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Vote for Your Favorite Tour Coat/Coatdress & Suit/Ensemble, Plus – Get Your Own Custom Corkswoons!

Hello-hello, welcome to another post looking at designs worn by the Duchess on the New Zealand/Australia tour.

Before our polls, a quick update via Camilla Tominey’s story in the Express, verifying the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join HM, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla at events marking the 70th Anniversary of the Allied landing at Normandy, referred to in the USA as D-Day.

Now, the first of two polls, this one covers Kate’s coats and coat-dresses. We start with the custom version of Alexander McQueen’s utility coat worn to the Blenheim War Memorial and Omaka Aviation Heritage Center.  It is a mashup of the brand’s Utility Peplum Coat Dress and Utility Coat Dress, done in a blue especially suited to Kate.i-Images/Polaris

Next, Erdem‘s green ‘Allie’ from his spring collection, described as the ‘Teal Allie Woolcrepe Coat,’ although it sure doesn’t look like teal. The Duchess wore this when visiting Rainbow Place children’s hospice, the town of Cambridge, and the Avantidrome Cycling Center.i-Images/Splash News/i-Images Polaris/Splash News

We saw a second vibrant green style when William and Kate visited Canberra for engagements at the National Arboretum, Parliament and the National Portrait Gallery. This is another Catherine Walker piece, essentially a blending of the company’s Evelyn dress and Lara coat.All Photos: Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

The Cambridge’s final day in Australia began with the ANZAC dawn service at the Australian War Memorial. Kate wore her Noa coat from Temperley London, previously seen at last year’s Remembrance Sunday events. (I realize it is almost impossible to see, but felt the piece should be included.)Robin Nunn/Nunn Syndication/Polaris Images

The Duchess was in a new piece by Michael Kors at the National ANZAC Day service, the designer’s “indigo twill jacquard swing coat,” part of his spring/summer 2014 collection. Kate elected to stick with this piece for the official departure at the airport, as the family boarded their flight to start their trip back home.i Nunn Syndication/Polaris,

 

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We now turn our attention to the ensembles worn by Kate on the tour, suits, and separates. The first look in this category: that red Catherine Walker coat and dress.  The ‘Russian Greatcoat’ featured a high collar, double-breasted button detailing on the front with extended buttons on the flared cuffs, and a full skirt. We did not have a look at the dress worn underneath the coat, other than to note it too appeared to have a full skirt.i-Images/Polaris, James Whatling/Splash News,

In Christchurch, Kate wore one of the most-discussed looks on the tour, the Luisa Spagnoli jacket and skirt. The skirt has actually been created by cutting down and altering the dress that was available at the same time as the jacket and skirt. (For a detailed view of the changes visit our original post about the look.)Robin Nunn/Nunn Syndication/Polaris Images, Andrew Parsons/i-Images/www.i-Images.co, Andrew Parsons/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

When departing New Zealand the Duchess wore a suit we have seen previously, the ‘sparkle tweed’ jacket and skirt by Rebecca Taylor.S /

Easter Sunday Kate returned to a favorite label, Alexander McQueen. The Duchess wore a bespoke ensemble with the brand’s coat atop a matching dress. The coat featured a funnel neck, structured shoulders, inset pockets to the sides, a rear vent and a straight hem.

, Robin Nunn/Nunn Syndication/Polaris

Our final look in this category is also from Alexander McQueen, a suit comprised of separates done in a custom fabric.  The Duchess wore the brand’s Pique Knit Top and what appears to be a mix of the Box Pleat Skirt and Pleated A-Line Skirt for engagements in Adelaide and Elizabeth.Nunn Syndication/

The Temperley Noa & Taylor Sparkle Tweed items are included here as opposed to going in the ‘repeats’ poll we plan later this week, I’m hopeful we can keep that limited to dresses.

One other note regarding our current poll on Kate’s dresses: with thanks to Hannah for raising the topic in a comment, I forgot to include the Lela Rose Circle Lace Trim dress in the ‘Favorite Dress’ poll. I’ll leave this up to you: would you like me to repeat this poll with the Lela Rose dress included, starting it in our next post? Or do you believe the poll results are adequate as they stand now?

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Our final note this evening is fun: Stuart Weitzman is offering customized versions of Kate’s Corkswoon.

Stuart Weitzman

Stuart Weitzman

First, you choose the color suede you would like.

StuartWeitzman.com

StuartWeitzman.com

There is quite an array of colors.

StuartWeitzman.com

StuartWeitzman.com

Next, select the material you would like for the heel. Below you see Kate’s ‘Nice Blue’ suede, but with a different heel material, a standard espadrille material.

Stuart Weitzman.com

Stuart Weitzman.com

You wrap things up with size and width selections before placing your order. The shoes run $398, the price they have been for some time. As of this writing only the ‘pyrite nocturn’ color seems available off the shelf at the Stuart Weitzman site. It’s not a problem as Kate’s blue suede with cork heel is available via the ‘customize your own pair’ offer.Stuart Weitzman Custom Corkswoon

As an FYI, the custom shoes do not ship until sometime in July.

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monalisa2

Wednesday 18th of June 2014

Didn't vote, but thought the red Catherine Walker coat was by far the best. Not as good as the red coat she wore in Canada but good enough. The Kors cut is good but boring. Dresses - again, in the minority - my faves red Spinoli suit and Rebecca Taylor sparkle. Young and sophisticated, fit her beautifully. God knows how she has managed to get McQueen to design long skirts and pretty pastels - frumpy! Esp that blue coat. Let that design house do what they do best - if don't like it lots of ordinary conservative designers. I cant believe people talking about her "increasing age" and mature look. Good grief she's in her early 30s.

B.

Sunday 18th of May 2014

Does anyone know what earrings she's wearing with the Alexander McQueen blue utility coat -- small round drops with a blue center? I've seen them in a lot of other pics, and they are so simple and classic!

erin

Sunday 1st of June 2014

Kate's sapphire earrings are not Diana's. They look very similar but they were a gift from Carole Middleton.

Lili

Monday 19th of May 2014

It's believed that those are sapphire and diamond earrings that originally belonged to William's mother Diana, the late Princess of Wales, and that the Duchess had them converted from studs to a drop-style.

ElizaMo

Saturday 17th of May 2014

On the first coat poll I’ve put in my two-penn’orth for the green Catherine Walker, partly because I like the fit-and-flare style, and also think the colour is great on Kate. I like the sporty look of the zip-up funnel-neck and I think this zip-front worked better than the green Erdem , which still looks oddly lumpy and less fitted.

I also voted for the Walker because I guessed it would be down at the bottom of the poll and thought it might need at least one small vote to cheer it up! I feel nothing but guilt at passing over the superb Michael Kors which is clearly a coat-in-a-million for cut, style and fit. My problem here is that I remember too many coats like that from long ago and it represents something old and fusty for me, whereas it may now be fresh and interesting to younger fashionistas.

I certainly look forward to seeing the Kors again as it looks a most versatile garment, and if it seemed a little dull on the Australian tour then that was only due to the whole trip being so colourful and sunny. It was a perfect choice for such a sober occasion, combining dignity with flair. The green Walker got my vote as it had just that extra, er, zip for me!

As for the suits and separates poll – no contest, the dove grey Alexander McQueen walks away with all the top prizes, it’s simply the most wonderful outfit Kate has worn since the wedding dress. The cut, the elegance, the brilliant touches of low funnel neck, structured shoulders and concealed front fastening -- all made in tailoring heaven!

My only regret on the second poll is that the McQueen pink top and skirt has to be passed over in favour of the grey coat, as I loved that outfit as well. The red Catherine Walker is another beautiful coat, but with so much red and all those buttons it was just a bit standard royal and not a stand-out item.

In both polls I thought the recycle outfits all worked well, I’m including the Temperley Noa here, and all three, including the blue Rebecca Taylor and the Spagnoli suits, look to fit and sit better all round. Hooray for tailoring! And a million thanks for another great post.

Amy

Wednesday 14th of May 2014

I must admit I don't find the Michael Kors coat very appealing. To me, it seems rather boring - it doesn't have any of the interesting details that she normally favors in her clothes. At least with the two green coats (they weren't my favorite either), those had some interesting stylistic and color combinations. I quite like the blue Alexander McQueen coat because of the big patch pockets. I think that might be my favorite one.

mslewis

Wednesday 14th of May 2014

Although I adore the blue McQueen, I chose the Michael Kors coat because it's so classic and the Duchess looked amazing in it. I also chose the red Catherine Walker coat because it too is a classic look that I love. Seeing all the outfits together makes me realize how colorful the Duchess was on this trip. I hope she continues to wear bright colors because they look good on her.

As for repeating the first poll; while I don't think it's necessary, I would vote again if you do repeat it. In other words, I don't care one way or the other.

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