Nellie Diamond Wears the Most Regal, Show-Stopping Wedding Gown

While we were elated to see the Duchess of Cambridge out for the first time since announcing her second pregnancy on September 8th, Tuesday and Thursday evening’s events had me wishing for more grandeur.  That’s not to say that Catherine’s outfits at the Natural History Museum and an Action on Action gala were not gorgeous and well-received.  Quite the contrary.  In fact, the masses were quite pleased to see Catherine wearing new items on both occasions.

I was inspired by a recent society wedding, and started thinking about the statements our clothes make.  On October 18th, banker Bob Diamond walked his daughter, Nellie down the aisle to marry Teddy Wasserman in an extravagant wedding in the South of France.  Diamond’s silk dress was custom-designed by Olivier Theyskens, complete with feather detailing and a 15-foot train (Catherine’s was 9).

Nellie in Wonderlan

 

While both Nellie and Catherine’s wedding gowns garnered the same sort of reaction, HRH’s style is a bit more reserved, though her wedding dress did had limitations (sleeves for the ceremony inside Westminster Abbey, for example).  Yet, most fans would like to see Catherine take more of a risk with her evening wear, perhaps selecting a design that showcases a candy color, or a skirt so full it deserves a standing ovation.

The last time many of us were pleasantly surprised by one of Catherine’s sartorial choices was at the 2011 Sun Military Awards, which saw her in a velvet strapless gown by Alexander McQueen.

I’ve taken the liberty of selecting a few gown from the likes of Zac Posen and the late, great Oscar de la Renta as examples of risk-taking one hopes to see.  It’s clear that Catherine has good taste, but sometimes it’s OK to do the unexpected and show a little poof.