The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their baby son Prince George, waving to the crowds before their flight home on April 25, 2014. Image: Getty Images
She has inspired legions of “copy Kates” who shop her look at frantic speeds. Yet it seems the duchess’ best accessory so to speak, is still her baby son Prince George, however sulky and fidgety this teething young prince may be.
Now on their way home, this royal family has just concluded their whirlwind tour of Australia and New Zealand. In three weeks, we’ve seen the Duke and Duchess play deejay, engage in a sailboat race, while exchanging teasing barbs — the ever-demure Kate even took a dig at Prince William’s hair woes.
If you still can’t get enough of such royal style inspiration, take a look back with us, at the Duchess’ wardrobe choices this April.
Left to right: Duchess Kate wearing Alexander McQueen, Lela Rose, Catherine Walker and DVF during the royal tour. Images: Getty Images
Which look do you think looks best on this stylish royal? Tell us more, in the comment box below.
In case you were wondering, this royal is indeed wearing a tweed coat from Michael Kors Spring 2014, as seen pictured here on ANZAC Day in Canberra, Australia. She’d paired the look with a bespoke “duchess blue” hat from Jonathan Howard and matching Alexander McQueen pumps. (And yes, we’re totally in love with those bunny-like “ears” on her striking headwear of choice.) In remembrance of the war dead for ANZAC Day, Kate too donned a commemorative poppy brooch, gifted to her by Emma Roberts-Smith whose husband Ben is a Victoria Cross recepient; the top honour given to Australian military personnel.
Pretty-enough dress but not so fabulous hair; we can’t help but feel that the duchess ran a step amiss with her severe, centre-parted chignon for this evening appearance. While props still goes to the smoky eye and black heels, our beauty scribe suggests that a plumper lippie in a more vibrant hue could have made this look less aging than it appeared.
We can’t help but feel that the original Catherine Walker coatdress (as seen on the right) has far more pizazz, with its fluidly asymmetrical neckline. Kate’s belted, high-neck number on the other hand, looks almost matronly and a tad too stuffy for the warm Australian weather.
McQueen at the turntables? This almost improbable combination is one of the duchess’ many favoured McQueen looks. If not for the unusual setting and photo opportunity however, this peplum would have remained quite unmemorable.
As always, the royal’s eagle-eyed fans have picked this frock out as a re-worn high street piece that is for once, super weather-appropriate to the couple’s Uluru trip. She has even paired it with the same belt that she had worn it with, in 2012 at the countdown to the London Olympic Games.
While we’ve lost count of the number of times that this duchess has worn McQueen, this dove grey number definitely ranks up there with one of Kate’s best looks from the British fashion house. Her bespoke monochrome outfit is so sleek and effortlessly chic. Happily, the royal has also skipped her usual feminine frills and flouncy skirts, for this Easter appearance, save for the bow on her Jane Taylor hat.
Returning to her one of her favourite British brands, this LK Bennett dress is a safe though woefully impractical choice for a trip to the airfield. In an unintended style face-off, American comedian Mindy Kaling of The Mindy Project was also spotted in the said floral dress.
The designer of this frock chose to go unnamed; and perhaps for good sartorial reason too. This fairly forgettable number bore much close resemblances to the Zimmermann dress worn during the same weekend.
If you ever needed proof of the “Kate effect”, just look to how the duchess made this shirt dress one of the most coveted worldwide, almost instantly.
Like the Duke of Cambridge, we’re feeling a little more on the fence about this customised canary yellow number. While the bright hue is a welcome change from the duchess’ safe neutral styles, the colour scheme does look more than a little similar to this certain fruit that it was referred to …
She’ll suit up even on the cricket pitch, with a bat in hand. But she’s definitely working the peplum look; a convincing stylish exemplar for this forties-inspired style.
You really can’t go wrong with nautical chic, as the duchess would show with this Zara blazer. She also wore this same Zara find to a sailboat race with her husband Prince William, having paired it with a breton top.
It’s the first time she’s wearing Tory Burch and quite predictably, that very dress sold out swiftly, soon after the duchess was pictured in it at this play date with Prince George.
Fire engine red truly is Kate’s recurring hue, for she’d showed up in not just one but two of such looks during this three-week tour. In retrospect, the circumstances — her being so fresh-faced, seemingly sans jet lag! And with cute baby in her arms, no less — did make this snap of the royal family more notable than it is on the style factor.