Copy Kate's Nautical but Nice Look

It's not just Cara Delevingne who loves Me+Em's laid back luxury - it looks like the Duchess of Cambridge is a fan too. A master of literal dressing, what else would we expect Kate wear to a yacht race than one of the brand's nautical striped tops? The classic cobalt blue and white cotton top comes in at £48, but any copy Kates who want to get their hands on this one had better move fast - the £79.99 Zara blazer she has also been spotted wearing during the royal tour of New Zealand has already sold out - no surprises there then. If Breton stripes aren't your bag there will be plenty more outfits to see yet with Australia still to visit. Have you got a favourite Kate look from the tour so far?

Keep Calm & Carry On Kate

Can it really be true that Kate has been told to watch her hemlines? Apparently courtiers have had a quiet word with the Duchess of Cambridge ahead of her planned visit to Australia in April, suggesting that she perhaps shouldn't wear quite so many skirts cut above the knee and might want to acquire a more couture based wardrobe befitting a royal. Come on - she's hardly Caroline of Brunswick shocking polite society parading around in obscenely low-cut, see-through gowns.

Ok, so she's had a few Marilyn moments, revealing more leg than she may have intended, but nothing a weighted hemline can't fix! She's a young woman who's become a role model for other young women. She should not be encouraged to dress like a frump, or avoid the high street stores that have done so well from the Copy Kate effect in a recession.

Of all the nations who could be offended by the sight of a couple of inches of royal thigh, dare I say it's not the Australians. If anything I'd have thought a more laid-back attitude to royal dress would go down well down under.

Keep calm and carry on wearing the short skirts Kate!

Cream of the Crop

If white is for weddings, is cream the colour for christenings? Well it certainly looked like that was the case at St James Palace on Wednesday, as Kate, Pippa and Camilla all coordinated their cream outfits with little Prince George's christening gown.

George's christening gown is in fact an exact replica of the silk and lace outfit commissioned by Queen Victoria during her first pregnancy in 1840. Worn by each of her nine children in turn, as well as by successive generations of royal babies, the once white silk gown has turned cream with age and is now deemed to fragile to be worn.

As for the Duchess of Cambridge, she once again turned to McQueen for her frill-fronted cream suit, whilst her sister chose a perfectly coordinated cream trapeze coat by Suzannah Crabb (£750).

Duchess in Dalmatian

So there we have it! The Duchess of Cambridge has completed her last official solo engagement before she goes on maternity leave. In Southampton for the naming of a new cruise ship Kate made the surprise sartorial choice of dalmatian print.

Copy Kates will be eager to hear the coat is from Hobbs. Coming in at £169 that's helluva lot cheaper than the £1250 bottle of Moet smashed against the ship's hull as part of the naming ceremony!

A spokesperson for the British brand said: 'It is an honour when ever the Duchess of Cambridge chooses to wear the UK high street.' Of course, this is not the first time we've seen Kate wearing Hobbs, but this is a particularly striking choice as we don't often see royals in animal prints (that is aside from ermine trimmed cloaks). That said dalmatian is the print of the season - as seen at Stella McCartney and Phillip Lim.

If you need any more proof that dalmatian print isn't just for Cruella DeVil, here are some of my top picks... and yes, I've definitely got my eye on that Phillip Lim handbag.

Belts

Jenny Packham - By Royal Appointment

As the royal family gathered at Westminster Abbey to mark 60 years since the Queen's coronation all eyes were on Kate, who looked a peach in Jenny Packham  - oh, and her favourite LK Bennett Sledge courts.

It's fair to say the Duchess of Cambridge is quite a fan, having been spotted wearing Jenny Packham designs to a string of royal engagements over the past couple of years - but for me one dress particularly stands out from the rest.

Almost a year on since we saw Kate wearing her teal Jenny Packham gown to a London 2012 gala, it still ranks as one of my favourite DoC looks - but did you know the stunning dress with plunging neckline and lace detailing is also available as a bridal gown? If I ever meet my Prince Charming the Aspen, as it's known, would definitely have to be at the top of the wedding dress wish list.

Of course, Kate's Sarah Burton creation will always be the ultimate wedding dress in my eyes - and it definitely lived up to my expectations when I went to see it on display at Buckingham Palace. This year the summer opening will showcase the Queen's Norman Hartnell coronation gown - I can't wait!

Kate Spotted in Topshop

Move over Hermione - it looks like Kate's been working her magic again! The Duchess of Cambridge appeared in a £38 polka dot dress as she joined William and Harry for a tour of the Harry Potter studios - and now it's flying out of Topshop stores faster than you can say quidditch.

If you spot one, better buy it fast. I can just see legions of copy-Kates fighting it out between the rails over this one...

Mulberry Mint

Doesn't the Duchess of Cambridge look lovely in her mint green Mulberry coat. Look closely and you'll see that the buttons are flower shaped - blooming marvellous or what?!

It's been a while since we've seen Kate out on public engagements, but she was back on fine form for the National Review of Queen's Scouts at Windsor castle on Sunday - her neat baby bump barely visible beneath the £1750 summer tweed coat.

I've pretty much fallen head over heels for the entire Mulberry S/S 13 collection - especially the accessories. Topping my lust list has to be the Willow tote. As far as I'm concerned it's pure genius. The envelope shaped front pocket unzips to become a clutch. Definitely fit for a princess - I wonder if we'll see one gracing the crook of Kate's arm any time soon?

Mulberry Willow Tote, £1500
Mulberry Cecily Shoulder Bag, £950
Mulberry Cecily Cuff, £150
Mulberry Envelope Wallet, £295

A Right Royal Weekend

The bunting was out and so were the crowds as the nation prepared to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee weekend. From my (not so prime) position on Chelsea Embankment I attempted to see the flotilla pass by - and got pushed, shoved and my hair pulled in the process, but it was still well worth going along to mark such an historic occasion.

As the Royal Barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, came into view everyone surged forward and held their cameras in the air blocking my view entirely - but by climbing on a barrier I made sure I got the glimpse I'd been waiting a fair few hours for. Kate's choice of bright red Alexander McQueen dress ensured everyone could spot her on board and I could just make out a royal wave from the Queen herself. Sadly my photos are very blurry - but at least I can identify who's who.

The highlight of my 4 day weekend? It has to be standing in The Mall for the Jubilee concert. The atmosphere was amazing even during the build up. Whoever was in charge of the big screen footage has my thanks for keeping the camera fixed directly on Prince Harry. Then the concert began with Robbie Williams - cue hysteric screams from yours truly. One was most definitely entertained thank you very much!

Dress Diary of a Duchess

What a year it's been for the Duchess of Cambridge! 12 whole months have passed since Kate Middleton walked down the aisle wearing one of the most talked about wedding dresses of all time. I for one still haven't stopped waxing lyrical about the beautiful Sarah Burton gown, but let's not forget all the other great dresses we've seen...

The Duchess's New Shoes

We all know the Duchess of Cambridge loves her L.K. Bennett wedges, nude court shoes and knee-high suede boots, but her next sartorial step is in the hands of DMU footwear design students, who are competing to be given the royal seal of approval.

New Desire for Jesire

Copy-Kates the world over are crazily trying to get their hands on the stylish Jesire coat-dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge for her first solo public engagement - a preview of the Lucian Freud exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday. The problem is that Jesire ceased trading last year. However, according to a report by the Daily Express they could very soon be put out of their misery...

Happy Birthday Kate!

The Duchess of Cambridge celebrates her 30th birthday today!

Last night the Duchess passed her last evening as a twenty-something in style at the London premiere of War Horse.

The royal couple braved the rain to walk the red carpet and Kate looked beautiful in a black lace gown by Temperley, accessorized to perfection with Mascaro court shoes and clutch bag.

Kate's a big fan of the Menorcan brand, having already been spotted wearing her Mascaro black suede courts on Christmas Day. You might also remember that we've already seen the Pretty Ballerinas bow clutch bag before (at The Military Awards last month), but they're still well worth a mention.

Founded in 1918 as a small ballet slipper workshop, Mascaro first expanded into designer shoes in the '50s. With Pretty Ballerinas now amongst their trademarks, Mascaro make shoes preferred by celebrities, and now royalty, the world over.

Blending design and craftsmanship, you'll find a shoe that fits for every occasion at the Marylebone High Street store.

Kate's Queen of the High Street

From Westminster Abbey to Waitrose, the Duchess of Cambridge turns heads wherever she goes.

Last night it was a Gary Barlow concert at the Royal Albert Hall, in aid of Royal charities, the Prince's Trust and The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

Kate wowed onlookers in a short lace print dress from Zara, worn with a smart Ralph Lauren jacket and black opaque tights.

The dress in question costs just £69.99 and would make a perfect little party dress, although I'm predicting it's going to have sold out by the time I've clicked 'publish'.

Don't Be Critical of Kate

Has The Duchess of Cambridge's time as a style icon ended little sooner than it began? It has been only a matter of weeks since Vivienne Westwood criticised Kate's 'hard' eye make-up, and now Gregg Andrews, the Fashion Director of Nordstrom, has become the latest industry insider to hit out against Kate's dress sense. Speaking at New York Fashion Week, he branding her style 'ordinary':

'She's stylish, but she's not setting trends, she's following them. If you take Kate out of the Royal Family, put her on a street in New York, you wouldn't look at her twice. She's a beautiful woman, but she blends into a crowd.'

I doubt Kate would be distressed to hear Andrews' comments. After all, she is not a designer or a model, and it has been reported that she doesn't want to be perceived as a mere clotheshorse.

As a member of the Royal Family, Kate is subject to untold pressures - scrutinised on everything from how she behaves to how she dresses. If she were to wear something particularly avant garde it would look completely inappropriate. As it is, I believe she hasn't put an L K Bennett clad foot wrong. By mixing her designer wardrobe with items from the high street she is showing us that she has not left behind the girl she once was, and is setting a good example in a time of recession. Her elegant, well put together look is one that millions of women around the world are clamouring to emulate - you only have to look at the sales figures for items she has been spotted wearing! Now, if that isn't trend setting, I don't know what is.

The world of fashion can be fickle, but their love affair with Kate is far from over.

A Record Breaking Royal Wedding Dress

At the start of the week it was reported that Buckingham Palace has seen a record breaking number of visitors for this year's summer opening. More than 354,000 people have filed passed the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress since the Palace opened its doors back in July, and thousands more are still expected to view the Sarah Burton creation before the exhibition closes in three weeks time on 3rd October. A spokesperson for the Royal Collection told the Daily Express: 'This year has been our highest year to date. The wedding dress has proved very popular.' The prospect of seeing the exquisite lacework up close certainly gave me the final nudge to visit.

On entering the ballroom there is an opportunity to watch a video of Sarah Burton describing the design process as well as the skilled craftsmanship which went into the production of the dress.

To attach the lace panels to the silk gazar, stitches had to be no more than 2-3mm apart and needles changed every three hours when they had become too blunt to perform the intricate task. The train itself has been weighted so the skirt retains its shape, and up close you can really appreciate how each fold resembles a petal of an opening flower.

Despite being inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement and drawing on traditions of Victorian corsetry, it was important for the dress to give a nod to modernity and not become an historical costume. In my opinion the dress is a complete triumph; it is grand whilst modest, high fashion yet traditional and wearable. Not only does the design remain true to the House of McQueen, but also succeeds in reflecting Kate's personal style whilst living up to our expectations of what a royal wedding dress should be.

From the dress to the shoes, bouquet and cake, the whole exhibition is a tribute to great British design and craftsmanship. There is still time to visit, and I would highly recommend it.

www.royalcollection.org.uk

What the Guests Wore...

Goldsign Girls

Just a week after big sis Kate was spotted wearing Goldsign jeans in Canada, Pippa has been spotted wearing the same designer denim brand for a coffee run in central London. Whilst Kate wore Passion in Habit, Pippa opted for Misfit in Ray - a particularly figure hugging cut to flatter the most famous bottom in the world! Although the sisters may share a love of Goldsign, Pippa chose to leave her stetson at home - accessorizing with some serious arm candy instead.

Goldsign jeans are available from Donna Ida

Royal Wedding Dress to go on Display

It's the news I've been waiting for... Kate's wedding dress is to go on show at Buckingham Palace! From July 23rd-October 3rd the stunning Sarah Burton creation will take pride of place in the ballroom, displayed alongside the Queen's Halo tiara, the bride's hand-made shoes, and the diamond earrings which were a gift from her parents. This is an opportunity to see British design and craftmanship at its very best!

www.royalcollection.org.uk

Keeping Up With Kate

Kate has done it again!

The Duchess of Cambridge (as I really should get used to calling her) has sent style savvy shoppers into a frenzy.

No sooner than images of her first official engagement as a member of the royal family had appeared, Reiss' website had crashed - as copy-kates scrambled to get their hands on a £175 'Shola' bandage dress.

Kate, who has long been a fan of the high street brand, had a fresh from honeymoon glow to compliment the fitted camel dress - which she accessorized to perfection with an Anya Hindmarch clutch.

Congrats Will & Kate!

This morning, after months of speculation, we finally got to see the dress - and what a dress it has turned out to be! The Sarah Burton creation inspired by an opening flower is absolutely stunning! The intricate lacework and neckline are features reminiscent of the dress worn by Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco back in 1956, but Kate's dress is set to become iconic in its own right. Dressmakers have already fired into action working on repilca designs - knowing that brides everywhere will want to capture the fairytale romance of a royal wedding on their own special day. Overall, this has been a great day for the British monarchy and the British Fashion Industry.