On the evening of April 11, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima hosted a state banquet at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron. During the state banquet, the King and President Macron gave speeches. At the invitation of the King, President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron are making a 2-day state visit to the Netherlands.
Claes Iversen dress
Not sure about the practicality of the sleeves, but queen Maxima looks absolutely stunning in this red dress. Mrs Macron looks 'simple' but stylish as well
ReplyDeleteYes to the dress, yes Queen Maxima!! A real wow-factor, love everything about it, the cut, the color, her jewelry, her hair(!)! I don’t care about the etiquette that the order ribbon cannot touch the bare shoulder , silly rule really.
ReplyDelete//AA
Agree completely.
DeletePauline
I think Q. Max looks wonderful here. The pearl jewels are exquisite and compliment the exuberance of the dress. Well done! I like the First Lady’s dress too - great fit and flattering colour. (V.M.)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how she eats with that dress. Wrong in so many ways. Autch! 🙈
ReplyDeleteAnd very unfortunate of the president for wearing the wrong clothes. A black jacket and a morning jacket 🤦♂️ Don’t they have assistants?!
Quite shocking, to say the least. A black vest and a morning suit/cutaway for a white tie dinner. What on earth were they thinking? I also find Mrs. Macrons dress to be very harsh, and unflattering (although the cut and shape as such suit her), with the high, almost turtleneck-like collar. It looks much more business than gala attire. As for Queen Maxima: the jewels are magnificent, which was to be expected, of course. I'm not overly convinced of the dress as it seems a little impractical for dining.
DeleteBeautiful red dress by Iversen but those sleeves must be very difficult to handle at the dinner table.
ReplyDeleteMme Macron´s dress is very elegant and dignified. She really knows how to dress as the first lady of a republic.
Ladyofthemanor
My thought as well.
DeleteHow did Q.Maxima keep her sleeves out of the soup?
ReplyDeleteHahahaha--I was wondering how she could see her food past those sleeves! Janet
DeleteSimple, she won't eat soup.
DeleteAva
Made my day:)
DeleteMajestic!
ReplyDeleteNOT at all;)
DeleteAs we have come to expect, Queen Max will always wow us, and the night's banquet was no exception. I love the true red of her gown, and its skirt. I'm not fond of the voluminous sleeves. They surely must interfere with dining! BUT, she's wearing jewels...lots of them, including a tiara, and I love them all. The pearls really stand out against the red of her gown. Mrs. Macron's gown is beautiful, especially the line of it. The embellishments on the bodice and sleeve is very modern and eye-catching.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree, Maxima's red dress is beautiful, except those sleeves (ugh). Those jewels are magnificent. And Mrs Macron looks beautiful.
DeleteChel
All look gorgeous - but Queen Maxima is absolutely superb. That red is just perfect for her. Wow.
ReplyDeleteMaxa.....WOW.
DeleteMadam Macron .....very nice.
I am not impressed on the garbage bag sleeves.
ReplyDeleteOh Queen Maxima you are GLORIOUS in this dress!! Your hair, your jewels your tiara are all just gorgeous!! Well done ma'am well done!! Just STUPENDOUS!! Oh and Madame Macron looks nice too!
ReplyDeleteQM is not called ma'am but Your Majesty, we are not in the UK but in the Netherlands.
DeleteActually, we're on the Internet. Where pedants proliferate.
DeleteI really dislike Maxima's dress. This kind of dress is not suitable for a state visit in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI was also wondering about the suitability of Qn Maxima's dress's for a state visit.
Delete100% Agree.
DeleteI agree
DeleteBoth ladies look very nice, I love Mrs Macron's outfit. Máxima, well, very strange choice of sleeves to wear at a banquet. |Melanie|
ReplyDeleteMaxima looks lovely in red but this time there is too much red. Even the sash looks like an odd part of the dress, instead of looking like the sash of honour that it is supposed to be. And while those balloon sleeves look OK on the model, they don't look good on Maxima. They're too long, or something.
ReplyDeleteMadame Macron on the other hand, looks as chic and as elegant as one would find on the pages of Vogue. Beautiful gown!
- Anon 9:13
Agree !!
DeleteLove QM’s choice of jewelry! The pearls are so stunning! The gown I’m not a fan of. Red is appropriate but the sleeves kill it for me. Her hair looks beautiful! Why she doesn’t use a hairstylist during her day engagements, I don’t know. And off topic, but does anyone else think the model looks scared or haunted?
ReplyDeleteThe model is scared! Ugly photo
DeleteThe French woman has a lovely gown. Q Max, looks very strange. Now way would she have been able to eat with those sleeves. Too much going on with the red gown. Crane
ReplyDeleteThe French woman is called Madame Macron. The way you say it sounds so rude.
Delete@anonymous 09:06 … she is a French woman. Nothing wrong with this.
DeleteI love QM's dress. Such drama!!!!
ReplyDeleteMe too, she nails it
DeleteLove Maxima's gown except for the sleeves--way too much. She looks great in red and her jewels are perfect--her pearls are gorgeous paired with this bright red. One thing I think is a bit odd--she is wearing a red sash. It is hard to see the sash as it blends in with her dress. She had to have known about wearing the red sash so I wonder why she is wearing a red gown. Mme Macron looks fabulous! Love her gown and it is very well-suited to her slim figure. Can't wait for more tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Those sleeves ? well Maxima always has to have something OTT.
DeleteI love her 💛💙
OMG! I love it when QM brings her 'A game' - what a knockout!!
ReplyDeleteExactly my reaction. She is incredible in this red dress.
DeleteThe pearls contrast nicely with the gorgeous red and make the whole ensemble look young and seasonal. Oh those earrings! Sleeves are dumb.
ReplyDeleteCVC
I love the pearls with that red gown. Good contrast and less showy than the huge diamonds she often wears.
ReplyDeleteYes, Maxima looks spectacular in that dress. She can wear it. Beautiful jewellery. Whereas B. Macron looks quite old, seen from near. Her dress is well chosen - it covers everything, wrinkled upper arms, decolleté etc.
DeletePauline
I love her style! She's definitely from the 'go big or go home' school, but it works so well on her!
ReplyDeleteAnd for once suddenly we don’t hear from all Maxima critics out there who keep going on and on about her hair. Even you have to admit that she looks great here. From head to toe.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. I think, Maxima's detractors are full of jealousy and hatred. Jealousy, because they don't have (and never will have) her high position, luxury, good life. Hatred, because she exudes optimism, intelligence, happiness, paired with good looks.
DeletePauline
Dear Pauline: Yes, a lot of us criticize Máxima & her messy hair & her OTT fashion choices; but that does definitely not mean that most or all of us are "full of jealousy and hatred". Seriously? It's simply criticizing something we've seen over & over & over... And I for one would not want her vaunted position or to even BE her. |Melanie|
DeleteClaes Iversen's dresses look so good on Maxima. This kind of spectacular sleeves are difficult to carry off but Maxima manages to handle those big sleeves with an ease, and she looks stylish and elegant. The deep red color looks stunning. The dress fit her well, the pearl jewellery absolutely gorgeous, also her hair styled well. This is Maxima I want to see more often, please!
ReplyDeleteKaarin
First:
ReplyDeleteOrder sash on bare shoulder: Back in the history orders were worn only by gentlemen. No man does have bare shoulders for a gala event. When nearing modern times even ladies were given orders. They were given "equal protocol". If you know the history, the etiquette doesn't seem so silly. By the way, the royal ladies of Denmark are exemplary solving this problem.
Second
The problem with big sleeves. A true story from many many years ago. My parents attended a big gala dinner. One lady had really big sleeves. Her eating went ok, but her wine glass went upside down because of the sleeves.
Margot
What on earth is Macron wearing? Is is some garment we should be familiar with? Please tell me!
ReplyDeletePut together totally wrong. See other comments further above.
DeleteQueen Maxima is, well, a queen. She surely knows how to deal with drama sleeves. She looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe Queen looks sensational.. The pearl necklace is simply divine, beautiful quality pearls, her earrings, gorgeous. Love the red gown. Hair and makeup, stunning. Madam Macron looks beautiful very elegant.
ReplyDeleteLouis Vuitton has been Mrs. Macron’s brand of choice for her wardrobe since she became first lady.
ReplyDeleteStarting with Mme Macron - she looks stunning. The dress suits her very well and while it has a vintage-y feel, it works with her fringe and the understated styling. Maxima is Maxima and she's done a lot of things right this time. She looks fantastic in red. Her styling, from hair, makeup to jewellery, is magnificent. And yet, I can't quite put my finger on it, why something bugs me about the look. It might be the impractical sleeves? Or the red sash disappearing on the red fabric? Or the colour being so dominant, it overpowers the guests? I don't know. I'd like to see the look again on another occasion, possibly without a sash & then judge. Until then, I'm just enjoying the sparkly goodies Maxima found in the vault and the timeless elegance of Brigitte Macron.
ReplyDelete-Nika-
Sono d’accordo con te
DeleteRossella
For me Mrs Macron is the winner here. What a beautiful, elegant, chic and well fitting gown.
ReplyDeleteAgree 100 %
Delete👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
DeleteWhy can't people just use words to express themselves? Is it really that difficult?
DeleteBelles toutes les deux même si je préfère madame Macron très chic dans cette robe que je ne lui ai jamais vue ; elle est bien coiffée avec des boucles d'oreilles bien choisies en reprenant le doré de motifs de sa tenue !
ReplyDeleteI think Queen Maxima looks absolutely fabulous - love the whole thing including voluminous and impractical sleeves.
ReplyDeleteMadame Macron also looks very stylish.
A top royal dress. Máxima looks stunning. Claes Yversen sometimes designes dresses that are superb and this is one of them. And this time Maxima does not exaggerate with jewelry. The simple dress of mme Macron is also very nice, although I do not like the silver modern graphic print/embroidery on the top.
ReplyDeleteFor Maxima it's always all or nothing.
ReplyDeleteCan I/we conclude that this outfit worn by QM has your approval? Usually you're quite harsh in your comments when it's about the clothing and hairdo of this queen ... so, if this time you like it, why just don't write so ...
DeleteMaxima really does not understand that sometimes less is more, does she. The sleeves are horrible and ruin an otherwise lovely dress.
ReplyDeleteTo you less might be more, but for Queen Maxima, no. She's tall, beautiful and built to wear gowns. More is her style.
DeleteMaxima really lives up to her name. LOVE IT. The model looks so strange in that dress though, like a scared boy?!
ReplyDeleteAgain a wig, she looks like Godzilla in my opinion. Over the top, terrible as always. Madame Macron beautiful.
ReplyDelete14.12 What are you talking?
DeleteCould you olease make an effort to use the right words : Qn Maxima wears hair extensions, which is quite different from a wig.
Delete@Anon 14:12 You are horribly rude. Why would you mention Godzilla? Next, you must learn the difference between wigs and hair extensions. You write in such extremes! So much drama! If she irritates you so much that she causes you lose your head, you may want to skip the posts about Maxima for the sake of your health.
DeleteGodzilla didn't wear a wig so not sure why you should be reminded of such. Or indeed, a red evening gown.
DeleteQueen Maxima: over the top as usual !!
ReplyDeleteYes, but the "show" would be nothing without Maxima 😁
DeleteBlablablabla
DeleteI think those giant sleeves on Maxima's dress ruin the overall impression. But I love the pearl necklace. I have to show this my husband what jewelry I want for my anniversary. Madame Macron is elegant. It's a pity that the author of the blog explicitly focuses only on royals' clothes, the clothes of presidents' wives or female presidents are not shown in more detail. Actually, these ladies are sometimes a better inspiration for fashion than members of royal families.
ReplyDeleteStephanie
What a stunning gown and vibrant color red, the only thing I don't like are the sleeves. Madame Macron is in a well fitted black and silver contrast. gown, very beautiful. css
ReplyDeleteWhy no tiara for Brigitte Macron? Her husband thinks he is the King of France. They travel a lot to be anywhere but France at the moment.
ReplyDeleteMarie
You are probably referring to the recent protests in France over the pension reform. Well, sometimes politicians have to take unpopular measures so that the state does not go bankrupt (for example, raising the retirement age to 64 - which has long been in place in most of Europe). But he knows how to represent his country abroad.
DeleteStephanie
@Stephanie - i refer to Mr Macron’s attitude / arrogant way to govern in general and not specifically with regards to this difficult measure he has to implement. If you think he represents France well abroad, then good for France. You are very welcome to keep him abroad 😁. (By the way, I am a French citizen who agrees with the pension’s change)
DeleteMarie
Mrs. Macron looks beautiful as always. Queen Maxima's dress is gorgeous however the beauty of the dress is minimized by too much jewelry and the long (fake?)hair. Too much of a Barbie/pageant vibe. Maxima looks like a candidate for "The Real Housewives of The Haque". Suzie Q
ReplyDeleteMrs. Macron looks beautiful as always? 🧐
Deleteand sorry you think that way about Queen Maxima …
Soph’
This might be off topic, but does anyone know if royals are informed on beforehand if they get any new honors? I know that Queen Maxima was given the Grand Cross of the French National Order of Merit in 2016.
ReplyDeleteI should think so. The responsible people at the respective protocol offices will work out such things beforehand. It's all put together then in a resumé/dossier printed out for anyone who is involved to see. Plus, with new technolgies at hand, also available electronically, of course. State visits require a lot of planning and logistics long before the event eventually takes place.
DeleteDear All,
ReplyDeleteQueen Maxima has a brain. Does it not occur to anyone that both she and Claes Iverson knew there would be a problem with those sleeves at a dining table and maybe the bottom of those sleeves are gathered together with elastic thus permitting her to push the bottoms above her elbow when at a dining table making the sleeves short enough not to get in the soup.
Other than that I do think the sleeves could have been a fraction less long and voluminous. Other than that she looks gorgeous but I would have left one extra piece of her jewels at home too.
Another gripe. WHAT IS WRONG if she is wearing a wig or a hairpiece or whatever? I would much rather she plonked some extra hair on her head than some of the hideous hats she wears. In this day and age I think some of her hat appearances in this country look just rediculous. She does not need them so everyone can see who is the queen. She is tall and striking enough that nobody can mistake who she is. I far prefer her messy hair than an awful hat.
You make excellent points. I am irritated by the comments about Maxima’s sleeves getting in her food. Of course all of that was thought about beforehand. I find that the majority of the negative comments come from people that can’t wear what they are complaining about, or haven’t the imagination to see how the sleeves won’t get in the way during a meal. It is the same with shoes. They will go on and on about the height of the heels because they can’t wear them that high. Women who can wear the highest heels don’t see a problem. This blog is about who is wearing the fashion and how it looks on that person, not the person making the comments. Thanks also for mentioning the hair. When did it become a crime to wear a hairpiece? Women have done it for decades. Maxima should do it more often.
DeleteVery well said. Comments on the sleeves are unnecessarily superficial.
DeleteMaxima wears gowns like no one else. This is a prime example indeed. She has the stature and charisma to wear the dress, whereas often other royal ladies get lost in their gowns. Perfect choice of tiara and jewelry as well.
Mme Macron loves her column gowns and they are really the only option for her body and height. She wears Vuitton well, but it gets overly predictable after so many similar outfits. But a different cut or style would probably engulf her petite stature.
Nice to see occasionally these white tie galas. All the pomp and circumstance. French folks might feel their president is a little tone deaf, but in the end they will benefit from the outcomes of the visit.
CH
After reading all these comments there is one thing that is sure - Queen Maxima is the royal lady that receives by far the most negative and harsh comments, sometimes even mean. Why is that? Does she look too happy for you ?Maxima looks like she enjoys life and does not care what other people think of her.
ReplyDeleteAmen, well said,
DeleteThanks for your comment; Totally agree with you. As far as I'm concerned, she is one of the royals who experiments the most with fashion including jewelry, while so many writers on this blog opt for safe, familiar and predictable. This comment doesn't mean that other royals don't look good, but their clothes don't call for a different look. And before people start responding to this comment, no, I'm not a fan of the slick loose hair either and I'm not in awe about her clothes all the time. Being 'less stiff'/'easier approachable' and spontaneous doesn't make you less regal in my opinion, but I get the impression that some of us are looking for stiffness and not as approachable in a royal and therefore feel the need to make such harsh comments about this queen
ReplyDeletePerfectly said. I am not interested in cookie cutter royals wearing predictable uniforms. I appreciate the few who take some risks, even if it doesn't end up being a success.
DeleteVery regal Max.
ReplyDeletePost a Comment
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