For the final event of their whirlwind visit to the Big Apple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a glitzy gala dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). The black tie function was a fundraiser for the university they attended, St Andrews in Scotland. The Duchess repeated her Jenny Packham ink blue silk tulle gown. She first wore it in October 2013 for the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Gala and in February 2014 at the National Portrait Gallery. Kate again styled the gown with her Jimmy Choo Cosmic Platform Pumps (US$695). However, tonight she premiered some serious bling. She wore an exquisite jewelry set consisting of emerald and diamond earrings and a matching bracelet. The chandelier style earrings feature three strands of white and yellow diamonds secured to a large emerald surrounded by diamonds. The bracelet matches the motif of the earrings. The jewels are reportedly a private gift. William and Kate leaving the MET. The Duchess was absolutely flawless on their final night in the Big Apple. It was the perfect ending to a successful visit. Farewell New York!
This evening, the Duchess of Cambridge stepped out for her second engagement of the day, attending the 50th Annual Wildlife Photography Awards at the Natural History Museum in London, of which she is Royal Patron. Only hours after attending a ceremonial welcome for the President of Singapore, the Duchess of Cambridge made a wardrobe change for this evening's black-tie event wearing a bespoke pale jade Jenny Packham creation. The maxi wrap dress was the perfect choice for the Duchess who is about 3 months pregnant with her second child. The gown features a three-quarter sleeve with a wrap front surplice neckline and a lightweight envelope skirt with a pee-a-boo short hem skirt underneath. The silhouette of Kate's bespoke gown appears to be modeled on this Jenny Packham A/W 2014 Cruise collection piece. Kate accessorized the dress with a new clutch bag from Alexander McQueen. Like all her other McQueen bags, Kate had this one modified with the removal of the signature skull clasp. The small curved molded clutch is rendered in a gradient nude pink python leather with gold metal frame. Kate paired the clutch with her blush pink LK Bennett Agata suede sandals, first seen at the 2011 annual ARK dinner. This evening, the Duchess donned a new sparkling diamond necklace and matching earrings. The pieces are from the Monica Vinader 'Riva' collection (thanks to My Small Obsession for the ID). Kate wore the 'Riva' Diamond Cluster Bib necklace which is a Harrods exclusive according to Monica Vinader's Instagram page.
Regrettably the necklace is not available on the Harrods website, but the matching 'Riva' Diamond Cluster Drop Earrings are available directly from Monica Vinader. The earrings are described as Featuring Riva's signature organic shape and pave set diamonds totalling 0.32 carats, these cocktail earrings are beautifully elegant. Measuring approximately 27mm (1.0") in length x 35mm (1.4") in width, the earrings are light enough to wear all day long. 23/10/2014 UPDATE The staff at Monica Vinader contacted me via Twitter to let me know that the Riva diamond cluster bib necklace is now available for pre-order via their website. Featuring Riva's signature organic shape in 21 interconnecting hoops, and pavé set diamonds totalling 0.84 carats, this bib is the epitome of elegance. Measuring approximately 11cm in length by 5.5cm in width, with an adjustable 18 inch chain. SHOP KATE'S STYLE ... Today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were joined by Prince Harry on a visit to the opening of the Tower of London's "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red" poppy installation. The expansive art installation is in honour of the 100th anniversary of World War I. It gives the illusion of a blood-red moat around the castle and the evolving work will feature 888,246 ceramic poppies when completed. The poppies represent a British or Colonial military fatality during the Great War. The installation is the work of ceramic artist Paul Cummins, with setting by stage designer Tom Piper. It was officially opened to the public today, and will run until late Autumn with the last poppy to be symbolically planted on Armistice Day, 11th November 2014. For today's engagement, The Duchess wore her snorkel blue L.K. Bennett 'Detroit' dress. This dress was first worn on Valentine's Day this year to the opening of the ICAP Art Room at Northolt High School in London. The Duchess carried her navy suede Russell & Bromley 'Muse' clutch. Other familiar accessories included her Sapphire & Diamond Oval Drop Earrings and Ballon Bleu de Cartier Stainless Steel Wristwatch. There were two new additions to Kate's outfit today. The Duchess swapped her usual Alexander McQueen navy suede pumps with a new pair from Jimmy Choo named 'Georgia' (identified by My Small Obsessions). This style features a thick column shaped heel with a rounded toe. They are currently available for€450/US$625. Kate also debuted the Empress Mini White Gold and Diamond Pendant necklace by Mappin & Webb (identified by My Small Obsessions). A sparkling motif pendant features 0.40 carats of round brilliant-cut diamonds set in 18 carat white gold on a 46cm (18 inch) chain. The motif measures 15mm (0.59 inches) in diameter. The piece retails for £1,850. The Cambridge's will take a break for the remaining Summer. Kate is scheduled to return to royal duties in mid September, where she will undertake her first solo visit abroad. On 20th - 21st September 2014, the Duchess of Cambridge will visit Malta to mark its 50th annivsary of independence. SHOP KATE'S STYLE ...
The Duchess of Cambridge started the day by attending a reception hosted by her patronage SportsAid, an organisation which supports the next generation of British sports stars. She then joined her husband and Prince Harry at Hampden Park to attend the athletics on Day 6 of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. It was a consecutive day of outfit recycling for the thrifty Duchess and she stuck with pieces she has favoured at previous sporting events. For today's outing, the Duchess paired her ultra-blue Stella McCartney 'Ridley' dress with her navy Smythe single button blazer (in stock at Saks Fifth Ave). Kate repeated the same accessories she wore to yesterday's events. On her feet were the Stuart Weitzman 'Corkswoon' wedges in navy suede and she carried a matching bag. There is some active debate that the clutch is not her trusty Russell & Bromley 'Muse' clutch. The 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. Kate's also recycled her jewellery from yesterday, wearing her Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop earrings, Asprey necklace featuring 'Woodland' charms and Cartier Ballon Bleu wristwatch. SHOP KATE'S SPORTY BUSINESS STYLE FOR LESS ... 02/08/2014 UPDATE The navy suede clutch has been identified by My Small Obsessions. The Duchess was carrying the LK Bennett 'Frome' navy blue suede clutch bag. The sleek clutch is crafted in soft suede, featuring a mag-dot closure, internal zip compartment and convenient removable strap handle. It retailed for £185 but has unfortunately sold out.
It was a clash of the tennis giants today at the Wimbledon Championships, with Rodger Federer taking on Novak Djokovic in the men's finals. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to the Royal Box at the All England Club to watch the epic match, having attended the men's quarter finals a few days earlier. The Duchess wore the Jonathan Saunders 'Evelyn' dress previously worn in the Solomon Islands on the Jubilee Tour of 2012. The 'Evelyn' is a retro-inspired cotton-blend dress, tailored to uptown perfection. It is rendered in an aqua, white and forest-green textured geometric-print. It has a modified boat neck that extends to a V in the back. The sheath dress is finished with a self tie belt. Kate accessorised the dress with her LK Bennett 'Avona' clutch and Jimmy Choo 'Gilbert' nude kid leather pumps. She was also carrying a cream pashmina, yet to be identified. The Duchess wore her Kiki McDonough green amethyst and diamond oval earrings and Givenchy 'Obsedia' sunglasses. She also wore her Cartier wristwatch. Djokovic triumphed in a five-set thriller and was later congratulated by the royal couple. SHOP KATE'S WIMBLEDON STYLE FOR LESS ... On Sunday evening, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and baby Prince George flew into Australia's capital Canberra. The Royal trio disembarked from the plane, all wearing shades of blue. Kate wore her Stella McCartney sheath dress which she first wore in July 2012 to an event at the National Portrait Gallery. The ultra-blue 'Ridley Stretch Cady' dress is form fitting and made from heavy jersey. It features pleats on the front and back. Kate wore her bespoke Alexander McQueen navy suede pumps. She also had on the same jewellery she wore to today's outing at Taronga Zoo. Kate's earrings are the Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop earrings, and her necklace is a piece by Asprey of London, from the jeweler’s Woodland collection. SHOP REPLIKATE'S OF THE STELLA MCCARTNEY DRESS ... Government House in the nation's Capital will be the home base for the young Royal family for the remainder of the tour.
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.
This morning, the Duchess of Cambridge officially opened the ICAP Art Room at Northolt High School in Ealing, London. She wore a form-fitting bright blue sheath dress from one of her favourite high-street labels, LK Bennett. The Art Room, of which Kate is Royal Patron, is a national charity which offers art as therapy to children and young people aged five to 16 who are facing challenges in their lives. Today, the Duchess participated in an Art Room workshop and addressed an assembly of children at the school. The sheath dress is the snorkel blue 'Detroit' notch collar fitted dress currently on sale at LK Bennett for £225. The figure-hugging 'Detroit' dress is crafted from elegant crepe with strategically placed panels and cinched waist. The dress provides modest coverage with mid-length sleeves and a clavicle-skimming neckline. Kate contrasted the bright blue frock with her trusty black suede Episode 'Angel' pumps and an unidentified black suede clutch with bow, which she has had for a few years now. Kate also wore her £3,950 Mappin & Webb Fortune White Gold Drop Pendant, first seen on the Duchess in early December 2013 when she visited the Shooting Star Hospice. Kate wore a "new" pair of drop earrings from Kiki McDonough. Kate already owns the diamond hoops, which originate from her Kiki Diamond and Green Amethyst Oval Drop earrings. Today she paired the diamond hoops with a green amethyst drop which is new to her Kiki collection. The earrings can be bought as a set and are known as the Kiki Classic Green Amethyst and Diamond Cushion Drop earrings. We have also seen Kate interchange the hoops with the Kiki Citrine Drop earrings. There was another new piece of jewellery worn by Kate today. We saw her wear a stainless steel watch from Cartier for the first time. This timepiece is part of the Ballon de Bleu collection and retails for US$4,550. More details about the watch can be found on the Cartier website. The next engagement for the Duchess of Cambridge is this coming Monday. Kate will join the Queen at Buckingham Palace for a reception honouring the dramatic arts. Among those expected to attend are Cate Blanchett, Dame Helen Mirren and Sir David Attenborough.
Tonight, the Duchess of Cambridge carried out her first official engagement of the year. She attended the Portrait Gala at the National Portrait Gallery in London in her role as patron. The dress code for this evening's event was "black tie with a touch of sparkle", and the Duchess certainly looked the part in a ink blue Jenny Packham gown, previously worn to the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Gala at Kensington Palace last October. There was however a sparkling addition to her outfit tonight. Adorning Catherine's neckline, was a priceless diamond necklace, on loan from Her Majesty the Queen. It is reported that the necklace was a wedding gift to the then Princess Elizabeth from the Nizam of Hyderabad, then King of a state in India. Kate paired the necklace with her much loved diamond earrings, believed to be a wedding gift from Prince Charles. Kate completed the look with her trusty black suede Jimmy Choo Cosmic Pumps which are available from Net-A-Porter for US$695 12/02/2014 UPDATE: It appears the Duchess of Cambridge has a new addition to her ring collection. Along with her sapphire engagement ring and wedding band, it was noted that Kate was also wearing a diamond eternity band, reminiscent of this one by Tiffany & Co. Currently there is no official ID or any further details on the new ring. 29/05/2014 UPDATE: After some exhaustive research, My Small Obsessions has confirmation that the ring is the Annoushka Eclipse Diamond Eternity Ring. The 2mm wide ring features brilliant-cut micro pavé white diamonds hand-set into a 18ct white gold eternity band. It retails for £820.
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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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