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Pick Your Favorite New Dress Worn By The Duchess On Tour

We are back with the first of our polls looking at what Kate Wore on tour. Today our topic is only new dresses worn by the Duchess, we will do Kate’s coat dresses and repeated dresses separately.

The first new frock was the Tory Burch Paulina in black and ivory, worn for the Plunket playdate Prince George and Kate enjoyed with other parents and children. The Paulina is an open knit with short sleeves, a defined waist and tassel-like fringe at the sleeve cuffs and hemline.

James Whatling/i-Images/Pool, SplashNews.com

James Whatling/i-Images/Pool, SplashNews.com

For an official State reception at Government House Kate returned to one of her favorite designers, Jenny Packham.  The Duchess’s dress was below the knee, with a modified bateau neckline, long sleeves and the real showstopper: an embroidered fern on the left shoulder done in crystals and silver beading.

Polaris Images/SplashNews.com

Polaris Images/SplashNews.com

While we were unable to see how this piece looked on Kate underneath her Erdem coat, I still thought it merited inclusion in our poll. The Budding Heart silk tea dress by Suzannah is based on a 1930s style; it has a bias-cut skirt, a deep v-neck, smocking under the bust and at the upper shoulder seams.

Suzannah 'Budding Heart Green Silk Tea Dress'

Suzannah ‘Budding Heart Green Silk Tea Dress’

When attending Palm Sunday services in Dunedin the Duchess wore a dress from another of her favorite designers, Emilia Wickstead.  This is the ‘Alice,’ a design most readers will recognize, we have seen Kate wear the identical piece in a soft pink.

Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

For the family’s arrival in Australia, Kate opted for a frock by another favorite, Roksanda Ilincic.  The customized version of the designer’s ‘Ryedale’ dress is made of wool crepe, with short sleeves, an off-center front slit, and an exposed back zipper. The piece is from the spring/summer 2014 collection. (For details on what changes differentiate Kate’s dress from the off the rack version, click here to see our original post.)

i-Images/Polaris, Splash News.com, i-Images/www.i-Images.co

i-Images/Polaris, Splash News.com, i-Images/www.i-Images.co

When William and Kate visited Australia’s famed Blue Mountains we saw another return to a favored designer and dress style. The Duchess wore a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress, the ‘Patrice.’  It features DVF’s classic cross-over wrap front with self-fastening waist tie, three-quarter length sleeves, a hidden side zipper and pockets.

i-Images/Polaris, Emily Andrews/The Sun

i-Images/Polaris, Emily Andrews/The Sun

Kate chose a dress from an Australian brand for the Royal Easter Show in Sydney and two other engagements, wearing the ‘Roamer Day Dress‘ from Zimmermann, part of the label’s Swim and Resort Collection. Crafted from a textile we know Kate is fond of, broderie anglaise, the dress hits just above the knee, has a high neckline, elbow-length sleeves, and a defined waist.

Both Photos by Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

Both Photos by Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

Yet another Kate-favored brand had a dress showcased in Australia; when visiting Brisbane the Duchess wore the Lasa Poppy Print dress from LK Bennett’s spring collection. The knee-length dress is a cotton/rayon blend, with a squared neckline, back zipper, slit at the back hem for ease of movement and that rich blue floral pattern strategically placed to flatter one’s figure.

Andrew Parsons/i-Images/www.i-Images.co, i-Images/Polaris,

Andrew Parsons/i-Images/www.i-Images.co, i-Images/Polaris, Andrew Parsons/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

The final dress in our poll is another design from Roksanda Ilincic, the greyish/taupish variation on her ‘Lovina’ style, worn for a visit to the National Indigenous Peoples Training Academy.

i-Images/Polaris, Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

i-Images/Polaris, Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

This weekend we’ll have the two other dress/coat-dress polls.

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A quick note for those interested in purchasing a pair of the Mint Velvet plimsolls Kate wears: they are back in stock.

Mint Velvet

Mint Velvet

The company *will ship* to the US, as well as select other countries, below we share one of their Tweets today with directions on who to contact for international shipping.

Mint Velvet Twitter

Mint Velvet Twitter

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One other footwear note, the Imperia espadrilles in ivory are back in stock at Dune London, while the black is available inmost sizes.

Dune London

Dune London

WKW friend Food, Fash, Fit has a Facebook post comparing the Dune London version of the Imperia with the Pied a Terre version, with both brands under the same corporate umbrella now.

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mslewis

Tuesday 13th of May 2014

I voted for the LK Bennett blue poppy dress. I think it's beautiful.

Hannah Hill

Tuesday 13th of May 2014

I'm curious why the poll doesn't include the circle lace dress by Lela Rose.

admin

Tuesday 13th of May 2014

Oh my goodness. Thank you for asking, of course that dress absolutely should have been included here, that is my error entirely. We'll address it in our next post. Thank you again! :)

Renuka

Tuesday 13th of May 2014

The LK Bennett Poppy dress

Penelope

Tuesday 13th of May 2014

I was between the LKBEnnett poppy and the llincic yellow but voted for the poppy dress, maybe because I was able to buy it via one of their boutiques and could see just how sticking it is. I read Lily's comments below that the fabric creases on her and since I wear the same size as her and own all of her dresses from the brand including the blue own she wore on valentines day I just want to mention that because her hips are really narrow and slim the sheath dresses, even though size UK6 end up being not so fitted around the hips so when she walks or leans over the loose fabric around the legs gathers more. I haven't found either of these dresses creasing more, especially the blue on valentines day, than other of my dresses. Mine are a bit more fitted around the hips, while still wearing UK6. Of course if I compare LKBennett quality to more expensive bands I own, like max mara or dolce and gabbana it's obviously inferior, but they also cost less and based on their cost I find their quality reasonable. I mean I don't know of any other brands that cost the same but quality is much better. Of course they might exist and I just don't know them.

On her rest of her dresses, I bought all of therm which were available, including the poppy dress i.e. The Paulina tory burch, the dvf (I've never owned a dress of hers neither a wrap dress and thought this was a good opportunity), and the suzzannah dress which I have to say was he biggest surprise of all: it's very feminine, and the colour of green with a hint of blue in the flowers so lovely and spot on as a shade. I understand how some people thought it might look old, but I can reassure you it's nothing but. The price reflects the quality and the description they give online highlights all it's features. It's incredibly flattering on the bust and it's an all year dress worn at so many occasions.

Barbara Winkler

Monday 12th of May 2014

The Jenny Packham evening dress was terrible. Yes, the fern embellishment was lovely, but the rest of the dress was a sleeper. It was much too old for Kate--too long and it looked like something the queen might wear!

NancyRHM

Tuesday 13th of May 2014

I agree. "Dowdy" was the word that came to mind, despite the beautiful fern.

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