We saw the Duchess wearing a new brand for today’s opening of a new Art Room at a London school.

©James Whatling/Splash News
The Duchess was at Barlby Primary School. Children waved paper flags as Kate arrived, decorated with their drawings of the Duchess (below right).

Kensington Royal Twitter (@KensingtonRoyal)/Simon Perry, People Magazine Twitter (@SPerryPeopleMag)
Here you see Kate being presented with a chair the students made from stamps donated by the Royal Household, she is joined by artist Grayson Perry.

James Whatling/Splash News
A better look at the chair via Rebecca English of the Daily Mail.
There was a welcome banner made by students inside the school.
This was an event originally scheduled for October that was canceled because Kate was ill.

MirrorPix/Splash News
More on today’s visit from Richard Palmer’s story in The Daily Express:
She met pupils and staff and then joined a round table discussion about the work of The Art Room with experts and wealthy benefactor Dame Vivien Duffield and cross-dressing potter Grayson Perry, who is a patron.
The Art Room is a national charity which offers art as therapy to children and young people aged five to 16 who are facing challenges in their lives. Art Room practitioners support students and help them grow their self-confidence, self-esteem and engagement with education through art.
Once inside the school Kate had a look at artwork the students have made as shared in these photos from Victoria Murphy of The Daily Mirror.
Kate speaking with the children.

Mirrorpix/SplashNews.com
Students shared some unique perspectives with the Duchess, more from Victoria Murphy’s story in The Daily Mirror:
She met with a group of eight children and asked them about their paintings.
At one point one little boy said to her: “You would like to be a chicken”, to which she laughed and replied: “I would like to be a chicken?
“Maybe actually.”
(There is a Kensington Palace video of Kate speaking with the students, we’ve put a link at the end of the post in our Linkage section.)
As noted above, Kate wore a dress from a label we’ve not seen her in previously, Madderson London.

Neil Warner / Splash News
The Duchess wore the brand’s ‘Naomi’ dress.

Robin Nunn/Nunn Syndication/Polaris Images
Crafted in a rich navy fabric embellished with French tweed trim and shiny gold buttons, the dress is above knee length with topstitching detail on the front, three-quarter sleeves, and an invisible zipper in the back. We show the dress at Pinstripe and Pearls where it is now sold out.
A closer look at the trim in that nubby tweed fabric Kate is fond of, in this case it is a navy/pink/ivory blend with what looks like a touch of Lurex®.

Splash News/Pinstripe and Pearls
We have two recent examples of garments Kate has worn using similar material: below left you see some of the “…grey boucle and metallic yarn” fabric in Kate’s ‘Bettina’ coat by Tory Burch, below right the fabric in her ‘Marina’ coat by Seraphine is described as “….a luxurious wool tweed bouclé. Subtle silver threads add a touch of sparkle”.
For those wondering about the difference between tweed and bouclé, here are definitions from Fabric.com:
Tweed: A medium to heavy weight, fluffy, woolen, twill weave fabric containing colored slubbed yarns. Common end-uses include coats and suits.
Bouclé: A knit or woven fabric with small curls or loops that create a nubby surface. The fabric has a looped, knotted surface and is often used in sweater looks, vests and coats.
Kate’s dress is from Madderson’s autumn/winter 2014 collection. The French tweed was used in a number of pieces for fall.
Madderson London is a young company, founded in 2012 by Sara Madderson and Helen Hughes.The brand’s “About” page shares this information:
Our signature style embodies London society at its most elegant and timeless. This is a look that is polished but playful, appropriate but never apologetic, contemporary but not trend-driven. The brand encompasses two lines, Womenswear and Maternity Wear. Both reflect the same aesthetic: ultra-feminine, sleek, with impeccable tailoring, luxury fabrics and unabashed use of colour and print.
We are women designing for women who are confident in themselves and their style choices.
More from a Sheer Luxe piece profiling the company’s funders:
Sara: Helen and I go back a long way! While both pregnant and working for large corporations (Helen in marketing, me in banking), we saw the opportunity for a luxury maternity wear line that enabled women to retain their sense of style and love of fashion while pregnant.
Helen: Like most start-ups, our business ideas originated from seeing a gap in the market and finding a fashion niche where we could become known for quality, luxury and enduring style. With Sara’s creative genius and our complementary professional experiences, we felt we had the credentials to give entrepreneurship a whirl.
Below, founders Sara Madderson (l) and Helen Hughes (r).
As soon as word was out that Kate was wearing a dress by Madderson the company experienced the “Kate Effect,” and its website crashed. I imagine by the time this is published it will be back up and running.
This was another example of Kate showcasing a British brand. Two brands actually, as the navy fabric used in her dress comes from Hainsworth, a heritage company manufacturing textiles since the 1700s. More from the Yorkshire Post:
It made the uniforms worn in the Charge of the Light Brigade, and to this day makes the scarlet cloth of the Royal Guards and the fabric for ceremonial uniforms of the Royal Family.
Hainsworth has long held a Royal Warrant; its textiles are used inside Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. The firm also manufactures fabric for Hudson Bay blankets, many menswear labels and a host of military uniforms.
UPDATED JAN 16:
Madderson London says they will be re-issuing the frock.
Our thanks to Ashley Marie for the tip about this.
UPDATE #2, JAN 18: Madderson is now taking pre-orders for the Naomi dress.
Kate accessorized with her Mulberry clutch and Episode Angel shoes.

Splash News/Mulberry
Another look.

©James Whatling/Splash News
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Also today, a quick look at the new coat we saw Kate wearing when out shopping at John Lewis on Tuesday; PopSugar’s photos may be seen here. The Duchess wore Zara’s Straight Cut Coat.
The piece is a wool/rayon blend in a color called Dusty Pink. The pockets are most distinctive element of the design, we show them in an image digitally treated to highlight that detail.
Originally retailing at $149, the coat was on sale for $99.90. It is now sold out.
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Many readers will have already heard, but for those not on Twitter and/or Instagram, Kensington Palace launched a Twitter account this week for William, Kate and Harry. As noted in the first two tweets shown below, the account is really for showcasing the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and its work.
There is also a new Instagram account sharing photos related to the young royals and their work.
More about the new accounts from a story by Rebecca English in The Daily Mail:
The Kensington Palace account will be run by staff working for the royals but it is likely William, Harry or Kate may send their own Tweets when promoting charities they support.
Prince Harry admitted last year that he can see the benefits of using social media to promote charitable events, like last September’s Invictus Games which he helped organise. But he said it’s a double-edged sword for him and his family as it can be an additional invasion of their privacy.
He said: ‘I would love to get involved and go on social media and if it was for causes like this (the Invictus Games) I really would.
‘The issue for myself and my family, put quite simply, is that it’s very hard for me to tweet about the Invictus Games and tweet about something that means a lot to me, whereas I at the same time really quite hate Twitter by the invasion of privacy. I think you all understand what I’m talking about.’
A note for anyone who may choose to follow one/both accounts, the user name for both is KensingtonRoyal, not KensingtonPalace.
And finally, an update on our polls: we will showcase results and the new polls on Tuesday, once Kate’s engagements are complete. In the interim, we’ll see you tomorrow for The Fostering Network event.
LINKAGE:
- Learn more about the Art Room via its website, or on its Facebook page here; you can also make a donation by clicking here
- Visit the Hainsworth website to learn about the company’s remarkable history
- Richard Palmer’s story in The Express is here, Victoria Murphy’s story in The Mirror is here, Rebecca English’s story in The Daily Mail is here,
- a quick video of Kate’s arrival at the school by Simon Perry of People magazine is here, the Kensington Royal account video of Kate walking into the school assembly is here , Kensington Royal’s 1:31 video of Kate chatting with students about their artwork is here, and Renecca English’s video of Kate leaving the school is here
- The Express story about the dress selling out is here
What kind of stockings she is wearing? She wears really nice stockings.
Has she got no friends?
Seriously, I’ve never seen her go shopping with a friend – it’s always bodyguards and other stuff. And she never takes a walk, go for a dinner or ANYTHING with a friend. Its just her family and paid stuf. OMG!
I love, love this dress and I imagine it is likely more striking in person with the contrasts of the dark navy and the pastel colored details. I also really like the Episode Angel pumps, which I did not like when I first saw them (a while back). They are interesting and don’t look as high as many of her other pumps (I’m not a fan of heels over 3.5, 3 inches!). I really want that Zara coat!! It was one of the pieces that Kate has worn that is actually affordable. I’m not surprised it is sold out 🙁
I love the overall sixties styling of this dress (particularly the modular “pieced” look provided by the top-stitched center front seam), but really can’t help looking at it as a good thing run amok due to that extra set of upper pocket flaps. I’m also not fond of the black tights and suede shoes. While the Duchess does pull it off…as always, I’d feel uncomfortable in that combo.. I also agree with the poster who suggested that a longer dress would be more appropriate.
What about the lovely sea-foam green purse the Duchess has during her John Lewis shopping trip? Thanks
The handbag is a Tod’s D-style. Many think it is Kate’s grey D-bag, that the photo was retouched and for some reason her bag looks green. 🙂
Hmmm. I don’t feel the same antipathy that most seem to experience about this dress. I like the lines, the overall silhouette, and the combination of the luscious, dark navy with that nubby tweed. Shift dresses are pretty horrid on my figure, so personally I tend to avoid them, but obviously the Duchess doesn’t have that problem, even when 6 months pregnant. Additionally, the reason why I do possess a couple of shift dresses, despite the fact that they are not the most flattering on me, is that they are remarkably comfortable.
As many have pointed out, the aesthetic problem with this dress is those excess pocket flaps. They actually remind me of gills on a fish. I think details like this can sometimes be visually interesting, but here they go past interesting and veer into “just plain weird” territory. Perhaps if they laid flat instead of jutting out?
My one quibble is that I hate hate hate the black and navy pairing here. I do think navy and black can work together, in the same way that brown and black can occasionally be paired, but you have to give it careful thought. I will readily admit, however, that my brain is not the most inventive with color combinations (I clip out color combination cheat sheets from In Style magazine for hints), and right now I’m drawing a blank as to a preferable combination. Perhaps nude hose and nude shoes (which reminds me… it seems as if it has been ages since we’ve seen the Sledges… ElizaMo, did you stage a covert operation and burn them?) Yet the Duchess may have opted for opaque tights because of the shorter length. Navy or brown tights and dark brown ankle boots maybe?
So… While I really do not like the black pumps and tights, my confusion about what color would have been preferable reveals that this was anything but a no-brainer, and I’ll give the Duchess a pass for that reason. Navy is my all-time favorite color, but it can be hard to accessorize.
I love this dress! It’s conservative but fun! Aaah love it when the Kate effect crashes websites, another slap on those faces who thinks royals sit around and don’t do anything. More visits by Kate and websites will be crashing by the minute lol.
Once again, this page is full of critical and judgemental comments, tearing another woman to shreds.
Can we find out what Mr Perry is wearing … and I do get that’s not the point of the site …. but …. : – )
Oh dear, why on earth does Kate continue on wearing mini-skirts to meet children? It looks AWKWARD, it looks INELAGANT and distracts from everything – including where she is and what she is doing! I can remember being treated to the ‘thunder thighs’ display as well as unwanted glimpses of lingerie and stocking tops from teachers sat on chairs on stage at school assemblies in the sixties. Kate has been pictured pulling her dresses down all night at a monarch’s banquet in South East Asia and at a pop concert as well as being photographed with pieces of her dress or a hand tucked between her knees. It isn’t pretty – if being photographed with children or sitting on a stage or for photographs which are usually aimed from below then wear a skirt below the knee (or trousers)!!!
The dress itself? The quality fabric really shone through but I agree, the centre seam is very odd and unnecessary and those top pockets should GO and QUICKLY! They are seriously ugly. Though I felt the dress length was inappropriate here, I like it and it would look good in any length to just below the knee. (Is it only me that feels that retailers should offer multiple lengths as they do with trousers to suit everyone? There must be lots of older ladies who don’t buy something because it’s too short?) I feel that the dress would have been better with that lovely trim around the sleeves as well, with perhaps a ‘piping’ thickness around the neck, with or without those bottom pockets (but DEFINITELY NOT the top ones!).
The dress would also look good with trousers/leggings as it is short and oh, wouldn’t it be lovely if a little jacket was offered in that lovely pink tweed – in fact, the dress with a matching (pink trim) jacket on a colder day with look wonderful on Kate!!!
NOTE: Edited by Admin
I totally agree with you that dresses should be offered in multiple lengths. (And sometimes maxi dresses are, which is odd, since they are already long anyway!). I’m ta, and far too often I’ve had to pass up on dresses I would have loved to own because they are more like shirts/tunics on me 🙁
Oh for goodness sales! This isn’t 1960. Since she’s not wearing stockings I highly doubt the sight of her suspenders is about to horrify young eyes, and she clearly isn’t displaying thunder thighs in anything she wears. And brands don’t make their short dresses available in below the knee hems to suit the elderly because no young brand wants a bunch of fuddy-duddies wearing dowdy versions of their clothes.
The dress is fun, lighthearted, not so formal as to be out of places, and suits the tone of the day
I’m only 29 years old, I’m not a fuddy duddy lol!! I’m just long and lean, and find that many dresses in stores that are meant to be mid-thigh or knee length on most girls tend to be like shirts or tunics to me :/
Yes also for me! Unfortunately I am not so tall 🙂 Anyway I love tunics and long dress so generally opt for them in any case. Most of them are typical of
http://www.fashionmetropolitan.blogspot.co.uk/
Seem to be the only poster who thinks this dress is great. Love it. It’s funky, quirky, elegant all at once, with a nod to the 60s that seems to be an occasional part of her style. I can see it in the window of Mary Quant in Carnaby St. Think the pockets are great material/color, and lots of fun. It reminds me vaguely of the coat she wore to the children’s center in Harlem on her NYC trip.
Like the boxy shape, too. The trend of wearing form fitting clothes while (very) pregnant strikes me as rather cheap Hollywood actress exhibitionism, combined with voyeurism, and bad taste.
Could care less about the tights and heels colors.
Scored a hit with me, Kate.
Wear it again.
Thank you WKW for all your posts. I appreciate all your endeavors to keep us “fans” up to date. I also appreciate the info on details such as the difference between tweed and bouclé. That said, I must agree with many other posters in not being a fan of this outfit. Too shapeless is my first impression and in a closer shot the revelation of that sort of “cross seam” is distracting and, I’m guessing, unnecessary.
I do like the trim but not the pocket flaps. The length is a hair or two short of the mark. Seems to me the hemlines nowadays are more knee-length which, in my opinion, are a bit more classy than a shorter length. The black/navy dilemma is an age old problem but my personal take is that to wear navy hose with black shoes is a bit tricky. So either wear navy all the way or wear black hose with black shoes as HRH did. The trick in getting navy hose to match the dress would be to wear navy pantyhose where the colour would be more translucent than a solid navy opaque that obviously might not match well. I spent many years working in law firms in Boston where black and navy abound but don’t always work well together. That said, I’m just getting used to wearing the brown/black look so maybe I’m being a bit outdated. The very posh earrings would be better worn at a more formal occasion. Seeing as it is an art school, my choice would have been something more whimsy, possibly those croc/alligator earrings she wore in NY? I know, silver but gold buttons! But just something like that would have an artful touch.
All in all, I like her style most days but nobody’s perfect!
Despite everyone hating this dress, I did just notice that Madderson Maternity is on sale on Gilt.com right now. This particular dress is not in the sale, but the other maternity items are super cute! This was definitely a style miss, but some of the other styles look similar to what Kate wears when she is not pregnant so maybe they could make a future appearance when the weather warms up.
http://www.gilt.com/sale/children/madderson-london-maternity-4187
Hi, Susan,
did you see this?
Hainsworth @AWHainsworth · 15. Jan.
Our links to Kate Middleton are more than the dress she wore today, did you know we bought Lupton mill from her Great Grandparents in 1958?
https://twitter.com/AWHainsworth
Rose
I was quick to agree, initially, with most of the comments on here that this frock was an unflattering choice. But, sometimes a garment does nothing for the wearer in still images, then is much less “offensive” in motion. I think this is the case here. It’s quite cute on the duchess when she’s moving about/walking!
Add me to list of those who don’t like the top flaps. The navy fabric looks pretty stiff to me, too, but then most shifts do (I like shifts, just commenting that I think the fabric used isn’t very drape-y, not that I know much at all about fabric). So while I’m not a big fan of this, I like the tweed with the navy and I like the big band of tweed placed at the hem.
I’m thinking that Kate doesn’t accentuate her bump or wear clothes that hug her bump, like quite a lot of current maternity clothes do, out in public, and especially on formal engagements, because of a desire for some personal privacy. I think she wants to show us as little of her bump as little as possible and keep some things to herself and her intimate circle of friends and family. People are going to talk about it no matter what, but she doesn’t have to let us know when her belly button pops out. So this dress (although not the ugly top flaps), and the shift style generally, makes sense to me, if this is her rationale. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more shifts. Empire waist maternity wear looks very tent-like to me–think of all that space between where the fabric hangs off the belly and between the top of the thighs. It makes you look two feet deep from ribs to knees. I think this effect is less pronounced in a shift somehow.
Unlike lots here, I like navy and black together and I like her dress — but then I was an adult in the early 60s and lived through the inspiration age for this dress in the mid 60s and still like those looks — she might just like feeling comfy in a shift dress vs something everyone will look at her and talk about if she’s having twins — I can see her getting a lot of miles out of this dress during pregnancy.
I like navy and black together and have seen the combination work effectively in many contexts. I simply think that this particular dress would have worked better with navy hosiery. She could still have worn the black shoes and carried the black clutch for a bit of contrast.
Someone mentioned that it’s hard to match shades of navy. That’s true, but it’s not really necessary to match them exactly. A couple of years ago, the Duchess wore an all-navy outfit, including navy hose, in which the shades were not precisely matched, and it worked very well.
Are you referring to the MaxMara and Orla Kiely she wore to the Place 2be forum ? You are right. They did work. She looked fabulous.
I was none too sure what the Duchess was wearing at first glance but have since decided it must be a dress pretending to be a coat, a further variation on Lili’s recent clarification on the definition of coat-dress. I thought these tweed trims seemed randomly and oddly placed but have decided they make a sort of sense, leading the eye away from the Bump.
I like the shape of the dress very much, the straight shift being a welcome break from the inevitable empire line maternity frock, and looking, as the beautifully attired Grayson Perry himself said, “pretty chic for six months.” I think the hem is verging on being too short. but feel Kate’s dignity is preserved by black tights. The tweed is also pretty, shiny and tactile which would work around children.
I’m none too sure what kind of animal “French tweed” is supposed to be, whether it refers to a style of the fabric or if it originates in France. In which case I’m tempted to ask, what was the Countess of Strathearn thinking of in choosing it? It seems at oddswith the British-sourced fabric of the body of the dress.
I love Kate’s hair in this sleek style and she looks lovely as always. But overall I have to conclude that I wouldn’t mind if this dress didn’t reappear. I’m not sure the tweed combines well with the heavy navy and the trims don’t seem as naturally placed as those on the similar style Goat we saw in New York
The little Zara coat is sweet and I love the styling on the pockets. Again, Kate chose to wear it as a short coat with similar skirt, rather than trousers as I would prefer, although the effect was modified by long, flat boots.
I love the new Twitter feed, it feels satisfying to have the pictures they want us to see rather than the more intrusive kind. Thanks for a great post!
Hi, ElizaMo,
The following links on FRENCH TWEED etc. might be of interest:
http://cityguide.paris-is-beautiful.com/en/paris-from-a-to-z/art-de-vivre-history/the-little-black-jacket-by-chanel-a-legend-in-french-tweed … transformation of an Austrian menswear piece … a lift attendant’s uniform and the raw material of SCOTTISH tweed, … A straight, fluid cut, FOUR pockets, tone on tone or contrasting braiding, buttons stamped …
https://buyathread.wordpress.com/tag/chanel-tweed/
http://www.myfrenchlife.org/2013/07/04/five-commandments-of-classic-french-chic-quant-a-chanel/ 1. Thou shalt never forget French tweed
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-30595544 Queen’s Christmas message emphasises reconciliation
Rose
At first I was thinking “who is that gawd-awful ugly woman with Kate?” So glad you added “cross-dressing” before his name, otherwise, I was super embarrassed for this person!
I think Kate looks amazing as usual. Not a dress I would purchase, but she could wear a paper sack and look amazing! She inspires me to tone up my legs 🙂
I agree with everyone else’s comments about what a wonderful, thorough post this was!
The dress is not one of my favorites, and although I did think the trim was beautiful and really like some of the other pieces in the line, am I correct that Madderson only makes their clothing up to a US size 8? That bothered me a bit, I must admit…
Happy 2015, Susan, and everyone at WKW!
I haven’t commented for a while even though I would have liked to more than once. But I have been reading your blog and continue to appreciate it. Thank you very much for the standard you set in terms of attitude, language and presentation!
For me, today was another remarkable “lesson” from Catherine on how to dress taking events, places, people she is meeting AND THE CONTEXT of an engagement into consideration. I learned a lot and appreciate:
FRENCH tweed, the dress’ name NAOMI – biblical figure from the Old Testament – following her Hebrew mother-in-law Ruth from pagan Moab to Israel- ancestor of King David, Salomon and Jesus Christ. ( > Something happened in Paris, France, lately? And among others to whom?)
HAINSWORTH, clothed the soldiers in the Battle of WATERLOO.” WELLINGTON vs Napoleon. ( > Who died very recently ?) – June, 2015, Belgium some significant celebrations – Bonus: supplier of Prince William AND Harry’s uniforms at the Royal Wedding ( > The Royal Foundation) According to the Daily Mail link to Zara Philipps. All three: FAMILY. (Who does the Duchess meet these days?) children from difficult backgrounds today, tomorrow foster carers …
Adding different fabric. Apart from throw-away societies, very normal procedure with children’s clothes in many times and cultures. In and after war times with adults’ clothes, too. Not to speak of not perfectly matching colours. (Oh, which war’s ending will be commemorated in 2015?)
PERFECT geometry on the navy part (cross-shaped as Penelope mentioned, with baby in the crosshairs of the Press pack cameras?) + IMPERFECTION on the hem fabric’s geometry (Neither wars nor assassinations are perfect.)
1960s trend (big changes in society then and now). To up the HEMLINE to the maximum can be read as being very thoughtful, so that George Perry ‘s would not look ridiculous.
In my view: A quite HISTORICAL start for Catherine’s 2015. Rose
PS The original event at the Clore Art Room did take place including a message from the Duchess. Today’s event was added. (Please feel free not to publish the PS)
No worries about the “PS” info, it’s much appreciated!
Well, in this case:
The Duchess of Cambridge officially >>> names <<>> 15th January 2015 <<>> opened <<>> in October. <<< …
http://www.dukeandduchessofcambridge.org/news-and-diary/the-duchess-of-cambridge-officially-names-the-clore-art-room
Rose
That was a really interesting read. And I am glad you found out all the information. But I highly doubt any of that crossed Kate’s mind. She just tried to pick an outfit that is appropriate looking for an event. While I enjoyed what you wrote, I think most of it is a stretch. Sorry
I’m afraid I agree. As an art historian who has long been interested in the contextual iconography of fashion, I read these comments attentively, but I fear that I find them to be rather an over-interpretation.
Hi, Erin,
Of course, I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHATSOEVER how the Duchess of Cambridge chooses and decides what she will wear when and why.
Witnessing the thoughtfulness with which Catherine seems to go about her public life, and her interest, among others, in history of art, art and photography, I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if part of what I suggested would indeed be true.
As for the information:
http://www.hainsworth.co.uk/press/
and
daily newspapers (online) / press releases / Royal correspondents’ twitter accounts / blogs on the Duchess of Cambridge / Kate followers / designers public relation / fashion experts / internet / general knowledge
Rose
Love the Zara coat! The dress is OK. Kate looks healthy and happy, and as always, navy is a great color for her.
One word to describe this dress…GOOFY. It is too short, too busy, too boxy, too silly. Also, since it is navy, it would look marginally better with navy, rather than black tights, shoes and purse. It may be time for Kate to employ the services of a stylist. Surely she doesn’t have one to come up with this look. Kate is such a lovely, young woman and at times can look quite polished. However, too many of her recent outfits have missed the mark.
I agree with every word you have written.
I am not a fan of this look. It may be the first time I’ve thought “yikes!” when seeing a Kate outfit – usually there are many things I like even when I see quirks that don’t quite work. I’ve decided (as many others have noted, too) that the top pockets are largely responsible for my dislike, so I will not rant at length 🙂 However, I am intrigued by the company, and hope the Duchess wears them again.
I really posted to say – thank you for the link to the Hainsworth Mill! I’ve always loved the rich fabric in the Hudson’s Bay Blankets (yes, I’m from Canada), and it’s fascinating to read about where that fabric is made.
Thanks too for the definitions of tweed & bouclé. I love the look of clothes but know very little about materials and am glad to learn more technical tidbits 🙂
Maybe the DoC has “pregnancy brain”. You know….where you think things look great when they really don’t. That happened to me once with curtain fabric. In this case, the only redeeming quality to the dress is the color, which is then ruined by the black hose, shoes, and clutch. Those top pocket flaps….just awful! And why is it so short? I cringe every time I see her bend down to talk to children.
what a strange dress – it has so many ideas in it and none of them connect. Odd. I find it interesting and old-fashioned how much Kate tries to minimize her pregnant belly. The general trend in maternity wear is to wear shapely clothing that shows off the bump, not the tents that the previous generation wore. This maternity dress has the tent look in addition to all the other odd things.
she looks happy and lovely but the dress does nothing for me.
It would look much better without the pockets, if they had just put the trim at the neckline instead, and the bottom band it would be great.
I’m with you — I like the shape and the trim quite a bit, but I would love it with the neckline and bottom and no pockets.
What’s the make of the green handbag from her shopping trip to john lewis
It’s her Tod’s D-style bag, although it looks green I believe it is her gray one. 🙂
It’s definitely an interesting dress but somehow it doesn’t really work for me, perhaps the top two flaps were not only unncessary but also unflattering. Maybe this is the reason why I don’t find the dress not so appealing, together with the ‘cross’ like seam in the front.
Clearly the boucle fabric is pretty and the contrast with the navy is a successful combination. The brand showcases interesting clothing and I look forward seeing the duchess in them in th future.
I looked at this dress for quite a while, since my first reaction was that I truly disliked it. I’ve subsequently decided that it isn’t the dress — it’s the top set of pocket flaps. I’d like it better without them.
They seem to be in such an awkward spot! I find that when things are imitating pockets, I prefer them to be sited where a pocket might actually occur.
Didn’t mind the length, though. Somehow the wide band of colour at the bottom worked well with the dark tights and dress. And I love those shoes.
Sorry, my post is meant to end,
This is one of those dresses that looks cute on the hangar and not as cute when you try it on. Pippa should have told her no.
I dislike this dress intensely and here are some reasons why.
1) It’s too short.
2) It’s a college girl dress. We all owned something like this and eventually gave it away.
3) The stupid pocket flaps. I despise pocket flaps unless they are tone on tone.
4) The unfinished edges.
5) The fabric doesn’t hang properly.
This is one ofbtu
I like this dress but the very top pocket embellishments need to go. Unsightly, really. The shorter length works well with the opaque leg. I don’t mind the navy with the black. Its actually easier to wear then trying to match shades of navy. Navy accessories do not look polished when they are not all the same shade.
What a good point you make about trying to match shades of navy, they can be tricky! Also, the tweed hem trim provides enough visual barrier between the navy dress and the black tights. And I don’t think I have issues with black tights and navy outfits, seems normal and informal to me!
She looks happy and relaxed, but I’m not loving the dress. It looks home made by someone who thinks they have a good design sense. A rare miss.
I really like the other french tweed garments, but the top pockets just ruined everything for me. This dress was a miss, for me. But I have to say, this posts was one of my favorites. I was really impressed with the depth you went into the company as well as covering her casual wear from the other day and talking about the non-fashion news.
Thank you! 🙂
The Madderson dress is not in proportion to the Duchess’ body.Seems like it was made for a shorter person. Nothing more to add.
This is not an attractive outfit — what was she thinking? Not a good looking dress at all, too short, too fussy, no shape. Plus, I despise the black tights with high heels — boots would have been much better.
The dress is alright. It’s nothing to write home about, though. Why? Those dreadful top pockets. They seriously don’t make any sense. However, she could wear crumpled up pajamas and still look stunning, so I’m not really complaining…just slightly confused.
As always, a great post!
I agree with earlier comments about the odd combo of navy and black. I also feel like the top is far too plain – it looks ok when her hair is draped over her shoulders but looks bare when her hair is behind her shoulders. A necklace, perhaps, could have made it less boring on top?
I agree with a lot of different comments here. I just don’t like this dress right now at all – the shape is completely unflattering and I imagine it would look better if it wasn’t worn as a maternity piece. Kate stays so slim during her pregnancies but this dress makes her look much wider than she is. I know wide box cuts are trendy, but I find they really give off an unintended look when worn with accentuated curves. However, I don’t have a problem with the length of the dress and I like the look of this brand overall. Hopefully we’ll see some more pieces from the line post-pregnancy. I don’t mind the solid black tights either; matching them with the navy dress would look silly, in my opinion.
I really love the white Zara coat in the Popsugar photos. Zara always has fantastic coats but this year’s have an extra oomph, I find. I bought a coat from there back in November and every time I look down while wearing it I really have to admire the tailoring and fabric used for such a reasonably-priced piece.
I like the dress in general, and while I wouldn’t like the lower set of pocket flaps for me, I think they are OK here. It’s the TOP set of pocket flaps I want to remove. They don’t even seem flattering on the model.
Instead of the faux pocket flaps, I’d rather see this dress with the boucle fabric as a waistband–sort of the reverse of one of the dresses that is pictured from the same line.
Where is the belly? LOL
I like the dress on hear a very smart choice for a smart look. But again I have a thing about tweed…
The dress worked for me. It is clearly a maternity piece and almost all maternity designers seem to get into the same issues with trying to use odd details to give shape to basically shapeless clothes that have to fit a wide range of growing “bellies”and chests. The length for me works and is a good length on her. What I have noticed most this pregnancy is that she has figured out how to safely cover her grey. I assume she is doing a henna rinse which also might be giving her hair that overall more reddish color.
The dress is shapeless and it’s not my favorite look on her. But I think the trim of this dress offers a touch of whimsy that was appropriate for this event.
Does anyone notice during this pregnancy she’s leaning forward while sitting quite a bit. I noticed it during the NY basketball game as well. Maybe it’s a subconscious effort to protect her baby or to prevent people from seeing. I only notice because I made an effort to not sit like that while pregnant, because it was so uncomfortable.
Why does she always have a purse? What could she need to carry at all times that her aides aren’t carrying on her behalf?
This clutch appears quite flat, so I am assuming there is nothing in it. I think it is more a security blanket for her. It gives her something to do with her hands. But honestly, this one looks like there is nothing in it, so she may just be carrying it as a prop. and/or accessory.
The Queen always carries a handbag, even at events at Buckingham Palace. I’ve read that she carries a hankie and a lipstick in it. Perhaps Kate finds that a purse helps her keep her hands still?
It might also be something to help her keep her hands out of her hair, but judging by the photos, it’s not working that well.
I liked this look on Kate although I agree with other comments that it was too short. Above the knee would have looked better and given a better overall look of proportion to the outfit. I do however like the colour and the style of the dress and think that the tweed trim is fun and interesting. I have no problem with the thick black tights. To me black tights go with almost anything, It seemed an appropriate look given the purpose of Kate’s visit in my opinion.
Just a heads up: the link to Popsugar photos is actually for the Zara coat site. Otherwise, lovely post!
Oops! Thank you for letting me know! 🙂
Is anyone else bothered by the hem of this dress where the solid fabric meets the wool center front? I don’t find it appealing when a fabric has a horizontal patterned line in it and is then not aligned with the solid fabric. Looks like it was draped poorly or the machine got away from the seamstress. Based on the stock photos though, they all appear to be made like this. Minor details like matching plaids and following lines can really make a difference in the overall quality of the look, no mater how much you spend on a garment.
You’re absolutely right, Blair. I hadn’t noticed the sloppy cutting/application of the trim on the hemline when I first saw it. But now that you point it out, it’s quite uneven especially on the right side, on Kate, the model and the dress form. My hobby is sewing, and if I applied a trim like that, I’d remove it and redo it.
I wonder whether the Queen’s designer/dresser, Angela Kelly, can give Kate a crash course on how to spot flaws in RTW clothes. That way, Kate arrange to have these flaws corrected before she wears the outfit.
I agree, I would have it redone. Surely there is enough seam allowance to drop it ever so slightly to even it up.
I had hoped she would repeat more maternity wear since you only get to wear those clothes for such a short period of time. She ‘s dressing a lot “boxier” than her pregnancy with George. Still love her overall modesty compared to others in the news.
Thanks for spotting that, Blair, I’d failed to notice. It’s really odd once you start to look at the hem extension — as if it’s been cut on the squint. I’m like you — if I’d run that up on a machine I’d be re-doing it for sure!
It’s great to see Kate out and about and looking so happy and beautiful. Unfortunately, the dress is a miss in every way. It’s far too stiff to be flattering to Kate’s figure, especially when viewed from the side. The strangely placed pockets call too much attention to Kate’s midsection. And the three quarter sleeves, ornate tweed trim, overly high neckline, and too shori hemline add to the overall off-kilter look.
Love the white Zara coat. Kate always looks amazing, but I’m really distracted by that artist. Is it a man in drag?
~Ashley @ A Cute Angle
acutelifestyle.blogspot.com
It is indeed a man in drag. It’s Grayson Perry CBE. And the ensemble he’s wearing looks very restrained… for him 🙂
I think he looks lovely! And it’s funny how the children don’t seem to find anything odd about him — they seem much more in awe of royalty 🙂
Actually, his outfit caught my eye and I didn’t look at Kate. I much preferred it to what Kate was wearing. A full skirted coat/coat-frock suits him, although I don’t remember seeing him in anything so dark before.
While I love interesting tweeds and love the idea of using tweed as trim, this dress just doesn’t work for me. It’s too short — seemingly even a touch shorter than on the model, which is unusual — and has the juvenile look that a number of the Duchess’s other wardrobe items possess and that I dislike.
I hasten to acknowledge that it’s very hard to avoid a somewhat juvenile effect in either maternity clothes or non-maternity clothes that happen to work for pregnancy, so I’m not really carping mightily. My real complaint is that I just don’t find this dress very attractive. However, the line looks somewhat imaginative, so I’d be interested in seeing more and seeing the Duchess wear other pieces from this label.
Her hosiery seems to be black, though I could be wrong about that. I have no problem with wearing black shoes with navy clothing, but I try to wear navy hosiery with my navy items. And perhaps the sapphire and diamond drop earrings were a touch too dressy?
I liked the Zara coat with the black scarf worn for shopping — a very nice casual look, especially with the ponytail. I do think of “dusty pink” as a darker and faintly grayed shade, though, not that very pale, almost ivory, pastel shade.
Hi Lili,
As far as I noticed, the sapphire & diamond drop earrings very often seem to signal “important official engagement”.
Rose
All of her public engagements are important and official. She’s worn other earrings to many of them.
Although Kate seems as lovely as ever, I don’t like the combination of a navy dress with black tights/shoes. She would have been far better to wear nude or even cream (or navy?) tights/shoes. The combination, as worn, seems ill-conceived and mis-matched.
I agree with all of the first three comments – I just do not understand why she continues to wear such short dresses – as you can see in the pictures, when she sits down or bends over to accept flowers, the dress rides up too much. I do not for a second believe that she needs to dress “matronly”, but she is 33, not 23. Lovely dress, but the combo of being too short, black tights and pumps, and overly dressy jewelry is a miss. Kate is looking lovely and healthy – lest I seem to have been too critical!
I have to say, I like the other versions of this dress much more than the one that Kate picked. While I’m sure it feels roomy and nice given that she’s pregnant, the fabric pocket placements are just very odd. I find it makes me look more at her stomach rather than her face. It’s one of those dresses that I think wore her, not the other way around as it should be. And yes, the dress looks a little short too… I’m sad to say that this one is a “miss” for me 🙁
I agree about the other versions. The one with the moto jacket on the left is fantastic, and much more grown-up looking than the dress she wore today.