It’s Christopher Kane for a Day of Engagements in Dundee, Scotland

Kate and William’s focus on mental health issues and young people coping with the stigma associated with such challenges continued today with multiple engagements in Dundee, Scotland.  The Countess wore a bespoke ensemble by Scottish-born designer Christopher Kane.

Crowds gathered to greet the couple at their first stop in a busy day of engagements, Dundee Rep Theatre. The Theatre is considered a national asset and home to multiple companies, including the Rep Ensemble and Scottish Dance Theatre.

While chatting with those waiting to see their arrival Kate had some delightful conversations. From The Mirror’s live blog of today’s events:

William and Kate were both regular visitors to the city when they were St Andrews.

“I have very fond‎ memories of coming to Dundee when I was a student,” she told a group of Dundee University students, including medical student Claire Gilmore, 22.

“We told her we were missing lectures to come here,” Claire said.

“We’re going to get you into trouble,” Kate said.

One young lady managed to meet Kate personally and kindly shared her photos. Some will recognize Kate’s private secretary, Rebecca Deacon, in the background of the photo.

While speaking with the crowds William shared how he felt about math as a student. For that story we return to The Mirror’s coverage:

William also confessed to one eight-year-old girl that he didn’t like maths when she told him it was her favourite subject.

Evie Walker, eight, who was there with her mum Tracy said: “He was asking me what I like at school and what productions I have seen at the theatre and I said I like maths and I’ve seen James and the Giant Peach and the BFG.”

He said that he didn’t like maths. It was cool to meet them but I was kind of scared.

At the Theatre one of the activities involved the Theatre’s Dramatherapy program, and another was a workshop with young people helped by mental health charities. More on other elements of the engagement from The Express:

The Cambridges met the staff and crew behind a moving and thought provoking piece, In Her Shadows, a visual performance that explores a young woman’s relationship with her depression – and highlights the stigmas surround the illness.

While at the Theatre Kate and William also heard from staff and volunteers with See Me Scotland.

See Me Scotland is the country’s national program working to eliminate the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health issues. More from the organization’s story about today’s activites, the quotes are from Lynne Fox, a volunteer:

They discussed the need for a culture shift in Scotland, with open discussions on mental health starting in schools.

“Young people deserve to get help, but they need to know where to get his help. People as high profile as the Duke and Duchess speaking about mental health shows there is no shame in talking about it, you don’t have to hide away and suffer in silence.”

Kate and William also learned about the organization’s What’s On Your Mind card, being used in a pilot program to help make mental health a daily topic of conversation.

Then it was time to head for the next stop on the agenda. Continuing with the mental health agenda, William and Kate attended an anti-bullying workshop at a local drop-in center, The Corner. Richard Palmer shared this photo of the couple with young people at The Corner.

From The Corner’s Facebook page:

All the nerves disappeared once everyone met the Earl and Countess. Thank you to all involved in raising the profile of mental health issues and bullying especially the young people who dealt with the whole occasion with ease, calm and even some jokes!

This was clearly a series of events the two were very much engaged with, and enjoying, despite the tough topics covered at several events.

There were other fun anecdotes from the morning, including this one about William and Kate’s dancing skills. The Mirror’s blog quotes Claire Wallace, a young mother.

They were very friendly and asking a lot of questions about the group. They were asking if we did dancing and someone told them yes, Scottish country dancing, and I asked them did you try Scottish country dancing at St Andrews.

They said yes, the Gay Gordon’s, the Dashing White Sergeant and Strip The Willow. Kate said ‘We weren’t very good’.”

The Earl and Countess were given a gift of several books authored by the UK’s Roald Dahl for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Kate and William also visited Discovery Dundee, home to the tall ship Discovery, which carried Captain Robert Scott and explorer Earnest Shackleton on their historic voyage to Antarctica in 1901.

The RRS (Royal Research Ship) Discovery ship was built in Dundee and is now part of a permanent exhibition and park in the heart of the city. William and Kate at the helm of the Discovery.

The Discovery Point staff with TRH.

The Earl and Countess with another Discovery Point staffer.

The final stop for the day was at Abertay University,this engagement tied in to William’s role as president of BAFTA. The couple met young people benefiting from BAFTA’s programs for those talented in the games industry, including winners of the BAFTA Young Game Designers (YGD) competition. One of the winners meeting Kate and William was 12-year-old Louis Jackson:

It’s been amazing meeting so many people just like me, because back at home there aren’t many people who make games like I do. I mean, there are loads that play games, but not many who make them. Being a games designer is definitely what I want to do.

I can’t stop smiling.

On to what Kate wore for today’s visit to Dundee. As noted, she went with Scottish-born designer Christopher Kane, wearing a coat and matching kilt-style dress.

Previously Kate wore a bespoke coat by the designer for the Olympic Games opening ceremony in 2012.

We saw that garment again for Order of the Garter in 2014.

There are similarities between the icy blue coat worn previously and today’s garment. Today’s look is described as a “slim fitted dogtooth wool tailored coat with belt’ & ‘mini dogtooth wool kilt with belt,’ our thanks to Monique Jessen of People magazine for that information. Dogtooth is another term for houndstooth. If the ‘mini dogtooth’ term refers to the print size, I must confess I’m not able to see a difference in the pattern size between the coat and the skirt. If referencing the length of the skirt it could make sense, but while the skirt is short, I wouldn’t refer to it as a ‘mini.’

This graphic illustrates (hopefully) how very much alike the two coats are: the silhouette is much the same; other shared elements include princess seaming, on-seam pockets, hidden/covered placket, small lapels, and a slim self-belt.

Kate’s dress hit above the knee, and appeared to have a black turtleneck (polo neck in the UK) on the top and a kilt-style skirt on the bottom. This offers a better look at the matching skirt worn beneath the coat.

Another look at Kate in the dress while at Dundee Rep, via the Theatre’s Facebook page. The kilt-style skirt has pleats on both side I believe the interior of each pleat is black to contrast with the blue. and the requisite safety pin.

Most will recognize two familiar accessories.

Kate carried (and then wore) her favorite Cornelia James ‘Imogen’ gloves (£70), made of pure Merino wool and adorned with a bow. (And yes, you can order directly from the site now!) She also carried her ‘Muse’ clutch by Stuart Weitzman, offered in the UK at Russell and Bromley.

We also saw Kate’s Aquatalia Rhumba boots again, a style that is no longer offered by the brand. The only retailer with any kind of inventory is Jildor Shoes, where the Rhumba is $725. Lord and Taylor has the Rhumba in brown in very limited sizing, it is discounted to $616.

Fortunately Aquatalia has released a style that is very similar, the Damara. Below we show the boots side by side; both photos  have been digitally treated to better show the styling details. The Damara is offered at Nordstrom, where it is available in most sizes.

This style is also $725; the boot is also carried at Lord and Taylor, as well as Bergdorf Goodman.

Aquatalia suggests its ‘Raine’ style as a substitute for the Rhumba. The boot is less expensive than the Damara, priced at $650. It is available at Nordstrom (free shipping/returns) and is also offered at Saks, (code FREESHIP) as well as at Neiman Marcus (free shipping, no code required).

This was a good look for the Duchess, the coat’s cut and color were very flattering.  With the two state visit functions behind her, Kate seemed relaxed, engaged in the day’s business, and enjoying those she met throughout Dundee.

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In other news, a very brief note about Remembrance Sunday this year: the service is going to be shortened to allow less time that the Queen and veterans are on their feet. A wise move that is indicative of the ages of those at the core of the service. This year the service falls on November 8.

Please forgive the horrible delay with our post today, our internet provider is struggling (there’s a euphemism) to provide uninterrupted service; the signal has been dropping out repeatedly.

UPDATES/COMMENTS:

• As many have noted, the interior of each pleat is the same fabric as the kilt, I was wrong in thinking it was black.
• A wonderful ‘faithful follower’ notes that Kate’s gloves couldn’t be the Imogen, as more photos came out it is clear the bow is not on the side, but in the center. I will fire off a note to Cornelia James. I am wondering if it is possible she is wearing the brand’s ‘Beatrice’ style. Here is a photo that’s been digitally enhanced to show the details. UPDATED: The good folks at Cornelia James tell me they think it *could be* their Beatrice. But on closer look it seems the bows are a little bit different, while our astute ‘faithful follower’ doesn’t think the way the bows are attached to the glove are the same. UPDATE 2 (NOV 10, 2015) It really does look like we are seeing adifferent pair of gloves, they do not look like they are Cornelia James. 

LINKAGE:

• visit the Dundee Rep Theatre here, its Facebook page is here and Twitter feed here
• learn more about see Me Scotland by visiting the organization’s website here, its Facebook page here or following its Twitter feed here
• the Scottish Association for Mental Health website is here, its Facebook page is here, Twitter feed is here
• Respect me is Scotland’s anti-bullying service; its website is here, Facebook page here, and Twitter feed here
• learn more about The Corner Dundee drop-in center at its website here, its Facebook page here and Twitter feed here, or see a virtual visit here
• The Daily Mail’s photo-rich story by Bianca London is here, Richard Palmer’s story in The Express is here, Gordon Rayner’s article in The Telegraph is here, The Mirror’s rolling live blog coverage is here
• Simon Perry’s People magazine story about the day’s engagements is here, his People piece specifically focused on the Mental Health issue is here, Does Society The BBC Scotland/Tayside story is here, the Dundee Press and Journal story is here