You loved playing “princess” when you were a little girl, didn’t you? It’s okay, we all did.
No matter how may professors try and tell you that you can’t be a princess, let’s be honest—Duchess Kate Middleton is basically living in a Disney movie.
She’s got the palace, she’s got Prince William and now we’re all just waiting for the moment when they have a little royal baby!
In honor of Will and Kate’s second wedding anniversary (yes, 2 years!)…which will take place on April 29, we’ve decided to make a list of our favorite Kate Middleton fashions. In no particular order, here’s what we’d love to see in our dream closet:
1. Kate wore this dress to a tea party–what could be more princess-like? This beautiful Alice Temperley dress certainly looks fit for a tea party. The light blue is covered with a white lace, but not your typical lace pattern—making it even more elegant. The light-weight, flowy dress was paired with pearl hair pins to complete the outfit.
2. This black and gold sweetheart neckline dress is absolutely stunning on Kate! The gold detail of hibiscus flowers pops on the snow white layered dress. This was worn on a trip to Malaysia. Kate wears a lot of solid colored dresses, so this was daring with the neckline and pattern.
3. On their first official royal engagement as a married couple, Kate stepped out in a blush pink Jenny Packham dress. The shiny and glittery dress reminds us of a classy prom dress that we only wish we could have afforded back in high school.
4. According to “Elle” magazine—lace is runway ready this spring. Lucky for us, Kate is always fashionable. She wore a teal dress for a Special Olympics concert. The dress was not only beautiful, but it had a little ‘wow factor’ as every Kate fashion does. The dress was backless. Lace and buttons down the middle will make this a Kate-fashion-favorite for years to come.
5. Ever have a velvet dress as a kid? I had one, too. Several, to be correct. This black velvet dress was not only gorgeous but certainly timeless. The strapless floor length velvet Alexander McQueen dress hugged and complemented her curves. If anyone can pull off velvet, it’s most certainly Kate.
6. Another McQueen design would be Kate’s wedding dress. And…of course, we ALL want one of those. The gown was the perfect mixture of old tradition and new style, classical and modern. The wedding gown was reminiscent of Grace Kelly’s gown. The neckline wasn’t plunging, but was enough so that Kate wasn’t completely covered up. Lace, buttons and of course, that veil all added to create one magical fashion moment.
7. And since we’ve got weddings on our mind, let’s not forget that engagement announcement dress. The now iconic Issa dress made its first appearance in 2010 for the royal engagement photos. The royal blue dress—matching her famous Diana ring—sold out within hours. This is now without a doubt a dress that sparked the world’s love for Kate’s fashion sense.
8. Another blue dress worn by Kate (possibly her favorite color?) was an Erdem creation. The blue dress had a lace top and sleeve caps complementing the design. It’s something we could no doubt see ourselves wearing. Kate paired the fitted dress with a timeless champagne-colored clutch.
9. Oh, the color purple…or lavender in this case. During their first trip to the United States, Will and Kate were on hand for a charity event in L.A. She wore a simple, layered lavender dress with a glittery white belt to capitalize her fashion statement. Another simple and modest dress makes it Kate for the win—once again.
10. As for summer, Kate had this fun frock in a sunny yellow. It’s modest with a button top, yet fun and playful with a frilly bottom. The yellow color makes her glow and the light fabric looks like it would be perfect for travel. Take note as you pack your bags for your summer get-away, collegiettes!
Some lessons that we can learn from Kate’s closet:
-Know yourself. If you find that solid colors work for you–and you’re happy and comfortable in them–stick with the trend you set.
-Don’t be afraid of the element of surprise: backless dresses, lace sleeves, pearl or jewel accents.
-Know your situation. Clearly Kate knows that she’s got to be a bit modest, use this logic when going for a job interview, date or even 9 a.m. class.
-When in doubt recycle. We’ve seen Kate re-use dresses…and of course, we do the same—we’re not rich college kids after all! But, keep this in mind as you plan for the coming months. Do you really need a new dress for graduation? Do you really want to try and wear brand new shoes for that entire ceremony? I’m going to say no. If you’ve got something you love and you’re comfortable in–go for it!
Kate will clearly continue to be a fashion icon as she continues to grow into her royal role. And now, we can anxiously await the arrival of the newest member of the royal family! He or she will no doubt be the classiest baby in all of London!
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