, for my engagement, it would be a toss-up between this beauty and the next ring...

Princess Beatrice's solitaire was enhanced by Art Deco baguette styling on the shoulders. Does this still make it a solitaire? Kind of...

It was hard choosing between this and the Queen's ring for third place.

A Burmese ruby formed the centrepiece of Fergie's ring, chosen to match her striking red hair.

This one nearly made the list. I liked it before the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, had it altered, though. I just prefer a chunky ring to a flimsy band.

If I ever get engaged I'm having a chunky ring, as I'd just bend or break something delicate!

An additional adorable, although this one was always just a dress ring. This striking aquamarine has been worn by both Diana and Meghan.

In terms of veils, there are only two which have ever stood out for me, for much the same reason as each other.

This is Meghan with her 16ft diaphanous train, which was decorated with embroidered flowers of the Commonwealth, plus a Californian poppy to represent her American background.

The Queen's sheer veil was similarly adorned but with scattered flowers, inspired by Botticelli's (c.1482) painting of Primavera. I like the look of a sheer veil dragging along the red carpet/ chapel floor...

An update:- since writing this I've learnt that it's not actually her veil- it's a train sewn onto the shoulders. Oh well, I still love it!

From classic Veronica Papworth sketches to royal bridal fashion, as a teenager I then turned more mainstream, although as a punk/goth/ general weirdo I did once design a collection inspired by rubber and lace cobwebs (don't ask!)

I did end up working for the mass market, as a designer, but was always a bit too avant-garde to fit in properly.

Here's me conforming. The middle gal's wearing my dress, designed for fashion chain New Look.

Here's one of my mood boards, which sat in my portfolio for years.

Here's a link to more:-

https://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2017/04/my-fashion-designs.html

Some older stuff, showing a bit of my wackiness, and I actually pulled this out of the bin to photograph- before discarding it!

Here's another link to more of the same ilk:-

https://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2019/06/my-fashion-designs-part-2.html

There was not enough work available in the ailing British fashion industry, so I had to move on. And it worked, as I love writing more than designing- it's more academically challenging, and I need something meaty, to get my teeth into.

But I will always retain some interest in clothes...

TTFN

The Miss Elaineous

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Wednesday, 2 June 2021

MISS ELAINEOUS VISITS PAINSHILL (YET AGAIN...)

It's the sixth time I've visited this wonderful place, first discovered when a Facebook friend posted a beautiful picture of the one of the follies, which got me planning.

Painshill is an 18th century landscaped garden, created between 1738 and 1773 by the Hon. Charles Hamilton, who was the 9th son and 14th child of the Sixth Earl of Abercorn. He embarked on two Grand Tours (the classical education for aristocratic young men in Georgian England, the intention being to cultivate their taste in European culture) ending up in Rome, before acquiring the land of Painshill. His vision was to create "living paintings" in a new style of magical garden, designed to surprise and delight. Inspired by the art and architecture he had seen, the result was a series of magical follies in a breathtaking landscape vista.

Everything you see here has been created (during faithful restoration of the garden since 1981- it had been allowed to fall into ruin) and works with the natural landscape.

It's a 2.6 mile walk from Cobham Stoke d'Arbernon railway station, which took us directly beside the River Mole.

These two swans were being obtuse, and seemed to want to fish for food alternately, rather than posing for us...

This is a SuperDean photograph, as he managed to snap the swans complying with our wishes!

Cedar House, which was once a stately home, is reflected in the water.

Cobham Mill was completed in about 1822, for the production of animal feed. Allowed to descend into neglect during the last century, restoration of the mill was completed in 1992, and it's open as a tourist attraction- just not on this particular day.

This is another SuperDean photo, taken with his phone whilst standing in front of Cedar House, looking back down the River Mole as we made our way back to the station in the afternoon. The town is picture-postcard perfect.

This isn't going to be a detailed blog as I've blogged about Painshill Park three times before. I'm just going to include a few pictures which inspired me throughout the day.

My link from September 2017:-

http://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2017/09/miss-elaineous-visits-painshill.html

My link from February 2018:-

http://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2018/02/miss-elaineous-visits-painshill-again.html

My link from February 2019:-

http://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2019/02/miss-elaineous-visits-painshill-for.html

This tree was down the Fir Walk, and the red cones reminded me of fingers, with the middle finger sticking up. This tree was making its feelings perfectly clear and giving me the bird!

Inside the Gothic Temple, and the view over the vista featuring the Turkish Tent and Five-Arch Bridge.

When King George III (1738-1820) visited, he said that this was his favourite view at Painshill.

The Great Cedar is more than 250 years old, and is the height of nine double-decker buses stacked on top of one another!

The back of the Ruined Abbey. It was originally built as a screen to hide the kilns needed for Painshill's commercial operation of brick making, as the park did not generate an income.

Could the ruins in front of the arch be a part of those kilns?

It was the first folly to undergo an archaeological investigation, in 1984, and ducts between wall were revealed.

Here's Dean doing his own investigation...

The Ruined Abbey central arch from the front.

The excavation also revealed kiln arches and this is what Dean seems nonplussed by, at the side of the Ruined Abbey- before we'd re-read the history...

I thought I looked rather bedraggled, so didn't want my photo taken. I was also suffering from the remnants of an ear infection which- although mild- caused a bit of swelling in my face.

Do you think triple leopard print (top, scarf, and it features on the bracelet) too much? I don't, and only regret that I forgot to add my leopard print earrings...😆

This was taken on the way to the Grotto. It looks like something from The Wicker Man...

This is the Rockwork Arch, and is made of oolitic (egg stone) limestone, quarried near bath. It reminds me of impacted skulls, which was the idea.

Water cascading into pools are a feature inside the Grotto, along with stalactites made of crystals...

After becoming derelict in the mid 1940s, the Grotto began to be restored in 1986.

The main chamber and mysterious passages are lined with calcite, quartz, fluorite, gypsum and other stones and minerals.

Looking out over a rock pool, onto the lake...

Now and then it's possible to take a photograph that's just perfect, and requires no tweaking. This is such a photo, and a friend quipped that it reminded him of "The Lady In The Lake," which comes from Arthurian legend.

Crossing away from Grotto Island, and looking back down the lake towards the Ruined Abbey.

The Mausoleum.

The Five-Arch Bridge, with a sleeping swan to one side...

Its friend, and the first time the SuperDean saw a swan sleeping like this, with its head under its wing, he though it was either poorly or dead!

The Waterwheel wasn't working on this day, and looked like it could do with a lick of paint. It's normally a deep shade of red.

Nature can be fascinating sometimes, like these tree roots.

The Temple of Bacchus from below. Its restoration is now complete.

I thought this photo of the Gothic Tower with a pylon in front of it an interesting juxtaposition.

Vandals set fire to it in 1973, and it was restored and reopened in 1989, by Sarah, Duchess of York (before she said goodbye to royal life.) I've seen this ceremony on TV, and she got much criticism for behaving in an informal manner and becoming fascinated by a ladybird at her feet. Shame. I rather liked her spontaneous approach.