For today’s SportsAid workshop Kate was in pieces we have seen before.
Kate has been patron of the organization since April; the group provides financial aid and other support to young athletes. SportsAid’s impact is substantial: two-thirds of the Team GB Athletes competing at last year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games received assistance from SportsAid at one stage of their athletic careers.
Today’s event was at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, in the Copper Box Arena. More from Rebecca English in her Daily Mail story:
The Duchess became patron of the organisation last year and was, said aides, keen to meet the athletes it was helping face-to-face and get a ‘detailed insight into the challenges they face’.
It was Kate’s first solo public engagement since the birth of her baby son Prince George.
Rebecca English/Daily Mail/Mail Online
Olympian Leon Taylor shared this photo of Kate in the mentoring workshop.
Leon Taylor Twitter Feed (@LeonTaylorGB)
Kate in a workshop session.
Another look at Kate speaking with British Wheelchair Basketball team members.
British Wheelchair Basketball Association Facebook
The Duchess clearly enjoyed her time with SportsAid staff, coaches, and athletes.
SportsAid trustee Mark Davies tweeted about Kate’s involvement and interest.
Mark Davies/SportsAid Trustee (@MarkxDavies)
Kate then joined in a volleyball game.
More from People magazine’s story:
“She was really good,” Jordan Dalrymple, a volleyball player who’s benefitted from SportsAid, told PEOPLE of Kate’s effort at the net. “She told me she has played beach volleyball before. We were quite impressed. She had the basic skills down – and in heels.”
Most readers will recognize the pieces Kate wore today, we saw them quite a bit during the Olympics last summer.
Kate had on her Smythe One Button Blazer, shown below at Neiman Marcus. (This was a spring 2011 piece and it is no longer in stock, the picture is merely shown so you can better see details of the garment.) It appears Saks has the Blazer in stock in almost all sizes.
Underneath the jacket, Kate wore her Breton stripe ‘Tori’ top from Ralph Lauren, another item no longer available.
Kate was also wearing skinny jeans by J. Brand. There are different opinions on precisely what pair Kate is wearing. Some think it is the 811 Photo Ready shown below left, others believe it is the 811 Skinny Leg seen below right.
Stylistically they look identical to me. Both have 11-inch leg openings and a 29-inch inseam. The distinction comes in fabric weight and content: the Photo Ready is a heavier weight fabric with a touch of polyester in addition to the cotton and Lycra both pair have. Still others think it is the same pair worn to the Olympics several times, seen above in the photo with Prince William.
UPDATED: With thanks to Eftha, J. Brand says the Duchess was in the 811 Mid-Rise Skinny Leg in navy.
Today’s function also brought the return of those Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon wedges we saw so often during the London 2012 Games, Kate purchased hers at Russell and Bromley. As for playing volleyball in heels that high? More from the Express:
The extra inches of the black cork wedges may have given the duchess a height advantage but she made the most of it as she leapt to reach balls.
Tim Lawler, chief executive of SportsAid, said: “I’m no volleyball expert but I thought she did great. She showed good skills and hand-eye co-ordination.”
He added, joking, that his patron, who was attending her first public SportsAid event, realised she would have to change her footwear for the next visit: “She said ‘I must remember to bring my trainers next time – this is great fun’.”
Ken Goff/GoffPhoto.com/Splash News
The shoes are no longer available in the navy suede version, but they are available in other colors at several retailers, and at discounted prices. We show them below at Neiman Marcus, currently selling at $160.
And the Duchess wore her Kiki McDonough Grace earrings once again.
One last image, Kate leaving the Arena. The photo was shared by People’s Simon Perry.
Simon Perry/People Magazine
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Also today, we want to share updates on several items that have been re-issued or their stock replenished.
- The navy ASOS Maternity dress worn by Kate is back in stock, selling at $44.50 and it has a new name: the Kate dress.
ASOS
- Many thanks to WKW Facebook friend Stephanie Champion Helton, she alerted us to news that an LK Bennett outlet has opened in the Chicago area. The store opened at the new Fashion Outlets of Chicago shopping center in early August.
Fashion Outlets of Chicago
- In other news about LK Bennett, the company’s fall sale is underway.
LK Bennett
- Another item back in stock (but not on sale), LK Bennett’s Darwin jacket.
LK Bennett
- The cashmere coat Kate wore to Cambridge last November has been reissued by MaxMara. At the risk of being repetitive, guess what the coat is now called? Yep, it is the Kate, available at House of Fraser. The garment is priced at £875, approximately $1400 USD.
Splash News/MaxMara Studio
- Many thanks to WKW Facebook friend Tiffanie, she let us know about the special Royal Infant stamp being offered by Canada Post.
Canada Post
Upcoming Appearances:
- Next Wednesday (the 23rd) is Prince George’s christening, the private event begins at 3pm London time, 10am EDT, 7am PDT.
- Next Thursday (the 24th) Kate attends the 100 Women in Hedge Funds gala at Kensington Palace
LINKAGE:
- Visit the SportsAid website here, the group’s Facebook page is here
- The Telegraph‘s video story can be viewed here
- Another volleyball video from The Daily Mail and The Globe is here
- The Mail’s online story, laden with photos, is here
- Gordon Rayner’s story in the Telegraph is here
- The Express story about the event is here
The Duchess looks lovely in this casual outfit – i especially love the skinny jeans and high wedges. I would love to see her hair cut by a few inches (maybe 4″) – it is distractingly long. Otherwise she looks great.
while I generally love anything she does, I do have to agree about the hair (and I have longish hair—past my shoulders a bit) but the Duchess is letting hers get a bit too long and it doesn’t appear nearly as lovely since she switched hair dressers (please go back to him Kate).
As this is a fashion blog, I would point out that the hair is beginning to overpower her fashion choices and it seems to get in the way sometimes.
Perhaps an aggressive trim, more updos, and ponytails for sporty events.
What fabulous photos! Great to see the Duchess so thoroughly enjoying herself with one of her patronages. Navy is quite flattering on her, I can see why she favors it for many of her “working” pieces.
I don’t find the skinnies off putting at all, I think when one is wearing some volume on top (as the Duchess does here with a tailored but still hip length blazer and layering), pairing with a close fitting bottom works.
I do agree that her hair is looking less than its best these days, but I agree that it might be post-partum related… goodness knows pregnancy has done a number on my hair!
Love that she can rock wedges while playing sports!
Has anyone considered that the changing hair might be a postpartum issue? Her lack of shine, luster, etc. that people keep commenting on, and the fact that her style is much “flatter” than normal…most women lose a lot of hair after the baby comes with hormonal changes, etc. Kate looks so great that it’s easy to forget she might be dealing with some of the no-so-great side effects of postpartum life!
That is an insightful and very possible observation, Michelle. However, I think most of those commenting are suggesting that the Duchess’s hair, while almost always enviable, looked its very best when being styled by James Pryce, her hair stylist for her wedding day and during the Canadian tour.
Personally, I don’t object to a little natural wave and body! In this engagement, for example, the more natural feel to her hair delivers a casual look that I find appropriate for this venue. My only real beef with the Duchess’s hair has been those wretched bangs she sported briefly last year. I’m so happy those have grown out!
Susan, thank you so much for another thoughtful and focused post! I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that you are my favorite, creative, and most refined Kate blogger.
For some commenters, whose thoughts I always love to read, I want to clarify that Kate’s jeans are denim jeans cut in the skinny style with a bit of stretch for comfort. Stretch denim skinny jeans are a wholly different garment than jeggings. The latter are leggings composed of stretch / Lycra material that are dyed or textured to resemble denim; or have pockets sewn onto the pant to mimic jeans. Jeggings and skinny jeans aren’t interchangeable. It might seem like a nitpicky term to clarify, but it’s significant for our purposes since jeggings are completely inappropriate for a professional engagement, whereas skinny jeans are a business casual staple.
For the record, I love Kate’s J Brand pieces. I’m wearing a similar pair of Levi’s twill stretch skinnies right now!
As much as I adore this ensemble and love the Smythe jacket, I still wonder it’s kinda risky to jump that high in 4.5 inch heels…I smell injury. LOL
What an amazing character she is! Love her clothes, love her physique, love the way she’s handling it all! Go Kate!
I love the photo of her playing volleyball. It wasn’t like she was walking around with her stomach out all day, she was involved in the game and genuinely playing. Its just a stomach, we all have them 🙂 I love the movement of her hair in that pic as well but I agree, something seems to be off with the color!
I think she looks beautiful: young, energetic, sporty and appropriate for the event. Do we want a mini-QEII? No, of course not. I’m a long-time Royal fashion follower and we never saw jeans until Diana. They make Kate seem real and down-to-earth, and the skinny jeans are the current style, so why not?
The heels amaze me. In the picture with the wheelchair athletes, she looks like she is standing on tiptoe (the cork blends in with the floor!). But it’s her choice and obviously she likes high heels! I think she’s wonderfully refreshing and I love her look.
I especially love her involvement with the different groups and her look of sincere interest. You can’t fake that stuff.
What I appreciate most about this piece is that you don’t mention Kate’s weight loss, flat stomach etc. Thank you for staying true to your focus! I really do appreciate this.
I love the shirt, jeans and jacket, it looks great on her. But I really wish she would cut her hair. It is distractingly long. I know she has stated that William prefers long hair, but this is too long for her. It is starting to look stringy which is surprising since it has so much volume. I think the pictures from last year is the perfect hair length for her. Just cut off 4 inches or so and it will loo so much healthier. Also, i wish she would stop wearing these wedges. They look like stumps on anyone. They are too much heel. I believe Kate wears these to appear taller than she is. Most women only wear 5 inch heels if they want to appear taller, even women that are 5’8″. However, these do not make her legs look longer, but just look like stumps. I just wish she would stop wearing these clunkers, she has much nicer wedges.
I love her hair! Of course, I’m speaking as a woman with very long hair also (and I’m 41 – but going to get a haircut this week :)……… however, I do think she should wear it back a little more, and actually maybe straightening it would look great for a different look. Long hair has so much versatility, she should try to go for different looks. Her updos always look stunning. I do agree with you about the wedges she is wearing here – time to put those in the donation box. Anytime she takes on a commitment with a sport-based charity, she should wear appropriate footwear, since she ALWAYS takes part in the activities.
http://31.media.tumblr.com/c08df95e3e07d06ebbbc98481d32fc06/tumblr_ms6y9xvcTI1szc933o1_500.jpg
http://www.popsugar.com/Kate-Middleton-Grocery-Shopping-31342963
The Duchess wore the same Ralph Lauren top during her last grocery run to Waitrose in Anglesey.
I love Navy, it echo’s a professional slant to the look, and coupled with the jeans jacket combo makes it relaxed in tone.
I love Kate’s hair, it does lack a uniformity of colour which must have washed out as Kate has a brown all over colour in the sequin dress last month. I wonder why she switched from her previous hairdresser, he styled it wonderfully, the new hairdresser hasn’t got that magic touch.
On the subject of weight loss, Kate hardly gained weight during her pregnancy, so naturally she pinged back. I am only short in height and gained very little during my pregnancy, in so much two weeks later after the birth of my son I was back in my 24inch waist trousers.
This is a look the Duchess wears so well. I’m a brunette too, and I really find navy to be a flattering color for those with brown hair. I love the casual, preppy vibe this outfit exudes, and I am incredibly jealous every time I spot the Duchess out in the Smythe jacket. What a lovely little topper. The Breton stripe blouse makes a nice pairing with the blazer and is particular to my taste as well: I have so many horizontal stripe items in my closet, it’s unreal.
I won’t say that I find the jeans inappropriate, but I’m not a fan of skinny jeans so tight they qualify more as jeggings than actual jeans. I just don’t find the resulting aesthetic appealing; it looks juvenile on some level to me. I also have trouble believing these are comfortable, but according to Lucy’s comment they are, so looks can be deceiving, I guess!
I must say that I barely noted the Duchess’s fashion the first time I read this piece, I was so amazed by her warmth and involvement with this charity. The comments about her attentiveness to detail in asking questions speak to her dedication and skill in her capacity as a Royal; she is a marvelous addition to the family and brings Britain so much positive publicity. I love her spontaneity in deciding to join in a game of volleyball, but I literally gasped when I read that she played in those towering wedges. After watching the video, I’m slightly less flabbergasted: she really is staying Earth-bound and not performing too many jumps. But still. Please, Kate, bring trainers next time!! A cast is not the sort of fancy footwear WKW readers long to see.
Love your comment about the cast! Turning up at the christening on crutches just wouldn’t be the same. I seem to remember the Duchess of Cornwall reviewing the troops in a wheelchair not long back!
Btw I’m with you on horizontal stripes. It got so bad in my case I felt quite dizzy trying to iron one top after another!
Aack! I didn’t even think about next week’s Christening! Alexander McQueen and crutches do not go together!
LOL! 😀
It’s wonderful to see the duchess looking so well and full of vim. She suits a classic navy combination like this very well, and it lends a note of formality without being too severe in a sporty context.
I’m not so sure about her hair this time – obviously it’s an informal occasion, but it looks untidy and out of condition. No doubt the full, glossy, even-coloured locks will be back come the christening. It’s interesting to see how last year’s picture of the similar outfit shows how much her hair has grown.
I like the jacket very much, and the way the vent at the back shows a bit more of her top pattern is very neat. I’ve never been a fan of these skin-tight pants and I feel that clothes which leave little to the imagination are usually less than flattering. The combination with clunky wedge heels is one I’d work to avoid.
While the video footage of Kate playing volleyball shows she didn’t attempt to jump at all high, I fear she shows something of a continued naïve disregard for casual exposure of flesh and an all too obvious attachment to minimal underwear. I know she doesn’t set out to look cheap in any way, but I think she sometimes errs on the side of carelessness in her outfit planning.
Not sure what you mean by “minimal underwear”—the jeans cover any type of briefs/thong she might have been wearing and the blouse never rode up anywhere high enough for us to glimpse her bra.
I fear I have to agree. I, too, was puzzled by the “minimal underwear” comment. We are clearly in no position to make any assumptions about what sort of underwear she was — or wasn’t — wearing. Nothing was “obvious”.
I think ElizaMo was probably referring to other numerous occasions on which Kate’s dresses have blown up in the wind, revealing her almost bare backside and showing that her skirts are not lined, she prefers not to wear slips, and her favourite form of panties is the minimalist thong. True, nothing is showing on this occasion, but in the past Kate has allowed most of her followers to see what kind of underwear she prefers.
her hair looks rather dull… I do not know why she got rid of her old stylist. Her stomach and legs and whole body look amazing so soon after having a baby. She is in perfect shape. I do find her very tight skinny jeans to be inappropriate for her royal duties. Also I detest her shoes and they are inappropriate for an athletic event. I love the canadian stamp go Canada!
Going to the post office this week to get those stamps!
Kate looks happy, genuinely invested, and very comfortable attending this event. She also looks RIDICULOUS for being three months out from having a baby. I am saving a picture of her jumping at the volleyball net as inspiration for myself four months from now when it’s my turn to peel off the baby weight. Good for you, Kate!
PS: definitely bring sneakers (/trainers) next time. Try carrying a baby around on a sprained ankle…not fun.
My order is in for the stamps – aren’t they wonderful? =) I’ll be using them to send out my thank you notes from my bridal shower!
Kate always looks great in classic, casual pieces like this – so simple, letting her and the athletes shine. I love the tweets you posted, Susan – Kate is obviously so interested in the athletes and the program, I’m glad she found a charity that speaks to her so much.
From the photos, it looks like she’s even thinner than before her pregnancy. I’m absolutely amazed by how quickly the pounds came off her. Kudos to her!
I’m a huge fan of high heels (5’2″) and skinny jeans to go with them; however I don’t think they were a good pair for this event. Flats or tennis shoes/trainers would have been much more suitable, just like her change during the Olympics when she hung out with the field hockey team. Although I appreciate her “thriftiness”, I wish she had freshened up this outfit.
Fabulous post! (Never apologize, btw…your posts are worth the wait 🙂 ) I’ve never been a big fan of the Corkswoons but overall she looked gorgeous. I just recently purchased my first pair of J Brand skinny jeans; I’m not sure if they are exactly the same style # as Kate’s, all I remember is that the color is “Ink” but I cannot say enough good things about them! I didn’t know that skinny jeans could be so unbelievably comfortable. Now I understand why she wears them so much. Adore the Smythe blazer — I cannot believe how flat her stomach is given that she gave birth a matter of weeks ago! Just amazing. She looked like she genuinely enjoyed today’s engagement 🙂
Goodness- the Duchess looks fantastic just these few months after labour! Her stomach looks so flat- does anyone else find it peculiar that she allowed her midriff to show like that during her various spikes on the court? She has just the same right as anyone else to show off her figure, but I did find it odd someone didn’t anticipate that sort of “wardrobe malfunction” (if it even is one) beforehand– either Kate herself or an aide perhaps. Or maybe I am just nitpicking because I’m supremely jealous 🙂
Love love love the Duchess, but really truly dislike those cork wedges! I think in about 10-15 years they’ll look clownish and comical when we look back on Kate’s fashion pictures. She doesn’t need to lengthen her legs with tall shoes – she’s skinny and tall as it is, even after a baby! I agree with Lili that she should’ve just brought some sneakers with her today. But more importantly, disability etiquette is to pull up a chair when talking to people in wheelchairs so you’re on the same level. The Duchess is so tall as it is, then add the five inches from those darn wedges – she completely towers over the short athletes, let alone the wheelchair athletes who deserve to hold a conversation at eye level like everyone else. I find them a very poor choice today especially.
She’s actually quite long-waisted, and her legs are short relative to her torso. That’s almost certainly why she likes to wear such high heels. She’s probably no taller than 5’9″ at most. It’s the shoes she wears that make her seem so tall.
As for various comments about the appropriateness of jeans or showing her midriff, I think jeans were entirely appropriate for this particular engagement. I also think that revealing her stomach wasn’t a “malfunction”. There was nothing wrong with that; she doesn’t need to cover every inch of skin besides her face and hands because she’s now a member of the royal family. It was nice that she joined in the volleyball spontaneously and thus everyone saw her stomach. The claws aren’t out on that, I notice, the media have basically just ended up admiring the terrific shape she’s in.
Boy, do I hate those wedges. But her hair looks fantastic!
SOOOO agree about those wedges! I was kind of hoping we’d seen the last of them a long time ago :/
Why oh why does she wear those wedges? If the wedge were a bit lower they would look less clumpy and they would be fine.
The Duchess looks great, sleek and healthy, and this was basically a very appropriate outfit to wear to this venue — except for the wedges. I’m a great fan of wedges, which produce a nice leg-lengthening effect when you’re wearing casual clothing with which conventional high heels just don’t work. I own several pairs. However, these wedges are so stratospherically vertiginous that they’re almost comical in appearance. I disliked them when the Duchess wore them back during the London Olympics, and I haven’t changed my mind.
Moreover, she really should have brought along some athletic shoes (“trainers” in British parlance) in anticipation of being asked to do something sporty. It would have been better for her to change shoes than to wear those wedges while playing volleyball, however adept she was at remaining on her feet in them. (I once played tennis in wedges on a dare. I twisted my ankle rather badly. The dumb things we do in youth.)
Too bad LK Bennett doesn’t sell the same merchandise in the US as it does in the UK. I’ve been repeatedly disappointed to find that something I like on the UK site is not available here.
For “Replikate” seekers: I finally managed to find a knee-length cream-colored coat, and it cost much less than the Max Mara “Kate,” which I love but which was really beyond the budget I’d set for this item and is also a little too short for my needs. Americans looking for a white/cream/ivory coat might consider the Ann Taylor example, below. It ships a bit longer than it looks in the photo, is made of a rather luxurious feeling brushed wool-blend fabric, and looks quite good with a belt — such as a bow belt like the one on the Max Mara coat.
http://www.anntaylor.com/manor-coat/309865?colorExplode=false&skuId=14623615&catid=cat590028&productPageType=fullPriceProducts&defaultColor=9192
I’m looking forward to the christening. I hope the Duchess will debut a truly wonderful and new post-baby outfit. And a great hat.
I really love those wedges; they’re beautiful and look wonderful with the skinny jeans. It’s amazing how great the Duchess looks only three months after giving birth. All that yoga has paid off for her!!
Looking forward to the christening next week.
I just checked lk bennett’s website and didn’t see the darwin coat in brown back in stock, just the black and cream one.
One thing I notices in pictures I saw elsewhere is that Kate wore a watch on her left wrist. I can’t recall ever having seen her wear a watch to an official event. The only other occasion that I’ve seen her wearing a watch (at least since her engagement & marriage) was when she was on a holiday at some kind of ski venue. I wonder if this one was a gift?
Also, as much as I hate those shoes – and I do – hats off to Kate for being able to play volleyball in them. That can’t be easy!
I noticed the watch as well but think a WKW-er noticed one after she had Prince George. That she need to know the time once she had the baby?
I just love the Canadian stamp! How wonderful is that?
Lovely to see Kate out and about and enjoying the volleyball. Personally I don’t like those huge wedges with the skinny jeans, but her smile is as stunning as ever and it’s great to see her again…and these great posts!