Today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry attended various sporting events on Day 5 of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Kate wore an all navy ensemble, a look she has favored for many sporting events since the London summer Olympics in 2012. Kate paired her Zara navy double breasted blazer paired with dark wash Zara skinny jeans. The jacket was first seen on the recent royal tour while in Auckland, New Zealand. On her feet were her trusty Stuart Weitzman 'Corkswoon' wedges in navy blue suede. There is some active debate that the clutch is not her Russell & Bromley 'Muse' clutch. The front flap appears to be slightly different to the 'Muse' and the silhouette is not as long. I think the style is more like the Emmy 'Natasha' clutch. Kate owns the 'Natasha' clutch in a carbon and chocolate hue. Emmy offers fabric customization so it's possible Kate has now added another to her collection in a bespoke navy suede, but I believe it is the carbon suede clutch that she carried today. We saw a new addition to the familiar ensemble. Kate changed up the outfit with a sleeveless striped shirt (yet to be identified). The collarless shirt appears to have dome-shaped navy buttons and a pleated front. Today, Kate wore gold toned jewellery which consisted of her Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop earrings and Asprey London necklace featuring 'Woodland' charms. Another familiar piece was her 33mm Cartier Ballon Bleu wristwatch. There was a lot of criticism on social media about Kate's uniform-like recycling of this outfit. While I long to see new additions to her closet, I respect her choice and admire that she has the confidence to pull off the same look time and time again. SHOP KATE'S CASUAL SPORTY STYLE ... Today, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge landed in Dunedin for their Otago visit which started with a church service and ended with a white-knuckle jet-boat ride! Kate turned to New Zealand born designer Emilia Wickstead to outfit her for the Palm Sunday church service. The dress is the same style as the pink pleated Wickstead coat dress Kate wore twice in 2012. The double crepe wool frock is a bespoke piece, and this teal colour appears to be from Wickstead's Autumn/Winter 2013/14 collection. Kate donned a matching teal hat by Jane Taylor Millinery. It is a modified version of the 'Dolly' cocktail hat. The hat is made from velour felt and features a handcut felt feather and crystal detail. The Duchess contrasted the teal outfit with her Emmy 'Natasha' clutch and 'Valerie' pumps in carbon suede, last worn to the St Patrick's day parade in March this year. Kate again wore the diamond Silver Fern brooch, on loan from the Queen, and completed the outfit with her Kiki McDonough green amethyst drop earrings. SHOP KATE'S STYLE FOR LESS ... Following the church service, the Royal couple changed out of their Sunday-best and into some comfy casual clothes to participate in the Rippa Rugby tournament at Forsyth Barr stadium. Kate wore a chic waffle-knit sweater by Jonathan Saunders. The 'Deborah' jumper is a mix of blush, white and aqua. It has a solid white ribbed crewneck, cuffs and hem. It is made from 100% cotton and retailed for about US$555. Kate teamed the sweater with her navy Zara skinny jeans and Mint Velvet taupe suede plimsolls. Both styles have been discontinued. SHOP KATE'S 'RUGBY' STYLE FOR LESS ... Following the rugby match, the Duke and Duchess took a short flight to Queenstown and made another wardrobe change for their visit to Amisfield Winery. Kate repeated most of the pieces she wore on Day 5 of the tour in Auckland; Zara blazer; Zara skinny jeans and Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon wedges. However, she changed up the outfit with a preppy navy/white gingham shirt. We think the shirt is by GAP. The Duchess was spotted in GAP only a week before the royal tour commenced, so there's a good chance she picked this up during her shopping spree. We also got a glimpse of Kate's Mappin & Webb 'Fortune' necklace. GET KATE'S 'WINERY' STYLE FOR LESS ... After the tour of the winery, William and Kate had high-speed tour of the Shotover River aboard a jet boat. The 'Shotover Jet' is capable of speeds of 85 kps in just 10cm of water and can do numerous 360 degree turns. Kate changed back into her Mint Velvet plimsolls and swapped her blazer for her waterproof Musto BR1 Channel jacket. She also donned her folding Ray-Ban wayfarer sunglasses. You can read further details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
For the first time since the tour began, the sun came out to greet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they disembarked from the grey Royal New Zealand Air Force plane at Whenuapai Air Base near Auckland. Their first stop was a meet & greet with Royal New Zealand Air Force families at the military base. Kate wore a nautical inspired outfit, and added a touch of military chic with a new Zara navy blazer. The double-breasted jacket with goldtone buttons is from the current Zara collection and retails for US$139. Under the blazer, she wore a new Breton top from London based label ME+EM. The top features cobalt blue and white stripes, a scoop neckline, ¾ length sleeves and ruched detailing to the bottom hem. It retails for £48. Her ensemble included some familiar pieces; the Zara skinny jeans and Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon wedges in navy suede. Kate wore her Kiki Grace earrings and Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. Shortly after, William & Kate made their way to Waitemata Harbour where they raced each other in Emirates Team New Zealand America's Cup yachts. Kate made a quick wardrobe change, exchanging the Zara blazer for a sailing jacket, and her 5" wedges for her comfy Sebago 'Bala' deck shoes. The sailing jackets worn by the Duke & Duchess are by Musto. It is the BR1 Channel jacket described by the manufacturer as "ideal for coastal sailors who want a high level of protection from the elements but are conscious of weight and bulk of the garment." The company was established by Keith Musto, a British Olympic sailor, and in 2010 the company was granted two Royal Warrants from The Queen and The Duke of Edinburg. There was some healthy rivalry between the royal couple, but the Duchess triumphed! I initially thought Kate wore a classic pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers in tortious, however some astute observers on WhatKateWore, noted they could be the foldable Ray-Ban Wayfarers. The eagle-eyes of Trisha Snyder spotted this photo of Kate wearing a braided brown belt. One possibility is the Mulberry Unisex Plaited belt. To wrap up their fifth day, the royal couple had an impromptu meet and greet with crowds after travelling on a Sealegs craft, an amphibious boat, to Westpark Marina in Auckland. GET KATE'S NAUTICAL LOOK FOR LESS ... You can read further details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
It's been a great week! I am finally the proud owner of two iconic necklaces worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. First, the Tiffany 'Color by the Yard' necklace arrived just in time for my 7th wedding anniversary. This is a contemporary version of Kate Middleton's Cabochon by the Yard necklace, made famous when she wore it with her iconic Issa 'engagement dress'. 24 hours later, the Zara 'Sparkly Crystal Bead' necklace was delivered! Both necklaces are miles apart in terms of style (and price!); the former being subtle and understated, while the latter is bold and a real head-turner! I normally don't buy flashy costume jewellery, I usually opt for modest pieces of fine jewellery like the 'Color By the Yard' necklace. This got me thinking ... am I ever going to wear the Zara necklace? I started going through my wardrobe and experimenting with different looks, and came up with these three scenarios; casual, date night and formal. Casual: I was quite surprised how well it worked with casual attire, however I preferred the necklace with a crew or bateau neckline. Date night: the sparkly necklace quickly transformed this simple Rip Curl dress into a sophisticated ensemble. I now have my Valentine's Day outfit sorted! Formal: Even though a simple string of pearls would look lovely with this elegant Ralph Lauren gown, I think the Zara necklace takes it to a whole new level.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walked the red carpet this evening at the UK premiere of Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, a film celebrating Nelson Mandela's life.
Before the screening the royal couple met with the film’s cast and crew and also spoke with Mandela’s daughter, Zindzi Mandela.
For tonight's event, Kate brought back the off-white Roland Mouret 'Lombard' gown which she previously wore in May 2012 to the Thirty Club dinner at Claridge's in London.
Kate accessorised with a striking statement necklace which is a costume piece from Zara. The 'Sparkly Bead Crystal Necklace' has a modest price tag of only £20. It is still available at select stores but has sold out online. There are also a few popping up on eBay.
Kate's affinity for suede accessories was reaffirmed tonight when she choose to complete her outfit with a new pair of black suede pumps and clutch bag. The clutch is the £495 Mulberry 'Bayswater' and is still available in a variety of colours and textures. It is believed Kate first carried this clutch to last month's Remembrance Sunday service.
Kate's black suede pumps are by Prada. The Italian made round-toe heels feature leather insole and lining, suede leather outsole, low-cut vamp and 4 1/4 inch suede covered high heel. They are available for US$650 at Neiman Marcus.
Sadly, during the screening of the movie, news broke of the death of Nelson Mandela. It was a poignant moment for the Duke and Duchess, and William made a brief statement after the movie and said "It was extremely sad and tragic news. "We were just reminded of what an
extraordinary and inspiring man Nelson Mandela was and my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family right now." Popsugar have exclusive pics of the Duchess of Cambridge shopping at Zara Home in Chelsea, only hours before she attended the 100 Women in Hedge Funds charity gala on 24th Oct 2013. She was seen buying homewares, no doubt to furnish her new home at Kensington Palace. Kate looked casually comfy in a boyfriend cashmere cardi from Zara, the 'Debarn' blouse from Jack Wills and navy Zara jeans. On her feet were Mint Velvet plimsolls, and she carried her Mulberry 'Polly Push Lock' bag. Kate had her hair swept back into a ponytail and accessorised with her Kiki McDonough citrine peardrop earrings. We have seen her wear all these pieces before, but there is one notable piece of bling which is new. It is a long gold chain pendant featuring a baby boy figure. Hopefully more details about the pendant will be revealed soon. SHOP Kate's look ...Update (18th Feb 2014):We finally have an ID of the necklace mentioned above. It is by Merci Maman Boutique, a UK based jeweller. The company shared the news on their Facebook page: Kate's necklace features three charms suspended from a gold plated long chain; a mini heart engraved with W representing Prince William, a disc with her baby son's full name George Alexander Louis, and a sweet little boy charm. It has been reported that Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton bought this engraved charm necklace for the Duchess after the birth of Prince George. The company has named this necklace charm set 'The Duchess Necklace', and you can customise your own necklace for £89.00.
I love setting myself budget challenges and I'm a little chuffed that I was able to repliKate the entire Zara tulip dress outfit for under $135!
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I have retired the "Bits and Bobs" section of the website and started a new segment title "Outfit Chronicle".
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December 2014
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