Today William and Catherine spent the day in Scotland where they go by the titles of the Earl and Countess of Strathearn. It was their first joint engagement since returning from their tour of Australia and New Zealand last month. For today's visit, Kate wore a vibrant red stripe wool jacquard coat by Scottish-born designer Jonathan Saunders. The Jonathan Saunders 'Athena' coat is from his A/W 2013 collection and retailed for US$2555. The coat features a single breasted button front, single breast pocket, full-length sleeves, flap front pockets, and single vent at back. It is made from a blend of wool and mohair. The Palace revealed that the dress Kate wore under the coat is by Goat Fashion. Goat has a couple of sheath styles available in the Geranium hue; the 'Scarlett' dress and the 'Thea' dress. However, Goat (via Twitter) have suggested that the frock may be their 'Thea' dress. 'Thea' is a fitted wool crepe dress with front pockets and flared angle sleeve. It is fully lined with concealed centre back zip. It currently retails for £420. The Countess opted for neutral accessories, wearing her trusty LK Bennett 'Sledge' pumps in patent taupe which coordinated perfectly with her LK Bennett 'Avona' clutch. For jewellery, Kate wore her Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop earrings and also sported a new silver brooch with a Celtic knot design. According to the Palace, the brooch is a private wedding gift. My Small Obsessions has further details on the brooch. The Earl and Countess began the day with a visit to Strathearn Community Campus in Crieff where they met young carers, Scouts, Cadets and Brownies. They also met representatives of the Scottish Air Ambulance. They then visited the newly restored MacRosty Park and unveiled a plaque to mark the dedication of the park as a Field in Trust. On their third stop, the royal couple visited the Famous Grouse Distillery, the country's oldest distillery in Perthshire. They enjoyed a shot of whisky and bottled their own Glenturret malt. On their final stop, the Earl and Countess of Strathearn attended a village fete in Forteviot and meet community representatives. You can read more details about today's events on the official website of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge. The next engagement for William and Catherine will be on Friday, 6th June where they will attend a veterans' tea party in the town of Arromanches and participate in the Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings at Gold Beach.
Royal Tour Day 19: William & Kate attend ANZAC Day Commemorations on their final day Down Under25/4/2014 On the final day of their royal tour, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were up before sunrise to attend the ANZAC day dawn service at Canberra's War Memorial. This was an unscheduled and surprise appearance by the royal couple. ANZAC day is a significant national occasion which marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. Prince William wore his two medals given for service to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth - the golden jubilee medal and diamond jubilee medal. The Duchess wrapped up warmly with a cream-coloured scarf, black gloves and her Temperly 'Noa' coat. The black coatdress features a jacquard diamond check panel design with a fit-and-flare silhouette. The Duchess first wore this piece to last year's Remembrance Sunday service. Kate also wore black tights with black heels which appear to be her Episode 'Angel' suede pumps. On her coat lapel was pinned a sprig of rosemary traditionally worn by Aussies and Kiwis on this day. The plant grows abundantly on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, where over 11,000 Australians and New Zealanders died in battle. Later that morning the Duke & Duchess attended the commemorative Anzac Day March which included representatives of First World War veterans. The Duchess changed into a blue tweed coat and donned a navy headpiece. Out of respect for the day of remembrance, the Palace did not release details about Kate's outfit. After the service, various media outlets did publicize the details. Firstly, News Corp Australia revealed that Kate's headwear was by Sydney based milliner, Jonathan Howard. Kate wore the 'Boutton' headpiece in an appropriately named ‘Duchess Blue’ hue. The piece is from the milliner's racing collection and features a felt button with flying bow trim. It retails for AU$540 and comes in a variety of colours. Following this, Hello Magazine revealed that Kate's coat was by Michael Kors. The indigo twill jacquard swing coat is from the Spring 2014 collection. This is the first time the Duchess has worn a piece by Michael Kors, and it makes it the fourth American designer for the royal tour. Previously, we saw Kate wear dresses from Tory Burch, DVF, and Lela Rose. Kate completed the outfit with her Alexander McQueen navy suede pumps, and Russell & Bromley navy 'Muse' clutch (aka Stuart Weitzman 'Raz' clutch in the USA). Her jewellery pieces included the sapphire earrings, Asprey London 'Woodlands' charm necklace, and Cartier Ballon Bleu Watch. Kate also wore a red poppy-shaped brooch given to her by the wife of Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith. The brooch is the Russian Imperial Crimson Anemone Pin from the Metropolitan Museum of Art store. It originally retailed for US$85 but is no longer available. It is a reproduction of a Peter Carl Fabergé’ design, and there are a few jewellery variations in the collection including, earrings, necklace and cuff. Immediately after the commemorations, the Royal couple returned to their home base at Government House to pickup Prince George and then made their way to the Fairbairn RAAF Base for their official farewell before flying back to London. You can read full details of today's events on the official page of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Well that wraps up three amazing weeks with so many memorable moments! This tour was extra special to me because it was in my home country of Australia, and also the first I have covered since I started the website. I will leave you with my favourite image from the tour which I think captures the essence of this beautiful family.
This morning the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge commenced the final leg of their royal tour Down Under in the nation's capital city of Canberra. First on the itinerary was a visit to the National Arboretum perched high on the hills overlooking Lake Burley Griffin. The arboretum was recently opened in the wake of the bushfires that ravaged the area over a decade ago. The royal couple planted an English Oak tree to make a contribution to the efforts of the arboretum. The Duchess wore a vivid grass green coat dress by Catherine Walker. This is a bespoke piece that fuses design elements of the Catherine Walker 'Evelyn' coatdress and the 'Lara' coat from the current collection. Both are fabricated from Venetian wool and it is evident that Kate combined the zip scuba collar of the 'Lara' with the full skirt of the 'Evelyn' including the hand pick stitching and belt. We got a glimpse of the Suzannah Green Budding Heart silk tea dress under her coat. Kate also wore this dress under her green Erdem coat when she recently visited the Waikato region of New Zealand. On her feet were the infamous LK Bennett 'Sledge' taupe patent pumps. Kate wore her emerald and diamond earrings and Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. The Duke and Duchess then attended a reception hosted by Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the Great Hall of Parliament House. Prince William made a short speech and told the audience of 600 how much he and his family had enjoyed their visit to Australia. He also made a comical remark about Prince George's affection for his plush toy wombat. Immediately following the reception, William and Kate headed to the National Portrait Gallery where they viewed some of its prized paintings, including one of Australian native, Princess Mary of Denmark. SHOP KATE'S 'ARBORETUM' STYLE FOR LESS ... On their final evening of the Royal Tour, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a cocktail reception at Government House hosted by the Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove. The royal couple mingled with 100 carefully selected guests from the arts, sport, business and charity. Kate looked elegant in a monochromatic outfit and with her hair in a loose chignon. She wore an ivory fitted peplum dress from American designer Lela Rose. This is the first occasion we have seen the Duchess wear this label. The linen-blend sheath dress is from the Spring 2012 collection. It features circular lace short sleeves and peplum waist. It originally retailed for US$1295. Kate contrasted the dress with her black suede Mulberry 'Bayswater' clutch and Jimmy Choo 'Cosmic' platform pumps. The Duchess completed the ensemble with her dazzling diamond earrings and bracelet set which she tends to favour for formal events. She also wore her Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. Tomorrow is the last day of the three-week royal tour. The Duke and Duchess will attend an ANZAC Day service at the Australian War Memorial before boarding a Royal Australian Air Force plane bound for London at around 2pm. SHOP REPLIKATE'S OF THE LELA ROSE DRESS ... You can read full details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge flew into Adelaide this morning looking refreshed from their overnight stay in Uluru. Catherine looked stunning in a blush pink ensemble from Alexander McQueen. The outfit appears to be separates featuring a knit peplum top with cropped sleeves and a matching skirt with fluid pleats. Below are similar ready-to-wear pieces from a previous seasonal collection by Alexander McQueen. A close-up of the top in sunlight shows fine woollen type fibres. This is most likely a bespoke outfit with the details yet to be confirmed. Today, we saw the return of Kate's favourite accessories combination; the 'Sledge' patent pumps and 'Natalie' straw clutch both from LK Bennett. Kate's jewellery included her Annoushka pearl drops with Kiki hoop earrings, Asprey 'Woodland' charm necklace and Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. SHOP KATE'S MCQUEEN STYLE FOR LESS ... Today's events were based in the working-class suburb of Elizabeth, named after Queen Elizabeth II, who visited the area in 1963. The Duke and Duchess spent time engaging with the disadvantaged youth in the area. Their first stop was a visit to the Northern Sound System, a community-run music workshop that gives young people the chance to rehearse, record and perform their own music. The royal couple then moved outside where Prince William added a blue sky to an aerosol art display. This was followed by a an exhibition of BMX and scooter stunts by the local teens. It was then on to the Playford Civic Centre where William and Kate unveiled a plaque to commemorate the naming of the new Prince George Plaza. This was followed by a short walkabout, and then a civic reception co-hosted by the Governor of South Australia and Acting Premier of South Australia. It was also attended by 200 guests, all under the age of 30. Later that afternoon, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to their home base in Canberra to be reunited with baby Prince George. You can read full details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 16th July 2014 - UPDATE It has emerged that Catherine's Alexander McQueen ensemble is a dress, not a separate skirt and top as we originally thought. It is from the Pre-Fall 2014 collection. The dress features a peplum waist with an asymmetrical hem. It is fabricated from a blend of 90% wool and 10% cashmere. It was recently made available for purchase from mytheresa.com for £ 1,985.
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.
This morning, the Duke and Duchess headed west out of Sydney to the Blue Mountains, one of Australia's most majestic areas of natural beauty. They meet with emergency services personnel, as well as locals impacted by the recent bushfires in the region that destroyed 195 homes. Kate wore a flowy cotton wrap dress by Diane von Furstenberg. The DVF 'Patrice' dress is a faux wrap style made from cotton voile. It is rendered with a blue and black ikat print on a white background. It has cuffed 3/4 sleeves and a subtle flare skirt. At time of posting, it has sold out but retailed for US$325. Kate brought back the navy suede Stuart Weitzman 'Corkswoon' wedges which coordinated perfectly with the blue printed frock. She also carried her navy suede Russell & Bromely 'Muse' clutch, also known as the Stuart Weitzman 'Raz' clutch in the USA. Again, we saw the sapphire & diamond drop earrings, Mappin & Webb 'Fortune' necklace and the Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. SHOP KATE'S 'BLUE MOUNTAINS' LOOK FOR LESS ... The meet and greet was followed by lunch in the Winmalee Girl Guides Hall where they later planted a flowering gum tree out the front of the Hall. The Royal couple then headed to the Echo Point lookout in Katoomba to view the impressive Three Sisters rock formation. The Duke and Duchess concluded their day trip at Narrow Neck Lookout where they observed an abseiling demonstration by the Mountain Youth Services. Prince William boldly stood just inches from the 100-metre cliff face. He made many onlookers nervous as he peered over the edge. You can read further details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Tomorrow morning, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will remain in Sydney where they will visit the Royal Easter Show. If the afternoon, they head to Manly for two events. The first, a visit to the Bear Cottage Children's Hospice, followed by a surf life-saving display at Manly Beach.
Royal Tour Day 10: Duchess, a ray of sunshine in Roksanda Ilincic for first day in Australia16/4/2014
This afternoon, the royal trio emerged from their flight from Wellington to commence the Australian leg of their royal tour in Sydney.
Kate wore a sunshine yellow sheath dress by London-based designer Roksanda Ilincic. No doubt the Duchess selected this colour to reflect the gold of Australia's national colours - green and gold. The dress is a modified version of the Roksanda Ilincic 'Ryedale' wool-crepe dress. The ready-to-wear dress from the spring/summer 2014 collection features bell sleeves and has an exposed back zipper. It currently retails for £941.
Kate's bespoke version has the block colours reversed, with the yellow being the dominant hue. The sleeves have also been fitted and the neckline modified from round to square.
Kate paired the dress with her favourite accessories from LK Bennett; the 'Sledge' pumps and 'Natalia' straw clutch.
LK Bennett 'Sledge' Taupe Patent Pumps (in stock)
LK Bennett 'Natalie' Straw Clutch (sold out)
Kate also donned three pieces of jewellery she has worn consistently throughout the tour; the Mappin & Webb 'Fortune' necklace, Cartier Ballon Bleu watch, and Annoushka pearl drops with Kiki hoop earrings.
Mappin & Webb 'Fortune' necklace (in stock)
Cartier Ballon Bleu watch (in stock)
Annoushka pearl drops with Kiki diamond hoop earrings (in stock)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge headed straight to a reception at the iconic Opera House situated on the famous Sydney Harbour.
Following the reception, the royal couple greeted eager fans waiting around the perimeter of the Sydney Opera House. They concluded the day by taking a police escorted ferry across the beautiful Sydney Harbour to Admiralty House where they will be staying. The Duke and Duchess spent their last day in New Zealand in the capital city of Wellington. William and Catherine visited the Royal New Zealand Police College this morning, where they layed a wreath on the wall of remembrance before watching a demonstration from the police dog unit. This was followed by a walkabout in the Civic Square. Kate wore her tweed navy suit separates by New Zealand born designer Rebecca Taylor, first seen in April 2012 Just like she did in 2012, Kate accessorised the suit with her Alexander McQueen bespoke navy suede heels. She also coordinated the outfit with the same accessories she wore on Day 4 of this tour; carrying her navy suede Russell & Bromley 'Muse' clutch also known as the Stuart Weitzman 'Raz' clutch, wearing her Sapphire & diamond drop earrings and the Cartier Ballon Bleu watch SHOP KATE'S TWEED STYLE FOR LESS ... Farewell New Zealand!
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made a sombre visit to Christchurch today. The city was impacted by a devastating 6.1 magnitude earthquake in February 2011, killing 185 people. The Royal Couple visited the CTV Building memorial site meeting families who sadly lost loved ones in the earthquake. In a nod to Canterbury's official colours, the region in which Christchurch is located, Kate wore her Luisa Spagnoli red dress suit, accented with black buttons and a black velour bow belt. Kate Middleton first wore this 2-piece suit when she and Price William visited St Andrews University on 25th February 2011. Incidentally that was only 3 days after the tragic earthquake. For the St Andrews visit, Kate elected to wear a turtleneck over the top of the dress. On that same day, Kate and William visited the New Zealand High Commission in London to sign the condolence book. For this occasion, Kate wore the red dress but swapped the matching peplum jacket for a black overcoat. Thanks to the brilliant detective work of Ayvee Elliot, she first noted on WhatKateWore, that the Duchess may have converted the dress into a skirt. This would account for the longer hemline, which many observed as the main difference between the suit she wore in 2011 and the one she wore today. Kate completed the outfit with familiar pieces; the black suede Episode 'Angel' pumps, black suede Mulberry 'Baywater' clutch, Annoushka pearl drops with Kiki hoop earrings, and the Cartier Ballon Bleu watch. SHOP KATE'S 'CANTERBURY' STYLE FOR LESS ... The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also officially opened the visitors centre of the Botanic Gardens. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the gardens became a place of reflection for the people of Christchurch. Following the opening, William & Kate visited the city's Latimer Square to endorse the upcoming Cricket World Cup. The pair participated in a light-hearted game of cricket with the local kids. Despite both being dressed in suits, the royal couple weren't afraid to show off their competitive side. You can read further details of today's events on the official website of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
After an action packed week in New Zealand, the Duke and Duchess will spend tomorrow resting in private. On Wednesday, the royal couple will fly out of Wellington Airport and head to Sydney for their first Australian engagement at the Opera House. 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.
|
I have retired the "Bits and Bobs" section of the website and started a new segment title "Outfit Chronicle".
Archives
December 2014
|