Amal and George Clooney were in Italy this weekend. They were seen out and about in Rome, and they got pap’d on their way to dinner on Saturday – go here to see. Then on Sunday, they made a visit to the Vatican. They attended the “A Wall, A Bridge” seminar organized by the Pontifical Foundation Scholars, as part of the Vatican’s multi-faith World Peace Conference. George and Amal also got to meet Pope Francis!
For Sunday’s trip to the Vatican, Amal wore this Atelier Versace ensemble which… the dress is fine. The turban-esque hat is a bit much though. I know many women like to cover their hair for a papal audience, but it’s not actually part of the dress code (I looked it up). You don’t have to wear a hat or a head-cover of any kind when you visit the Vatican or when you have a papal audience. Which says to me that Amal just liked this Eva Mendes-esque Turban of IDGAF. Also, the whole look is very Jackie O and this isn’t the first time that Amal has channeled a Kennedy-esque look. I think George gets off on that. As for the dress code… skirts are supposed to be knee-length or longer. I think Amal’s skirt is just a shade too high.
During their audience with Pope Francis, the pope gave George a medal for his work with humanitarian issues and the arts. The pope gave medals to several celebrities on Sunday, including Salma Hayek and Richard Gere. You can see more photos here.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.
I think the length is fine. They do stop you at the door if you aren’t dressed appropriately. The only Italian one of my friends knows is “signorina, su giachetta.” The hat, however, looks silly and was unnecessary.
Agree. When I clicked on the story I was expecting to see some thigh-high skirt; she looks fine.
I think she looks awful. Black is *not* her color; I think it drains her and makes her look sallow. And words fail me with that turban! Shades of “Madam”! lol
Agreed, you cant get in even as a visitor to a random church if you’re not dressed appropriately. I think she looks gorgeous, love her style and that hat is the bomb (and would totally work in Italy).
she needed to put her hair up to really WERK the turban. as it is, it’s wearing her. looks dumb.
She can have a serious case of resting bitch face. Now when I see her all I can see is Julia Roberts big mouth laughing draped over George while Amal looked less than pleased.
She’s a stunning woman, I love her new wardrobe (her first couple of runs in public were quite different styles) and I am fascinated in her work. George looks good too, not as in pain or pallor as he has in the recent past.
What work?
I’d like to see her actually use her celeb for something extraordinary, not the latest cause du jour. It’s like so many celebs just hitch their wagon to what’s popular, ie, will make headlines.
@Ansley, she IS using her celeb for something: promoting luxury / designer wear!
Wow, slightly irrelevant but… Salma’s daughter is such a little mini me!! Lucky girl. And how nice that I forgot/didn’t even know what she looked like until now.
Salma’s daughter looks just like her husband. It’s like taking his face and putting it on a child.
I thought the same thing! Her coloring is clearly salmas genetics, but her face is literally her fathers face. I remember that from when she was a toddler.
Is too short you see on the picture when she is sitting the dress is above her knees compared to Salma who wear longer dress which cover her knees properly
That’s what I was going to say. When I went to the Vatican I did wear a dress that when I sat, my knees were still covered.
…..any structured skirt is going to look shorter when the wearer is seated than it would when they are standing. The ‘length’ dress codes check for is how long the skirt is when the person wearing it is standing, not seated – at least, that’s how the nuns at my school did it, and I suppose the Vatican is no different.
Salma’s dress has a more drapey/flowy skirt, Amal’s is stiffer – yes, it’ll be shorter when she sits, but it’s not ‘too short’ or they’d have asked her to change.
teacakes, Amal’s dress was above the knees when she was standing. ps: But I do love the dress.
From other pictures, Amal’s dress hit the tops of her knees when she was standing – it’s a perfectly decent, even conservative length.
It’s just a tad too high and I think it might just be pulled a little higher than it should be because of the way she’s sitting in that one photo or how she is raising her hand in the other. Not a big deal imo…the dress code is not past the knees but knee length. I actually think she looks lovely and I usually don’t like her style.
She’s British. Women cover their heads in a church there.
Born libanese grow up in UK she part of 2 cultures
Yes, we know. But doesn’t change the point about the hats.
Married Lebanese women cover their heads, as well. Most Middle Eastern cultures require that.
Lots of British women wouldn’t cover their heads in church, regardless of if you’re Catholic or Protestant. It depends more on how strict you are about your faith.
Source: I am a British woman.
@Rachel:
i would question whether this has anything to do with being a British Christian…Amal’s family background is in the Muslim faith after all. I can imagine that George’s people checked with the Vatican’s protecol staff on appropriate dress. IMO, this was a style choice.
In the other photo, it’s straight across and looks fine. The dress is stunning on her. I love the lace. I think the turban thing was a big much for the event, although I like it on her.
The other dress she wore for dinner the night before, which deserves a thread off its own with all the photos because I adore the dress, was the absolute best she’s ever looked. The length was fantastic on her, a little above the knee. I loved her shoes. The dress was stunning on her. And she looked softer, prettier. Her legs look fantastic when she wears her dresses a little longer than her baby doll minis. But in the other photos of the dinner, yet again she is obviously playing to the paps. LOL I can never get over that. It’s off-putting because it’s so obvious. Also, In the dinner photos, George looks like his back is giving him problems again. His face looked pained in a couple of those dinner photos.
You should post Richard Gere’s younger girlfriend. The dress was meh for where they were with him being honored, and the shoes were a mess for such an event, platform shoes.
The Vatican dress code requires your knees to be covered. Doesn’t matter shorts or skirt. I say this as someone who had to wrap a scarf around my legs to get in, since my shorts ended right above the knee
Her dress looks like one that is worn to a funeral. Really don’t like the lace.
Exactly it look like a funeral dress
Well heads of state from non-Catholic countries are supposed to wear black in front of the pope, so maybe they really do enjoy indulging their Kennedy-esque fantasies. 🙂 One never knows.
Also I want the turban.
I think it’s the lace that makes it look like she’s going to a funeral. Not sure, but it was my first thought.
I wouldn’t have noticed if they hadn’t pointed it out but it would have probably been easier to just be as conservative as possible .
Italy is hot as hell this time of the year though, or at least it was the time I visited. She must be burning up in all that black.
Love the hat, hate the Middletonesque shoes
That’s exactly where my mind went when I saw the shoes.
Although with a black dress, a Middleton would wear black shoes & handbag.
That length is fine. It’s the length of every dress I wore while I visited the many dress code areas of Italy, including the Vatican. They care far more about your shoulders than your knees in my experience.
I thought it was going to be one of her micro-minis, so this was actually a relief. Maybe it would be a bit longer on a shorter woman. She looks fine. They all look super-bored though.
this is really pointless pearl-clutching imo – in other photos, her skirt seems to reach her knees quite safely. She’s dress-code compliant by their standardsm that’s good enough.
Amal certainly lights up whenever she sees the camera is on her – all other shots show her looking like she’d rather be anywhere else. And, please, what’s with that coy pose looking downward ever so demurely. Give me a break. Do they really think people buy this crap?
The dress is fine, the turban/hat thing is silly & costumey looking.
I don’t don’t her attractive, very harsh looking.
I love the coat dress she’s wearing in that first link. That is how you wear a coat dress with buttons, Ms. Middlleton.
Ms. Middleton? Carole Middleton or Pippa wore a coat dress recently and made the headlines? Must have escaped me.
I guess it’s a bit too short, but Amal looks very proper.
OT, I can’t stand this pope. Just my opinion! I hope he was able to say a few words in support of christians being killed around the world, you know, in between offering trinkets to the stars.
Yep, i’m a bitter one.
Not bitter, just realistic. He’s pushing a one world government, and all the crimes being committed to achieve it.
@Frosty:
You’re not bitter…I’m Catholic and find myself missing Pope Benedict every day.
Same here. I don’t dislike Pope Francis, he seems like a lovely man, and he was quite tough on the Kircheners and their corruption in Argentina during a time when criticizing them would link you to “right wing/military dictator supporter” (which makes argentinians think that US comentators linking him to “Liberal views” are insane).
I think he is out of his deep being a Pope, and having to deal with world problems. He seems to be stuck in a Latin American view. He makes for a great parish/ bishop, though.
But can you image a combination of his carisma and empathy with Benedict’s intelect and insight? Pope Benedict speech in Westminster is a must to anyone trying to understand Europe/World crisis.
Celebs are flocking to be papped with him..he’s the new Dalia Lama
@boredblond:
“Celebs are flocking to be papped with him..he’s the new Dalia Lama”
I don’t think Pope Francis is a bad man…it’s the people around him. The Vatican is an extremely unwieldy political structure and without trustworthy, authentic clerics around him, the Pope can be led down the wrong path.
I also think there has been a real effort to do modern day media work at the Vatican…Twitter etc.
These two are so try hard. He is trying to recreate camalot with her as new Jackie o. Every sighting seems so staged for paps & PR. If u want to enter politics George, do it already instead of all this. What humanitarian work? He started of concerned for Sudan but then that all tailed off so what was medal for?
His coffee ads and being married to a “human rights” lawyer.
He ‘advised’ german chancellor Merkel some months ago on how to solve the refugee crisis singlehandedly. Now, if THAT isn’t worth being honoured by the pontiff … *rollingeyes*
There is something that is so off about these two.
Aside from a feeling of nausea at seeing still more photos of Amal, I am wondering about this award–to George. The informal meeting, which consisted of testimonials, music, videos and a “question and answer” session between Pope Francis and those present, took place in the Vatican Synod Hall. So there was no private audience. The foundation appears to be only a few years old…”The Foundation is an international project based in Argentina that brings together schools and educational networks from different cultures and religious backgrounds.” The organization is based in Argentina-and both Selma Hayek and Alejandra Silva are both Spanish-speaking hispanics. So, I get the connection there. Although Silva and Hayek have a history of humanitarian work with migrants, I can’t find any reference to their work with this particular foundation. I also can’t find any links to this organization for George at all or rationale for an award. Maybe all they did is make a financial contribution? All I can say is that since this organization is based in Argentina and the Pope is Argentinian, I suspect that there is a connection that helped raise the profile of this group. I also suspect the ‘right’ democratic political connections and money appear to be able to buy a lot for George.
Richard Gere was also honored. It’s an international foundation now based out of the Vatican.
“Pope Francis on Sunday awarded medals to American actors Richard Gere and George Clooney and actress Salma Hayek at an event held at the Vatican to promote the work of a foundation inspired by the pontiff, Scholas Occurrentes.
“The foundation, whose name means “schools that meet” in Spanish, links technology with the arts, aiming at social integration and a cultural of peace.
“Francis had created a similar organization when he was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, but Scholas has now become an international foundation working out of the Vatican.
“Important values can be transmitted by celebrities,” said one of the organizers, Lorena Bianchetti, adding that the actors had agreed to be ambassadors for one of the foundation’s arts projects.”
But the tabloids giving him all the focus while there were others actors there, is all publicity for him
@Jayna:
““Important values can be transmitted by celebrities,” said one of the organizers, Lorena Bianchetti, ”
The problem with someone like the Pope giving out awards such as these is that it potentially puts the Church in a position where it appears to recognize someone whose personal behavior is in conflict with the Church. For example, George Clooney.
So, if I’m reading this correctly, they’re launching some sort of new initiative & enlisting celebrities to promote it, although I’m unclear about getting medals before actually doing anything. Sounds a little Windsor-ish.
@Hazel:
” I’m unclear about getting medals before actually doing anything. Sounds a little Windsor-ish.”
Or, quid pro quo(ish)…
http://www.scholasoccurrentes.org/
Clooney will act as an ‘ambassador’ for one of the arts projects- so says Reuter. I just don’t understand why he was given a medal (the Olive Award actually) upfront;-) So, there might have been financial contribution as well.
She looks fine in her dress although the hat didn’t suit her at all. It may have looked better if she had her hair pulled back or put up. She is another celeb who needs a good feed. Her legs are so bony and her knees are knobbly. I’m sure she is naturally slim but she sometimes looks skeletal.
Too short for the Vatican. She should have gone with a tea length dress.
I’m pretty sure this is knee-length: http://photos.laineygossip.com/articles/george-amal-pope-30may16-04.jpg
I was expecting some thigh-high skirt based on the post header, but this is a perfectly decent skirt length that would have passed muster at even the strictest of my Catholic schools.
That hair/hat combo is idiotic.
If you want to wear a hat like that tie your hair back! Makes her look gaunt and unkempt. There’s a mad retired actress who lives in my neighbourhood. She sits in our local coffee shop wearing full theatre makeup, mini skirts (she’s in her 70s) and pillbox hats.
Amal looks just like her. 🙂
I was there last summer and SO many women were dressed far more scantily. To be fair, it was hot! But I wore a gauzy shirt and cropped ankle pants. I found the Vatican wasn’t harsh about this, but the smaller churches in more traditional areas were. I don’t think this is bad at all, but if I got to MEET the Pope, you best believe I’d follow the rules to the letter.
The turban is stupid.
@savu:
Agreed, the turban* looks silly, but it also looks retro. The formal lace tea length dress does also … circa 1960. I think Amal is continuing to do the retro looks–seen mostly with her formal gowns.
*the question is whether this is a turban or a Dastaar?
She looks fine.
Of note, to me anyway, is that Clooney would never have been able to attend such a meet and greet with previous paramours … a man of ambitions.
Of course he would have. Richard Gere made it with his present half his age girlfriend. It’s quite funny really, the Alamuddin-crew wanted on the one hand the fame and the money, but where on the other hand scared, that she would be seen as his former girlfriends. Don’t worry, she is not in the same class. His former girlfriends are all wifes and mothers and none of them was heartbroken after the split from Clooney. Amal is just a wannabe lawyer, a wannabe model, a wannabe beauty! They cannot be compared.
Just been getting a big sense that everything AAC wears is a borrow from the Vogue sample closet. My guess as soon as she is papped in them – her PR – namely her mom – releases the exact details to the Daily Fail.
I don’t think GC has the funds for the clothes now with all the latest bombs – so Gossip Life is hinting.
Getting a big Kate Middleton vibe here. The hair touching, the awkward stance…..and I think she and Kloons look so…..weird. The obvious camera awareness and studied poses make this whole excursion seem more like a photo shoot for their brand rather than a spiritual or intellectual sojourn or…….anything that isn’t about them.
If Salma can take such care to hide her abundant goods, then Amal can at least wear a dress that’s a couple of inches longer. And I don’t buy the “hot weather” excuse, because the type of dress Amal is wearing is much hotter than, say, a tea-length linen/silk dress. It’s certainly not scandalous or a bad reflection on her, but I do think it’s inappropriate.
@Lady Amalthea:
If one looks at Amal’s outfit when she met the Syrian refugees in Berlin, it was much more conservative…she wore a top (turtleneck, I think) that fully covered her upper body. Her skirt length was mid shin.
No idea if it’s true, but I’ve read a lot of posts by fashion-savvy people who say she usually has her dresses taken up to be shorter. They compare it to the catwalk or whatever ones and apparently she does it often. She must really love her pins! The hat doesn’t look quite right on her and I’m getting really annoyed by George’s obsession with becoming a NGO-cred / philanthropic / crusading type. He’s trying too hard and making it about his and her celebrity rather than the issues, it seems. I mean, Amal sitting with refugees a $20,000 outfit (or whatever it was)? These two need a reality check. Hillary’s basically a neoliberal when it comes to wealth distribution and I think George is quite happy also to retain the structures that allow the 1% to keep running the show. And the Pope seems really out of touch with his social media comments.
The elite telling us peons we should be doing more while they live within walls and hire security. (Flips bird)
Seriously does not the pope have more important things to do than giving awards to celebrities? Wow the Vatican and its PR machine… And I am even Catholic…
I don’t think the problem with the dress is its length–more that it’s hideous, does nothing for her fabulous figure, and looks like something Angelina Jolie would wear.
The Vatican, at least when I was there, required all women to cover their heads. Fortunately, I had a scarf I could use to cover my head else I wouldn’t have been allowed to enter. Not sure why Salma’s isn’t covered actually.
The Vatican is backtracking on these awards…the official press release for the Scholas meeting has no mention of either the awards or awardees. I guess if it isn’t written, it didn’t happen.
Frankly, I think they always give a clue about the status of their marriage. Instead of the Kennedy’s, I thought she was channeling Gloria Swanson from Sunset Boulevard, and he was William Holden trying to get away.
Hilarious.
*snortgiggling*