Your Thoughts About Kate As a Style Icon, Temperley London Fall 2014, Popular CopyKate Coat Reissued as the “Kate Trench”

We are back with some fashion notes and a follow-up to our previous post discussing Kate’s position in the fashion zeitgeist, more specifically, asking if she is a style icon. The thoughts you shared on the topic were outstanding; watching the discussion unfold and reading the varying perspectives on what constitutes a fashion icon and/or a style icon has been a delight.

There were several comments about the specific terms that are part of today’s lexicon. Here is a brief sampling:

• Lili: “I do think part of the problem with the term “style icon” and whether it applies to any given person is the slipperiness — the malleability — of the definition.”
• TMM: “To me, fashion refers to what’s new and popular and trendy in the world of clothing and accessories. A style icon, however (in my mind), is one who takes a look and makes it uniquely their own.”
• ElizaMo: “I’d have said that Kate was a style icon and not a fashion icon as for me there’s a clear distinction: it’s perfectly possible to have a consistent style without having fashion come into it.”
• Miss Maddox: “I do think the Duchess is a style icon; and for me that is very different then being a “fashionable” woman. I would never suggest that Duchess Kate was a “fashionable” woman. Style icons are the women who choose to be above fashion!”
• Erin: “Is Kate a stylish woman? YES. Is she a style icon? NO. There is a difference.”

While fond of Kate’s fashion choices and style , some felt it is just too early to make pronouncements or confer titles:

• Judith (via Facebook): “Personally I think that Kate is not a fashion icon…yet. Her style now is very suitable for her place as the wife of the second in line. But these are early days.”
• Lauri: “Kate certainly would have made the Hall of Fame, in the future, but to include her this year is much too soon.”
• Sampson (via Facebook): “I think it’s way too early to tell. She dresses beautifully, but give her time. She’s made an effort to not be defined by her clothing choices, so I think we should let her WOW us on her terms.”
• Ashleigh: “I agree it’s too early to tell whether Kate’s normality and what some refer to as formulaic dressing will cement her iconic fashion status. Only time will tell…”

For many others, there’s no more time needed, Kate is iconic. And regardless of the terms used, many expressed thoughts on the positive impact Kate’s style choices have had on their wardrobes:

• Amy: “I don’t know if Kate should be defined as a style icon, but I’ve certainly adopted her as MY style icon!”
• Melissa: “She’s the only person I look to for what is appropriate/looks put together, precisely because I know that I can replicate her look almost exactly.”
• Lulu (via Facebook): “I think that she is an Icon for the very reasons that her critic note: she does things her way & breaks rules & wears what she likes & feels comfy in rather than what the style experts might approve of.”
• Adrienne: “I’m 33 and never really knew how to dress… Until I saw Kate wearing the nude pumps I never thought to buy some. So I did. She influenced my personal style….I’m not afraid to wear a dress to work anymore”.
• Rachel: “When I was younger, I wasted a lot of money on “fast fashion”, buying whatever was trendy at the time that was cheaply made and wasn’t necessarily flattering. Kate has taught me that investing in well made pieces, and paying attention to fit goes a long way…”
• Jennifer (via Facebook): “I don’t find her a groundbreaker, but I find her an icon as well as a source of returning style and class in clothing as opposed to what so much of what youth and young women are seeing in the media. Thank goodness there is this alternative to show…”

In a somewhat related note, a recent story in The Telegraph offers a smidgen of insight on how Kate looks at fashion. The article profiles Sara Parker Bowles, associate editor at Harper’s Bazaar UK and senior editor at Town & Country UK. From that Telegraph story:

Of the Duchess of Cambridge, she will only say: “We’ve talked about designers we admire in the past and she’s always very complimentary about what I wear but, clearly, she feels she’s got more important things to think about – and that’s what makes her so endearing.”

You may recognize the name because Ms. Parker Bowles is married to the Duchess of Cornwall’s son, Tom Parker Bowles.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Next, our look at some of the new fall styles at Temperley London. These pieces are all from the label’s pre-fall collection.

Several more looks.

Many of the pre-fall pieces can be found on the Temperley site, although some are not yet in stock. One style currently available: the Catroux dress, shown in the center of the photo above. Here’s a closer look at the frock, available in three colors.

Below left we show the brand’s Berge dress with its tailored top and full skirt, on the right it’s the ALICE by Temperley Madison dress, in a classic fit and flare silhouette.

The Moya Wool Jacket struck me as a piece that seems ‘very Kate’. It’s a wool/angora blend that looks both snuggly-warm and chic, not always an easy combination to pull off.

Our next two items are from the ALICE by Temperley collection, offering the brand’s younger, edgier styles. The Donna Jacket is made of a wonderful material “…embellished with floral mesh appliqués…” and has a cropped silhouette… softly puffed shoulders. There are several other pieces in the eye-catching fabric if one is looking for a matching top/bottom, we show the Donna skirt. These pieces are part of the ALICE Winter 2014 collection.

The Callas Evening Coat is elegant and would work well for Kate. It comes in both black and a deep olive.

Also new in stock, the Luz Dress in a silk/poly blend. The structured fabric has an openwork design on the sleeves and the lower third of the frock.

This is a mere sampling of the online selection, the site is well-stocked with new pieces for the fall and winter seasons; those interested in what’s to come might enjoy perusing the 2014 Winter lookbook.

The brand also happens to be having an excellent sale, offering 60% off of spring and summer styles. That makes items like the Lucy Shirtdress (seen below) a very good buy. The dress was originally priced at £395, it is now £160, that’s about $260.

Accessories in the sale are also pocketbook friendly. Below we show the Chapelle Scarf (lower left) is on sale for £35, as is the yellow and pale pink Sylvia Scarf seen in the center of the photo, both would be roughly $55 – $60. The turquoise and pink Lace Bi-Couloured Scarf on the far right of the montage is discounted to £60, about $95-$100.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have a few more Sales & Savings opportunities:

• One of our favorite sponsors, Beulah London, is offering a scarf Kate has worn at a special discount this week. We’re talking about the Eden scarf seen on the Duchess at a rugby match in Sydney, Australia. The cashmere blend scarf normally sells for £125 (about $210), but it’s discounted to £99 (roughly $165) this week only.

• 6pm, the sister site to Zappos, has a sizable selection of Aquatalia on sale, with discounts running from 30% to 70% off the original price. The majority of the shoes are summer styles, but there are some past season boots and booties. Below, some of the styles currently available.

• Technically this isn’t a sale but more of a heads-up: Stuart Weitzman is doing another promotion allowing customers to customize a shoe, this time it is pumps. Shoppers can select a specific shoe from several styles and heel heights,  before choosing what color they would like their heels to be.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Finally tonight, word of a favorite ‘copyKate’ item being reissued. Some will remember seeing Kate in the Temperley London ‘Odele Classic Sheepskin Coat‘. (There are photos here of Kate wearing the piece during a walk in Kensington Gardens.)

Via Spiga made what became a popular repliKate last year, and now the coat has been reissued for this fall. It’s interesting to see how different retailers are marketing the coat, and what it is selling for. At Macy’s the coat is called the “Faux-Leather and Faux-Fur Kate Trench Coat,” it is priced at $359.99.

At Bloomingdales it is the Faux Leather and Faux Fur Collar coat, it is “on sale” for $337.45.

The best deal by far seems to be at Saks Off Fifth, where the Via Spiga Faux Fur Collar Coat is priced at just $223.99.

This is clearly one of those cases where it pays to shop around.

We will say goodbye until next time, with a “Thank You!” to those who shared their thoughts in the ongoing style icon/fashion icon conversation. If you haven’t yet had time to weigh in on the topic, click here for the original post and join the conversation.