Royals

Princess Mary divides opinions with kimono-style outfit in Japan

Oct 13, 2017

Princess Mary has been on a diplomatic trip since Sunday.

While the Duchess of Cambridge is away, the other fashionable royals will play. Princess Mary has been turning heads with her latest outfit choices, with some of her touring wardrobe looking positively queenly. Currently in Japan with husband Frederik, the Crown Prince of Denmark, Mary has been kicking goals with everything from delicate lace and simple neutrals to a cool and casual vibe for a walkathon.

This time, Mary has gone for something darker than her usual style with a kimono-like ensemble that might have been perfect for the occasion: an official celebration of 150 years of diplomatic relations between Denmark and Tokyo.

A set of images from the event were posted to Det Danske Kongehus, the official Instagram account for the royal family of Denmark.

Hans Kongelige Højhed Kronprinsen holdt tale, da 150-året for de diplomatiske forbindelser mellem Danmark og Japan her til aften blev fejret i Tokyo. Kronprinsparret deltog sammen med Deres Kejserlige Højheder Japans Kronprins og Kronprinsesse og i sin tale takkede Kronprinsen for Kronprinsparrets seneste dage i Japan. Siden i søndags har Kronprinsparret stået i spidsen for et erhvervs- og kulturfremstød i Japan.

A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS (@detdanskekongehus) on Oct 12, 2017 at 5:13am PDT

Mary has been favouring heels of a far more conservative height on her trip, though she’s still a full head taller than Naruhito, the Crown Prince of Japan. The subtle blue pumps were complemented with a matching blue clutch, the colours picking up the floral pattern in Mary’s ensemble.

Opting for only a few accessories, and with her thick dark hair pulled back into an elegant twist, Mary let her outfit do the talking. While not a full kimono, the black two-piece featured a similar wrap style with a cinched waist, and the accompanying culottes gave the outfit a flow-on effect.

Masako, the Crown Princess of Japan, was similarly pared-back, in her outfit choice, choosing a creamy-gold coat and dress that was offset by the strands of pearls at her neck.

Mary’s outfits inspired by the Japanese kimono have attracted praise and criticism, with some saying that the Australian-born royal is “taking diplomatic dressing way too literally”.