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Decision Delayed on Kate’s Malta Trip & Is It Goodbye to Skinny Jeans?

An announcement has been delayed regarding Kate’s planned trip to Malta this weekend, where the Duchess is scheduled to represent the Queen at the country’s celebrations of 50 years of Independence.

Kate’s schedule continues to be impacted by illness accompanying her second pregnancy; she is being treated at Kensington Palace for hyperemesis gravidarum. The Palace was to announce a decision this afternoon explaining whether or not Kate would be able to make the trip, and if not, who would replace her. It was early evening (London time) before the Palace alerted reporters that there was no decision. Richard Palmer explained that Kate and William will make a decision this evening.

Richard Palmer, The Daily Express Twitter Feed

Richard Palmer, The Daily Express Twitter Feed

The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English noted Kate’s interest in the trip.

Rebecca English, The Daily Mail

Rebecca English, The Daily Mail

The British High Commissioner, Robert Luke, used Twitter to thank those awaiting a decision.

Rob Walter Twitter

High Commissioner Robert Luke Twitter Feed

The weekend’s celebrations are sure to be spectacular.

FCN Malta

FCN Malta

We will let you know what the decision is tomorrow.

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Next, the latest on a style Kate wears frequently: skinny jeans. From Bloomberg Business News:

Three years ago, clothing merchants tried to snuff out the trend with an innovation called flares. Women kept right on buying their skinnies. Now, chains from mass market Gap Inc. (GPS) to luxury-leaning Bloomingdale’s are trying again with looser styles.

This time, the industry may pull it off, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group Inc.

“Women basically said, ‘I’m not wearing tight jeans — I’m done with them,’” he said.

Kate fashion followers really don’t need a reminder about the Duchess’s fondness for the style, but we’ll share a few images anyway. Below we see Kate visiting the Olympic Park of 2012, at a SportsAid workshop October of 2013, and again in 2012 as the Olympic Torch reached Buckingham Palace.

Nunn Syndication-Polaris, Splash News, Splash News

Nunn Syndication-Polaris, Splash News, Splash News

A snippet of PopSugar’s report on today’s Gucci runway show at Milan Fashion Week:

Ultra-wide cropped denim trousers made us wonder if Creative Director Frida Giannini is not-so-subtly hinting that we should pack away our skinny jeans for good.

Kate in her skinnies as she was about to go whitewater rafting in New Zealand this April.

James Whatling / Splash News

James Whatling / Splash News

Back to the Bloomberg story:

After years of squeezing themselves into skinny jeans, many women are ready for comfort, said Wendy Liebmann, who runs WSL Strategic Retail, a New York-based research firm.

The “trend fits the size of the American shopper,” she said. “It is much more forgiving for most or many women.”

While a craze for colored denim temporarily lifted the business, that trend’s “newness” has evaporated, she said.

Will the change in style take hold in the UK? Here’s Glamour UK’s reaction :

So will the trend for ditching denim make it across the pond? With sportswear-influenced styles still on the catwalk and on the high street, we can totally see it happening….

Hmmmm. I don’t see Kate giving up a key element of her go-to casual look, do you? You can read the Bloomberg story in its entirety here.

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We continue our preview of next spring’s styles from designers Kate has worn.

Matthew Williamson’s spring collection offered multiple options for the Duchess, although most would require a tiny tweak here and there. From the Women’s Wear Daily review:

The designer’s aim was to evoke lush, exotic summer and he did so with light silks, floral lace, embellished suede and a Balinese hibiscus motif that came as a print or picked out in embroidery or sequins.

The color palette was inspired by summer days and nights… Diaphanous evening dresses — many of them halter-necks – came in sunset hues of peacock blue or rosy orange.

The Duchess wore Matthew Williamson to a Tusk Trust benefit in April of 2012. Kate and William joined others at the premiere of the film African Cats.

Splash News

Splash News

From British Vogue’s story about Mr. Williamson’s collection:

This was him going back to his Seventies styling, using the colours that feel so “him” (hot pinks, red, yellow, azure, neon-paradise shades) and unwavering from his woman.

It is a rich, lush look with many pieces in hues that would work well with Kate’s coloring.

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We take a quick look at Amanda Wakeley, a designer we’ve not seen the Duchess wear lately. From the Women’s Wear Daily (subscription required) brief review:

Amanda Wakeley’s chic, focused collection – done entirely in white – showed off the designer’s deft cutting and draping. A handkerchief-hem skirt in sporty mesh swung as the model walked, while a wrap dress, resembling a glamorous martial arts robe, skimmed the body and struck a masculine-feminine note.

A refresher on Kate’s Amanda Wakeley styles. Below left she is seen wearing the designer’s midnight blue silk suit for a visit to Darwen Academy in April of 2011, the couple’s final joint engagement before their wedding. On the right Kate wears an elegant gown for an In Kind Direct dinner in October 2011, from the designer’s fall/winter 2006-2007 collection.

Nunn Syndication/Polaris & SplashNews.com

Nunn Syndication/Polaris & SplashNews.com

Kate has also worn Amanda Wakeley’s Sculpted Felt dress in two different colors: below left Kate wears the ‘oatmeal’ version of the frock for an September 2011 engagement at Royal Marsden Hospital. In April 2012 we saw the the ‘gunmetal’ color worn to a reception at the Imperial War Museum.

We’ll see you tomorrow with word on the Malta trip.

LINKAGE:
  • to see the Amanda Wakeley spring 2015 lookbook, click here
  • To see the entire Matthew Williamson spring 2015 collection, click here
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Tom Schmit

Thursday 9th of October 2014

I like the look of skinny jeans on the right body shape. More has to do with the shape of a ladies legs. To wear skinny jeans or leggings when you have tooth pick legs is really not attractive.

Larissa

Sunday 21st of September 2014

I'll never give up my skinnies!! I really doubt they will go out of style for a long, long time, now that the colours of denim are more flattering than they were in the 80s/90s. As others have mentioned, skinnies are perfect for fall boots, and they make ballerina flats stand out (what's the point if you can't see them due to a wide leg?!). I honestly don't think anyone looks good in a flared jean (business pants/slacks with flare are okay). They remind me way too much of the bell-bottom craze from the late 90s/early 00s, a truly horrendous time for fashion...

Julie

Saturday 20th of September 2014

I think Kate looks good in skinny jean however, I don't think they've been appropriate for every event where she's worn them. I'd like to see her step it up a bit and wear pants in a less 'jeans-like' fabric. She could get by with more of a straight-leg cut or even a little wider, and still look attractive and be appropriate. Someone like Queen Letizia of Spain would be a good role model in that respect. Sometimes she wears straight leg dress pants/slacks with a jacket. It looks professional and put together well.

Maryl

Saturday 20th of September 2014

I do hope that skinnies are on the wane, or at least that they will be a little less ubiquitous. Skinnies look dreadful on me and while they look great on Kate, I agree they're a little too revealing for public engagements (even sports-related events).

As for the delay in announcing who will go to Malta, I'm expect she hoped she would turn a corner health-wise and be able to go. And the delay doesn't really cause a problem--William is no doubt very comfortable stepping into the breach for a couple of days and the itinerary has not changed. I am sure Maltese officials understand the situation, and they were aware for a couple of weeks that a 'substitution' might have been necessary.

Thanks for this blog; I really enjoy it!

Talia

Friday 19th of September 2014

Since Kate's not going to Malta, why not do a "What Wills Wore" feature on his trip? It might be fun and our dashing prince does deserve a nod from time-to-time.

B.

Friday 19th of September 2014

Yeah!! That's a great idea. :D

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