On March 14th, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge attended the annual Commonwealth Observance Day Service in a grey Erdem coat with lace detailing.
It was the second time in a week I was delighted by Catherine’s sartorial choice; Her March 11th outfit by Eponine was just the kind of POP we royal watchers needed.
What I appreciated about Catherine’s grey look is that she made sure the ensemble wasn’t simply a dowdy piece of fabric that paired nicely with a hat.
Instead, she opted for a darling design that was both appropriate for the occasion and pleasing to fans (or at least some).
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In most cases, Catherine will opt for a feminine applique, or a beautiful cut so precise that you can see down to the smallest detail, like the Alexander McQueen piece she wore to 2014 Easter Sunday Mass in Australia (see below, topped off with one of my favorite hats by Jane Taylor).
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Known for her repeats, Catherine recycled a pleated Orla Kiely dress for an October 2015 engagement at Islington Town Hall in London. There, Her Royal Highness meet with children and mentors from Chance UK’s Early Intervention Program.
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HRH first wore this to the Dulwich Picture Gallery on March 15th, 2012 in London, where she joined Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to see work done by the Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts.
In December 2014, William and Catherine paid New York a short visit to promote their charity. There, they met with Hillary Clinton, visited the National September 11th Memorial, and watched the Cleveland Cavaliers play the Brooklyn Nets. The royal couple posed backstage at Barclays Center with LeBron James, who gifted them with basketball jerseys as they celebrated a new partnership between the Royal Foundation, United for Wildlife and the NBA.
Catherine (who was four months pregnant with Charlotte) wore Tory Burch’s “Bettina” coat over J. Crew jeans for the event.You would never know Catherine stands at a statuesque 5’9″ by looking at this photo.
Image via i-Images
Go Fug Yourself‘s Jessica Morgan told me the below Glen Plaid Alexander McQueen coat dress is her favorite grey look of Catherine’s
“I am always, always, always going to vote for a full-skirted McQueen coat,” she said.
Stephen Lock / i-Images
“Second place goes to her pleated Orla Kiely dress [see Dulwich Picture Gallery photo above] because I appreciate its built-in neckpiece. So convenient!”
In November 2015, Catherine re-wore an embellished peplum outfit from Matthew Williamson’s pre-fall 2012 collection for the Place2Be Headteacher Conference, according to Kate Middleton Style.
Catherine is patron of Place2Be, which provides emotional and therapeutic support to schoolchildren through talking, creative work and play.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
We first saw the outfit on Catherine in April 2012, when she and Prince William attended the premiere of African Cats in aid of the Tusk Trust. HRH topped off the look with Kiki McDonough’s Peridot and Blue Topaz
April 2012 was a busy month for William and Catherine. The Duke had returned from RAF training in the Falklands and jumped right back into a packed diary with his wife, who had successfully carried out solo engagements while he was away.
The royal couple attended a reception to help launch The Imperial War Museum Foundation’s First World War Galleries: Centenary Campaign. Catherine worw Amanda Wakeley’s Sculpted Felt Dress for the occasion, cinched at the waist with an Alexander McQueen belt.
This next coat dress, made by the brand Jesire, was a departure from what we’re used to seeing on Catherine. Still, its retro fit worked. Her Royal Highness attended the Lucien Freud exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in February 2012. Her earrings are believed to be a gift from Prince Charles.
BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images
The dress below is an oldie but a goodie, and it makes me miss the days when Catherine wore Issa London. Back when she was known as “Kate Middleton,” HRH wore a saucy little number by the Brazilian-born designer for a 2009 Starlight Children’s Foundation event at the Saatchi Gallery (pictured below with Hugh van Cutsem, Jr., whose daughter, Grace would serve as a flower girl at the royal wedding two years later).
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I have a feeling I might have missed an ensemble or two, so feel free to call it out.
Do you have a favorite from these dresses? Let me know!
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