The Duchess of Cambridge's Daytime Fashion Part 21: March 2017 - May 2017

[dazzling]

Flats with straps/summery would've been the perfect match for todays event. The dress is nice enough but IMO, hair in a ponytail would've been ideal. The ruffled collar, lace top and open hair is just too much.

 

[Countessmeout]

oh dear, can it get any more matronly

the lace top with ruffled sleeves & collar screames Doll Toilet Roll Holder to me, plain skirt & belt complete the frumpy 1970s look. And then of course the evitable wedges.

Agree both on the dress and shoes

 

[soapstar]

The dress is pretty, my only quibble is the ruffled collar and I agree that flats would have been better.

I gotta say, I see the word matronly used quite a bit (on the various fashion threads) and I never quite know what qualifies as matronly. To me, Kate's' dress looks like something I'd see on any of the younger royal women.

Another photo of the dress:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/05/13/17/40466FB100000578-0-image-a-9_1494692089846.jpg

 

[Spheno]

wonderful dress
love this color

 

[Empress Merel]

I don't see this dress as matronly. Perhaps the ruffles on the collar could have been left behind though. It's less matronly than the amount of boring coat dresses.

 

[Elenath]

I like this. Even though I agree with other posters about the hair and the shoes. Her hair up would have made the color stand out and my only quibble with the shoes is the color. If she really likes wearing this type, why not get some in different colors. It;s not like they are hard to get.

 

[Rudolph]

I heard Catherine reads this fashion thread and wears the same shoes and 'matronly' dresses with her hair down because it winds up the usual suspects.

Like shooting fish in a barrel

 

[Lady Nimue]

The dress is pretty, my only quibble is the ruffled collar and I agree that flats would have been better.

I gotta say, I see the word matronly used quite a bit (on the various fashion threads) and I never quite know what qualifies as matronly. To me, Kate's' dress looks like something I'd see on any of the younger royal women.

Another photo of the dress:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/05/13/17/40466FB100000578-0-image-a-9_1494692089846.jpg

Thank you for saying this, Soapstar. What is matronly? It's clearly meant as a diss but I have never been able to distinguish between 'classic' and 'matronly', because usually what I think of as 'classic' winds up being another person's 'matronly'.

I am fairly young (I like to think) and fashion forward (most days), but dressing as a royal on display obviously requires a totally different sensibility than dressing otherwise (as the hapless Stephanie of Luxembourg demonstrates for some people).

 

[hernameispekka]

Thank you for saying this, Soapstar. What is matronly? It's clearly meant as a diss but I have never been able to distinguish between 'classic' and 'matronly', because usually what I think of as 'classic' winds up being another person's 'matronly'.

I am fairly young (I like to think) and fashion forward (most days), but dressing as a royal on display obviously requires a totally different sensibility than dressing otherwise (as the hapless Stephanie of Luxembourg demonstrates for some people).

Matronly means generally "in my mind what the upper middle age women wears". The thing is, that standard generally is set when you're a kid. So for a kid that grew up in the 50s and one that grew up in the 70s and one in the 90s their view of "matronly" is very different. I, as a 90s kid, find midi skirts very retro and chic and modern since my mum born in the late 60s would never have worn such styles but my mum generally finds that style very "mumsy" because her mother born in the 30s wore that kind of skirts etc. It's very much a case of perception (with some people not following the "rules" ofc!)

 

[Lady Nimue]

Thank you, hernameispekka. Good explanation. Definitely see that with shoes! There are some shoe styles that currently are seen as very fashion forward but which my great-aunt tells me she would never have been seen wearing dead when she was young because so 'old-fashioned' looking.

But I also see the type of clothing oft photographed women (like royals) wear to be of a particular type/style/kind because of certain logistical concerns. I don't think Kate (left to herself) would ever wear the stuff she wears at public events. She simply has adopted a formula for public costumery that suits (her) being a female member of the BRF.

 

[IloveCP]

At first I did not like this dress but I love it. Its strikingly beautiful and elegant. Great the design and pattern.

 

[Pranter]

I actually like the dress quite well...it's almost a lemony cream color or something..maybe that's the lighting.


LaRae

 

[Curryong]

The dress is quite nice, but not for an event like this. When Queen Letizia of Spain visits schools etc where there are children and she's required to get down to their level she often wears a pair of fitted slacks and an attractive top.

That's much more practical than a full-skirted dress IMO. Yes, I know this was a garden party but there were a couple of times when Kate knelt down where any kids standing there could have seen up her dress. It was the same in Canada, when children are around practicality rules, or should.

 

[Pranter]

From the pics I saw her dress draped over her knees so you must of seen pics I haven't yet.


LaRae

 

[Elly C]

The Duchess of Cambridge's Daytime Fashion Part 21: March 2017 -

I agree with you - I just don't get why British Royals rarely wear tailored trousers for official events. Kate looks fine here but it is a rather impractical for interacting with children. Diana would occasionally wear trousers on visits and I think Sophie does too, but I think we have only seen Kate in casual leggings or jeans. I'd love her to try something different.

I would add that just looking at Charlotte C's thread she is wearing a white pant suit - how good would Kate look in something similar.

 

[Madame Verseau]

Kate plays it safe fashion wise, most likely because she was allegedly called on the carpet for her "Marilyn moments" at official events. But if Meghan Markle joins the Firm, there will be a best dressed contest courtesy of the media.

 

[Frelinghighness]

The shoes,are terrible with this dress, really not the same category. The hair should have been arranged so we could see the neckline

 

[MichelleQ2]

i think Kate's dress falls into the 'perfect princess' category. Would i buy it? probably not, as I don't see me wearing it - but Kate has the princess role to play - especially around kids ..... and she plays it to perfection. Whether I like Kate's wardrobe or not (mostly I do) - she seems to work very hard at dressing appropriately. I think she has assembled a classic working princess wardrobe.

 

[muriel]

The dress is quite nice, but not for an event like this. When Queen Letizia of Spain visits schools etc where there are children and she's required to get down to their level she often wears a pair of fitted slacks and an attractive top.

That's much more practical than a full-skirted dress IMO. Yes, I know this was a garden party but there were a couple of times when Kate knelt down where any kids standing there could have seen up her dress. It was the same in Canada, when children are around practicality rules, or should.

Firstly, Catherine is not Letizia, Letizia also wears leather dressers, trousers and a whole lot of stuff on engagements that I just do not think is appropriate.

Secondly, British royal ladies do not generally wear trousers on official engagements. I don't think there are any particularly revealing pictures from her bending down to speak to children yesterday.

Thirdly, I don't get the matronly comments. If the same dress was worn by seomebody who weighed 20kg more, I would accept it. Catherine can get away from it because of her height / weight ratio. I think she looked very elegant.

Fourthly, I thought the shoes, whilst not the most fashion forward or elegant, were perfect for walking around a lawn Why does she have to wear flats if she does not want to?

Fifthly, I agree the hair probably needs to be tamed, in a lot of pictures it really seems to be all over the place. I presume she will learn, one day!

 

[MARG]

While I wouldn't call Catherine's clothes matronly I can understand what people are getting at, there's something missing. Take the blue coat in Luxembourg, basically, there's nothing really wrong with it barring the fact that she has so many blue coats. That being the case, she needs to make it unique.

A gorgeous ponytail or an elegant updo so we could have clearly seen those amazing earrings that were part of her ensemble but, for the most part, invisible to us. Add a whimsical brooch or perhaps a spectacular scarf a-la-Sophie with complimentary bag and shoes. Even a hat! Anything to distinguish The Duchess of Cambridge from anyone else in the photo.

Catherine has gorgeous hair but wearing it down all the time does not do her any favours. She looks like a celebrity or movie star with her beatifully coiffed hair. But such hair is not made for the rigours of a whole day, inside and outside with the vagarities of the weather. By the end of the day, it's just long hair she's had to tuck behind her ears countless times and is no longer as stylish, bouncy nor lovely as it was.

 

[TLLK]

When I saw the trio yesterday I immediately thought that this was the casual version of a BRF garden party. William and Harry are in trousers, a jacket and an open necked shirt instead of a morning suit and top hat. Kate is in a more casual dress minus a hat. Her dress had a full skirt with a knee length hem which have her coverage when she was leaning down to speak to children and shorter teens.

IMHO they all were appropriately dressed for this more child oriented event but not too laid back to draw raised eyebrows from HM.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I'm on the fence about Catherine's latest outfit. I like the colour, and the bottom half is nice, but there's something about the top half that is a bit off for me. I think it's the lace - I don't know, but there's just something about it that's not quite right.

 

[Lumutqueen]

oh dear, can it get any more matronly

the lace top with ruffled sleeves & collar screames Doll Toilet Roll Holder to me, plain skirt & belt complete the frumpy 1970s look. And then of course the evitable wedges.

I just want to say, whilst I totally agree that Catherine wears wedges a little too often for my taste on this kind of ground and event I think wedges were the most suitable choice of shoe. Unfortunately even someone as chic as I need to wear wedges to my wedding as I'm marrying on grass.

I like this dress, but it is a dress with a some kind of statement which needs to be allowed to show, the collar and wrist designs need to be allowed to be shown off IMO.

In regards to being matronly, as a whole, Catherine has always seemed to favour the older than her years clothes, which as long as they suit her body style I have no problems with but sometimes they miss their mark.

 

[muriel]

Is Kate in the Christopher Kane ice blue coat dress worn first the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics?

 

[Pranter]

Might be...they look very alike.


LaRae

 

[Lumutqueen]

The Years 1st Garden Party;
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_9OVNQV0AAkdyf.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_9b2AVVoAALwxd.jpg

Christopher Kane Coat with Lock&Co hat.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Is Kate in the Christopher Jane ice blue coat dress worn first the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics?

Do you mean what she wore to Luxembourg last Thursday? That was a new coat by Emilia Wickstead. It has a much fuller skirt than the Christopher Kane coat. Also the fabric of the Kane coat is shinier.

Edit-Nevermind, just saw the post added, while I was replying, with the Garden Party photo.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Do you mean what she wore to Luxembourg last Thursday? That was a new coat by Emilia Wickstead. It has a much fuller skirt than the Christopher Kane coat. Also the fabric of the Kane coat is shinier.

No Muriel means the outfit from todays garden party which I have just posted above yours.

 

[dazzling]

The Years 1st Garden Party;
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_9OVNQV0AAkdyf.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_9b2AVVoAALwxd.jpg

Christopher Kane Coat with Lock&Co hat.

Too boring and plain!

The fabric is too shiny for the coat IMO. The hat looks like a mini slide in the front part. The overall looks so plain.

I wish she wore something with a bit more color or a print or a lovely summery dress matched with light coat or even a lace coat by Burberry for example.

 

[Lumutqueen]

So I did some shopping for Catherine

http://images.bergdorfgoodman.com/ca/4/product_assets/B/3/U/5/F/BGB3U5F_mu.jpg
http://images.bergdorfgoodman.com/ca/1/product_assets/B/3/U/9/K/BGB3U9K_mu.jpg
http://images.bergdorfgoodman.com/ca/1/product_assets/T/V/P/R/K/BGTVPRK_mu.jpg
http://images.bergdorfgoodman.com/ca/1/product_assets/B/3/S/D/4/BGB3SD4_mu.jpg
http://images.bergdorfgoodman.com/ca/1/product_assets/T/V/T/6/R/BGTVT6R_mu.jpg

I know there's a suggestions thread so I might go over there.