50 thoughts on “Princess Sofia in Bastad for Industry Day”

1. Sofia needs better tailoring – the blue pants are too long. And the grey and white top looks to be a size too small. On the plus side – despite a baby only a few months old Sofia is out there supporting causes – no long maternity leaave in Swedish Royal Family

   1. +1

   2. Oh, Oz, my first thought was, Hem those trousers! Ugh.
      And, I agree, Sofia is out there so soon after giving birth. She is doing her
      part and I admire her for that!

   3. The black pants are properly hemmed. Perhaps the jumpsuit was new and no-one got round to hemming it before first wear or she was intending to wear higher heels? I guess these things happen.

2. When was the baby born? She looks like she didn’t just have a baby wow! I love jumpsuits but can’t pull them off.

   1. April 19.

3. That jumpsuit is awesome.

   1. I don’t like jumpsuits but this one has converted me. Awesome! Love the colour on her.
      She also seems confident to chat to camera – not a prepared speech. Whatever her past she seems a mature and self confident woman, and that must be difficult some days given things that are said about her.

      1. I hate jumpsuits, but this doesn’t look like one and the color is great on Sofia!

      2. I have to agree Birdy, that she appears to take her role seriously and while I have serious issues with her past it’s because she hasn’t renounced it. Perhaps this is a cultural thing and what’s acceptable in another country is frowned upon here.
         What I do appreciate is that she isn’t rail thin, that she looks healthy, and that she is out and about before becoming ‘skinny’ which is awesome and it does appear that she is confident and comfortable in her own skin. I have not, nor will I ever, take pot shots at anyone’s God given looks. What they do with them, how they comport themselves is, I think fair game, but not something over which they have no control. I wonder if becoming a mother brought out something in Sofia that I personally didn’t see before. As for my ‘skinny’ comment, it seems to me that women in particular are bombarded with messages that this is the way to look, so hopefully putting it in that context will make it clear that it’s just a very generalized observation. I have gained a bunch of weight due to stress and am embarrassed and ashamed, to the point of not wanting to be seen by people who knew me when I was thin.

         1. Hi Royals, sorry to hear about the struggle you are going through. I have also struggled with unwanted weight gain and now after several years I’ve been finally able to do some physical exercise but overhauling my eating habits is a real challenge. I really hope you can find a way to manage your stress and lose the feelings of embarrassment and shame, as those that really love and care for you won’t even notice weight gain but will only see your bright smile and witty humor.

         2. Royals, Lauri’s advice is on the money. There is a point where you must be kind to yourself above all, realise your worth, flicking away all that causes you stress. That may mean taking some time out, letting some people go, and/or re-thinking what makes you genuinely happy, however small. Build from there. Eating healthily is what really matters, not weight. It takes time; be patient. xx

            1. +1 million.?

         3. My issue with her past is that it didn’t hurt anyone else. ( I’m not a fan of Camilla because her past did affect others) .
            Weight and the pressure to be slim is something I too struggle with. I’m on a real health kick at the moment , lots of fruit, veggies etc. And of course I feel so much better, so it’s worth it. It’s all about what makes you feel good not pounds ( or kilos) or dress size.
            I know KMR prefers us not to fixate on Kate’s size, but I feel very strongly that she is not a good role model. Sofia, Max ,Victoria are all slim and healthy but not super skinny.

      3. +1

         The length makes it flowing and formal like a gown, rather than professional day wear

         Well done Princess Sofia and the SRF!

4. That is a really unfortunately named town!!?

   1. The name is actually Båstad (with an a with a dot), pronounced “o”. It’s a rather nice city and famous for beach life, tennis etc.

      1. Apologies. I read it with my english sensibilities. I’d be a terrible visitor because i’d be puerille and giggle entire time i was there.

         1. I thought the same thing.?

         2. I read it incorrectly and thought ‘say what??’. I also have a problem with Fuddruckers so am very careful with that word even though my grandson works there. When my girls were little I mispronounced it. They gleefully pointed my error out so I’ve been cautious about certain words ever since. Not to mention the fact that some words that I used as a young person have totally different meanings these days. Anyway, it sounds like a lovely place and I too appreciate the explanation via Grace:)

   2. Why?

      1. The name sounds like something quite rude in english which makes me giggle because it’s purely coincidental that the two words read the same to my eyes.

         Thank goodness for Grace’s explanation about the pronounciation because that makes all the difference. ?

         1. I must admit to having a schoolgirl snigger when I saw the headline……I must grow up one day. Xx

            1. I did too, but know that I will never grow up.

            2. Could someone please tell me why this is funny because I still don’t get it.

         2. The word bastard in English is a swear word and is used as an insult. Technically it means illegitimate child but people use it when they want to be really derogatory about someone. E.g. William is a right insufferable bastard. We Brits do like our smutty insinuations and childish humour. Please excuse us…..we weren’t laughing at you but rather the fact that there was a place called Bastad. Xx

            1. That’s what I thought (since that’s the only thing close to Bastad I could think of), but I couldn’t find the humor in that so I thought it must be something I wasn’t getting. Thanks for clarifying.

            2. It’s not very funny but it is in a puerile, schoolgirl sort of way. The kind of things kids laugh at because the teacher nearly used something that sounded like a swear word. Brits never grow out of that type of humour. Xx

5. She looks good in the jumpsuit (even though it needs to be hemmed)!

6. I agree with everyone about the jumpsuit, lovely colour and flattering but I’m worried about her tripping on the long legs!! Her hair isn’t very flattering in either colour or style, which is a shame as she has a nice face. She’s a fan of Hugo Boss like Queen Letizia it seems.

7. I love the colour and style of that jumpsuit. But I wish she had styled her hair better. The centre part is too severe here, or maybe it’s because she’s tucked in the hair on one side?
   I do love that she’s still putting in appearances and great that she gave a soundbite.
   For some reason this reminded me of the soundbites Pippa has given. Pippa seems more confident in herself than Kate, and I sometimes think she might have been better at royal family duties.

   1. I so agree EL, the soundbite goes a long way in establishing a connection between the charity and it’s patron, also it gives us a sense of what drew the patron to this particular charity and what the charity does and hopes to accomplish. The soundbite is something I have long hoped that Kate would embrace, given her fear of public speaking it would be a great way for her to spread the word about her charities without having to make a speech. I think finding one or two royal reporters that she felt comfortable with and having them ask her simple questions about her charity visit (when she ever makes one again) would be very helpful for her.

      I also agree that Pippa probably would have made a better royal spouse than Kate, her personality and confidence would be better suited to that role than Kate’s demure, little girl personality is.

      1. There are a few videos around with Kate speaking off-the-cuff, and she looked neither panicked nor uncomfortable. The ‘demure’ tag is currently enjoying some vogue, though I think it is conjured to explain her disdain for doing much. There’s really nothing stopping Kate from doing more.

         I’m not interested in playing to this constructed ‘little girl’ persona; it’s just rubbish to excuse laziness.

         1. I would love to see those videos if you have the links. I’m trying to imagine a confident Kate but I just can’t. I’ve seen her speak confidently sometimes but I always get the impression she is trying to act a certain way as opposed to being her natural self. If I had to describe her personality I would be stuck.

            1. Hi EL

               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYVrJLoM0Ac
               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PNpcQ95XZs

               I’d agree with you on the ‘stuck personality’; too busy trying to channel what she thinks people will adore ie another Diana, hence she is not authentic. That comes through in so many mannered ways eg the phony accent, the endless left hand flashing of the ring, etc

            2. Thanks for the links Jen. So I guess the demure/shy thing is put on. I have noticed that Kate seemed more animated confident right after the engagement and wedding. I guess reality has hit by now that this isn’t a walk in the park, always adored type of thing. Diana made it look easy. It takes work to get public and media goodwill and the older Will and Harry grow, the less people view them through the rose-coloured lens of their mother’s achievements.

               I’m disappointed in the soundbite.It’s her typical response – “interesting, very interesting”. I wonder what she cares about, something that gets her animated or get her to give answers that aren’t shallow.

            3. Kate’s response is what has now become typically shallow; perhaps that’s all there is to her? In fifteen years there has been nothing much to her, no interests bar watching elite sport, shopping and exotic holidays. But demure? Not so much.

               I’d agree with you that as the boys move to middle age, they will be judged by their achievements alone. Diana has been dead for nearly 20 years – William and Harry’s ‘normal’ consists of more years without their mother in their daily lives than with her. That’s a hard transition to come to grips with to be sure; where Harry honors his mother through service, William wallows in self-pity.

            4. Wow, she really didn’t say anything of substance there did she.

               I agree with you guys re William, Harry, and Diana: The rose-colored nostalgia goggles have been slowly wearing off for years. And as the years pass, they will disappear. The younger generation has grown up without Diana being alive, and they won’t care about W&H being her sons, since they won’t care about her. W&H&K need to make their own way in the world without falling back on the Diana card.

8. Way to go, Sofia! I’m quite impressed with her hard work. You can’t deny her support of Project Playground. I think that she’s had a good start in her first year of marriage and hope she keeps it up.

   I want that blue jumpsuit…and I don’t care for the hem. I agree about the hem. That is on thing I get nutty about. A good hem can make or break an outfit. Sofia has beautiful hair, but would love to see an off center part.

   Thanks for the nice post, KMR!

   1. I agree with you rhiannon, but I wonder if Sofia’s hair is like mine. Without a whole lot of hair spray and pins I couldn’t have anything but what I have now. A mass of hair that does as it pleases, and I made the mistake of having it cut and now I wear a cover over it, and will until it grows out and I can simply pull it back. I’m allergic to hair spray and at times when I see hair stuck in place with it I actually itch. I’ve seen Sofia with her hair in a ‘bun’ and it didn’t look nice because of her forehead so maybe she’s limited in her choices of styles. Not dissing her forehead but as with anyone some styles just don’t look nice. I absolutely love that jumpsuit but agree about the hem.

9. Thanks for such a great post KMR!!! It’s so nice to catch up with what other royals are up too.

   I am really liking Sofia, her commitment to Project Playground is commendable and the way she handles herself at these types of events is lovely to see. For someone who married into a royal family, she certainly has hit the ground running. I find it inspiring that some of the “married in” royal women seem to do more and are seen more than their “royal born” spouses. Yes Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus lol.

   On to fashion… while the grey/pink/cream shirt isn’t my favorite, there is something about it that isn’t super flattering, it is very appropriate for the day’s activities and Sofia looked comfortable in it. Love, love, love this cobalt jumpsuit! But I do agree about the hem, like Rhiannon I too get a bit nutty about overlong hems. And while I don’t particularly mind the center part in her hair, it’s the slicked down look that I don’t find very flattering. I’d love to see a bit more volume in her hair but maybe she’s trying to avoid any Kate look-a-like comparisons (which I totally understand).

   All in all, it’s great to see Sofia supporting her charity and I’m glad that when she needs a break from motherhood, she uses that time to support others and doesn’t just go shopping or to the hair salon.

   1. Jumpsuits can be so flattering — especially to curvy women. I am surprised by all the distaste for them expressed here, even though, this particular one got the thumbs up.

      I love jumpsuits and find them so fun to wear. Only down side? You guessed it, the hassle of getting out of them in the rest room. Oh, well. They look and feel great!

10. FYI, Heavyaerthecrowns is doing a set of Princess Sofia at work pictures. Here’s the link if anyone is interested.

    http://heavyarethecrowns.tumblr.com/

11. I like Sofia. I know a lot of people don’t because of her past, but at least she visits her patronages frequently and is putting in some effort.

    I hope the press acknowledges that Harry met with the president of Malawi on Tuesday because I know when William meets Merkel in Germany there will be plenty of coverage.

12. Totally off topic but I was just out to breakfast with my husband and spotted a woman who could be CP Mary’s double plus her son looked so much like Prince Harry. I tried really hard not to stare but gosh it was hard 🙂

13. Pants, pants, pants
    Pants, pants, pants
    Do do do, do-do
    PANTS!

    Finally, a princess in pants. Makes me so happy, I’ll ignore the hemline issue.

14. I haven’t read the comments yet.. or the post to be honest. But I saw that this was about Project Playground and remembered seeing a video on instagram from 2011. Sofia speaks English in it and I was very impressed. I found her very cute, adorable and down to earth… exactly what I’m sure we all hoped Kate would be. And seeing that she started this in 2010, I like that she’s been doing this since before she became a royal. I think the SRF have a great asset in her, on top of Victoria and Maddie. The BRF needs to take note.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/BIcE8TxjJJT/

15. I agree with the comments. Happy to see a working royal mom who seems comfortable in public. Love the blue jumpsuit. I can’t think the Hugo Boss top would flatter anyone; the color blocking emphasizes all the wrong things. It reminded me of that nuclear warning symbol.

16. First time commenter, here. 🙂

    I have always liked Sophia. It really frustrates me when people talk about how she is happy that she secured a “meal-ticket” and is a complete “disgrace”; she seems invested in her projects and pays attention to them. She doesn’t go one month to France (*ahem*) and another month to Italy or something.

    As for the jumpsuit — love the color. Think maybe it’s a bit too baggy? She seems very poised and confident in the interview as well.

17. I will always give Sofia credit for getting out there and working. Whether it’s because she genuinely cares about what she’s doing or just loves getting the attention, at least she’s out there. And I will also commend her for not being afraid to talk at her events. She does seem to love the mic and having the focus.

    However, I will always hope that she at some point says to the hundreds, thousands, possibly millions of little girls who see her as a princess and aspire to similar goals that doing the work that she did in the past is not the way to get to their goals. She was very lucky to come out relatively unscathed from that world. Too many others suffer much worse fates and don’t end up in good situations. That’s all I ask of her, she can call it a learning experience, whatever, but she needs to say something more than that was the past.

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