For today’s Action on Addiction engagement, the Duchess wore a new coat by Goat Fashion.
Kate was visiting the organization’s new treatment center in Wickford, Essex, about 90 minutes east of London.
The new center has been taking patients since October, but today’s engagement celebrates the official opening. The center provides nine-week treatment programs for those dealing with addiction.
Kate has been the royal patron of Action on Addiction since 2012.
Kate was also there to promote Action on Addiction’s new initiative called Clouds in the Community.” We learn more from The Express:
Clouds in the Community aims to offer an effective alternative to residential treatment and provides the charity with an opportunity to provide services in more than one place.
Victoria Murphy of The Daily Mirror shared a video of Kate meeting with trustees and supporters.
The Duchess of Cambridge meets trustees and supporters of @ActionAddiction in Essex today pic.twitter.com/IEcQMZ6Khm
— Victoria Murphy (@QueenVicMirror) February 7, 2018
The new strategy will help the organization reach more people in more places. Here you see Kate taking part in a discussion with healthcare professionals about the ‘Clouds in the Community’ program.
She very much seemed to enjoy herself at the function.
The Duchess delivered brief remarks.
On opening the centre, The Duchess said: “Huge congratulations. I believe so passionately in community projects, so I wish it all the best for success in the future”. pic.twitter.com/HwdidnAje0
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) February 7, 2018
Here is a portion of Kate’s remarks as published in The Daily Mail.
It seems like a long time since I first got involved with Action On Addiction, I think it was six years ago, but they have a very special place for me and were really at the start of my learning, particularly now, with the development of my work into mental health. You are very special to me, so it’s great to be here as well as seeing the development of where the charity has gone over the years gone past.”
And Kate by the plaque she unveiled at the event.
A quick sidebar: In this picture, you see the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Jonathan Douglas Hughes.
He is the gentleman who slipped and fell when William and Kate visited Stewards Academy in Essex in September 2016.
21-month-old Myla presented Kate with flowers as seen in a video from the Press Association’s Sam Russell.
The Duchess of Cambridge is presented with flowers by 21-month-old Myla Clancy on a visit to a charity centre in Wickford, Essex pic.twitter.com/HjaTyh4V6k
— Sam Russell (@SamRussellPA) February 7, 2018
As Kate left today she spoke with people who had gathered hoping to see her.
Including these two little ones bundled up for the cold temps.
Now to Kate’s ensemble for the day, starting with her Ellory coat by Goat Fashion.
This is the Ellory in ‘marine blue,’ a good color on Kate.
The garment is 100% wool, and it features a high collar that is almost a mockneck, the distinctive bow at the neckline, diagonal front pockets and concealed front fastenings on the front placket. Originally $880, it is on sale in very limited sizes for $440.
The piece also comes in cameo pink ($880) and in black ($880).
Kate carried her Aspinal of London clutch.
This is the piece done in tandem with Beulah London as a fundraiser for the UN’s Blue Heart Campaign Against Human Trafficking. The white bag with blue hearts is still available at Beulah($325).
Beulah continues to offer a variety of Blue Heart products.
The Duchess wore her Stuart Weitzman ‘Power’ pumps in black suede.
She had a brief hiccup many of us have experienced as she arrived; her heel temporarily became stuck in a grate in the parking lot when she arrived, but it was quickly extricated.
The Duchess wore her tanzanite earrings by G. Collins and Sons.
Her hair was down with a loose curl. 
Another view.
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Our other topic today: the LK Bennett Jenny Packham collection (it is also being referred to as the LKB X Jenny Packham collection).
The company hosted a party celebrating the collaboration earlier this week at The Connaught in Mayfair.
This is LK Bennett’s first bridal collection.
One of the more interesting things about the collection that we mentioned in a previous post.
It will be a “here to stay” collection that will be permanently stocked across L.K. Bennett’s boutiques and on its web site, unlike the brand’s previous collaborations which were released as limited-edition capsules.
LK Bennett has posted an interview with the designer online.
In the post, Jenny Packham is asked what her favorite shoe would be from the new collection. She said that if she were forced to choose it would be the Dahlia style seen below ($745/£495).
More from Emily Cronin’s Telegraph piece:
Originally, Packham’s collection was supposed to consist of just six shoes- in the end it includes 16 pairs of shoes and four clutches, all of which pick up themes from her fluid, heavily embellished bridal designs.
Below, the Fifi Embellished Heel ($395/£265).
The Telegraph has a story featuring Jenny Packham and the new collection. From that piece:
“Brides today really want their weddings to look individual and creative,” says Jenny Packham, a bridalwear authority and one of the Duchess of Cambridge’s favourite designers (when asked if she had been invited to submit designs for Meghan Markle’s wedding gown, Packham will only smile, then zip her lips and mime throwing away the key). “There’s nothing standard about a wedding dress or shoes anymore.”
If interested in a lace look, here are some options, (l to r): the Cecilia Lace Sandal ($425/£275), the Nora Lace Clutch (£195), and the Parris Lace Heels ($345). 
The Summer Ivory Sandal ($445/£295) and the Felicity ($525/£350).
This is the Beatrice Satin Open Court Shoe (£350).
There are also flats; this is the Cari satin flat (£245) with an organza flower.
The Sissi clutch in ivory leather (£175) and the Beatrice in satin with organza flowers (£225). 
The Brigitte clutch in satin with crystals and pearl (£195).
A special version of Kate’s Fern (£295, roughly $410) has been included in the line.
There are several styles not shown here in the post; the entire collection on the UK site may be seen here, and the pieces offered on the US site are viewable here.
LINKAGE:
- Learn more about Action on Addiction at the charity’s website here; follow the organization on Facebook here, or follow the Twitter feed here
- The Daily Mail’s coverage of today’s engagement is here; The Express story is here; The Evening Standard’s piece is here; The Mirror’s article is here
- Pop Sugar’s gallery is here; Just Jared’s gallery is here
Binky Blouse in black and white is also back in stock at Goat fashion 🙂
Thank you for the tip!! 🙂
Thought the coat was a repeat of the Swedish one until I heard about the bow; lovely colour but not much else to say as it is so similar to so many others. In addition, Cornelia James bow gloves, I wear them a lot, they are so soft, I wear for most city stuff – but NOT for walking the dogs, lol!! I’m late to the party anyway.
Susan: I’ve noticed several ladies asked recently (or speculated) & have over the years, about how many times Kate wears a certain colour (it’s blue), followed closely by grey. May I say that if British sites/newspapers are googled (I’m not sure if I’m advertising here), it is possible to find slide-shows of Kate’s gowns or snapshots of ‘previous-worn’. I didn’t get interested in her apparel until quite a while after she married, but I have now got a file of her outfits at different functions, cross-referenced with where it has been worn before. Anybody can do this if interested, perhaps you would like to say this in your blog, signpost the ladies.
Love this ensemble – style & colour of coat are beautiful, hair and accessories spot on. Only niggle – to me this coat comes across as a three-quarter length design needing either a longer skirt or trousers to properly complete the look.
Beautiful. Glad we’re out of the fussy up-dos and back to healthy, shiny bouncy locks. Love the goat but that length just looks better with boots than with pumps. Close your eyes and imagine it!
Love her hair!
It’s blue. It’s a coat!
Her hair looks amazing! Looks like she had a trim and color.
Amanda Tucker posted a pic to her IG of her tool bag ahead of the tour. So now we can see what she uses on Kate!
Love the clutch she hardly ever carried animal skin print clutch’s also love the earrings, always have. The coat is nice but the hoisery is unesscary I never liked it as it is probably too thin to keep your legs warm if she actually wore wool tights then it would be better. Also I would have liked the coat better over pants and a blouse. But she never wears pant I just wish she would.
She looks beautiful! That blue is gorgeous on her. I hope she buys it in the pink color as well. I’ve agreed in the past that her hemlines can be a bit short during pregnancy but I thought this one was just fine. It hits at the top of her knees, which is great. I’m amazed she has that great of legs during pregnancy! I got very puffy during my pregnancies 😜. The earrings are gorgeous with this coat & her hair looks fabulous. I despise nude hose so I love it whenever she wears dark hosiery.
When I first saw this I thought oh heres Kate in another blue coat… cue the crickets. BUT i couldnt see the bow detail and it is a nice touch. I too wonder why doesnt she wear pants to more events? I get it shes pregnant and dressing for comfort but some of these coats and looks on the models wearing pants still look so chic and tailored. I think she could pull it off and still represent the Queen in a tasteful and respectful way. Maybe I’ll get my style wish one day.. Im loving her hair today, it looks youthful and bouncy.
And just curious.. does anyone remember or think Kate wore more blue or pink with her previous pregnancies? Like as a subtle fashion tease of the baby gender? The suspense is kind of fun!
Very pretty coat! How many blue wool coats does she have?
Can you please find information about Kate’s diamond cross and find affordable lookalikes? Thank you!
Yes!! I love her cross necklace!
A very nicely tailored and fitting coat, lovely color, and Kate’s overall look (hair, tazanite earrings, black acessories) all compliment the coat. I might want to the see the coat a littl elonger if worn with a dress, as she was. And I’d love to see it with pants. I like the pink and black versions of this coat too, and maybe in March, she could wear the pink version and confound all the people who think she’s having a boy because she’s wearing so much blue!! 😀
Those Packham bridal shoes are very beautiful–way too much money, but still nice to look at. I like that there are a couple of lower heeled choices, and even a flat style–heel heights for those of us who never even wore anything over 2 inch heels when we were young!!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kate cross her legs before, are my eyes playing tricks on me? I thought this was a royal no-no?
I think the coat is too short too, it does look great on the model when shown with pants.
She generally doesn’t, but I’ve noticed her legs crossed a few times over the years. Other than the Queen, who probably follows an older set of etiquette rules anyway due to her age, I haven’t noticed the other royal ladies following a specific sitting protocol. I don’t believe there are actually as many “royal rules” as people claim!
I think it’s a good idea to avoid crossed legs when one is constantly watched and photographed, for several reasons, but I imagine Kate is free to sit however she likes 😊
Head to toe perfection in my book! What a gorgeous coat, and the color is absolutely lovely on the duchess. I’m drooling over many of those Bennett-Packham shoes–what a great collaboration.
I think Kate looks stunning. Stylish, elegant and age appropriate with a gorgeous bow to set it apart from the norm. Love the length matched with a great set of heels. I love high heels and think they just set off an outfit magnificently. An ageless look so when we flip through photographs in generations to come will show that Kate was elegant and sophisticated without being a slave to the ever changing fashion trends, some which need to be completely left behind and never seen again.
I like the length – more appropriate to her age and flattering.
I actually gasped when I saw Kate’s hair in the first pic. So thick, bouncy and healthy. Love the style and much prefer to fussier ringlets. She’s a beauty!
Perhaps Kate is giving us a hint that Baby Cambridge is a girl, with all of the bows she has worn lately…gloves, coat.
Either way, she looks lovely!
I don’t know why there’s a lot of discussion/ questions about Kate keeping her coat on. Maybe she’s cold. The 2 guys sitting near her have their jackets on. No big deal. I don’t think it has to do with etiquette. If she wants to keep her coat on for whatever reason, it’s ok. I think maybe people are just disappointed because they want to see what she’s wearing inside.
I read an article on line recently addressing this issue of royals leaving their coats on inside and while this seems rather antiquated, the article stated it is protocol that demands royals leave their coats on inside. No reason why was given as to why but as you know, there are some strange and bizarre rules they must adhere to – like only wearing nude nail polish. The article – From Harper’s Bazaar – said it was ‘unlady-like’ to remove one’s coat in public.
The same for the clutch bags that Kate seems to favor. According to the article:
‘Clutches are an essential that Kate carries with her so that she can “hold her bag in front of her in both hands” when shaking hands might be awkward.
read the article here:
https://www.popsugar.com/fashion/Why-Does-Kate-Middleton-Never-Take-Her-Coat-Off-44557435
I wouldn’t believe anything written on Pop Sugar. I just bought this coat a couple of weeks ago. Mine is black and it is gorgeous! The tailoring, the fit, the fabric are all perfect. It is wool, but it is a crepe and quite light. I also have a goat dress in the same fabric. I can see how it would be comfortable to wear inside especially if the dress underneath is light. Kate does sometimes take her coat off inside so I suspect it is just personal preference.
Such a pretty deep blue coat with the bow up top is gorgeous. And yet this outfit looks incomplete. Maybe the short length and it’s buttoned up, or just seeing the model styling it with pants makes today’s look seem like like it’s missing something. It’s a beautiful coat.
I’m sorry but I’m not a fan of many of her clutches. Maybe it’s because she’s always got her it in front of her at every event. I’d love to start seeing her leave them at home.
I love Kate in blue….lovely coat. the bridal shoes are very expensive. I think she uses the clutch for many reasons.
I love these earrings, but I always felt that they looked a little “off” with the other outfits she has worn them with. Finally, this time she got the outfit/earring combo right. This is a stunning combo! Her hair looks great, too and I just adore all of her Goat clothing. This label is so flattering on her.
I noticed the coat length (short) and the very fluffy hair right off the bat. I don’t know about the coat issue — the coat and dress uniform the royals wear seems strange to me anyone, but I am reminded that Britain is very cold!
The bridal shoes are very pretty, but could never imagine spending that much on a shoe worn only once. Then again, I think fancy, expensive weddings are extremely wasteful.
I wouldn’t pay that price for a shoe either, Lee, but anyone who does, would surely wear it more than once. The shoe would not be very practical, but it could be worn with a fancy summer dress, or an evening gown if the gown was a pastel colour, or had white or sliver in it.
I love the colour of the coat.
But why , oh why, does the Duchess not wear pants? The outfit on the model looks wonderful.. and I think would have been a great look for her today.
As previous posters have mentioned , the coat is too short and with her tights, it looks like she is wearing nothing underneath.
Her hair looked fabulous!
It’s hard to find maternity pants that are comfortable. I’ve had four kids and never found a pair that didn’t require constant tugging and adjusting because they kept sliding down — a battle between gravity and my belly that gravity always won. Now, why she doesn’t wear pants when she’s not pregnant? Your guess is as good as mine! It would certainly be a welcome change for less formal events.
I actually love Kate’s “short” dress/shirt looks. I guess I like to think this is her slight rebellious side coming out in her fashion. She’s young, she 36, I’m sure she works hard to look good AND ISN’T QUEEN YET NOR REALLY EVEN CLOSE….so some leg I think is totally appropriate for her title, age, the modern era we live in AND second & third jobs as wife and mother. I think it keeps her modern and young. I particularly like that she does it.
And I really haven’t ever thought it was rude not removing her jacket. She loves coat dresses. The coat is the dress to her.
But that’s just my opinion.
*But what do I know, I also think she doesn’t wear paint suits because she doesn’t like them and on that note we are kindred spirits!
Ashlee,
I agree with everything you said. I particularly like that you said the coat is the dress to her and I do think that is the case as she usually accessorizes around the coat and not necessarily around what is underneath. I have also often thought that she does not wear pants because of the way she is built. She has a very long body and maybe dress pants just do not look that great on her. I think she looks appropriate in just about anything she wears.
Yep, also my theory, that the coat is a dress for her. That’s why we don’t see her in a trench or the coats Meghan Markle favors.
I like the coat a lot. It’s a gorgeous color, and I like the collar and the bow detail; I just wish we could see it better! Not that I’m complaining about her hair, which looks fabulous.
The length doesn’t bother me, and I’m firmly on the sheer-stocking-revival train, so those don’t bother me either. But I smiled a little bit at the stiletto mishap: I imagined her thinking, “Darn, I wish I’d worn my Tod’s!”
The earrings are a perfect color match and they make a relatively basic outfit look special. Nicely done overall!
This is always a wonderful color for Kate to wear as it is extremely flattering. I think this is a cute coat, and I’m surprised at how short some of her hemlines get while pregnant, but wow she has the legs for it!! I think black, opaque tights would have been just a bit safer so the shorter hemlines doesn’t seem quite as “obvious”, if that makes sense? It’s funny but the coat thing has never seemed like an issue to me. I think because I see almost all of her coats as coat dresses they can stand alone as an outfit. I also have wondered if perhaps she is genuinely a very, very cold nature’s person?
Scanning the comments I was looking for someone who saw what I did—she has terrific legs, and probably will keep them looking that way for decades to come. The sheer stockings were a nice surprise. Love the bow at the neckline of the coat.
Kate has unearthed yet another handy pick from the trusty Goat label, and it’s charming. I’m no fan of bows, but this one manages to decorate without dominating and is very nicely turned. My only private fear is that Kate might one day elect to wear it with her bow-decorated gloves and then I think we have bow overkill.
But for now, all is well. The coat is a lovely colour for Kate and the off-centre opening another quiet but intriguing touch. My one other reservation is over why Kate sticks to her particular quirk of only wearing these shorter jackets with a same-length dress underneath. It looks so much more chic to me modelled with pants or a longer skirt, and I’m finding this particular coat a shade too short, though I’d be the first to agree Kate has the legs for it.
And the length she’s wearing looks longer than in the studio shot so maybe she sized up and thought she had enough length to be going on with that way. I find the tanzanite earrings a bit fussy for daywear but then the coat is quite dressy with its bow so they may have seemed a natural match. Her hair is simply sensational, it looks as thick and glossy as ever it has, pregnancy suits Kate.
The LKB bridal collection has plenty of frou-frou, probably a little much for someone who struggles even with a small coat bow. It all looks a great fit with the signature femininity of Packham’s style.
LOL, I love a nice bow, and I’m all about those Cornelia James gloves. If she’d worn the black ones with this dress, I would have been doing a little happy dance! Different strokes for different folks. 🙂
I agree the bridal stuff is a bit much–but then I suppose their target demographic is 20 years younger than me. I got married in 2001, which was basically still the stripped-down 90s, so I never acclimated to all the bridal bling of the last few years.
I’m very glad to hear the bows have their champion! All the ones you mention are very discreetly done and I’m sure I can get to work on my bow-phobia 🙂 I’m beginning to wonder if the bows might be a knock- on effect from the little Amaia bows she pops into Charlotte’s hair.
I love the color of the coat, and that’s where my praise stops, unfortunately.
The dress and coat are too short. In most of the photographs, her dress isn’t visible, and she looks like she isn’t wearing anything under her coat. It’s time to lengthen the hemlines. The coat looks wonderful when styled with trousers, as seen on the model.
Actual outerwear, like Kate is wearing, is not comparable to a man’s suit jacket. A woman’s blazer is the equivalent. I do wish we could move on from this topic, however. I do find it a bit tacky, but we all have our individual preferences and the topic has been discussed to death.
I don’t think the coat is too short, it looks to me like the hem falls lower on Kate’s leg than it’s shown on the model wearing the pink version. It’s still an appropriate length, pregnant or not, and I understand why she errs on the shorter side when she’s pregnant. It definitely gives her better lines and helps her body look smaller.
Most importantly, her hair looks great again. She is definitely trending back towards side-part, longer length & bouncy blow-dry, and that makes every outfit look better. That style just suits her face so much better, but I applaud her for trying different hairstyles.
Agreed. Not too short at all. Don’t really understand the too short comments—one would think she showed up in a micro mini. I’m a few years older than the duchess and work in a professional and relatively conservative setting but wouldn’t think twice about wearing a skirt this length.
Hair is great. Love the earrings.
I love the coat and she appears to be trying to wear it as a coat dress. The color is wonderful. I do wonder if her dress is the black short sleeve with white peter pan collar, it looks about that length. Maybe Kate is trying to set a trend with black sheer hose. I would think tights would be more practical and trousers would’ve been elegant. For me, never removing your coat says you’re only staying for a short visit or that you’ve not packed well for the weather and your dress isn’t warm enough.
It figures the one time this winter she wears an alternate pair of black suede pumps the heel gets stuck in a grate.
I like this vivid blue, and the design of the coat – but even more, I love the pink version! The patent-leather shoes worn by the model are very pretty too.
The bridal shoes and bags are underwhelming to me for the most part, though I do like the lace box clutch.
It looks to me like the tights are navy blue and the shoes and bag are black? That’s not a criticism, just a question, because I think it all looks great. The tights are dark enough and they give just a hint of blue.
I love the cute bow on the coat, and Kate wears bows well. They never look too twee on her; they end up being just the right touch. The coat and dress are just a tad too short for me. I understand that Kate does not want to look matronly while pregnant, so she’s got a dilemma, especially in cold weather when she could end up looking like she’s swathed in a blanket. It’s only natural for her to want to have some leg showing. Luckily, she’s got the legs for it!
Anne-Christine, the hosiery looks black to me, not navy. Surely if it were navy, then Kate would have worn navy shoes and purse.
Bonnie, I think you’re right. In one picture they looked somewhat blue, but possibly only because some blacks have blue tones. And the sheerness of the stockings would change the look of the color as well.
Putting aside the fact that this is yet *another* blue coat, I do wish she wore her up to show off the bow detail. I also agree that cute flats would not have made the dress and coat seem so short. People wouldn’t think twice if she wore flats or lower heels due to her stage of pregnancy.
*Would*have made the dress not so short. Sorry!
Kate looks great in blue, but sooo many blue coats! I saw some photos online of her looking very leggy while getting out of the car.
I was looking at the beautiful LK Bennett Jenny Packham wedding shoes, I am actually getting married in March but I am going for the unexpected and wearing a bright pink shoe! http://picture-cdn.wheretoget.it/shoqt8-i.jpg
Cute! And congrats!
thank you!
Gorgeous shoes – what a fun and chic twist to your bridal outfit. Best wishes!
thank you, so excited 🙂
I had to comment on the coat removal issue because someone else brought it up! I wasn’t going to say anything with this one! haha.
So my defensiveness aside – I love this coat. The color is great on her. I still am not sure I love the earrings for daytime, but whatever. Her hair looked great too – I’m glad she’s going back to a side part, however slight. It makes a world of difference.
Also, I’ve noticed Kate has looked different these past few weeks in this flurry of engagements – more confident or relaxed, maybe. I don’t know what it is but she seems to be hitting her stride.
Oh and for those more budget conscious of us – Lands End has a very similar coat (minus the neck detail) in a very similar color. It’s a bit shorter but I have it in the sapphire and it looks a lot like Kate’s coat here.
https://www.landsend.com/products/womens-lightweight-stand-collar-jacket/id_314689?sku_0=::9WE
just beautiful and I LOVE the bow!
Wading into the coat/no coat debate and the sheer hose in summer debate. Found some old etiquette articles (like 1930’s and 40’s old) and the idea is that a woman’s dress coat is comparable to a men’s suit coat. If a man wouldn’t remove a his suit jacket in a situation, a woman generally shouldn’t remove her coat. The hose are seen in the same light, they “extend” the skirt of her outfit and give her the same coverage that pants give a man, a man wouldn’t go bare legged in most business/formal situations, so women shouldn’t either. You see this today in more conservative areas of the American South where church ladies consider you undressed if you show up bare legged.
Because I haven’t been following the debate here, at all, but was aware of it, I don’t know if I’m bringing up things that have already been discussed. Partly, I haven’t paid much attention because I chalked the whole thing up to more conservative, formal clothing norms that the Royal Family still follow. That being said, if you think of it as a situation where it would look bizarre to see Wills in just his shirt, it holds true for Kate ad that’s why Kate keeps her coat on.
As for what Kate wore in this post, gorgeous, she always looks fabulous in this shade of blue and I think it’s a coat that she’ll be able to wear again post pregnancy with some tailoring.
Typically in those older articles they aren’t really referring to outerwear coats like Kate’s. And again, they are older articles. an etiquette article from the 30s and 40s should not really be Kate’s guiding force here.
Shrug. The coat thing is weird to me and many others, and I’m kind of tired of the notion that its only weird to me because I don’t understand etiquette or royal protocol or whatever. Different people can interpret things differently.
And for the record, I wasn’t even going to bring up the coat-removal issue in my comment!! LOL.
I saw something on another site last week during the tour that was similar to the theory behind Alexa’s post and it said that women in the royal family aren’t supposed to remove their coat in a public setting. Not sure if that’s the reason but if it is it seems like it hasn’t always been followed although usually is. This article discussed her keeping her coat on for lunch in Norway because the roombthey were in for that photo was considered public, yet she did remove her coat for the picture with the King and Queen in Sweden the day before. I’m still stumped but maybe we are closer to solving the puzzle!
So I finally googled this and found a couple articles that basically said the same thing. They aren’t supposed to remove clothing in “public,” which I assume is anywhere there may be cameras. This makes sense, as we did not see the royal women changing shoes in Norway/Sweden and I believe Kate removed her coat at a few of those occasions as well. So I suppose as long as there is a relatively private and off-camera opportunity, she could remove her coat.
Right, well, I think people are not so much claiming that *they* understand etiquette or royal protocol better than you; only that the Duchess does. That seems self-evident enough that I would argue it’s not worth getting irritated by.
Thank you for this information, Alexa!
This coat / no coat question has been on my mind and I’m happy you did the research so I don’t have to. 😉
As Becky says, these rules apply to thin dress coats, not heavy outerwear. A woman’s winter coat is not the equivalent of a man’s suit jacket. Any time it would be strange for William to keep his coat on, it would be equally strange for Kate to keep a heavy winter coat on.
(This, BTW, probably doesn’t need to apply to today’s coat, which could pass for a dress coat rather than outerwear.)
Hence saying dress coat.
But I do think the Royal Family adheres to slightly more formal, old fashion etiquette. It’s not that either is necessarily wrong. I agree it would be an odd choice for your average modern woman to leave her coat on when going inside, but as she’s representing an historic institution that’s slow to change, I do think that explains much of it.
So not necessarily a failure to understand, but more like a failure to relate, it’s an expectation of formality that most of us just don’t face.
And as for mentioning the coat and hose issue, I thought it was fascinating to find these older etiquette articles that specifically addressed it, often with referencing behaviors as far back as 1820 about leaving coats on during at home hours- apparently only hats and gloves were removed along with heavy winter jackets, but not lighter weight coats. At home visits were, per convention, usually limited to 15 minutes, for longer stays, coats were removed. If we see Kate’s behavior as an extension of rather archaic traditions that the rest of us just don’t need to follow it makes a bit more sense. But, that doesn’t relieve it from feeling a bit strange to our modern sensibilities.
I have posted up thread, but will repeat here. I have this coat. It is not a heavy winter coat. It is definitely a dress coat and about the same weight as a man’s suit jacket – if not lighter than some.
As you say, Becky and SaraF, a man’s suit jacket is not equivalent to a woman’s coat. If this were indeed a rule, then at royal weddings, men would be wearing suits or military uniforms and women would have their coat on over their wedding dresses. As ridiculous as that sounds, I’ve come to a point of thinking that “Why does she keep her coat on?” is getting equally as ridiculous.
I thought a few blogs back we more or less decided to stop discussing this topic. Even Susan/admin indicated that we’ve beaten it to death. Too much space is going to this issue. I offer a challenge to all commentators. Could we let the coat off or on discussion drop? For whatever reason Kate does this, our concerns and indignations will not change things.
Royal weddings tend to be in summer 😉
Seriously, you do often see women at weddings wearing longer dressy jackets over dresses if the weather is cooler. Men just don’t have a comparable formal attire that doesn’t include a jacket. The coat Kate is wearing is a very light wool crepe which would not be considered warm for this time of year. I suspect she chose it specifically because she wouldn’t have to worry about taking it off. She has, on a number of occasions, taken off her coat so I agree, let’s drop it and just assume Kate is old enough to figure out when she needs it on and when she needs it off.
I really can’t believe there are any rules governing whether Kate removes her coat other than whether she feels comfortable. This coat is dressy enough for me to have mistaken it for a matching dress at first in the pictures where Kate is seated indoors.
I find the quality of tailoring she picks means any of the coats she has can easily transfer from outdoor to indoor use and I can find no hint of anything abnormal in her keeping a coat on. Maybe you have to live in chilly draughty Britain to appreciate how a coat can be perfectly comfortable an acceptable indoors as well as out.
Beautiful color. The scarf would have been a lovely addition.
Well, yet another blue coat! I’ve lost count of how many blue coats Kate now owns. She does look good in this colour and I like the Goat design. Given that there is such a pretty bow detail at the neckline, it is a pity that Kate did not have her hair back in a ponytail, so we could see the detail. I would prefer that the coat be a few inches longer in length. With the heel of her shoe getting caught in a grate, Kate probably wishes she’d worn her thicker heeled Tod’s.
Kudos to Kate for giving remarks without notes. Just speaking always comes across with more impact than reading a speech.
I enjoyed seeing the latest in wedding shoes. It was good to see one shorter heel and one flat in the group of stilettos. I wore pretty flats under my wedding gown, figuring that nobody could see my shoes. I’ve never figured out why brides would opt for very high heels, when they are on their feet so much and later dancing.
She looks great! I would not have picked that clutch as it looks like it is made out of plastic. Other than that, a easy going nice ensemble!
I love the color of the coat and I love the design with the hidden buttons, high collar, and even the bow. But I do think it’s a little short. I like the way it looks on the model wearing pants.
I’m sorry to say I don’t like any of the shoes in the Jenny Packham/LK Bennett collaboration. Oh well.
I do agree. I thought the coat seemed too short, especially with tights and heels. I think I would have worn it with heavy, opaque tights and knee length boots or ankle boots and leggings/skinnies. (But that’s just me!)
I agree— it is way too short. So unprofessional!
I agree! The coat looks great with pants. I wonder if Kate will ever make a move to pants for formal occasions?
I would love to see her move towards “working” trousers! I’m going to keep my fingers crossed.
Your fingers might get tired 😉 . Kate has never worn dress trousers in public before and shows no sign of changing her taste in this. I think she just doesn’t like them.
Kate looks tired 🙁 . I guess last week’s trip has caught up with her. I hope she can get some rest over the weekend.
The ensemble is okay. Nothing spectacular, but a nice, professional look. I would have opted for a sleeker hairstyle, though.
I loved this coat, I think this color blue suits Kate. But I was disappointed that her loose hair covered up the bow at the neck! What a pretty detail–I was glad Susan included other photos so I could see the details. I never would have noticed the bow otherwise. Any ideas what was on underneath the coat? Would love if it were also something new!
Poor Kate, to have to be walking around all the time in heels while pregnant, and then to have them get caught in a grate on top of that!
I think the Duchess looks spectacular. I love the colour of the coat, and her tanzanite set is really growing on me; they suit her well. I just wonder if the coat is a little too short on her?
I agree! I think it’s funny that whenever the Duchess is expecting, her hemlines seem to go up. Never distasteful, but shorter than anything I would ever wear!
I think if she’d been wearing tights and flats, the length would be just right. In hose and heels it feels short. It would have been cute to have a fun printed skirt peeking out a few inches underneath the coat.