Style Stealer: Kate Middleton: June 2012

Friday 29 June 2012

Kate in Emilia Wickstead... but get the look for less!

When the Duchess of Cambridge wore a £1200 Emilia Wickstead dress to a garden party at Buckingham Palace with Camilla, everyone did a double take. Not just because Kate looked exquisite but because she had worn that dress just 11 days before, at a lunch for sovereign monarchs at Windsor Castle with Prince William. Either way, I thought it was great to see the dress again, and for me it is one of my favourite Kate outfits. The pink colour really complimented Kate's brunette hair and brought out her eyes.

Today, I bring you another style stealer and this time it really is a bargain. Not many people have £1200 lying around in their bank account, but most people - although not all - can stretch to £29.99. Now, as you know, I love Kate Middleton's style, but as I have said time and time again, sometimes just emulating Kate's style is enough, you don't need to be a Kate clone. So, when I saw this dress in the Zara sale I instantly thought of Kate. It has a structured shoulder design feature, long-sleeves, appropriate length and it is in that gorgeous shade of vintage dusky-pink, but it doesn't have the pleats, so you won't look like a Kate clone. What are you waiting for... grab a bargain and thank me later ;) Don't forget to team with nude courts ala Kate and not heavy black shoes ala Zara model!

*Update: Practise what you preach! I popped to Zara this afternoon and look what I found... This is a bit big for me, it should be fitted around the waist more, so I will search for a size smaller.

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Kate Middleton at Wimbledon

Wimbledon began today, and as well as eating plenty of strawberries, it also means a new outfit surely! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are huge fans of the tennis and have been spotted at Wimbledon a couple of times over the years.

Last year, Kate, a huge fan of the game, wore what looked to be a triple-decker tennis skirt – in fact, it was a £795 Alice Temperley dress – teamed with LK Bennett nude court shoes.Within half an hour of her appearance, the frock, reduced to £395 in the summer sale, had sold out on the designer's website.

In 2008, Kate also opted for white.

The year before, Kate wore a beautiful shade of red, which looks very similar to the red Hobbs dress Pippa wore to Wimbledon in 2011.

If you are thinking about heading to Wimbledon this year, or just fancy dressing up like you are going, then here are some Duchess-esq dresses (links to websites in the caption). Remember to team them with a sophisticated tailored jacket (in case it rains) and some nude court shoes or wedge sandals. Maybe we will be lucky enough to see Kate at the tennis and she can spark another shopping frenzy!

Zara Frilly Dress £49.99

Dorothy Perkins Red Crepe Midi Dress £32

Ted Baker Kipp Dress £129

I would wear this black Hobbs dress.


NW3 Birch Tier Dress £139

It is also available in white.

I would team the dress with the Smyhtson Emily bag (£417 reduced from £695) and a pair of LK Bennett shoes, like the Andie Shoe in black (£110) with a pair of nude sheer tights (so the outfit doesn't look wintery).

Enjoy the tennis ... and the shopping!

Monday 25 June 2012

Kate Middleton loves summer holidays and that white bikini

Summer has technically arrived, although we seem to be lacking in sunshine in the UK. Nonetheless, we are now in to the summer months, and it's that time of year when lots of us go on holiday. I haven't got a summer holiday planned this year, but I'm hoping to catch to some sun in October. This hasn't stopped me thinking about what bikinis I'd like to wear/own and doing some browsing online. There are lots of gorgeous bikinis and swimming costumes out there, and I have a couple of favourite which I will share with you in this post. However, I thought all you Kate fans would like some Middleton inspiration.

In 2006, Kate was papped on holiday with William enjoying some summer sun on a yacht.She was photographed in a gorgeous, and very revealing, white bikini. Who wouldn't opt for this style and colour if you had a bikini body like Kate. I don't want to reproduce the photo, so here is a link to Kate in her bikini: Cosmopolitan. After some careful searching, here are my favourite white halterneck bikinis with links to the websites.

Venice Beach Fonte bikini from £30 Zalando

Tommy Hilfiger Estelle Halterneck £41.16 Amazon

Balmain Halterneck £217.25 The Outnet

Chloe scalloped bikini £156.74 The Outnet

Melissa Odabash £146 Selfridges

I couldn't possibly get away with a white bikini, and this year I am hoping to buy a new swimsuit rather than a bikini. Here is my favourite, currently on my wishlist:

Miu Miu Halterneck bikini £125

Don't forget there are some great sales on at the moment, so you can grab a great bikini bargain! Happy Shopping :)

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Kate Middleton, Anya Hindmarch Clutches and Colbalt Blue ...

So, it is definitely sale time! The sales have started everywhere! I remember only a few years ago, sales were a big deal, but nowadays, what with the Internet and, dare I say it, the recession we're in, sales and discounts seem to be a regular thing and not advertised as much.

I have done a couple of blogs over the last few days after discovering some of Kate's clothing and bags on sale, and now I kinda wish I'd save them all up for one mega blog. But then chances are things would have sold out by the time I blogged, so, alas, you all get a couple of blogs in one week!

*SALES FLASH*

We all know Kate is a fan of Anya Hindmarch (http://www.anyahindmarch.com/page/shoponline) and in particular her clutches. Well, I'm pleased to tell you I saw the Marano clutch in the sale this evening. It had been reduced from £395 to £197.50. Bargain if you have the cash! Some of the colours have already sold out, but they still have it in Colbalt blue. And yes folks, Kate is a massive fan of blue! So, here it is and you can buy it here.

Sunday 17 June 2012

Pippa Loves Modalu Bags and so does Kate (apparently)

There are a lot of sales on at the moment, and I am in the market for a new handbag. This got me thinking, I'd really like a bag that will last for years, won't be a fashion fad and will be an investment piece/wardrobe staple. Then, of course, I decided to reference the Middleton sisters. As with their fashion sense, both Kate and Pippa always opt for style, elegance and good quality. I started to do some searching online and asked my sister and niece for advice, too. We came to three conclusions, each a very good option, and if you are in the market for a handbag, too, take a look at three options below (all British designers).

Mulberry

Inspired by the cool of the city and the craft of the countryside, Mulberry is known for this unique fashion duality.

Last year, my boyfriend went on holiday to NYC (my favourite place in the whole world) and didn't take me with him. As a 'sorry you couldn't come too' present he bought me a Mulberry 'Polly Push' purse, to my delight!!Even more to my delight, the shop assistant confirmed that Kate Middleton had this purse (as well as the handbag) in a different colour.

So, in my search for a new handbag, I could turn to Mulberry. Although Kate has been spotted sporting many different handbags, one of her most trusted brands is Mulberry, especially her 'Polly Push' bag. Unfortunately, 'Polly Push' is no longer available, but there are a few bags in the sale I love, including the 'Harriet' collection and 'Evelina' (see below). Prices range from £300 - £500 in the designs I like.

Harriet Tote

Evelina Hobo

Modalu

An eclectic mix of influences combined with an incredible eye for detail ensures each Modalu bag is a stunning investment

We all know Pippa loves this brand, and it was my niece that brought this brand to my attention. Pippa loves the brand so much that they have a 'Pippa' bag in her honour - the one she has in many colours. It was also my niece that told me she was in a shop in Liverpool and picked up a blue bag, only to be told that Kate owns it. My guess is that she has the blue 'Pippa' bag...(tbc).

Modalu have a sale on at the moment, and quite a few of their 'Pippa' bags are in the sale (£195 reduced to £136.50). The colours in the sale include the powder blue, red and white (how patriotic!).

Smythson

Smythson was granted a Royal Warrant to Her Majesty the Queen in 1964. Other warrants followed: HRH The Prince of Wales in 1980, HM The Queen Mother in 1987, and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 2002. While holding the Queen Mother’s Warrant, Smythson was one of only eight companies in the world to hold all four Royal Warrants at the same time.

I'm not sure if Kate has a Smythson bag, but she has definitely got a couple of their products, including a notebook. I personally love, love, love their bags. They also have a great sale on at the moment, and my favourite bag the 'Emily' shoulder bag has been reduced from £695 to £417. I think their 'Agatha' bag would really suit Kate, and I'd love to see her sport a Smythson bag. The 'Agatha' has been reduced from £700 to £420.


Emily

Agatha

Do you have a favourite bag? Help me solve my bag dilemma! Don't forget to rate this blog by ticking 'steal it' if you want it, 'steal fail' if you don't like it and 'stole it' if you buy something or plan to buy something!

Kate Middleton's Cowboy Shirt: get it before it's gone!

A quick blog post today. I was on mywardrobe.com's website when I stumbled across the Duchess of Cambridge's Alice Temperley shirt in the sale! If you love to steal Kate's style, then you need to be quick. There aren't many sizes left because firstly, who wouldn't want to own a shirt that Kate owns, and secondly, it's such a bargain if you have the money: reduced from £195 to £136. Click HERE to be taken to mywardrobe.com or HERE to be taken to Seasons website (where it's only £133!). Between the 2 websites you can get all sizes.

Here are a couple of pictures to remind you of the shirt, and just how cool Kate looked in it. Happy shopping!

Wednesday 6 June 2012

My Personal Photos: The Diamond Jubilee Procession and Seeing Kate Middleton

*This blog may take a while to load: lots of pictures. Picture Copyright Sara Cywinski 2012.

I couldn't be more proud to be British at the moment. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee has been spectacular, patriotic and one long celebration for her majesty. The bank holiday weekend, for me, has been simply magical, fun-filled and busy. I wanted to share some of my photographs with you. Here is how my weekend went:

On Sunday I went along to the flotilla boat display on the river Thames. I live in Fulham, so I walked to and from the event. The crowd and atmosphere near where we stopped (the Chelsea Bridge) was electric - despite the weather. I didn't see much with my own eyes at this event, but I didn't care; simply being involved was enough for me. I did, however, manage to get - courtesy of my boyfriend - some fantastic shots of the boats, including the royal boat, on the Thames.

Monday I decided to stay at home and watch the concert from the comfort of my sofa. Some friends went along to one of the main London parks to watch the concert on the big screen and I was very tempted to join them, but I knew that I needed to save my energy for the procession on Tuesday. I thought the concert was excellent, and I watched it from start to finish. For me the stand-out artists were: Tom Jones (doing it for the Welshies like me), Shirley Bassey, Alfie Boe, Elton John and Grace Jones (purely for her hola-hooping skills). Prince Charles's speech was such a lovely, and touching, end to the concert - followed by the firework display! After the concert - and all that excitement - it was bedtime for me for I had a very early start ahead of me.

At 5.30am on Tuesday my alarm went off: it was time to get up and get ready to head out to the Mall for the Queen's procession. I arrived at Green Park Station at 6.45am and waited for my friend to turn up. By 7.30am we had safely pitched up (with our chairs) on the Mall - right at the front of the fence with a perfect view. The pictures speak for themselves, but what I will say is: I will never in my lifetime forget the amazing day I had at the event. Seeing the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family, including the divine Duchess of Cambridge, Kate, on such an historic occasion was monumental. (It was such a shame Prince Philip was taken ill.)

Here is a snapshot of my weekend: