The Duchess of Cambridge's Daytime Fashion Part 13: April 2014

[Parrothead]

The dress is lovely but I wish she would have the waistline be a bit lower on the bodice. It appears the duchess is a little bit long waisted. If the waistband in the dress were about an inch lower I think it would improve the overall look. I've noticed this on several of her dresses that have a defined waistline....they all need to be set a little lower to give it a perfectly tailored look.

[KittyAtlanta]

Originally Posted by soapstar

I don't think the dress looks tween or too young. I've seen this style on lots of women Kate's age.

I love this love this outfit...it's perfect for summer.

Seen it on lots of women Kate's age...I see. Doesn't make it right for kate, tho! LOL

[soapstar]

Well since she likes it, then it makes it right for her.

[susiewong]

Wish kate would take a leaf out of the queens book and when she wears a coat and dress to leave coat unbuttoned. It adds colour and gives a much better shape than button up or zipped to the top. So many if her outfits especially when pregnant she did this and it looks awful. She gets an allowance for her tour clothes so for gods sake employ a stylist and dresser and BUY some new shoes not wedges. AND above all sack your hairdresser because she is useless and getting paid way to much for doing nothing!!!!

[roseroyal]

I love this dress.

[casualfan]

Originally Posted by susiewong

Wish kate would take a leaf out of the queens book and when she wears a coat and dress to leave coat unbuttoned. It adds colour and gives a much better shape than button up or zipped to the top. So many if her outfits especially when pregnant she did this and it looks awful. She gets an allowance for her tour clothes so for gods sake employ a stylist and dresser and BUY some new shoes not wedges. AND above all sack your hairdresser because she is useless and getting paid way to much for doing nothing!!!!

She would only agree with you if she and everyone else thought she looked bad, which she doesn't. While we value our own power of choice and opinion, we must do the same for get. Unless she looked an absolute atrocity, there's very little reason for her to change her sense of style and fire the people working with her.

[Emmily]

Originally Posted by KittyAtlanta

Seen it on lots of women Kate's age...I see. Doesn't make it right for kate, tho! LOL

It's not that youngish of a dress, is it? lol I don't see the problem with it or her wearing it. Not crazy about the sandals with it, but the dress is beautiful and she looks lovely in it.

[Duchess of Durham]

Originally Posted by Parrothead

The dress is lovely but I wish she would have the waistline be a bit lower on the bodice. It appears the duchess is a little bit long waisted. If the waistband in the dress were about an inch lower I think it would improve the overall look. I've noticed this on several of her dresses that have a defined waistline....they all need to be set a little lower to give it a perfectly tailored look.

I thought it was just me who thought that. It does look like she wears the waist too high which then makes the dress look like it does not fit her.

[csw]

I think that one of the downsides of buying off the rack is that clothes sized for the average height woman end up being too short-waisted and short-sleeved for her. They often seem to hit above her natural waist and that makes them look like "baby-doll" dresses. It's a beautiful dress and it's just too bad that having everything custom made would be incredibly expensive. My sister is tall and we sometimes can alter a sleeve or bodice by adding an insert but that would be too much for every day clothes.

[RoyalDaisy]

Originally Posted by Parrothead

The dress is lovely but I wish she would have the waistline be a bit lower on the bodice. It appears the duchess is a little bit long waisted. If the waistband in the dress were about an inch lower I think it would improve the overall look. I've noticed this on several of her dresses that have a defined waistline....they all need to be set a little lower to give it a perfectly tailored look.

That is a tad difficult when you but off-the-peg.

Love the dress; like the colour and strapping of the shoes but think the platform is too deep and looks heavy.

[Parrothead]

Originally Posted by csw

I think that one of the downsides of buying off the rack is that clothes sized for the average height woman end up being too short-waisted and short-sleeved for her. They often seem to hit above her natural waist and that makes them look like "baby-doll" dresses. It's a beautiful dress and it's just too bad that having everything custom made would be incredibly expensive. My sister is tall and we sometimes can alter a sleeve or bodice by adding an insert but that would be too much for every day clothes.

Another option for her since so many of her clothes are off the rack would be to buy a size bigger and then haven the piece taken in where necessary by a good tailor . If she wants to be frugal that might be an option instead of going bespoke or couture for everything.

[ladongas]

Originally Posted by Roslyn

I agree. I thought that dress was far too young for her. She seems to prefer young styles though.

Naomi Watts has the same dress, and she's much older than Kate.

[sesa]

I agree with the other poster who said that I would take her shoes over some of the hideous styles worn by other princesses. Catherine gets slammed/critizied a lot for her sense, or lack there of, style. I think she has what I would classify as a "classic sense of style" almost "preppy". She is never flambouyant and does not seem to follow trend. I like that about her. I'm so tired of seeing ladies poured into clothes that do not fit, are to flashy, or that show to much flesh/cleavage. She seems to get it right and is very comfortable in her clothes. she wears the clothes, the clothes do not wear her. As for her shoes, they too are also simple and classic. I think this is why people do not like them. They want to see something more on trend or flashy. I would like to see her keep her hems longer and weighted or pinned down. But over all, I like the simple elegance of her style. It never goes out of style and it seems to fit her to a "t"..
p.s. please excuse my spelling, I have a headache today!

[AdmirerUS]

In the interest of playing nice and not having a Mod intervention, please remember that it is s thin line between mentioning Kate's style vs. others' and discussing others' styles. Try to tread lightly and on the right side of that line. Thank you all.

[MARG]

Originally Posted by AfricanAUSSIE

Yeah, she seems to favor "baby doll" dresses which are more suitable for younger ladies. The longer length makes it more appealing to be sure but still too young for her I feel.

Originally Posted by Parrothead

The dress is lovely but I wish she would have the waistline be a bit lower on the bodice. It appears the duchess is a little bit long waisted. If the waistband in the dress were about an inch lower I think it would improve the overall look. I've noticed this on several of her dresses that have a defined waistline....they all need to be set a little lower to give it a perfectly tailored look.

These comments all seem to be repeating two themes. It is too high waisted and/or it is too young for her.

I liked the dress for what it is and then I thought again. Yes the waist is too high and that's what causes the "Baby Doll" effect. One of the posters noted she could buy a bigger size and have it tailored and if anyone can afford it she can . . . and then the penny dropped.

I am not passing comment on my sister or my best friend but on the Duchess of Cambridge who is on an official tour. That makes all the difference. She arrived and dazzled with bright yellow. She looked great although once again, the less said about her hair the better. Her next appearancee started the downward trend with an outfit that was quite distinctive but utterly ruined by copious amounts of hair all over the place and wobbly wedges that have her teetering.

With her arrival at the Easter Show in her white Baby Doll dress and equally inappropriate footwear with her hair all over the place well, if it weren't for the official party in their suits it would be hard to spot her in the crowds because they all dressed much the same.

Here's the point. Catherine is the Duchess of Cambridge who is on an official tour with her husband William, the Duke of Cambridge, both of whom are there to represent HM QEII. They are not on a private visit, they are there to be seen and Catherine seems to have seen the sun and totally forgotten what she is there for. Sure she is getting good feedback from those close to her but most people are not and just hope for a glimpse. At the show and on the beach she all but disappeared.

We have a bird's eye veiw of her because we are seeing her though the lenses of some of the best photographers in the world. The people at the show and on the beach are not. And yes, I agree, her hairdresser must be the most well-paid (not including the travel perks) and underemployed in the UK because her hair is down all the time. I am not including the few times she has pulled the top back.

Let's hope she pulls out some more distinctive looks for the rest of her Australian tour.

[CyrilVladisla]

Catherine's white dress was absolutely beautiful for the Easter show.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by MARG

Here's the point. Catherine is the Duchess of Cambridge who is on an official tour with her husband William, the Duke of Cambridge, both of whom are there to represent HM QEII. They are not on a private visit, they are there to be seen and Catherine seems to have seen the sun and totally forgotten what she is there for.

This is the crux of the matter. She is a 32 year old Royal Duchess on an official tour representing our Queen, with the man who will, as things stand, one day be this country's King, and she should be dressing in a manner befitting her position. And I don't think she is. Sometimes she gets it right, as with that lovely yellow dress she arrived here in and appropriate shoes. She looked like a Duchess in that outfit, but yesterday she didn't. I consider it is totally irrelevant that other people who are her age or older wear the same "baby-doll" outfit.

On reflection, the dress itself is not so bad and if she had her hair back and was wearing what I considering to be appropriate shoes I probably wouldn't be saying anything against it, but the combination just doesn't seem right to me.

[royalistbert]

You must consider the nature of engagements yesterday. This dress was with the beach in mind.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by royalistbert

You must consider the nature of engagements yesterday. This dress was with the beach in mind.

Has there been a statement to that effect? Those shoes certainly wouldn't be my first choice for walking through sand.

[Daria_S]

I love the white dress (not the wedges), and Kate's ability to be spontaneous, and fun-loving. I think that's what endears her to the younger generation; she's not stuffy, or pretentious, and is not afraid to let her hair down.