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fashion inspiration: the duchess of cambridge

April 29, 2012 in fashion

It was a year ago today that Kate Middleton married Price William to become Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge – and a bone fide fashion icon. So who better to look to for today’s fashion inspiration than the most recent addition to the British royal family?

While some comment that her style can be boring, I love the Duchess’ classic looks. She plays up her features while maintaining a conservative yet modern look. Let’s break down the elements.

Tailoring: Almost all of the future Queen of England’s outfits centre around impeccable tailoring. She wears fitted (but not clingy) dresses, sharp suits and belted coats.

Wear a summer version of her gorgeous peplum suit from earlier this year by opting for a tailored peplum dress instead. This one is from Dorothy Perkins for £48.

Embrace lace: When she wants to up the glamour, the Duchess frequently turns to lace. She’s worn lace sleeves and bodices on many occassions (including on her wedding dress) and she always looks so elegant.

Recreate her red-carpet look from the War Horse premiere (above) with this Oasis Lace Cut Out Dress (£55).

Work the high-low look: Even princesses don’t have to wear couture every day. The Duchess is comfortable wearing McQueen one day and Zara the next – with high street brands selling out within hours of her wearing an item. The Shola Dress from Reiss that she wore to meet the Obamas crashed the store’s website and sold out on both sides of the Atlantic.

Invest in this season’s version, with the Lola Dress by Reiss (now $220 / £117)

Shop your closet: This is one of the best lessons we can learn from the Duchess and I think it’s also one of the reasons why she’s so popular with the public. Just because she can have a new outfit every day doesn’t mean she has to – and neither do you! With so many classic items at her disposal, it’s great to see Catherine wear the same dress a few times (for example, the white Reiss dress she wore for her engagement photos and then again for Canada Day). One of her most frequently recycled items is her pair of L.K. Bennett nude heels.

A pair of nude heels goes with practically everything, especially in the current season. Invest in your own versatile pair of Kate’s favourite Sledge Court Shoes for £185.

And there you have it – you’ll be a princess in no time! Now tell me… what’s your favourite look from the Duchess’ first year of marriage?

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in the news: how sarah burton kept the royal wedding dress a secret

April 3, 2012 in fashion

A year ago, the best kept secret in fashion was the name of the royal wedding dress designer. Everyone had their suspicions but nobody knew for sure.

On the big day, Kate Middleton stepped out of the car to reveal that after months of speculation, the designer was indeed Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

Some details on how the secret stayed secret have come to light courtesy of Vogue’s International Editor at Large, Hamish Bowles.

Apparently Burton, being the sneaky squirrel she is, decided that the best way to hide the production of the wedding dress was to design an entire collection of bridal-esque gowns i.e. McQueen’s Fall/Winter 2011 collection. By doing so, she could order countless metres of white fabric and lace without raising suspicion.

Burton also was able to look Anna Wintour in the eye and say “I am not designing the dress.” That meant Anna was going around telling everyone that Burton wasn’t the designer. And if Anna’s saying it, it must be true, right?

Perhaps MI6 should pay Burton a recruiting visit – she seems to be just as well suited to being a spy as a designer!

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in the news: happy birthday princess!

January 9, 2012 in news

It’s been a big year for Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. For starters, she gained that title by marrying the heir to the English throne and her long-time beau, Prince William, in a beautiful McQueen gown.

She’s also become quite the fashionista (and a regular feature on this blog, as a result) with highlights including the Erdem dress she wore in Canada and the Reiss bandage dress she wore to meet the US First Lady.

Just last night, she was a surprise guest at her husband charity premiere of Steven Spielberg’s War Horse – she looked elegant and classy – with just a hint of sexy – in her black lace Alice Temperley gown (right – protected from the rain by a giant umbrella held by her chivalrous prince).

So happy 30th birthday to our favourite princess – I just hope turning 30 looks as fabulous on me when I take my turn!

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2011 in review: fashion

December 31, 2011 in fashion

As always, the main focus of The Dernier Cri throughout 2011 was fashion in all its forms. I’ll focus only on what I’ve covered through the blog, but please feel free to share your own favourite looks and moments in the comments.

Best Red Carpet Outfit: I have to say that overall, I was a little disappointed with the red carpet wear this year and I’m hoping the stars get back on their game in time for the looming 2012 awards season. Some of my favourite gowns from 2011 include Mila Kunis’ Louis Vuitton at the SAG Awards, Thandie Newton in printed Monique Lhuillier at the BAFTAs, Jessica Marais in J’Aton at the Logies and Diane Kruger in Jason Wu at the Met Costume Institute Gala. However, this year my best red carpet outfit award is a tie – awarded to Emma Watson for her white Marchesa mini at the MTV awards and Victoria Beckham for her self designed gown topped with Philip Treacy hat for the Royal Wedding.

Best Perfume Campaign: The fashion houses really stepped up their game in the perfume market this year, launching some great campaigns featuring some of Hollywood’s leading ladies. Emma Watson made her debut for Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose, Natalie Portman was chic and sexy for Miss Dior, and Leighton Meester was Lovestruck for Vera Wang. However, I think Keira Knightley’s campaign for Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle was this year’s best effort.

Wedding Dress of the Year: While there was some real life competition from Kate Moss and fictional competition from Blair Waldorf and Bella Swan, I simply could not go past Kate Middleton’s gorgeous gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. After all the rumours, it was so exciting to finally see the gown – and then to see it in person at Buckingham Palace over the summer.

“Lusting for…” round-up: In 2011, I wrote 39 “lusting for…” posts. In line with the current state of the world economy (and the fact that it’s far more difficult and expensive to get goods shipped to Switzerland than it was to Australia), I only purchased three of those items – the Rodna Halter Dress (which I wore to every one of my holiday parties and loved every time), the Milk Bottle Measuring Cups (still available in stores if you’re keen to join me) and the Spin Pin (which I eventually tracked down in Claire’s Accessories).

What are your most memorable outfits, campaigns and purchases from 2011?

**Best wishes for 2012 from The Dernier Cri – we look forward to welcoming you back next year!**

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in the news: princesses are people too

October 28, 2011 in news

The British Monarchy has today finally stepped into the 21st century and declared that royal sons and daughters will now have equal rights to the British throne.

The leaders of the 16 countries where the Queen is Head of State (including Australia) voted on the decision, which they approved unanimously.

In practical terms, the change means that if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s eldest child is a girl, she will become queen instead of her younger brother becoming king.

In less practical terms, the change gives me an excuse to post a picture of Duchess Catherine looking gorgeous in the vintage Amanda Wakeley empire gown she wore for her first solo engagement this week (right).

Read more about the succession law changes on the BBC Website. Read more about the Duchess’ event at The Telegraph.

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