Kate sported a new dress from royal favorite LK Bennett for today’s London engagements.
The Duke and Duchess started their day with a visit to Evelina Children’s Hospital. Richard Palmer of The Express posted a video of the couple as they arrived.
The Duchess of Cambridge is wearing LK Bennett at Evalina London today. pic.twitter.com/y0w8PsrSZv
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) December 11, 2018
6-year-old Tiana Yales greeted them.
Tiana is being treated for sickle cell.
More about the facility from a Daily Mirror story:
The hospital provides comprehensive health services to children and families from before birth, throughout childhood and into adult life, and also offers specialist services for youngsters with rare and complex conditions from across south London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and beyond.
Just before the couple arrived at the hospital, Kensington Palace announced that Kate is the new patron of the hospital. More from the KP news release:
Her Royal Highness’s new patronage of Evelina London provides an opportunity to champion the medical professionals working on the front-line in children’s healthcare, and shine a light on their work supporting children in their early years.
Marian Ridley, Director of Evelina London, said: “We are absolutely delighted and deeply honoured The Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to become our Patron.
The hospital, which is part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, is about to celebrate its 150th anniversary, officially taking place in 2019.
The Duke and Duchess worked on some Christmas cards with the children.
Emily Nash of Hello! shared this video of Kate and the children hard at work.
WATCH: Kate seems to be in her element with the little ones at the @EvelinaLondon. Loving the choir too! pic.twitter.com/JcVjyiLphg
— Emily Nash (@emynash) December 11, 2018
I love this little girl’s face, her concentration is fierce.
It looks like Kate made a new friend.
She always seems to enjoy herself when working with children.
Here you see Kate with 4-year-old Cruz Brown as they unveil a new banner at the hospital officially launching the 150th-anniversary celebration. Since he was born, Cruz has been treated at the hospital for issues with his kidneys. He goes for dialysis three times a week; each treatment takes four hours.
Cruz stars on the new banner; the hospital tweeted a video of it being unfurled. (It might look like there isn’t a video, but if you click the arrow you will see it.)
We’re delighted The Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to become Patron of @EvelinaLondon. The Duke and Duchess met our patients and staff today and kicked off celebrations for our upcoming 150 anniversary. @KensingtonRoyal #Evelina150
👉https://t.co/8kUdtY5zG6 pic.twitter.com/grp5U5sQYJ— Evelina London (@EvelinaLondon) December 11, 2018
The Duchess delivered remarks at today’s event.
She spoke about being the hospital’s patron and thanked those who support the hospital.
You can hear her speech in this video.
“It’s a real privilege to be part of this organisation, and I look forward to many happy years ahead.” — The Duchess of Cambridge, today announced as @EvelinaLondon Patron. pic.twitter.com/gF3rv6E1wW
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 11, 2018
The Duke and Duchess as they left the hospital.
Their next stop was at The Passage, an organization that “…provides resources which encourage, inspire and challenge homeless people to make lasting and long-term changes to their lives.”
This was the first time the Duchess has visited the charity; that is not the case for the Duke. More from the BBC:
William first visited the charity in 1994 with his younger brother Harry, when the pair were 12 and 10, alongside their mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
William has continued to support the organization. Here you see him in 2016 as he given a photo showing his 1994 visit with Harry and Diana to The Passage.
A closer look at the 1994 photo.
Below, Kate and William with Mr. Clarke, who praised the couple’s “real empathy”. “They very much care about the issue and I think it marks the way they care about the poorest in society,” he said, according to the BBC story.
They spoke at length about the impact the drug Spice is having on the homeless population. More from The Telegraph’s story.
The synthetic drug is seen as a growing problem, and the biggest challenge the homeless charity faces is that it is cheap, readily available and can exacerbate existing problems like poor mental health.
The Passage carried out a survey of its homeless clients and found 50 per cent had tried the drug at least once in 2016 – when this study was repeated this year the figure had increased to 70 per cent.
The duo met staff and volunteers, as well as some of those receiving assistance via the charity’s resources.
They also took part in an arts and crafts workshop. My imaginary caption for this is: “Oh, William said he is good at making bead bracelets? Really?”
You can fill in your own caption here.
The Sun’s Emily Andrews posted a video of Kate as she worked on a bracelet.
It’s always very amusing seeing Kate & Wills do craft. Kate is clearly very at home doing it, William very much less so…love the look on Kate’s face in the previous video… pic.twitter.com/o9cbUw3hZg
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) December 11, 2018
This looks like William is explaining why he may not be the best bracelet maker at the table.
More from People:
While the couple helped prepare cards and gifts for the Passage’s Christmas party next week, Prince William was put on the spot when he was asked to help create a “Welcome to Xmas Dinner” sign and was in charge of cutting out the letter E. After Kate shot him a skeptical look and let out a giggle, Prince William let the cat out of the bag.
“My son knows I’m useless at this,” he joked. “Catherine is the artsy one.”
Kensington Palace also shared a quick video.
🎄 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge join @PassageCharity service users for an arts and crafts workshop to prepare cards and gifts ahead of centre’s Christmas party next week. pic.twitter.com/MEYQZSKpph
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 11, 2018
Now for our look at what Kate wore.
She was in LK Bennett’s ‘Mortimer’ dress. It is 100% silk and features princess seaming, a bow at the neck, flared skirt, gathers at the shoulder seam and cuffs, and faux pearl buttons down the front and at the cuff. 
The dress is available in most sizes on the US site ($645) and also on the UK/International site(£325). John Lewis also has it in stock (but be aware they have it labeled as the ‘Montana’ dress). It also comes in a navy and cream style. Thank you to Heaven for such a speedy dress ID.
Thoughts about the look from The Telegraph’s Chloe Mac Donnell:
…the sartorial allure of polka dots is as vast as the type of women who have worn them since they first appeared in the guise of a polka dotted ballgown on the front cover of American Vogue in 1921.
However, whilst many have flitted with the print, wearing it one week then ditching it for something bolder the next, it seems polka dots have one true and slightly surprising stalwart fan – the Duchess of Cambridge. From Wimbledon to weddings, over the years since officially joining the royal family, the Duchess has turned to the print on many an occasion.
More from The Telegraph column:
Arriving on Tuesday for a visit to the Evelina London Children’s Hospital in London, Kate once again opted for what has steadily become her go-to print. This time it came in the form of a green and cream patterned dress from LK Bennett…. With its pine tree-esque hue, the dress gives a subtle nod towards the festive season but won’t look dated once the last of the Christmas decorations have been taken down.
In its post, Who What Wear UK refers to the pattern as: “… the dress trend that has swept the high street this year — a polka dot dress.”
Kate carried the Dora clutch we first saw last week during the Cyprus engagement. Also from LK Bennett, the bag is still available on the UK site, and it is discounted from £175 to £119 (roughly $150 at today’s exchange rates).
The bag is also offered on the US site in navy velvet and green, as well as black, red and blush pink on the UK site. 
It looks like the Duchess wore her Gianvito Rossi olive pumps; we first saw them last week in Cyprus. They appear to have the shorter heel, the 85mm height.
A ‘thank you’ to Laura and Middleton Maven for their work on the shoe ID.
Kate wore familiar earrings.
Her Annoushka Pearl Drops and Kiki McDonough hoops.
Love the green color on kate and really like the style of the dress to… interesting how the this older style is coming back. Agree with previous posts different color shoes/clutch would look great but really the dress looks so lovely I like other commentors hardly see the accessories. Although I love the pearl drops and with this dress they suit really well. Nice to see familiar pieces on casual engagements but, love seeing the Queens pieces at more formal events..
Really like the hair style too enjoy when kate has her hair down with those soft curls!!
Back to the dress the style suits her so well… love the looseness and flow factor. Kate also looks so relaxed and happy during the engagement as well.
Summary top choice by kate, great look oh and did I mention love the dress and definitely want to see it again! It just looks so classy and yet casual it’s perfect choice for the engagement.
I just love this colour on the Duchess so much that honestly I didn’t even notice the accessories! I went back and looked at them and yes, I think a black clutch and shoes would have made the look much better overall…not nude though!
But she looks terrific, and I just love anytime she wears green. It’s truly her colour!
I agree with all of this!
Yuk, classic 1980s British frumpy. In fact I think Princess. Di had some similarly uptight polka-dotted & bowed numbers.
I love the dress, but totally agree that it needs a belt and nude shoes would have been so much better than the army green color. I just don’t think those greens match.
While I don’t think she looks frumpy, I think that dress looks a little stiff next to William. If he were buttoned up and wearing a tie, this dress would be perfect. But I feel that it’s a little too staid when he’s wearing suede oxfords and an unbuttoned collar.
This is a woman who will be Queen. And, as such, she should not be expected to wear the latest, greatest, edgiest fashions while she’s working. I think the DoC dresses beautifully for her role. I may not always agree with her choices but, for the most part, she dresses completely appropriately for work. QEII herself had a gorgeous figure when she was young, but she still did not wear miniskirts or anything trendy. Sophie Wessex is a very active working royal who also dresses rather conservatively, and I really love her style. Same with the Duchess of Cornwall. I find it refreshing to see a woman who dresses appropriately for her age and position.
Catherine doesn’t have the freedom that the DoS does. Once Charles is King and William & Kate’s children are grown, the Sussexes won’t be around much (just as Andrew, Anne and Edward don’t show up on the balcony very much anymore), so Meghan will have even more freedom. Look at Crown Princess Mary – her style is, frankly, rather similar to Catherine’s. She’s not edgy either.
Last, but not least, if you think that Catherine looks frumpy, take a look at Queen Maxima or Crown Princess Mette-Marit. I don’t think either of them dresses to their best advantage.
Wow–I couldn’t agree less about Maxima. I adore her style, and she’s absolutely fearless. Never anything too tight or too short, but good heavens she loves her couture, and she’s absolutely a fashion risk-raker. “Frumpy” would be the last word I’d ever use to describe her.
Totally agree Jessica. Maxima is one of the biggest fashion risk takers amongst all the royals IMO. She has both hits and misses, but never frumpy.
Totally agree. I haven’t followed Maxima for long but she’s a colorful fashionista to say the least!
Absolutely agree, Maxima is extremely stylish and really pushes the fashion envelope. Love Mary who is a clear standout with fasion and elegance.
Couldn’t agree more, who’s Maxima or Mary anyway (or Lettis), Kate is British!
Here is a little art lesson post. And fitting since the Duchesss is an Art History Major, she is aware of this theory.
The color theory of ALL GREENS go together. (You can look it up) 😉
Right when I saw all the greens I knew many wouldn’t like it, but I personally think she is applying this theory here.
But they don’t all go together. Proof: Kate’s accessories clashed with her dress on Wednesday. And all the theories about how all greens go together cannot belie the evidence of my own eyes.
Theories are nice. But they’re not always true.
I too think that it is jarring….i am looking at what does NOT look together in the photo. I love her in any polka dot outfit.
Good answer, Sara F. Perhaps all greens go together out in a forest, or in a garden, but as many comments say, the khaki green accessories do not go with Kate’s green dress.
Thank you, Ashlee. I wasn’t familiar with this color theory, so, after reading your comment, I used Google to search “do all shades of green go together” and came up with a very interesting article about David Nightingale Hicks. It definitely made me reevaluate my ideas on color, if nothing else!
Well, you can agree with it or not, I’m just stating the color theory and as an art history minor, I’m very sure this is where she is coming from.
I actually agree, as I personally did not expect all the comments about the possible mismatch of the color of the shoes & clutch and the color of the dress when I read this post; the color scheme seems fine, maybe not the most exciting one out there, but just fine and while someone commented the color of the pumps is “dull,” or “yellow-green,” I don’t think that is the case. At least I don’t see any yellow hues in the suede on my screen. I saw that another commenter didn’t think much of the color scheme until she scrolled down to the comments section, so I know I’m not alone in my assessment.
Love the dress, but the shoes and purse in an olive green against a hunter green dress I find very jarring. But, she does it ALL the time. She will wear a full outfit (coat, hat, shoes, handbag, belt) in varying shades of a color like green, or red, or maroon or navy and I really don’t get it. Maybe its a royalty or upper class dressing thing, but I feel: if the items were not made of the exact material or are an exact shade match, then go for a contrast or coordinating color!
I am still old school where I think a purse and shoes should also match, but I know that can be hard since the clutch isn’t sold along with the shoes.
I don’t mind the olive green accessories. Olive green can be a neutral I think, and the olive green is way better than the black shoes as some have suggested. Black shoes are difficult I’ve decided, just make the feet look big and gawky. However, I think navy blue would have been a great accessory-color choice. Or those anthracite pumps some of you were referring to.
wow that last photo is just amazing, would make a great screensaver or something
Photographer Chris Jackson gets fantastic shots!
I love this look, so non mainstream, and so fresh after all the slinkies of award and party season. The green color palette gradation is also a smart way to make the look even more unique. If the dress is cheaper, I’d definitely buy one and bring it to the taylor to make a few copies. Sigh. Love the pearl buttons as a play on the white dot, and the bow, swoon. Glasses and red lipstick would complete the look.
I agree with you. I love this look as well. I am a huge fan of polka dots and do not mind the bow at all. I don’t even mind the accessories and in my mind there is nothing frumpy about this look. The thing that makes this a wonderful look is Catherine’s mega-watt smile and involvement with the little kids. Which is what the visit was all about.
I have mixed feelings about this dress. I love the color and the polka dots, as well as the tailoring. I am not crazy about the bow or the sleeves (which are very “in” right now, so my quibble is more with the current style). The length seems awkward: below the knee but not quite midi. I appreciate she wanted a longer length to play with the children, but this in-between length gives it that “frumpy” feel, especially with the bow and sleeves (which I recall from their first go-round in the 80s). She’s beautiful as always, and technically “in style,” but since the style makes me think of Margaret Thatcher I can’t stop myself from thinking she’s wearing something of her grandmother’s.
I like the dress which is practical and on trend. Pussy bows are not considered outdated for someone who didn’t live through the 70’s. I think a belt would make it much too busy, but agree that the olive shoes and purse don’t match. A dark chocolate brown suede shoe would work well with a matching dark brown leather clutch. Black would be too severe. Better to stay in the same color family with brown.
Generally speaking, I think DofC always goes for a classic, timeless look, which I understand. Many of the items she wears will hold up over the years and not be considered super trendy when people see pictures 50 years from now, which I think is a smart choice. So even if I don’t always love the styles, I understand them.
With this dress specifically, I think there’s too much going on up top. I personally get tired of the super high necklines, but again, I understand why she chooses them. In this case, I think the either the tie or the pearl buttons need to go. They are competing with each other and neither wins. Personally, I like the idea of the pearl buttons being the primary accent. Losing the tie would take away from the stuffy/frumpy aspect that so many are noting and give the dress a cleaner look in the bodice. Overall, I think it is a good look for the event, but not my favorite.
Love the dress & the blue green tone suits her complexion. I always find commentator comments about her dresses being frumpy. That’s a work dress & appropriate at any age. We were showered with 5 celebs wearing her navy polka dot dress & that was a WOW. They were all roughly her age too.
The olive accessories clashed & im as puzzled as everyone else as to why she didn’t wear matching shoes & clutch.
Her hair is always styled beautifully. It looks like she’s returned to the henna rinse. She’s a lovely brunette, not a red head. I so wish she would keep her beauty hair in a more natural dark brown rinse. I understand she’s covering a lot of early white hairs, a problem I don’t share. But she’s been photographed recently with her hair the more natural nearly black tone it is. She’s beautiful. Hard to make her anything else. But red isn’t her complexion match. She’s got blue (cool) toned skin & should stick to those tones in clothes & hair color.
At 36, I would have adored the dress & it’s not much different from my executive wardrobe at the time. She’s never grumpy, in my opinion, of course.
One odd ball comment. It may just be the photo angles, but the dress looked loose in the waist; not quite the usual figure showing fit & flare look. Since we know she can have her clothes altered, I wondered if it’s just me wondering why it’s not fitted to show off her tiny waist. Considering how sick she is when pregnant, I can’t make myself wish for a 4thbchild. But the loose waist did make me wonder if it was left that way to hide her very small early bumps. She doesn’t really show until 5-6 months. She can’t be pregnant unless some miracle allowed her to skip 3 mos of sickness. I was surprised to find I still think 4 kids would be sweet.
Dang blast it. I wish I’d learn to edit my posts before submitting them. The typos are terrible. So sorry.
I too have done the typos! I think it is a business type dress and love the color on her. And she just wore the same purse /shoes in Cyprus!
If it is any consolation I live in the land of typos, I bet less than 50% of posts are published without any!😫 😅
I always wonder, Susan, why you just don’t correct the typos when monitoring. I suppose it is a matter of time, that it would take, especially when the comments come in abundance. If we could self edit the mistakes it would be good. I cringe when I see that I have made a typo, but take some consolation in knowing people know exactly what was meant.
I do wonder if Catherine decided on the shoes first and then it occurred to her to do the clutch so they matched. The shoes don’t bother me as much since there’s leg in between them and the dress but the clutch being right against the dress is definitely a clash. I don’t often see her mix shades that are this off, so it surprises me. I do wish she had done a red, but I would have to say that would not be conducive to her general desire (it seems) to not draw attention to her outfits, especially at events like this. They would have popped so much the attention would have been on her shoes, not the kiddos.
I did not like this dress right away. First impression: Total Xmas Frump. Then I watched the videos. This was a great dress for the occasion, allowing Kate to squat down on little kids’ levels, twist and turn to great all, and laugh. Good for her!
I don’t think any of us object to the fact that the dress is comfortable to wear and makes it easy to move and to squat down. It is the very closed up look, the big pussy bow, more busy small polka dots etc.
I bought the dress and it is amazing to wear. Gently swirly, skins the body, really beautiful.
That is great info to have, thank you! 🙂
Kate looks radiant and comfortable as she supports a very worthwhile cause. Nice to see William paying homage, as well. I love the dress and the earrings are a perfect choice for the pearl buttons. I do wish the waist could be dropped slightly. And the olive green accessories (which Kate is, understandably, eager to re-wear) don’t quite go. A cream shoe or dark green would have worked a little better. Overall, a lovely look and happy to see Kate again as we head into the holidays.
I’d have liked navy or black accessories with this. The dress is not spectacular – therefore perfect! for a morning engagement where the focus is on children, and it allows her, as someone already commented, to move and bend and get down on the kids’ level.
DoC is definitely a fan of this frumpy, matronly look from LK Bennett and others. I am not.
Love the dress beautiful silk, gets me every time. Accessories I really like. The outfit suits the events of the day, the colour suits the Duchess so much. A win, for me!
As so many have stated, the shoes and purse in such a different green are a total mismatch. Kate should have worn the green ones she had on one St. Patrick’s Day. Or black would have worked and although I seldom like nude shoes, even they would have been better than khaki green.
I like the colour of the dress and I like how well it fits. Beyond that, it doesn’t have many redeeming qualities. There are a few references that this is a kindergarten teacher’s dress. As a retired kindergarten teacher, I can say, that I never wore anything this vintage or prissy looking.
I like the earrings…that’s about it.
This dress reminds me of maternity dresses from the late ’70s/early 80’s. Silk, gold rimmed pearl buttons, pussy bow, polka dots, puffed shoulders, full skirt, below-the-knee hemline? One or two of these elements in an outfit is ok, all together this dress fussy, dated, and matronly. Contrast this look with the smart olive blazer and wide leg trousers of the last post– it’s like night and day.
There are no words for pairing olive with pine green.
I can’t get past the shoes & clutch. It’s not even a forward fashion choice, the colors just do NOT go together
Not much for me to add, about the dress. Wonderful fit and drape, but the popularity of pussy-bows just baffles me. I also think part of what makes it look matronly is the shoes. The model looks good in flats, but I’d prefer something less formal than the pumps, but more dressy than flats. Some nice mid-heel, and some kind of … whimsical? shoe features would make the dress look less middle-aged. I couldn’t say what such features should be, I’d only know them when I saw them, but maybe a thicker heel, or a kitten heel, with an angled strap. Or something!
But the dress and jewelry work fine and seem a good choice for these events. Just please let pussy-bows go away!
I was intrigued by the possibility of a belt, but a closer inspection seems to show that the waist of the dress (where the skirt is sewn to the bodice) is very close to the button. I think even a thin belt would crowd the button throwing the proportions off and possibly be uncomfortable.
I’m a long time reader but first time poster. I loved the dress and would absolutely wear it – but then I’m Kate’s age with 3 children of similar ages …
I wish I were brave enough to wear silk to an Arts and Craft session!! Especially given Kate clearly re-wears her clothes.
I’m probably in the minority here but I love this dress. It has a very 1940’s vibe which I love. I imagine the silk dress is super comfortable when bending down to talk to children and not overly formal for a visit to a homeless shelter. I do wonder why she didn’t wear her dark green heels from the past? I was able to find at least one pair from her Irish Guard engagements. They would have matched the dress almost perfectly. She still looks amazing!
Huh. I like the dress a lot. It checks off a lot of boxes for me: ladylike, figure flattering, flattering neckline, occasion-appropriate, beautiful fabrication, good color, classic print, suits KM’s personality and status in life, and lends itself to lots of different accessories. Maybe an older woman such as myself could also wear the style, but I guarantee would not look like KM in it, neither would most younger women.
This dress is a wonderful color for Kate and has a lovely drape and flow. It is absolutely appropriate for today’s events. However, those olive accessories don’t work. William needs help with his wardrobe. Love his formal attire, his suits, and his very casual clothes. For events like today though, he can do better.
Love the color on her, but the style is so matronly !!! She is only in her mid thirties, not 70.
Ha! I’m 72, and I would never wear this dress!
I do love this look! Kate is wonderful in green, and it’s a terrific winter color. Also, Kate appears to be happy, and in her confidence, she makes it all look so easy. I especially appreciate the short VIDEOS that are posted on this site. I think many women enjoy not only studying what Kate wore, but also how Kate handles herself when she is front and center — whether she is making an entrance, meeting and greeting people, etc. Poise completes the outfit!
The shoes and clutch are a mismatch, though. I think there would have been other options that would have worked better.
Love that phrase: Poise completes the outfit.
Agree about the mismatched accessories, but when watching her interact with such a poised demeanor we really stop noticing the minor details. Which is exactly as it should be – focusing on the beautuful interactions. [But still, it’s so fun to discuss other possible shoe options!]
Kate has completed the trifecta of fall colors in polka dot shirtwaist dresses: maroon, navy, and now hunter green. It’s a style I always appreciate for its uncomplicated effortlessness, but this may be my least favorite iteration of the three.
As a personal preference, I continue to dislike bows in every form — and have the strongest aversion to ones at the neckline. I don’t like them, won’t like them, and I’m afraid even Kate can’t convince me. To the extent that she likes them, though, good for her; I much preferred the sharp white contrasting color on the navy blue as a design detail.
However, aside from that, the bodice on this piece is expertly worked, with no drooping, sagging, or pulling, so the effect overall is a good one. In the absence of any contrast to break up the unrelieved pattern (such as piping or a belt), I like the length here sitting just below the knee instead of a drop into a true midi-length.
Olive may be an in-season choice for accessories, but it is not so versatile a new neutral as say, navy, so I struggle to consider the ensemble cohesive. As others have noted, just about any other choice here would have been better, even the oft-worn and oft-bemoaned praline Rossi’s. But I’m holding out for a return of the anthracite hugo boss heels we saw at the children’s museum. They could have brought an edge to the otherwise straightforward (regrettably almost predictable) styling this dress received.
I do like the choice of earrings here to coordinate with the buttons on the dress, as another commenter noted.
As always, Kate strikes a good tone for multiple daytime events interacting with a broad cross-section of people. Stylish, but not flashy. Professional, without being harsh or cold. Neither impractical nor strictly utilitarian.
Oh, my, I had forgotten those heels! (For anyone curious about the heels being referenced, here is a link to our post: https://whatkatewore.com/2016/11/22/kate-in-new-lk-bennett-frock-for-childrens-tea-party-at-museum/)
Thanks @BethE and @admin for bringing those up. Those anthracite heels are fab! What a refreshing change from the suede pumps.I do hope she wears those again.
I think I’m getting greedy. She’s finally ditched the praline pumps after months of complaining and is wearing a variety of other colour heels which is what I was hoping for and now I want her to ditch the suede too lol!
@BethE: Your fashion commentary always sounds so professional and beautifully written. Do you do something similar in “real life?”
Loathe as I am to admit the praline pumps might have worked better with this dress but due to fatigue from Kate wearing them for about 90% of her engagements for the last 12 months I would be very happy to never see them again!
I’m blushing. I assure you, my “real life” work is nowhere near as fun as being a part of this community.
I must duly give credit to this community which has taught me so much over the years about what to think about and look for in the all-things-sartorial discussion, with specific thanks to the gold-standard-commenter ElizaMo, our hard-working Susan, and the dearly missed Lili. While my friends would say I’ve always had a way with a turn of phrase and an absurdly detailed vocabulary, the comments you see here are just my way of trying to give back to a community that has given me so much joy.
I always look for ElizaMo’s comments and find them informative and enjoyable.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who utilizes the Ctrl+F to head straight to ElizaMo’s comments. No one works as hard as Susan, but EM’s consistency on top notch comments is likewise laudable. Thanks to you both!
@BethE: Well, clearly you just have a naturally great way with words 🙂
Regardless of what Carole may have said about her dresses being “the same but different” in her interview, I firmly believe Catherine “shops” her mother’s closet. When a shoe is not suede, I am pretty suspicious that the shoe belongs to Carole Middleton, and that’s why we don’t see them again. I thought this was true of the red shoes in her first Canadian tour as well, and I think it is true of those anthracite heels. I thought it when she wore them. Carole is not much bigger than her daughter, but her shape is different (of course, she is my age!), and I also think Catherine borrowed some of her clothes in the early stages of her pregnancy. The fact that Carole re-wore the orange Boden coat is another clue. In any case, the olive accessories scream, “Turn on the light in your closet, Kate,” but that’s just me. Love the new patronage, and I thought her hair was fabulous. She needs to wear bracelets, and today is no exception.
I’m absolutely in love with this idea! Why not borrow great pieces when you want something different but maybe just for one occasion? And you can see who Kate gets her sense of sensible, classic styling from. 😁
But can I still have my fairytale that they’re packed away somewhere in Kate’s wardrobe, and maybe they’ll be unearthed again when we least expect it?
It’s funny. Usually I find her clothing so distinctly mumsy but this time I saw that pussy bow (secretary tie? whatever one calls it) and I immediately needed to know where she got it. I’m not much for bows either but I think there is something very sophisticated and even professional about a neckline like this. It’s like women’s version of a necktie. But cooler. I saw a very old episode of Rachel Zoe recently and she wore an amazing billowing white silk blouse to her first meeting re: her then burgeoning brand. It was divine. Have we already discussed that I think Rachel Zoe should be the Duchess’ stylist? It would be so perfect.
Everyone keeps pondering the shoes/bag situation and I think they’re giving her too much credit. We’ve seen this before; it is certainly not some intentional attempt at a modern neutral. She doesn’t think olive is neutral. This is the Duchess thinking that green goes with green. Even if it’s olive and the dress is hunter. I mean… forehead slap. How has someone, *anyone* not managed to communicate this to her yet?
They said, I have absolutely no idea what color she should have been wearing with hunter green. All I know is what she should not have work with hunter green and that is any other shade of green.
Wonderful new patronage. I know the Evelina well and it is a phenomenal hospital. I guessed either she or William would become patrons after they asked for any gifts for Louis to be donated there.
Her hair looked even more glorious than usual today. The dress is nice and was suitable for both engagements today. Nothing amazing but we know Kate likes polka dots and I liked the pearl buttons complimenting the pearl earrings.
I like her purse and shoes but I think olive wasn’t quite the right colour for this shade of green. Black would have been better. But I am happy to see these rather than those nude Gianvito Rossi praline pumps which I am so heartily sick off!
I think this is the dress my grandmother wore to Thanksgiving this year. So frumpy for a woman in her 30s!
Kimberly,
It’s sufficient to say the dress is frumpy.
The nonstop insults about grandmothers from a variety of posters is truly sad, and illustrates how little progress women have made in seeing themselves as desirable and attractive at different stages of life
So ageist, so depressing.
Where do you get your image of a grandmother from??
No. I mean my grandmother *actually* wore this dress to Thanksgiving this year. She is a huge fan of LK Bennett.
Her response when I showed her the photo of Kate was, “Hmm, I think it looks better on a woman my age.”
Or it was a different LK Bennett dress that looks incredibly similar. I don’t remember the bow being so floppy. That being said, she has an entirely different build, so maybe it just looked different?
The silk fabric of this dress adds fluidity and richness to a very appropriate and reliable working dress. The pearl-like buttons compliment Kate’s Annoushka Pearl Drop earrings with Kiki’s hoops.
The choice of olive green heels and clutch is interesting…I kinda like it. Interesting to see if she had topped the dress with a short olive green suede jacket (ala Nordstrom’s).
Congratulations to Evelina Children’s Hospital on their new Patroness!
How wonderful William is visiting The Passage this time with Kate. What memories he must have of previous visits there.
Cute! I always like a polka dot. But that purse does NOT go. A black purse would have been better, and super-easy (doesn’t she even have a new, handle-top purse in the same style as that adorable lavender one? That would have been great)
Agreed. I think black accessories and maybe even a slim belt to contrast with the dress a bit would’ve made it more interesting. I DO love her earrings, hair and makeup with this dress, though. The dress also looks like a very comfortable choice for hanging about doing arts and crafts with kids. Sometimes it’s easier said than done to be fashionable while comfy.
Since it’s 100% silk, the dress is probably more interesting – prettier – in person than in photos. The drape puts it a cut above plainer versions of this basic style. The buttons are fun. I rarely comment on accessories, and never make suggestions, but in this case the look lacks oomph because of the dull olive. Red velvet heels and purse would have upped the look and emphasized the holiday season.
I am taking your suggestion a little further, Kate has red suede pumps and clutch, she could
have wore them with this lovely green dress. This would really look great and festive, that would have been the right choice.
Lovely event and the Duchess looks comfortable. The dress is pretty and lays well on her. Loved the cuffs but agree a belt would have finished it off nicely. It would have been nice with a festive Christmas pin or brooch. The olive green shoes and bag are a miss, they looked a bit dirty next to the dress. Black would have been just fine or even a fun burgandy red. Too much????
Anyway nice post, Thank you and hope to see her before the Holiday at Sandringham.
hmm… i love the engagement and her work here seems really special however not a huge fan of the dress, its fine and does the job but just not crazy for it — maybe she wants it that way as to be very approachable to children and people who benefit from her charity? just a thought
also…while i know this is not whatwilliamwore but I think perhaps I would be more comfortable with his shirt closed up one more button, just would seem a bit more future kingy
I thought the exact same thing about William’s shirt! Maybe in July it would be understandable, but it just didn’t seem right in December. And if “kingy” isn’t a word, it should be!
“Kingy” may not be, but “kingly” is. And yes, there is a fine line in men’s buttons between relaxed approachability and Riviera Playboy.
😂
Green is SUCH a great colour on her. And her hair is extra gorgeous today. I find that I appreciate her clothes most when I see videos of her moving around in them. Given that this is silk, it must be divine to wear. I am divided on whether it needs a belt. I would say yes, if you take off the bottom button (not difficult). But really, the seam sits pretty nicely (I think of the pink/purple Kate Spade dress where the waist seem was uneven and would be better if covered with a belt), so I think it’s fine without.
Extra points for the pearl earrings echoing pearl buttons. Negative a couple points for olive accessories with hunter green dress.
Poor kindergarten teachers of the 1970s… They take such a beating on this site 😉
Don’t love the dress, but it is appropriate and a good color for her. Love the shoes and the bag. But not with the dress. . . . Black, burgundy, nude or even certain shades of brown would have been better. These look like she tried to match, but just didn’t quite get there.
Hmmm. I’m apparently in the minority but I was liking the dress because it didn’t have a belt! When Kate wears belts with shirtwaist styles or shirtwaist styles with built-in waist bands, too often they end up looking too short-waisted on her. I do agree olive may not be the best choice for shoes and clutch. But I like the overall look and think the dress length, price, and style was a good choice for these events.
I’m just going to continue enjoying her outfit from last week…. those trousers were so exciting to see. This?? It’s…… okay.
This is why the DoC’s fashion is so hit or miss for me. I absolutely loved what she wore in her last few engagements and then she returned to this matronly/frumpy look. She tends to favor that tapered sleeve look usually with a bow at the collar/buttons on the top and it’s not a look I like on her. I know it’s her style but it’s so outdated looking. The green is nice for the holidays and polka dots are nice but I myself prefer larger polka dots over smaller ones.
I’m glad she added another patronage and she went to go visit these kids and spread some holiday cheer. I’m sure the kids had fun meeting her. I’m guessing William was just along for the ride since he isn’t a patron.
It’s a bit difficult to get too excited about this dress given last week’s flawless run of things-we-don’t-see-Kate-in-often and the fact that this is the third time we’ve seen photos of her in a dark-coloured, buttoned-up, polka dot midi dress in less than two months. That being said, the dress is a perfect (albeit very safe) choice for today’s engagements and Kate wears it incredibly well.
The khaki-green shoes and clutch here are a pretty big misstep, IMO. It would be fine if the green suede was simply a lighter shade than the dress, but it’s a noticeably warmer tone of green and the mismatch is pretty obvious. Gold accessories or the embellished flats shown on the model would have been fun and festive, but almost anything–black, navy, cream, even nude or brown or burgundy–would have been much better than khaki. I would love to see a pearly cream-colored Edie Parker clutch here; a belt would also definitely be a good call.
On a more general note: most of us would agree that Kate likely intentionally tries to draw attention away from her style choices, and I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how she has a tendency to go too far in the opposite direction, often to the point of looking underdone enough that it *does* start to draw attention. This isn’t the most egregious example of that, but it definitely makes the list. There’s plenty of value in a plain, well-cut suede pump and matching clutch and I’m definitely not saying that Kate should mix things up to the point that, say, Queen Letizia sometimes does, but there is a middle ground somewhere that Kate hasn’t really consistently found yet. That’s something where a professional stylist would make a *huge* difference, and hopefully Kate will move in that direction before too long.
Long time reader but first time posting. While not one of my favorites, I love the color on Kate and she just looks so happy. I think the style is perfect for these engagements. I have to say that since coming back from maternity leave, Kate has seemed so much more assured, comfortable and confident and even more elegant. I really think she’s growing into her role as future queen and is probably happy that the spotlight is not solely focused on just her now.
I like the dress but, like others, I would have preferred accessories of a different color.
Kate can never go wrong in green, not in my eyes. This is a very sweet look, I know some may find it a tad matronly (I laughed out loud at the kindergarten teacher comment, I get it!) but it has those little details that are so ‘Kate’. I sort of agree with some of you in that maybe a change of shoe color and bag would bring this whole look up a notch. Or two.. ☺
Its clear that she was very comfortable in the outfit and enjoyed todays event. You can tell things like this are important to the Duke and Duchess and its great that they help highlight them.
This may be our last Kate sighting until Christmas? Lets have another poll in the meantime! 😁
A classic shirtwaister for Kate that looks so much like others she it took me a moment to realise this was new. I still like it though, it hangs so beautifully and the fit is better than some, for once the waist isn’t obviously pulled high. I was wondering why a belt wasn’t added, but I’m not sure if there isn’t a fitted waistband in there. Hard to tell among the polka dots, themselves another Kate signature feature.
The treatment of the office-blouse style bodice is so effective the Mortimer style is rendered charming. This has to be one of the least obtrusive of these neck tie bows she favours, in soft silk fabric it sits nicely. I like the deep green colour on Kate, the pearly buttons and the long sleeves with their wide cuffs capturing the gathers. The skirt length is full enough to give plenty of movement when she walks and hem length is spot on.
I failed to notice the mismatch shoes at first, they are far enough away from the dress that I think the khaki colour is sufficiently subdued to echo her brown hair. I suppose the clutch is a little more obvious. It doesn’t matter to me because once again I find Kate’s genuine warmth and smiling accessibility so lovely I don’t ask for more. Her hair is gorgeous, and I’m always happy to see the Kiki McDonough pearl drops come back.
Love the dress, green suits her. Good on her for trying something different with shoes and clutch, Catherine looks professional as she builds her royal role. Announcing a new patronage how wonderful for the hospital and I look forward to what her RH does next year.
I like the color but this dress is so prissy. And the olive green accessories do not go with the forest green of the dress. I do like how much more relaxed and engaged she seems since coming back from her last maternity leave.
The olive green (yellowish) shades of the shoes and clutch do not go with the blue green shade of the dress. The shoes and clutch are warm tones and the dress is a cool tone. They do not pair well together in my opinion. I would have gone with black accessories.
I like the idea of the dress and am thrilled that the hemline is closer to knee length than the horrid midi length, but I don’t think the dress is executed well. I agree with other commentors that it needs a belt. Also, I am so over pussybow necklines—I thought they were hideous when my mother wore them in the late 70’s/early 80’s and they aren’t any better now. With the bow, seaming, huge faux pearl bottons and etc, there just seems to be a lot going on with this dress.
I do like those earrings and her makeup and hair look nice. Kate always shines at anything involving children and I think this is a great patronage for her.
I love this classic Kate look! Everything about it is her style to a tee.
While not my favourite style of dress, I think for this type of engagement, it is very appropriate. Kate can bend down to chat with the children without any concerns about hemlines riding up to expose too much leg, or necklines gaping. As always, she looks beautiful, happy, and engaged.
Beautiful color on her!
Not a fan of this one. Both the design and the print look old fashioned and I’d prefer just one retro element. The same dress in a solid would work much better.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I like the green better than the red-brown of the otherwise basically identical dress she wore recently. But I don’t like the 1970s kindergarten teacher trend she’s working with these days. I’m here for the bespoke coatdresses.
I don’t think Kate will be wearing coatdresses for engagements involving children anymore, or certainly not for the next while. She seems to have found the style she prefers for such appearances: longish flowing skirts and highish necks, which are actually quite practical when interacting with children.
This is an excellent point that I had never considered before which is unfair because I am also a 30-something mother of three small children. It is difficult to make a dress work when they’re around without showing my goodies. She must choose strategically based on her activities. I cannot believe this never occurred to me before.
For a visit to a children’s hospital and a centre for homeless people, I think a simple high street dress is a good choice. I like this green on her.
I think it’s hard to do arts and crafts with kids while wearing a bespoke coat dress. She has to dress for the occasion. I also appreciate her not showing up in a bespoke coat dress when visiting homeless people.
Forgive me, truly–I didn’t mean to cause offense. I meant only to express my fondness for her high-end designer coatdresses; I did not mean to suggest that what she did choose to wear was somehow less appropriate. It’s not my taste, but I can certainly see that it suits the event.
That said, an argument can and has been made for putting on one’s best to visit the disadvantaged. The Queen Mother has a famous quote about doing so to visit victims of the bombings in London post-WWII: “If the poor people had come to see me, they would have put on their best clothes”; her argument was that they deserved no less from her.
Again, not criticizing what she wore today, apart from my purely subjective aesthetic assessment of it. Just saying I don’t think there’s anything wrong with past, present, or future queens wearing couture, either.
What a great quote! Thanks for sharing.
Imagine if, instead, she’d brought back this look, which has a similar vibe but is so much better done–and better accessorized: https://whatkatewore.com/2016/09/27/the-duchess-in-dolce-gabbana-for-day-four-in-canada/
A short-sleeved dress in December?
Sure, like at least two of the other women in these pictures. 😉 But I didn’t necessarily mean she should literally have worn the D&G today; I just meant to show that she’s pulled off a similar look in the past with (to my eye) much more interest and aplomb.
This is one of my favorite dresses she has wore. I would love to see it again.
I adore a good coat dress and Kate always nails it out of the park when she wears them! She has worn them to events with children in the past. But I have to say… there’s a reason ‘Kindergarten teachers’ tend to wear this sort of outfit. If you won’t wear trousers and a blouse, then a high necked dress with a long flowing skirt is a must when working with little kids! Lots of crouching down and bending over involved. Plus, with all that playing, she would get awfully warm wearing a coat!
Fingers crossed for a new coat dress on Christmas day!!!!
Long time reader, first time commenter. I have to admit that I do not love the green on green combination with the hues being this different. I’d prefer either a more emerald green accessories or even her signature nudes. I really like the cut of the dress but a belt would work nicely with it in my opinion. When I was browsing this LK Bennet collection it resembled me the Dolce and Gabbana dress that Kate wore in Canada and I was waiting for an appearance in one of them.
Susan, I admire your work. Love reading your blog!
Marta
Thank you, Marta! I hope you continue commenting if so inclined. 🙂
I agree that the emerald green dress and olive accessories is a strange pairing. I little pop of red could have been nice or black to play it safe. I’d also be curious to what a belt would look like.
Charming dress, but imagine her burgundy pumps with this instead! Olive green accessories seems a dull accompaniment here. (This from someone whose favorite color is olive green!)
And on second sighting, this looks a wee like a housedress. A belt would have added some polish.
But regardless, she certainly looks lovely and bravo for an important patronage.
I too like the dress but not the olive accessories. I was trying to think of what would have been better and you have nailed it, burgundy. Her deep burgundy pumps and purse would have really set this outfit off nicely.
I love this dress. Such a flattering style, and I love Kate in dark green. Looks good with the olive accessories, too. I would love to see Kate wear it with a pair of flats like the dress in the website images. I just think this style dress is really cute with flats. But heels seem to be kate’s comfort zone, and I respect that 🙂
Love Kate’s dress, I get L.K. Bennett emails all the time and happen to get this dress on a email last week showing it in Green & Navy and I immediately said that Kate would wear this dress it is her style, I would wear it in the navy, more my color. She has now three pairs of green suede pumps, so it is a good choice. Also just read that the next time we might see Kate is on Christmas Day, we have a long wait for next site of Kate and her fashion choices.
Oh dear, I love Kate, but she needs to bring back some past favorites or get something fresh and fun. This dress is so frowsy and old fashioned I would hesitate to wear it and I am 66 years old. Sheesh. I know she is a mom of 3 but there are simple styles that are much more flattering for her to wear. She should at least have added a belt to accent her slender waist. Lately the queen’s clothes are more stylish than Kate’s..
I’m sorry to have to agree with you about this dress, rickyrebarco 😊 After Kate’s having been on such an amazing sartorial roll, here we are again with the standard yet appropriate plain old boring and rather unflattering work dress. I hope it’s just a short detour and that our duchess will be back on track with some much more interesting and stylish outfits that do her justice.
On a positive note, I think this patronage is a perfect fit for Kate. Some wonderful photos come out of this visit today.
The olive shoes/clutch didn’t bother me until I read the Facebook comments… now it is all I see! Black would have been the safer bet here (or even nude or deep burgundy), but I don’t think it totally ruins the outfit. The dress is lovely… reminds me of the navy polka dot dress she wore in the photos with Charles. She looks happy and well rested.
Side note… does anyone else think William should have done up one more button? I understand leaving the top button undone if you aren’t wearing a tie, but any more than that and it looks a bit too informal for this sort of event!
I agree with you on William. Lately he seems to have been taking casual dress to an extreme, as at the Xmas party last week. As I said then, no one expects him to appear in a three piece suit and dress shoes, but this bordering-on-sloppy look is not what I’d have expected.
I agree about William appearance. I just commentated on his appearance when Kate wore that olive green blazer. He should have wore either black or navy suede shoes and belts. He needs to up his dress appearance. Today he could have wore a light mint green shirt with hunter green suede shoes and belt. He would have complimented Kate outfit without having to get more dress up, and keeping that slightly casual look he likes. Does everyone agree.
William looks rather sloppy next to Kate. I understand a tie would look too formal whilst interacting with children and Kate is the main speaker here but, he needs help with casual wear!
Kate always looks so happy when she’s with small children. And the kids look happy too!! (I’m incredibly uncomfortable with children so I really admire anyone who is comfortable with them.)
I love this simple shirtwaist dress. It used to be my favorite style of dressing for work, so neat and stylish. She looks great.
Lovely fabric—moves well, but the dress needs a belt or some sort of waist embellishment. To my eye the look appeared unfinished because of that. Also, the color of the shoes was dull, and didn’t match the move vibrant “truer” green of the dress. Black accessories would have been better. I hope we see this dress again, but “dolled up” just a bit, because it is a great fabric for the holidays. Loved draped of the sleeves.
Hmm. The color of the shoes and clutch do not go well with the dress.
I adore her…