Kate's Orla Kiely Outfit On A Budget

A few weeks ago, Kate Middleton went to visit the Dulwich Picture Gallery after spending the morning with the British Hockey team. At her first appointment Kate played it casual and sporty, but fast-forward a few hours and she was the epitome of chic.

Wearing Orla Kiely for the second time, in a short space of time, Kate looked simply stunning in a grey and black dress. Orla Kiely, an Irish brand, have some fantastic clothes in stock (and her prints are to die for) but the items aren't cheap. If you have the money then they really are worth the investment but, if like me, spending around £300 on one dress is a over your budget then I have found you an alternative, or an idea to create your own alternative.

Why not invest in a charcoal grey dress, like this one from The Outnet?

Although not a good match, this dress from Hobbs is a classic Kate dress in a lovely shade of grey and will look great teamed up with the next step I'm about to show you to help you achieve Kate's Orla Kielys's look.

So, the next thing you need to do is hunt out a flower necklace like the two below. The first from Wallis is a great alternative to the embroidery design on the Orla dress and it only cost £15! The second is a different colour (pink) but will compliment the grey dress, especially the Hobbs dress. Plus, no one likes to be an exact Kate clone, it's always good to add a touch of your own personality. It's from New Look and costs £9.99 and at the moment it's part of their buy one get one free offer!

Happy shopping, happy stealing....!

Has Kate been taking advice from sister Pippa Middleton after wearing coloured jeans?

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, stepped out in a wonderful pair of bright red-pink jeans today. As the sun was shining, Kate was playful with her fashion when she met the Great Britain hockey team, but has she been taking advice from sister Pippa?

See the Daily Mail for more images here

To find out where to buy Kate's clothes see my blog from earlier here.

Late last year, MSN living published a picture of Pippa in London wearing a similar pair of bright jeans! Both sisters look effortlessly stylish and playful in their jeans, but also very on trend this season!

To get Pippa's spring look click here.

Pippa Middleton's spring fling

The denim jacket! There isn't any other jacket that can transcend seasons like the denim jacket. Last year, Pippa was photographed wearing a cropped denim jacket and white crochet dress. Now the sun has started to come out, there is no better time to invest in a denim jacket!

Well ladies, Hobbs have a super cute and very stylish denim jacket in their sale! The Hawkins jacket is only £55 reduced from £79 and is the perfect take on a classic denim jacket. It comes in a pale duck egg blue colour and has cream stitching, NW3 metal buttons and a tabbed waist (a Middleton trademark). Team over a stunning white dress and penny-loafer shoes or wedges (click link for Very wedges) for the ultimate spring fling and Pippa-esq look.

See by Chloe

 This dress by Chloe (click picture caption to be taken to mytheresa.com) is £609. The asos version, seen here in yellow but available in white below, is only £33.50 reduced from £42 (click on picture caption link to be taken to the website): two ends of the spectrum for you.

Asos dress

Please rate below!

Kate visits Dulwich Picture Gallery and the Olympic Park

BLOG UPDATE: Kate is wearing a stunning pair of red/pink jeans, click here for images and here! Very on trend! I love them! Kate isn't the only one to be seen in red jeans! Pippa is a huge fan, too! She was recently seen in a red pair and a black and white check shirt, click here to see a pic. There are so many pairs of red jeans around at the moment. Here is a small selection. I like the Zara and J Brand pair best!

J Brand 811 : Kate was spotted buying these recently.

Lovely Burberry (£195):

Zara also have a pair in red for £39.99.

Kate paired her red jeans with an Emily Pucci tailored jacket.

And she completed her look with a pair of black court by none other than LK Bennett, and an official Olympic scarf.

Today Kate will make a visit Dulwich Picture Gallery. Here, a group of children will get to show the Duchess their very creative and impressive art work. I had a glimpse at some of the pictures Kate will get to see (if you managed to catch Daybreak on ITV, this morning you may have seen some of the children showcasing their self portraits) today and some of the children were very excited about meeting her. Have a look at the Dulwich Picture Gallery website, and you will be able to get a sneak peak of some of the portraits on their homepage. It explains that the gallery will be closed today for a royal appointment.

Before her visit to the gallery Kate will make a secret visit to a primary school and it has also been confirmed that she will be visiting the Olympic Park today to meet with the Great Britain hockey team. Perhaps even having a go herself. Kate was an avid hockey fan at school and is definitely very sporty.

Stay tuned later today to find out what Kate is wearing and where you can recreate her look! For now, here is a picture of Kate looking exceptionally stylish in Canada last year playing hockey. The girl can certainly carry off sport-luxe!

Paddy's Day and a bargain buy for Kate Middleton

One last addition before I go to bed! I was on the wonderful website www.hobbs.co.uk doing some late night shopping and I came across this Landale dress; I instantly thought of Kate! Waist detailing, perfect length, sleeves, round neck and blue and green colours combined! It was rumoured that Kate was spotted shopping on High Street Kensington, London recently for some last minute shopping essentials - Hobbs just happens to be located exactly where she was spotted! I can't help wondering if this will be her St. Patrick's Day dress. What do you think?

Either way, it has Kate's style written all over it (and may be Pippa, too). Team this with a well-tailored jacket in navy or black, black tights and patent leather high-heeled shoes and you are on to a winner!

I really need to earn more money so I can fill my wardrobe up with all these key pieces I keep unearthing!

Rate and comment below.

What will Kate wear on St Patrick's Day?

It's a date for all aspiring Kate fans: 17th March 2012. Fashionistas prepare for a fashion fight, as I can almost guarantee that whatever the Duchess steps out in for her first official military appearance alone, will sell out straight away. According to Richard Palmer, the royal reporter for the Daily Express, 'the Duchess will present shamrocks to the Irish Guards and their mascot, Conmael, an Irish Wolfhound, at a St Patrick’s Day parade at Mons Barracks. St James’s Palace said it would be the start of a long relationship between the Duchess and the Irish Guards.'

So, the big question is, what will Kate wear? And, will it be green?

Kate has a choice of green outfits that she has worn before, such as the Diane von Furstenburg dress, below, or she may opt to wear a brand new outfit (my guess is that it will be new).

Just as a quick aside, Diane von Furstenburg has a stunning, and on trend, aqua version of the green dress available on net-a-porter.com (£375).

As your eyes and ears, I have also uncovered some beautiful dress that certainly have a Kate feel to them and could be the outfit she wears on 17 March. I haven't just picked green dresses because I have a feeling she won't wear green, unless it's an accessory, having just worn the teal LK Bennett suit in public.

First up is the Felce dress by MaxMara. This is available at matches.com and costs £310.

 Next up, is a stunning tie-waist dress by Kate's favourite label Issa. This figure-enhancing blue dress will look style-perfect paired with multi-tone platform heels and a sleek clutch. Plus, it is reasonably cheap for Issa at £298.

Even, if these aren't the dresses Kate will wear on the day, they are the perfect picks for any aspiring Kate fan who wants a wardrobe that emulates her style. These accessories are the perfect match, too!

Jimmy Choo from net-a-porter.com

 

Jimmy Choo from net-a-porter

Finally, perhaps Kate will accessories a plain grey or black outfit with some green shoes, like this Miu Miu pair, and some green jewellery from the Queen's vault!

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Pippa Inspiration

In October of last year, Pippa Middleton stepped out in beautiful long evening gown designed by Dannii Minogue and Tabitha Somerset-Webb's Project D label. 

At the moment, we are in the between seasons. It's not quite spring and it's no longer winter, but the days can still be chilly, making picking and planning outfits very difficult. If you have a formal event to go to, a dress such as the one Pippa wore in October, is a perfect choice for this time of year. The floral print gives it a spring feel, while the full-length style will keep you warm when the temperature drops in the evening.

Temperley, the brand also favoured by Kate, has a similar design in stock at the moment and it's called the Long Rosine Dress. In my opinion, it's an even better design than the Project D one for this time of year, especially because of the shorter sleeves. The Rosine Print was hand painted by Alice Temperley and reproduced using digital print technology. The website explains how the dress 'has a full draped top and a fitted column skirt. The back has a low cowl and a tie at the nape of the neck. A fitted internal bodice can be worn buttoned to cover the bra or unfastened to reveal more of the back.' The dress isn't cheap at £1950, but it's worth the investment if you have a formal event and want to buy a dress you can wear for years to come.

The dress would look perfect paired with silver sandals and a silver clutch.

Rate the dress below!

If the shoe fits: Kate's outfit to match the winning shoes?

Kate recently judged a shoe contest at De Montfort University as part of her visit to Leicester for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. After careful consideration and serious deliberation by Kate -she has to wear the pair of shoes as part of the rules of the competition - Becka Hunt was announced as the winner. In an interview with Grazia magazine, Becka explained the reasons behind her design and how the deep blue pumps with beaded lacing were inspired by Kate's sapphire engagement ring and 'the fact she is a Princess'. 

 Inspired by 19^th century footwear, the shoes are adorned by the delicate beading and cream lace. The heel is a sensible three-inchs with a neutral coloured sole and an open front. They're suitably regal and fairytale-esque. So, what will Kate wear with such adventurous shoes?

As a fan of the colour blue, it's possible she will recycle one of her dresses/dresscoat that we have seen in the past. For example, these shoes will look beautiful paired with the Zara dress Kate wore the day after her wedding. The simple, no fuss design will compliment the intricate design of the shoe and won't distract from the amazing design and craftsmanship.

Another option could be the blue dress Kate wore on her trip to Canada, below.

Lastly, the blue Missoni dresscoat that Kate wore recently to the Fortnum and Mason event would also pair up well with the shoes. Again, the design of the coat is simple, the cut it well-tailored and the colour a perfect match, meaning that the shoe would be the main focus and the whole ensemble fuss-free and chic.

 Which do you think would work best?

If Kate doesn't recycle some of her old outfits, I have found two amazing (and I really can see Kate wearing these on another occasion) Reiss dresses. If you aspire to dress like Kate, I really couldn't recommend these dresses any more. This first one, the Maggie dress, is my favourite. I am going to save up all my pennies to bag myself this dress. It's £225, but like all of Kate's clothes this dress will not date and will prove to be a timeless investment. I love the belt detail, the gold buckle, the pleats in the skirt, the silhouette and lacy top. Simply divine.

The second dress is below and equally versatile and stunning. The Nikita dress is the perfect summer dress and only costs £169.

I would also love to see Kate wear the shoes with white jeans and a well-tailored jacket ala Pippa Middleton.

The outfit would be Parisian chic, with a touch of English elegance and bring a fun and funky touch to a modern day princess's outfit. Below are a couple of style steals for you to emulate the look.

Pippa's jacket was from Zara's 2011 collection, but I have found you a replica blue blazer here. The F&F jacket at Tesco is the perfect shade of blue and it's a bargain at £28.00. Zara has some wonderful white skinny jeans in at the moment and they are only £35.99. Team your outfit up with a plain white t-shirt for a laid-back cool look, or a crisp white shirt (Gap and Monsoon have a cheap but classic collection, while Ralph Lauren is your go-to store for high-end shirts) to take the outfit from day to night.

Because we can't get hold of the shoes designed by Becka yet, I would recommend taking a look at Irregular Choice shoes. They have funky designs and Becka's shoes are reminiscent of their designs. Or, why not stick to Pippa's look and invest in some pumps. There are so many around at the moment, but Zara, once again, have some fabulous (and cheap) shoes in at the moment, click here to buy their lovely gold pair.

 What do you think of these outfits? I would love to hear your thought! And don't forget to rate the clothes!

Nautical Kate, summer blouses and a bargain buy

In August of last year, Kate stepped out in Birmingham city centre wearing a wonderful on trend nautical outfit by Alexander McQueen's creative designer Sarah Burton. The great thing about Kate's choice of outfit was that it was bang on trend then, and it still is on trend for this season. Kate always carefully selects versatile pieces that can see her through several seasons.    

Today, I discovered a top in Marks and Spencer that has a subtle nautical feel to it, can be paired with a skirt or a pair of trousers and is a reasonable price (£35). I love Marks and Spencer, it always has hidden little gems to be found, such as this shirt, and they are always reasonably priced. I get lots of compliments when I wear items of clothing from M&S, and I recently found out that Samantha Cameron was spotted wearing a dress I had bought from them a few weeks ago! I plan to buy this shirt on pay day.

 
I would wear this top either with a skirt, like Kate did, or I would team it up with a pair of skinny dark denim jeans. Marks and Spencer have a wonderfully cheap, but very stylish, collection of pencil skirts. This fabulous skirt is the perfect match: not only is it only £19.50 but it is super cute and has two button features on the side of the waist band. Love it. Make sure you tuck your shirt in like Kate! Neat and Chic.

To keep things casual team your outfit up with a summery handbag like this Parisian style bag by Jimmy Choo. The straw effect keeps think light, casual and nautical, while the black croc effect adds a touch of chic style. This bag will definitely transcend seasons. It would also look super stylish paired with some Audrey Hepburn style sunglasses and some casual t-bar sandals, or tan coloured shoes (like the ones Kate favours). 

If you opt for the skinny jeans combo, pair the outfit up with a pair of pumps, like this LK Bennett pair that Kate loves!

Happy shopping. Feel free to rate the outfit below on my Hit, Miss and Steal survey.

Peplums, Accessories and Teal

As part of the Diamond Jubilee tour, Kate stepped out in Leicester looking very ladylike in a teal ensemble and made everyone green with envy. The outfit consisted of LK Bennett's Jude jacket worn over LK Bennett's knee-length Davina dress, accessorised with a James Lock hat and simple black heels and matching clutch.

The outfit epitomised elegance and was bang on trend; any fashionista worth their salt will tell you the peplum is in this season. The teal colour complimented Kate's warm skin tone and added to the 1940s feel of the whole outfit, while the flared jacket was accentuated with a thick black belt with a gold buckle.

So, let's get down to business, the LK Bennett pieces are no longer available on the brand's website, but  you can pick up the teal jacket on www.johnlewis.com - it's on sale for a purse-friendly £145 (Kate originally bought hers for £295) - and the dress in a variety of colours is also available. However, if you don't want to copy Kate's outfit but just want to emulate her chic style, why not invest in a couple of jackets similar to the one Kate wore but with a few minor differences?


This Hobbs jacket is a fraction of the price (£47) of the LK Bennett design but very similar in style, and it's also available in sizes 6 - 16.You can team the lovely Wyldes jacket with the Hobbs Poet Cross Back Dress, priced at £99. With this ensemble, because of the buttons, you won't need a belt like Kate's outfit, saving you some pennies.Both these pieces can also be worn separately, making then a real steal.

I would recommend playing your look a bit differently to Kate by investing in a luxury handbag like the Agatha Cross body bag from Smythson. It's very in keeping with the 1940s feel of the outfit, but it is also extremely versatile. Plus, most women need a bigger bag than a clutch in their day-to-day goings on.

The fashion editor at Red , Laura, recently said: 'Serious bag are investment buys. They’re better made and last longer – one of the things you’re paying for is the shelf life. And you know you can always take it back to the boutique to get even the smallest thing put right? It takes a while but they’ll give it back to you in perfect condition.' and I couldn't agree more.

Now, to finish your look off, you need the perfect pair of shoes. These New Look shoes would really complete the outfit and they only cost £24.99. I love the scalloped edge leather cut out!

Happy shopping!