The Duchess wore a new dress by Eponine London for today’s school visits. 
The first engagement was at Lavender Primary School. 
The Duchess was greeted by the sound of children singing.
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Lavender Primary School — which she is visiting in support of @Place2Be’s #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek.
This year’s theme is ‘Healthy: Inside and Out’, focusing on the connection between physical and mental health: https://t.co/DvSldDMnPX pic.twitter.com/rbQpKiAKem
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) February 5, 2019
And explanatory signs. 
She was also given a posy when she arrived.
A quick video from Victoria Murphy.
The #DuchessofCambridge receives a posy from a child at Lavender Primary School as she visits to highlight the work of @Place2Be during #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek pic.twitter.com/MQzJ88H5lp
— Victoria Murphy (@QueenVicMirror) February 5, 2019
And she met Herbie, the school’s cockerpoo.
The focus of the visit was Children’s Mental Health Week, which kicked off yesterday.
Place2Be launched the first Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015. The organization, of which Kate is patron, is “a leading UK children’s mental health charity providing in-school support and expert training to improve the emotional wellbeing of pupils, families, teachers and school staff.” Most readers will recall the videos Kate has made to help publicize the event. 
Lavender Primary is one of 228 schools in England, Wales, and Scotland that receives support from Place2Be. The Duchess spoke with parents and administrators during her visit.
She also spent time with students and teachers in different classrooms. 
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is “Healthy Inside and Out.”At Lavender Primary, students are taught about the importance of being active. They walk or run a mile almost every day. Below, Kate watching them out for their exercise.
The exercise is called The Daily Mile. 
The importance of a healthy diet was also discussed.
From The Daily Mail’s coverage:
She was chatting with a group of youngsters about how foods that are high in sugar can give you a brief feeling of euphoria before making your emotions come crashing down.
‘Charlotte loves olives,’ she said, and told the children that she frequently gets her two eldest children to cook with her – including their favourite ‘cheesy pasta’.
Speaking afterwards, Matthew Kleiner-Mann, chief executive of the the Ivy Learning Trust, said: ‘She was telling us how much her children love cooking and how they cook for her. They made cheesy pasta the other day.
In one class there was a show and tell exercise. Students showed an object and spoke about how it makes them feel. More from Hannah Furness’s story in The Telegraph:
Sitting down with a table full of of youngsters, the Duchess opened up her black clutch bag and told them: “I’ve got something. It’s not very big. Do you want to see it?
Richard Palmer posted a video with Kate sharing what she brought to class.
The Duchess shows the children her family picture pic.twitter.com/l2UTGjipTn
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) February 5, 2019
You can better see the photo here. 
The Duchess waving as she leaves. 
The second engagement today was at Alperton Community School. Hannah Furness reports, “The London school is considered as at the forefront of mental health provision in schools, with trained specialist counsellors and a strategy that “we’re not an exam factory type of school.”
While there Kate took part in a roundtable discussion.
She also met Andria Zafirakou, a teacher at Alperton. 
Ms. Zafirakou won a prestigious award last year when she was named Global Teacher of the Year by the Varkey Foundation. Below, the teacher celebrates as she accepts the award. 
The Duchess visited an art class and spoke with students about its impact on their lives. More from The Mirror’s coverage:
She met Andria Zafirakou… and told her about her love of tie dye. During her visit to the art class, the Duchess said she was “desperate” to use the printing technique – fashion mainstay of the hippie generation which was taught to countless children in schools during the 70s and 80s.
Here you see her with Shaquille Stewart and Prakruti Pindolia; both students are 16 years old.
Back to the Telegraph’s story:
Asked what he got out of art, Shaquille, 16, said: “Art grounds me. It makes me calm and makes me think. It makes me in the moment instead of being on social media.”
Shown the drawings he does in his spare time, aside from his A Level portfolio, the Duchess said: “This is what you can do if you don’t use on social media. It’s a fantastic advert. Honestly, it’s really, really incredible.”
From a Daily Mirror story:
When asked if she was interested in art, the Duchess, who studied History of Art at university, said she “loved it” adding: “It’s something I’m loving doing with the children – papier mache – I forgot how messy it is, but it’s really great.”
She also said her son George had found a piece of charcoal in a fireplace and told her: “‘Mummy I’m going to draw a picture’ – that’s what’s so nice you can do it from all around you.”
Kate also attended a meeting of the Random Acts of Kindness Club.
Kate really looked like she was enjoying herself at both school visits today.
More about the bigger picture related to Kate’s goals from Simon Perry in his piece for People.
Kate has put mental health at the forefront of her public work and recently set up a steering group of academics and experts to help advise her on the best ways forward in tackling the problem, and help support parents and families.
Simon’s story underscores Kate’s efforts to see mental health being addressed early in children’s lives. A new engagement has been added to Kate’s Calendar; it will involve the Royal Foundation’s ‘Mental Health in Education’ conference next week. Kate will meet Head Teachers from a number of schools that are testing the Foundation’s Mentally Healthy Schools program.
We’ll leave this portion of the post with a fun tweet from a student’s father.
When the Duchess of Cambridge visits your son’s school and you get a better vantage point than the press pack pic.twitter.com/jt7GFgCZ9V
— Jarrod Hunt (@MrJarrodHunt) February 5, 2019
Now for our look at what Kate wore, starting with the new dress by Eponine London.
She wore a dress similar to the style shown below, a piece from the brand’s spring/summer ’18 collection. Like many of Eponine’s designs, it has a retro feel. It is crafted of wool bouclé; it features three-quarter sleeves, cut out pocket and button detailing at the hip, topstitching at the neckline and bodice and a concealed back zipper.
You can see that Kate’s sleeves are full-length and some of the fullness has been taken out of the skirt.
This afternoon Eponine posted the picture you see below left on Instagram, noting “Little preview from the spring 2019 set.” Below right we show Eponine founder Jet Shenkmen in the style; she wrote about the wool bouclé fabric in her post, saying it is “available in lots of fabulous colours.”
Eponine offers a seasonal selection of ready to wear designs, as well as its bespoke service. Thank you to Regal Fille and Perth’s Fashion for their ID work on the garment.
Kate was also sporting a new pair of boots by LK Bennett. 
The Marissa is a lace-up style with four eyelets, an almond-shaped toe, and 3.5″ block heel. Originally priced at $495, the design is now on sale for $346.50 on the US site. On the UK site, the boot is £199 and offered in very limited sizes. Thank you to Pam Walters and Alexandra for IDing the boots so quickly.
She carried her trusty Bayswater clutch by Mulberry. 
And wore her Kiki McDonough Lauren earrings. 
With thanks to Tami B and Micki Maynard for sharing their tips on the Facebook page, here are two repliKate possibilities; both are by Boden. On the left, the Estella Jacquard dress ($120); on the right, the Daisy Ottoman dress ($140).
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A couple of quick Retail Roundup notes:
- Monica Vinader is promoting 20% off all online orders through Feb 15 with promo code VALENTINE20. This includes Kate’s ‘Siren’ earrings; usually priced at $195 they are reduced to $156 with the discount. (And shipping is free!)
- Kate’s Fjällräven jacket is back in stock. Our thanks to Catherine for this tip via a Facebook DM. We also found it in smaller sizes at Amazon.
VIDEOS:
Here is about 3:15 from the Lavender Primary School engagement.
Here is roughly 3:15 covering the Alperton visit.
LINKAGE:
- Learn more about Children’s Mental Health Week by clicking here
- Place2Be’s website is here; its Facebook page is here; the organization’s Twitter feed is here, and its Instagram page is here; if you are interested in making a donation click here
- The Daily Mail’s story by Rebecca English & Unity Blott on the Lavender Primary visit is here and its story on the Alperton Community School engagement is here; The Telegraph’s piece from Hannah Furness is here; The Daily Mirror‘s story is here; Simon Perry’s People article is here
- A PopSugar gallery is here; Just Jared’s gallery is here; the Fug Girls piece is here
She looks adorable and best of all happy, engaged and comfortable in her skin.
I’m sorry but this does not bring out the best of British fashion at all. The dress looks like it has beady eyes!! All very contrived.
Longtime reader, first comment!
I love this outfit and think DoC nails the Jackie O look. Once you see the frownie face created by the pockets (eyes) and the wrinkles (mouth), you can’t unsee it!!
Who else hopes that Susan will title this one the Green Eponine “Scowl” Dress in a future daytime looks poll?? 🙂 🙂 Either way, it is on track to get my vote!
Anyone know what tights she’s wearing? Perfect opaqueness.
I love the whole outfit, the cut, detailing and the boots! Great colour for her too. I love these posts with all of the context; almost makes me feel like I was there and I always learn something.
Lots of great photos from today illustrating her participation at the events. My favourites are the ones of her bursting smile with laughter like the one at Lavender sitting at the table with two of her hosts and watching the kids running their Daily Mile. The one tweeted out by one of the Dads is super too. So photogenic, all day, every day.
What a great cause, love seeing how at ease she seems with children, something that’s definitely not my forte! I like the dress and love the boots, but not together. I appreciate the thought behind it, blending a feminine dress with an edgier shoe but they just do not look well together. I think a simple leather bootie or Chelsea boot would’ve fit better. She looks gorgeous though and wish her the best with this charity and project.
Thank you for transitioning into posts now that relay information and background about the Duchess’ visits to organizations and events, while I love to see her style, I respect her for her role in bringing genuine attention and support of important groups. I feel your site now gives the public an eye to the prettiness while she still has a voice to her goals too. Always looking forward to more!
Susan has always does a ton of this, at least for the last couple of years. One the reasons we love her!!
Loving the 60’s vibe she’s got going on! I’m surprised I like the boots but I really do. She looks very modern and fun and green is a happy, peaceful color to choose for mental health awareness.
This outfit is a winner. She looked modern, bright, and unfussy for visiting the schools. I like the fabric; it looks warm and cozy and reminds me of the felt shapes children use in primary school. Watching her interact with the children on this visit and a few recent ones, I think she might have been a great teacher if she hadn’t married a prince.
Gosh Kate just get prettier and prettier every time I see her. I thought this look for the engagements was really simple and casual but I have to admit I don’t really like the dress but I love her boots. The boots look really chic and I can definitely see myself wearing them. I love that Kate shown the kids that that her family makes her happy because every time I see that video my heart melts and it makes me smile like crazy lol. For those who didn’t know last night Kate hosted a dinner at Buckingham Palace and I’m thinking its probably has something to do with Children’s Mental Health week but I wish we had photos because I’m dying to see her in a evening dress again. I’m super excited to see The Cambridges at the Baftas this Sunday because I think Kate will surprise us. I’m also looking forward for the 13th engagements with Kate being a business like duchess in the morning while a glamorous duchess in the evening how exciting!
Absolute perfection. I love all of it.
I think it’s a fresh youthful look, the dress fits Kate’s tall and slender figure very well. (Yet, I don’t like the fabric – it doesn’t photograph well – looks too “cosy”, fluffy like fleece, boiled wool, etc. This dress is not for everyone – both boucle and the cut do not flatter larger sizes). As for the boots – to my taste, lower booties or broques would be better, but I do not object to an edgier choice.
I think, such smart casual outfit may have been a lesson of style to elder schoolgirls, too. It’s one to remember and easy to copy – with any A-line dress of a middle-weight fabric in a solid bright colour. At this age, you pay attention to what people around you wear, think if you like it or not, and it develops your taste.
NOTE: Admin edit
Love the look. A sleeker bootie with a zip might have been better. I kept getting distracted by the grommets and laces. But well done her for showing us something different.
Perfect outfit. Love her in green.
I really like this ensemble! The dress looks super comfy and it looks like something I could easily wear to work. I love that her boots are a bit edgier than what we normally see her in and they go very well with the dress because the grommet on the pockets go with the boots. Kate The Great!
I absolutely love this dress! I think she looks fabulous. I’m not crazy with the boot choice, but everything else works beautifully.
Also, the pink S/S 19 Eponine dress above can be purchased in an assortment of colors, including Kate’s green, by contacting the company.
I have really enjoyed seeing Kate grow into her role. As someone above mentioned, she does seem quite comfortable, confident, and happy.
This look is a miss for me! I appreciate the green little mod dress in the towel texture, but those boots are a huge distraction for me. When I lived in Seoul I embraced the high-heel booties with dresses that the Korean women wore, but I think the boots she is wearing are the wrong ones. Granted, its probably because I personally really don’t like boots with eyelets and laces where the laces hang down – it looks messy. And then silver grommets seemed outdated. The heel is too chunky. The boot look would have worked for me if they were sleeker with a slimmer heel.
She looks incredible from head to toe, but her smile and ease in her role are what really push the look into the exceptional category. Is it just me, or does she have a new found ease in her role since the birth of Prince Louis? In the last several months, she appears to be especially comfortable and happy everywhere she goes–so wonderful to see.
Practically all shades of green look beautiful on her, and this dress is no exception. The pockets are a bit odd, but they give the dress interest, and the shift looks great on her. The boots look terrific!
So many clothes, shoes, boots, earrings, coats, hats…..I don’t know if it’s possible to get a post on this but I am perpetually curious about how Kate and her staff keep it all straight. They must have some sort of inventory system because the sheer quantity of items is staggering when you look at it over the years. They must track what she’s worn with what and where and when, right?
Then there is planning for upcoming events. How far in advance do they map out her outfits? When she has an item modified as this dress has been, how do they work with the designer – is it made just for Kate, or do they tailor an existing piece? (My hunch is both). How directly is Kate involved in all of this, and requesting changes like the adjustment to the silhouette (sp?) of this dress?
And how is it all stored? No wonder they need such a big apartment! 😉 Does she ever permanently retire pieces and what happens to them? For instance, that extraordinary blue evening gown and wrap she wore in India – that seems like an event-specific dress that may not be worn again. Would she ever auction special pieces for charity like Diana did?
Just the amount of time she has to devote to her appearance is exhausting to me. Some days I don’t even get out of pajamas!
Sorry for all the questions – I just can’t imagine how all this is managed!
Hi, Zoe! Don’t apologize for the questions, they are all ones many of us have pondered for years. I have a partial post done on the storage topic but would love trying to do one on the logistics, timing, and the other issues you mentioned. 🙂
YES! This puzzle of storing, cataloguing, and choosing pieces to recycle absolutely fascinates me! Which clothes and accessories are in her day-to-day closet and which are offsite in some humidity-controlled environment, accessed only upon request? I would love to read a post on it someday!
I have all those questions as well Zoe! Even though she obviously takes a great deal of care in her appearance, at the same time, I never feel how she looks or is dressed eclipses what her purpose is at so many of these functions, to spread awareness and compassion or honor and remembrance and, yes more than ever it appears after the birth of Prince Louis, joy. Susan; I hope somehow underneath everything else you do so beautifully for us devoted followers, that you will be able to put together a posting of how the DoC and her staff manage her wardrobe.
Great questions! I would be very interested in hearing the answers too.
Oh! I know the answer to this! At least I know the answer to how Princess Diana’s clothes were kept track of. Her dresser (or stylist) carefully catalogs which outfit was worn when/where and which accessories & shoes were worn with it. I would imagine there’s a digital photo catalog kept for Kate. Her clothes are most likely in a room like Diana’s were stored behind heavy curtains—Carefully cleaned, and separated by color & style (ball gowns/day dresses/casual). Shoes are probably organized the same way and stored in shelves below the hang up clothes.
I have been meaning to ask you this question and here you have the answer! Fabulous! A photo catalog makes sense.
I think in terms of tailoring, Kate has many options available to her. For custom and bespoke pieces the designer probably offers Kate a range of modifications available from runway looks and Kate probably chooses from the options suggested to her. This puts most of the work on the designer, who really is the expert in such matters.
Her more frequent designers, like McQueen, Temperly, Catherine Walker, most definitely keep a file on hand of her preferences, peeves, cuts, colour swatches, measurements, and they probably put a lot of time and effort into getting to know her preferences and making educated suggestions before she even goes in for a fitting.
Of course, if there is something specific she is looking for I’m sure she suggests it and the designer does their best to accommodate. I’m sure it’s a back and forth thing, where Kate obviously knows her style and what she’s comfortable in and chooses designers who can creatively and consistently offer her something that fits with their creative vision. Of course, I don’t know for sure, but Kate strikes me as being an ideal client and is probably a delight to work for.
For ready-to-wear pieces I’m sure she has a tailor who can make any kind of alteration needed, and just like any of us I’m sure Kate will try on a piece and know immediately whether she feels more comfortable with a certain hem line or sleeve length, etc. Again, the tailor probably keeps a pretty good record of her preferences and measurements.
Loving the booties!
This has to be one of my favorite things that Kate has worn in a long, long time. I know that it’s maybe not put together perfectly from more of a formal style standpoint, but it’s fun to see her playing with shoes a little bit (when she has god knows how many pairs of plain suede pumps that she could have worn instead) and the edgier boots add character that some of her other recent looks have lacked. The Eponine dress is absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite colors on Kate, and it’s nice to see her in something more structured. I think that this has a very different character than the Erdem coat or Hobbs suit and don’t mind the similarity at all. And it’s great to see those earrings again!
I have an anxiety disorder and resisted properly addressing it for a long time due to the stigma surrounding mental health, so it’s always especially wonderful to see the younger royals’ participation in these sorts of engagements. You can tell that Kate is absolutely in her element here, and the organizations that she works with seem like they’re doing some amazing work.
This is a splendid look and shows how good accessorising can make an outfit go from ordinary to fabulous. I think these boots are a super choice and really charge the dress up from something nice to stylish. I love it!!
This was a great post — thank you, Admin!! I too saw the alien eyes, but while I don’t love the dress (and it looks itchy to me), the whole outfit was perfect for the occasion. I think the children want to see a “Princess” looking fancy — and a bright-colored dress fits the bill. What I loved about the black tights & boots is this: if you saw a photo taken just from the hem of the dress to her feet, and had to guess “Which Royal is this?” I think everyone would guess Kate. I can’t think of anyone else in the Fam who could pull off this spunky look. It’s youthful and modest at the same time. Stilettos and nude hose would have been so exactly wrong for this occasion.
I was unfamiliar with Daisy Ridley so I googled her, and I see the similarity. Kiera Knightly also has this way of speaking. It’s really just an underbite that seems to appear only when they are speaking, something which I have only just recently noticed on the Duchess. Maybe they all went to the same orthodontist!
Where are the posts on the earrings? I can’t quite figure out how they were attached to her earlobe when I look at the close up pic of her right ear.
What a great idea to incorporate mental health services into schools — it will go a long way towards reducing the stigma.
She looked fantastic. I’m sure that dress and the boots were chosen for comfort – and good for her. Great color on her and the kids clearly dug their time with her.
I know I am totally out of touch on this, but rarely, if ever, IMHO is it ok to wear short booties with a skirt/dress. Short boots should be reserved for underneath slacks, and on rare occasions, longer skirts. And these boots are too heavy for this dress – they almost have a military or Doc Marten like-look. Would have much preferred the suede pumps with the tights. Love the color and the overall cut of the dress. Not a big fan of the fabric and the “monster” pockets are a little weird. Overall for me “bleh”.
D o C had been rockin the short booties and dress look since her very first official engagement in 2011. In fact, I took to wearing the style myself shortly after seeing how awesome it looked when she wore it.
This is a young woman’s look and I it fits Kate perfectly. Also, I think she sometimes looks a bit too reserved (and a tiny bit dowdy, maybe keying off of her grandma-in-law) ) so getting with the look of a youngish 21st century mom and professional women is great.
Oh my goodness … it is an amazing look! Why should short boots be reserved for anything?! Surely great dressing has no rules… it’s about creativity, feeling good and comfort.
I think the new popularity of booties with dresses are great…especially in the cooler months. I had so many years of wearing open topped dress shoes and my feet freezing…I’m glad booties are considered acceptable now!
Exactly. I bought my first pair of booties this year and am so much happier in cold weather. I’m kicking myself for not having gone for them earlier. And if Kate wants to wear booties with a dress to keep her feet warm (or just for fashion!) then more power to her!
I love the booties with a dress! I actually think booties are a better look with thick black tights than pumps. For black tights generally, I think any color shoe other than black can look odd, and while the black on black can look slimming, any difference between the tones of the black can throw off the outfit. If the rights are quite a bit thicker, like a fleece-lined tight, then I think they look very odd indeed with a pump. Seasonally, for a cold weather tight I think a bootie is a much better match.
I completely agree with you. I HATE the booties-and-skirt look, and I always will!
I don’t love this look. I don’t see the hole in the wardrobe that this fills (see above – the Erdem coatdress and there’s another green coat almost exactly this shade). The bust seaming is weird, even for someone so small. And if you’re going to go retro, add some accessories!
Oh my. You said “go retro” and a vision of large hoop earrings popped in my mind’s eye and made me smile! How fun would that be?
The children would have been so excited before the visit and the green colour would have made Kate stand out. Just gorgeous for this type of event.
Absolutely love this style and colour, fun pocket detail and great on HRH. Like the boots but not so sure about the eyelets, they are a bit too noticeable for my personal taste, but otherwise a fantastic look!
What a fun and cheerful outfit! The color and texture are vibrant and interesting. The boots were a perfect, slightly edgy pairing. This seemed really fashion forward for the duchess and a departure from her usual classic style. I am here for it. I am sure the children really enjoyed the fun look as well. A perfect fit for the engagement.
I’m always surprised that creasing bothers so many. I think it shows that she’s human. Certain fabrics wrinkle more than others, and it would be awfully limiting to only wear wrinkle resistant fabrics and styles. She also puts in long, busy days and isn’t afraid to squat down to a child’s level. I appreciate that!
Love it – All of it!
I wonder if she had this dress made when she was expecting but never wore it (in public) for some reason. I am not speculating that she is pregnant, nor does she “look pregnant”, but I cannot remember her ever wearing this loose sheath silhouette at any other time.
She looks lovely; it’s not my favorite look with the bright green and black together, but I like seeing a new outfit anyway!
LOVE this look.
The green is one of my favourite shades! So preppy and fun!
Upon first glance I wasn’t so into the short boots, mainly because I don’t wear them myself, but after seeing the whole look…THEY ARE PERFECT for the outfit and event.
retro too!
Those pockets look like giant eyes staring at me!
Although I like the color of this dress – makes her easy to spot in the crowd, like the queen! – I really dislike the material. It looks like a robe. I also think the material makes the dress look very shapeless on her. It’s just a straight column of towel-y material.
Not really a fan of those chunky boots with a dress either. All in all, a miss for me. It’s rare I can’t find something I like!
Monster eyes is what I thought of first too. Not loving the dress. I do like the boots. Everything else was great. Just those weird buttons on the pockets….
Of course she always looks beautiful and does so much good, but I don’t care for this outfit. The dress is a little too long and I dislike the pockets that look like eyes. Plus it’s wrinkled. As for the boots, even on someone as tall as the Duchess, they cut her legs short, which is never desirable.
Oh, wow. Mod, cheerful, and fun. The opaque black tights and booties keep it sleek. This was as fantastic outing for Kate and equally fun for the kids, it appears! I really applaud anything that gets kids thinking about exercise, eating well, and staying healthy inside and out.
Engagements: Two lovely visits and I like that she visited schools of different age ranges. These visits even made me wish I had gone to these schools! I bet these two schools admission entries are going to quadruple after all this publicity!
Outfit: Loved those boots. Her boots lately are making me happy! And always happy to see Kate wearing British high street pieces.
The dress I think looked warm for a cold day and fun and more casual dress suitable for a day with children. I think it worked with the boots and tights but I’m not sure I would like it as part of another ensemble. I do feel like this bright green makes it less versatile than if it was in a more muted shade like powder blue, lavender or spring green. Oh and I also don’t like how easily this material creases.
A home run. I would 100% wear every bit of this. When she wears fuller skirts, we get complaints about her dressing too young. I have short chunky heal booties that I wear with tights and a slim skirt because I love the combination. The color is so peppy. The only thing I would think twice about is the cutout pockets. I would have preferred a slanted or patch pocket.
A home run.
She does look soooo happy! Thank you for the great post and the repliKate suggestions. I love Boden, however, this particular dress is different – it has no waist and just straight a-line, and she is rocking it. I have been disappointed in Boden recently as the waist is difficult to gauge if you’re between sizes or between petite and regular. I adore this dress that the Duchess wore today because there is no waist. And she’s rocking the boots too! What a fun change from her normal footwear.
A+ The boots and tights really complete this fun look. The Kelly green is so refreshing. You can tell it’s all about being relaxed and approachable for the kids. Mission accomplished.
The family photo may have made her happy but her dress looked angry no matter what!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6669981/Kate-wears-worlds-angriest-dress-Eagle-eyed-royal-fan-notices-face-Duchesss-dress.html
It was an ok dress. She has like 5 others in this exact color.
The boots were a little clunky & chunky for the look. They also looked like the ill-fitting ones Meghan wore on her Australian trip.
Oh well
Perfect outfit – especially the funky boots!
Veering as far from the descriptors frumpy or dowdy as possible, Kate delights in a blend of mid-century mod and au-courant grunge-adjacent. If nothing else, her choices today proclaim boldly (no subtly here) that the world can be a fun, quirky, and interesting place. It’s a message brimming with optimism and individualism, perfectly suited to today’s engagements.
As to the pieces themselves, a cheerful color and knobbly fabric lend character to an otherwise streamlined (bordering on simple) dress design. The fabric photographs well, its texture creating dimension with miniscule points of highlight and shadow, preventing a flatness in the strong color.
The tights are the right choice to create a background for the bright color to pop against, and those boots are just about as “right-now” as a girl can get.
I love timeless/classy Kate as much as the next WKWer, but knowing we have years to come of exquisite formal gowns and perfectly paired hats & coats, I wouldn’t trade ensembles like today’s for anything.
Kate seems to have a win for today. I agree. Love the color on her but the dress to me looked super comfortable and easy to wear but not my favorite. Loved the boots and tights. Her hair and makeup was spot on as well. So glad to see the middle part giving way to the more flattering side part. She looked so happy and she has done such great work in this arena. Im sure she was told to bring something to show that makes her happy but how charming! I bet she had fun going home and telling her own children all about her day. Love to here her speak especially to children.
This dress nicely threads the needle of being youthful, retro, and child-friendly without veering too far into twee Peter Pan collar territory. Hilarious to finally see a royal woman open her clutch.
My favorite dress in this post, though, is the sun/moon/planets one worn by one of the teachers in the posy video! On a related note, sometimes in videos Kate reminds me of Daisy Ridley when she speaks and now I’m longing to see Kate costumed as Rey.
I need some fan art showing this! Interestingly, I find the biomechanics of Daisy Ridley’s speech to be reminiscent of Keira Knightley as well. I wonder what it is that creates that similarity…
I love the dress, which is very vintage, and I think her hair looks especially great today.
Best of all, I love seeing her pull something out of her clutch, after we’ve wondered what she carries inside! I know the pic probably isn’t “standard,” but it’s still fun.
I really WANT to love this look but I don’t. It’s OK, but doesn’t do much for me. I DO love the boots but maybe with a different outfit. It was fun to finally see her actually take something out of her handbag though!
Hahaha! That is so true about the mystery of Royal Ladies handbags. It is a truly rare event 😀
Seems like Kate is following the Queen’s example in wearing bright colours to be more visible. This vibrant green looks good on Kate and it is a happy colour for an event involving children. I like the casual, vintage vibe of the dress.
I can’t quite decide how I feel about the boots. While shorty boots are a good choice with tights, these ones are a bit combat looking. I would prefer more femine looking footwear.
Kate shines around children and she is always able to engage them in conversation. She has a gift for working with the young.
If her life had taken a different path, I could see her having been a wonderful school teacher.
Me too, KateinCanada, I am a retired teacher myself and in the Duchess I see an awesome skill set, that would make her a most effective teacher.
Chris Jackson’s outdoor photos at Lavender Primary School were all-telling especially the one with Herbie, the dog, which I’ve titled, “Mascot Herbie Greets Patroness Kate.” Looks like a fun time was had by all!
That’s so cute! Did you see the update from Herbie on the Lavender Primary School Twitter page? 😀
https://twitter.com/Lavender_Sch/status/1092822622566535170
Hi Arthena –
Just saw the school’s Twitter page, thanks for the link!
If it hasn’t been done yet, the students should write stories/songs/music videos about Herbie’s adventures…Herbie Runs “The Daily Mile,” Herbie Learns to Sing,” “Herbie’s Healthy Inside and Out,” etc. Too much fun!
Love her always—do not love this look. I just prefer her in a more classic ensemble. I can see, however, that the children probably loved her boots and funky dress. She always has a perfect sense of occasion when she prepares her fashion choices.
I love the look. Kate has impeccable taste. I just wish she would go back to her original hair colour instead of this lighter shade.
NOTE: admin edit
I have very similar coloring to the DoC, including hair color, and I wonder if she may be going a bit lighter as she gets more gray hair. I used to color my hair very dark brown, and I loved it, but as I started to get grayer, my roots/grow-out became too stark a contrast to the dark hair color. I’ve been going lighter over the years myself so that my roots grow out more gracefully and so that I don’t have to get my hair dyed so often.
I love this look and would love to see her in the pink another time. I especially loved the new boots- I think they finished the outfit quite well!
I love the color of this dress and I find the detailing interesting. The model looks like Jackie Kennedy, such a very 60s look. Kate’s dress falls differently so I agree that it must have been altered and taken in for her. I can’t get completely behind this dress, though, because the material looks like towelling to me.
The boots were a pleasant surprise. Had I only seen them in the website photo I wouldn’t have thought I’d like them at all, but on Kate they look lovely. I don’t have a problem with the black tights and boots although I can see that they would make for perhaps too sharp a contrast with the dress color for some.
Best thing of all today, now we know what Kate keeps in her clutch!! LOL.
I couldn’t have said that better!
LOL about The Contents of the Clutch!
So excited to see her pull something out of her clutch after all our wondering what she could possibly have in them. Today’s ensemble is perfect for the occasion and very flattering to the Duchess. The dress harkens back to the 60’s, which I am old enough to remember. Color, texture and seaming details are lovely. I like the tights and boots.
Very fabulous outfit!! She looks pretty perfect.
I just loved this dress and the boots. She looked so fresh and vibrant! I would love to own that dress, and the colour is lovely. The black tights and boots are perfect for February. She can wear this dress in the spring with her nude shoes and hose and it will take on a different look. Most important was the cause. I am so glad she has made this her mission. Finally mental health is being recognized everywhere. It is long overdue!
She’s incredible and I adore her style. I think she is perfection.
It’s always wonderful to see her interacting with children and teens, and today we get a dog, too!
The dress is such a fun color, and the tights aren’t a surprise (I think she tends to wear dark tights with anything cut at the knee or above). I only hesitate over the boots here. I think boots are a great choice with this dress, but the grommets and laces detract from a relatively sleek look (at least for me). I’d love to see this with the Emily Black Suede Boots or the Ayla Black Suede Ankle Boots.
I agree with you. Love the dress, love the boots but I think think the laces and bold grommets take away from the sleekness of the dress as well. A boot like this in leather without the laces would have looked great! I still like this look though. Very appropriate to the occasion and weather. As usual. I also agree with another commenter,I wish she would go back to a darker hair colour
Well done! Boots fab!!!
This is fun, fresh and very cute. I love this look! I’m a huge fan of Eponine London’s gorgeous vintage-style pieces. So appropriate for a visit to a school!
I also love the boots. Normally I’m not a fan of clunky boots, but I like these. I think the chunky boots balance out the boxier cut of the dress. Without more delicate shoes, I think she’d look top-heavy.
Well said!
Oooo… love the dress, it reminds me of Audrey Hepburn’s dresses in “Two for the Road,” very Paco Rabanne-ish! The green is great with her dark coloring, and the angular style is very suited to the opaque tights and ankle boots. (KM is trim and tall enough to wear boots like this and still look slim and ladylike). This is a good look for KM, and I think the hot pink version of the dress would also look terrific on her.
I don’t find the dress to look like a space alien or the pockets to look like weird eyes.
The doggy is absolutely adorable, no wonder KM got right down to play with him (her?).
What a successful look for a visit with school kids-perfection as usual.
This is such a great fun outfit! Perfect for visiting with children!
I love those booties!! The bright green is fresh and fun, and the combination with the black tights and black booties is really great. I think it’s just perfect for the occasion.
Green looks good on Catherine, like the boots they are my kind of style. The whole outfit perfect for the event. Catherine has a way of dressing while we are focus on what she wears, does not detract from the importance of the event. Catherine is always great around kinds a natural and I think it is important to teach children the importance of a supporting family. Love the photo of the family and Catherine clearly had a good time with the children at the schools. I am looking forward to hearing of her future work in this area.
Kate in green! Love it! This is a nice pop of color for late winter/early spring. The shoe choice was unexpected but I like it. I think a high bun or updo would be cute with this sort of vintage style dress but its pretty as is. The fuzziness of the the dress fabric makes it look warm and cozy but i wonder would it pill over time.
Great post as always! 😁
Love, love, love this outfit. Kelly always looks great on her and I love the cut, length, nubbly-ness, and retro-vibe! The tights and those boots!!! Love. The. Boots. What a fun change for her. Between the chunky heals and the large eyelets, wow. I’d buy them today if I could find them at half the price. Just love this outfit. Professional but easy/simple enough to be just right for visiting children. Total win for me.
She relates to kids so well and I love how she and William are doing so much good in these charities.
This is adorable from head to toe…I am GREEN with envy! There’s nothing simpler and more classic than a good A-line shift, and this one from Eponine London is darling. I’m really liking this label for Kate…she wears it well. 🙂
Side note: The LK Bennett booties really work here. They’re not something I’d be immediately drawn to in a showroom, but are fun and cute with the opaque tights, playing off the style of the dress.
Well done!
Three cheers for a change from stilettos!!
High heels are gorgeous, but they seem quite formal for some day/work events. These boots are a new look and I think they are fun and fashionable – and eminently more sensible looking than pointy high heels. [Don’t misunderstand, I am not bashing high heels…they do have a timeless elegance, but they also look stuffy with certain outfits.]
Fabulous color and charming dress! Total win for me.
Also: how delightful for us to find out what Kate had tucked into her clutch today! I know the contents of her purses is a source of curiosity to Kate watchers. 🙂
I had the same reaction to seeing something taken out of the clutch. 🙂
I am guessing the photo was in there for today’s visit; she probably doesn’t normally carry it.
Absolutely agree with you about the stilettos! And, these boots! Hip – hip- hooray!
I really love this outfit! It’s so Kate yet still a nice twist or, as some have said, “edge” to it.
Nothing made me more excited than seeing her open up that purse!! I shall always imagine a family picture in her clutches from now on.
I love this dress: the color, the cut, the seaming, the fabric. The pockets, however, make it look like a giant space alien when she’s facing front. I can’t decide how I feel about the boots. I guess I like them but not with this dress. I like the black tights, but a boot just below the knee would have fit more with the retro vibe of the dress. I’m not suggesting go go boots, mind you…
Wear a bracelet or two, Kate. Please.
I really think the “eyes” on the dress are wonderful and at the children’s “eye level” would’ve been “eye catching”….and fun for them. This dress has its time and place here for sure.
I had the same reaction to the boots. I’d love to wear these with a pair of jeans, but don’t think they’re quite right with this dress.
I loved this look on Catherine today. Kelly green is a fantastic colour for her and I love the simplicity of the design, the boucle fabric and the slight 60s vibe. Dark tights and the booties really made the outfit pop and lent it a modern, edgy feel. But not too edgy! The dress is a bespoke piece and it appears Catherine had the silhouette altered slightly to be more narrow and less fitted under the bust. I think I like it better as designed but perhaps that silhouette needed to be shorter to work properly and she didn’t want to go that short.
Now that I see it full length on the model and Eponine founder I like it much better as designed. I wish Catherine hadn’t messed with the silhouette. Think I like it better in pink as well. Still I think Catherine looked fab today. Love the way she wore it with the short boots.
I agree about her messing with the silhouette. It was more trapeze-ish as made, and had a better balance. But, it may not have worked as well with all the bending over and squatting she does, especially when she is with kids. Overall, I still love the whole vibe she had going today.
Love this color of green on Kate. Boots a little different that normal but they looked great. Such a great charity, glad she is working with them and bringing awareness to mental health issues for kids. Bravo Kate!
I love the youthful vibrancy of this dress which is something to say since the design is retro. What a fabulous color! That coupled with the cool boots equals a fresh novel look. 60s mod meets the 21st century. I’d love to know who put this outfit together for Kate.
Love everything about these engagements!
What an absolutely perfect look! Such a fun colour for an event that involves children. And the boots and tights… She couldn’t have been more spot on in accessorizing a ’60s classy-vibe dress to make it look modern and cool. I personally think that sheer hose and nude heels would have a disastrously aging look with this dress.
The only minor problem is the creasing on the dress. Though not severe, it kind of bugs me. But I can forgive it this time since she always looks postively spotless in all her other outfits.
I love, love, love this ensemble! That color makes me so happy! How wonderful to have a splash of spring green in the middle of grey winter. I love the pocket detailing. The boots are a fun change of pace for the DoC. If funds allowed, I would purchase this entire ensemble for myself.
I really like this look. The colour is vibrant and the dress less formal than some other dresses she has worn, and therefore perfect for visiting children’s schools. Although I agree with some of the posters that pants would perhaps be more appropriate for the venue, women of the royal family rarely wear pants to official functions. I also love the boots and dark tights. Overall, this is a big hit for me.
The shock of colour from Kate’s dress was a very welcome brightness amid February gloom. I love the Eponine styling with its clear ‘50s vibe in the slightly raised and enlarged neckline seam on a high-waisted above-the-knee shift. The subtle tailoring features are the kind Kate is so fond of via the front bodice seaming and neat recessed hip pockets. It was a treat to see a properly tailored concealed zipper again and the whole is fresh, fun and spot on for a child-centred visit.
The boots are definitely a wow factor on this occasion, I can scarcely believe Kate was drawn to anything with such a clunky vibe. They’re kept deliciously feminine by the high heel rather than going all-out for flat and grunge, although she was veering that way with the combat-style worn to last months’ kids’ gardening event. This time silver eyelets act as a very nice highlight to offset the colour-blocking in tights and dress. I think black tights were exactly right with this.
Kate’s hair continues to look amazing, and while I’m still not fond of these sentimental heart-shaped earrings, I think they too chime well with a kids’ outing. Kate seems to have pushed the envelope here both in choice of colour and footwear, while keeping well within her conservative comfort zone. Her style sense continues to come on in leaps and bounds; this is a winning outfit for me.
While I don’t normally mind these earrings, I think on a top-to-bottom scan they are just so discordant with the boots in this look. And if it’s the choice of one or the other, I’d keep the boots with the dress and try to find a more (utilitarian + urban + angular) earring.
I think you may have a point there, the disconnect between delicate earrings and sturdy boots has a jarring edge – thanks for pointing it out 🙂
I love the boots and the color and fit of the dress, but I’m not a fan of the cutout pocket and button detailing. I had the initial thought that they looked like cartoon eyes, slanted inward in a cross mood with the buttons as the eyes’ pupils, and now I can’t see anything but that! What a great charity and event and I think it’s wonderful that the Duchess is so devoted to the emotional well being of children. She’s clearly in her element and is such a great representative of the Royal Family.
The shoes make this outfit!! Love them. So edgy.
I really don’t like these boots. They laces make they feel too boot camp-ish. A plainer boot would have been a better choice. Normally I like her footwear choices but the solid black tights and boots just drags it down and makes it feel rely heavy.
Right I was thinking her Aquatalia booties would have really made this outfit more streamlined and mod.
Yes 100%! The Aquatalia booties would have made this look a 10/10 for me.
this is one look i don’t like on kate. i think the tights and boots do not look good with the dress. if she wore nude hose and pumps i feel it would compliment the dress more. i like the pieces separately, especially the boots. she needs to wear them with something different than what she has on.
Kate looks good, as she usually does.
The dog is utterly adorable.
Great outfit today! Nailed it on the tights and boots combo. Fantastic color on her, that clear bottle green. Even though she’s completely covered, somehow this combination (maybe the lower neckline and wearing her hair down?) doesn’t appear prim or stodgy like some of the more buttoned up looks. Detailing on the dress is very nice, and it was probably fairly warm and looks like it might even be comfortable!
I love this dress!! A nubby boucle is one of my favorite fabrics, and I really enjoy the mod shape and minimalist vibes. The only change I would have made is a shorter hem. Kate is young (and hopefully still a bit hip) and I think the dress would look better if it hit lower mid thigh instead of right above the knee. Especially because the opaque black tights with chunky suede boots would keep it appropriate! I really like her boots–well done with the chunky boots, Kate! She looks young and modern and still appropriate. I adore the Kelly green (I believe this is what this shade is called?). Very well done!
I’m not sure how a higher hemline would have worked with Kate’s squatting and bending over to the children. My guess is, not very well. Even with the opaque tights.
I hadn’t thought of that, but good point. Dresses with fuller skirts can accommodate bending over much better than a dress like the one she’s wearing.
She looked so cute today! I love the way her hair relaxed throughout the day, it was such an elegant but easy look.
She looks so pretty today!
For some odd reason… I just can’t get myself to love the boots! I think they take away from the delicate detailing of the dress.
I actually quite like the dress! This shade of green was a surprise, but the style is very ‘Kate.’ In fact, I think this looks quite like the dresses she wears while pregnant (no… I do NOT think she is pregnant again, just noting the style!).
People will hate me for saying this, but of all the times to wear nude shoes & hose, I think this would have been perfect. I personally am a huge fan of black tights and boots, but in this particular case, I’m sure it works.
Overall, not a major flop, but not one of my favourite Duchess looks.
That video where she shows the children the photo was so sweet and down to earth.
It’s a cute dress but seems so similar to the zip-up Erdem coat/coatdress from the not-too-distant past: https://whatkatewore.com/2014/04/12/its-erdem-and-suzannah-for-childrens-hospice-cambridge-visit-cycling-center-opening/. I often wonder what the point is of investing in pieces that are so similar?
It looks fuller, more A-line, on the model. I wonder if she had it taken in a bit.
I think the boots are a lot of fun. Outside the norm for her, for workwear at least, but they go with the youthful vibe of the dress. Would love to have them in my own closet, but heaven knows I already have more black boots than any one person should reasonably have.
I so admire this mission of the Duke and Duchess, which is close to my own heart. People had a nice piece on today’s events, noting James Middleton’s struggles with mental illness, which he has spoken openly about: https://people.com/royals/kate-middleton-steps-out-childrens-mental-health-week/?utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_twitter_peoplemag&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=peoplemagazine,
I was reminded of that coat strongly as well! If I have to pick one, I think I prefer this dress which seems to sit better/more comfortably.
I prefer this dress as it seems nice and comfortable. That Erdem coat looked so stiff and uncomfortable probably because she wore it zipped up even inside.
Jessica, pretty much agree with everything you said. I was instantly reminded of the same dress, which to me looks like a gree bathrobe or toweling robe. Frankly, this dress also looks like a green robe to me, and I wondering how many she needs in her wardrobe?
I like the boots and would totally wear them myself. I think she was trying to go with a mod vibe, which would have worked better with the original pink version IMO. I like the earrings a lot, but not sure that they go with this ensemble, especially if she was indeed trying to look retro/mod with the boots.
Overall, what she wears matters so much less than the cause she is supporting, and I think she is doing a fantastic job.
Cute boots, but the dress…..This would have been the perfect venue for slacks and one of her stunning jackets. Her charity patronages are clearly important to her and reflect her commitment to children and families.
I am living for those boots! I really like this outfit. I like the green color of the dress and the cut of the dress. I also love the look of opaque black tights with boots. This is totally an outfit I could see myself putting together. Just need to get me a pair of cool boots like those!
Love this. Good color, and I like that it is shorter to offset the high neckline. The boots are cute. The overall effect is much more youthful (but not too young) than her usual outfits. My only quibble is that it seems a bit baggy in the middle.
I also just really like how she has blossomed in the past few months at events. She seems just so much more engaged and chill…I don’t think that a couple of years ago she would have knelt down to cuddle with a doggie, and i think it is great.
No surprise that it’s her family who make the Duchess happy!
I like this new dress – it makes a change from the silhouette clinging styles she often chooses, and I love the colour. She has had it made with longer sleeves than shown on the model; an improvement, in my book.
Fun, vibrant and perfect for the Primary School Visit. The booties really are cute!