The Duchess of Cambridge's Maternity Fashion: December 2012 -

[Elenath]

I don’t hate this dress but I don’t love it either. I think I would have looked better in a different fabric and I agree with the poster who said the fabric is too flimsy. To me it looks cheap which is a pity because the dress in itself is nice.

 

[hernameispekka]

Catherine does have many endearing qualities and I know what you mean.

I think she dresses as she sees appropriate for a particular occasion and for other reasons including for herself, to please her husband perhaps, and certainly to please those she meets. She has her own look, which is quite distinctive rather than "classic conservatively dressed royal", and it should be no other way.
Because there is quite an "edge" to some of Catherine's style choices (like Maxima does!) I think does attracts more comment - both good and bad.

Really? I think the comments I hear most are that she is "dull". (I do not agree, btw)

 

[Elly C]

I do like the colour brown but it's what you team it with that can turn it from being drab to delectable. Sadly imo this isn't the case with this dress, but she does look comfortable and importantly healthy. Can't believe that's two outfits in a row from Kate I haven't liked at all.

 

[roseroyal]

You and me both! Cross our fingers for Monday!
I'm with you- don't mind brown as long as it's delectable!
And as long as she wears color every now and then!

 

[dazzling]

This dress is simply not made for a pregnant women.
The color, style and the print is so unflattering. Moreover, Catherine wears it so boringly, she could've at least tied her hair back and wore a nice necklace.

 

[IloveCP]

I like the color but I don't like the style.

 

[Lady Marlboro]

Just WHAT is she going to "flash" with dark opaque tights on????

in my opinion, just because your rear end is covered in black nylon and lycra if it is showing it is still flashing.

 

[AdmirerUS]

Catherine does have many endearing qualities and I know what you mean.

I think she dresses as she sees appropriate for a particular occasion and for other reasons including for herself, to please her husband perhaps, and certainly to please those she meets. She has her own look, which is quite distinctive rather than "classic conservatively dressed royal", and it should be no other way.
Because there is quite an "edge" to some of Catherine's style choices (like Maxima does!) I think does attracts more comment - both good and bad.

Jacknch: did you ever notice she dresses differently for what I call "long shot" days (she is less close to people) and appearances where she will be meeting with people 1:1.

Generally - long shot days pop with color or bold pattern (think of when she's getting on or off planes, at the 9/11 memorial, launching a boat). She does that, I think for the same reason the queen does, to stand out in photos or for crowds from afar.

On days when she is meeting intimately with children and adults, she dresses more to blend in - and yes her taste is a bit dull. Her hair is softer. My interpretation is that she is purposefully taking the focus off the Duchess and letting the focus find the charity in the event. She wants to, and does appear, not so intimidating on purpose. It's not always true but is generally true IMHO.

 

[Roslyn]

in my opinion, just because your rear end is covered in black nylon and lycra if it is showing it is still flashing.

So if she's wearing a pair of jeans and a jacket and she takes the jacket off, or the wind blows it up, she's flashing? I don't see much difference between a pair of thick, opaque, tights and a pair of tight jeans. If you can't see her skin or underwear - and you don't consider those thick tights to be underwear - through the outer garment, she's not flashing, IMO. But I guess this is one of these issues where opinions vary.

 

[bertie5252003]

This dress is simply not made for a pregnant women.
The color, style and the print is so unflattering. Moreover, Catherine wears it so boringly, she could've at least tied her hair back and wore a nice necklace.


Thanks ...dazzling... I just could not put my finger on why a dress that is not too bad looked so odd and there it is .. not maternity and some may say that it is okay to do do that and in many cases I guess it is but here IMO bad bad ... even if she does choice for her own taste .. this is poor taste
__________________

 

[US Royal Watcher]

She looks like she is in fantastic shape. It is hard to believe that she is six months pregnant with her second child. I personally prefer the maternity version of the Madderson London dress. I think the pockets make it look too busy. The Hobbs dress was okay. I liked the shape but it would be nice to see it in another color.

 

[Princess of Durham]

in my opinion, just because your rear end is covered in black nylon and lycra if it is showing it is still flashing.

Good Heavens!!! You seem to be truly obsessed.

 

[AdmirerUS]

now folks, let's try to avoid labeling/name calling. This may be an "agree to disagree" moment. If so, that's not uncommon here on the Forums. It happens.

 

[MARG]

This dress is simply not made for a pregnant women.
The color, style and the print is so unflattering. Moreover, Catherine wears it so boringly, she could've at least tied her hair back and wore a nice necklace.

This dress is simply not made for a pregnant women.
The color, style and the print is so unflattering. Moreover, Catherine wears it so boringly, she could've at least tied her hair back and wore a nice necklace.


Thanks ...dazzling... I just could not put my finger on why a dress that is not too bad looked so odd and there it is .. not maternity and some may say that it is okay to do do that and in many cases I guess it is but here IMO bad bad ... even if she does choice for her own taste .. this is poor taste.

That is the crux of the matter. Catherine consistantly chooses the non-maternity option even when there is an equally nice, or nicer, maternity version. I have given up trying to uderstand her reasoning but here is mine,

The blue dress was too short, had false florally pocket flaps in the most unflattering places for a pregnant woman, her breasts and her bump/hips.

While the dress cost £450 I find myself questioning the really bad workmanship that is easy to spot and wonder why anyone would pay that much money for such shoddy workmanship.

The brown dress. Ugh, IMO it is the most ugly dress she has worn to date. True it only cost £50 but I find myself thinking "why would you even buy it"?

Both dresses were to short but what really kills them stone dead is that they are not maternity dresses and therefore make no allowance for "the bump". Instead, both dresses hitched up in the front and pulled over her bottom and thighs.

Worse, the cheap and nasty brown dress has already started to 'bum'. Which means that when she stands the back balloons around her thighs and pulling in noticeably at the rear hem and hitching in the front.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/16/24C1BBDC00000578-2913127-image-m-7_1421407339765.jpg

The blue dress actually had a maternity version (sans pocket flaps) which didn't look to be quite so boxy and yet Catherines sticks doggedly to non-maternity clothes. I have wondered why and I personally believe she just plain does not like the maternity body line and is not at all comfortable wearing it.

I will be interested to see what comes next.

 

[sndral]

I have decided that in London during the winter women wear black tights with every color dress. I remember Princess Beatrice in a lovely blue dress with fugly black tights. Perhaps it's because I live in a climate where tights are never really needed - but I don't like the look. That said, they look better with the brown than with the navy, IMO.
I remember when I was pregnant finally (reluctantly) switching over to maternity wear at about 5 months and how much more comfortable I felt when I did so, I recomend making that change to the Duchess - it feels so much better!

 

[roseroyal]

You and me both MARG! I too think it is the ugliest thing she's ever worn!

 

[casualfan]

[...]

Worse, the cheap and nasty brown dress has already started to 'bum'. Which means that when she stands the back balloons around her thighs and pulling in noticeably at the rear hem and hitching in the front.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/16/24C1BBDC00000578-2913127-image-m-7_1421407339765.jpg

.

The shot that you posted is of Catherine walking, so what we're seeing is the hem moving as she moves. I didn't see any "bumming" in other shots.

Secondly, her bump isn't that big, so I'm not seeing the pulling, tightness, etc etc.

The brown dress is a simple shirt dress. It's winter, so brown is kind of not a weird choice, and she's probably going for comfy and warm.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I love, love, LOVED the navy outfit with trim at the bottom and at the pockets. It has a tailored 60's feel and Kate looked perfect in it. She hardly even looks pregnant in that outfit.

The less said about the brown, the better.

 

[mslewis]

I like it. I think the patterned tweed adds interest and the fact that the navy material is from a heritage wool company is even better.

I would have preferred navy shoes and tights rather than black but she looked lovely.

Agree with you. It's a very pretty dress and it is NOT embroidered, it's tweed. It looks very comfortable. I do not agree that she should have worn navy tights and shoes. Black and navy together was all over the Fall fashion runways. The colors go well together. It's old fashioned to think everything has to be matchy. She looks lovely.

 

[Pranter]

I actually like the color of the brown dress..however it was a bit blah without any accent pieces (a gold necklace, belt, bracelet..something) to give it a pop of color or even a different color shoe.


LaRae

 

[Grandma828]

Catherine is probably trying to get people to pay attention to causes not her clothes.

 

[Frelinghighness]

Very ugly shirt dress which is not flattering, the bust is too tight, it is not maternity. Why she does not want to choose maternity who knows, she needs it and is fooling herself that she doesn't.

 

[Lady Nimue]

Catherine is probably trying to get people to pay attention to causes not her clothes.

I think I agree. How conscious this is on Catherine's part is hard to say, of course.

I just watched a video on Catherine's current events thread, showing her walking about at this event, and she really does blend in. Her pregnancy is camouflaged (as much as it can be) and it really does become about the cause and the children. I like the dress. It's doing it's job.

Here it is. In movement, Catherine looks classy in this dress imo. Sometimes still photos just don't do a dress justice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI8r5EHyioU

 

[HRHHermione]

I actually agree that it looks much nicer on film than in still photos- and was appropriate to the day


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[ladongas]

And she wore a dress that almost any woman there could afford to buy for herself.

 

[carlota]

i wasn't really a fan of any of these last 2 dresses. the hobbs one was specially odd fitting. the colour is anything but flattering.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I don't think her first dress is that awful. I think the colours compliment each other nicely even if I'm not a fan of the fabric on her pockets and skirt half of the dress. Catherine's hair does look slightly unkempt here though, but it looks as if her hair is blowing in the wind so it could be fine.

I'm not a fan of her brown dress, however. The colour is a little dull and bland for me and it's also too masculine. Is it leather? I can't really tell, but the material kind of looks like leather to me.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

She looks younger in these recent pix. I liked the blue with pink pockets, I could imagine a first grade teacher wearing it. I hate the color brown but I really like the brown shirt dress, it's stylish and makes her look young aND fresh. You can barely see a belly. I don't like brown with black though but I can't say nude stockings would look better, and I'm sure the thick black ones were warmer. As a woman on her second pregnancy I'm sure she knows what she is comfortable in. It seems Kate wears clothes tailored to the event and are appropriate, not meant to dazzle anyone.

 

[Jacknch]

I actually agree that it looks much nicer on film than in still photos- and was appropriate to the day


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Yes, I agree and in the future I am going to try and save my opinion about the fashions until I have seen video footage of it!

 

[Lenora]

I think brown colour suits Kate, this colour seldom perfectly suits somebody, but she seems to look nice in it.