For today’s SportsAid workshop Kate was in pieces we have seen before.
Kate has been patron of the organization since April; the group provides financial aid and other support to young athletes. SportsAid’s impact is substantial: two-thirds of the Team GB Athletes competing at last year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games received assistance from SportsAid at one stage of their athletic careers.
Today’s event was at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, in the Copper Box Arena. More from Rebecca English in her Daily Mail story:
The Duchess became patron of the organisation last year and was, said aides, keen to meet the athletes it was helping face-to-face and get a ‘detailed insight into the challenges they face’.
It was Kate’s first solo public engagement since the birth of her baby son Prince George.
Rebecca English/Daily Mail/Mail Online
Olympian Leon Taylor shared this photo of Kate in the mentoring workshop.
Leon Taylor Twitter Feed (@LeonTaylorGB)
Kate in a workshop session.
Another look at Kate speaking with British Wheelchair Basketball team members.
British Wheelchair Basketball Association Facebook
The Duchess clearly enjoyed her time with SportsAid staff, coaches, and athletes.
SportsAid trustee Mark Davies tweeted about Kate’s involvement and interest.
Mark Davies/SportsAid Trustee (@MarkxDavies)
Kate then joined in a volleyball game.
More from People magazine’s story:
“She was really good,” Jordan Dalrymple, a volleyball player who’s benefitted from SportsAid, told PEOPLE of Kate’s effort at the net. “She told me she has played beach volleyball before. We were quite impressed. She had the basic skills down – and in heels.”
Most readers will recognize the pieces Kate wore today, we saw them quite a bit during the Olympics last summer.
Kate had on her Smythe One Button Blazer, shown below at Neiman Marcus. (This was a spring 2011 piece and it is no longer in stock, the picture is merely shown so you can better see details of the garment.) It appears Saks has the Blazer in stock in almost all sizes.
Underneath the jacket, Kate wore her Breton stripe ‘Tori’ top from Ralph Lauren, another item no longer available.
Kate was also wearing skinny jeans by J. Brand. There are different opinions on precisely what pair Kate is wearing. Some think it is the 811 Photo Ready shown below left, others believe it is the 811 Skinny Leg seen below right.
Stylistically they look identical to me. Both have 11-inch leg openings and a 29-inch inseam. The distinction comes in fabric weight and content: the Photo Ready is a heavier weight fabric with a touch of polyester in addition to the cotton and Lycra both pair have. Still others think it is the same pair worn to the Olympics several times, seen above in the photo with Prince William.
UPDATED: With thanks to Eftha, J. Brand says the Duchess was in the 811 Mid-Rise Skinny Leg in navy.
Today’s function also brought the return of those Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon wedges we saw so often during the London 2012 Games, Kate purchased hers at Russell and Bromley. As for playing volleyball in heels that high? More from the Express:
The extra inches of the black cork wedges may have given the duchess a height advantage but she made the most of it as she leapt to reach balls.
Tim Lawler, chief executive of SportsAid, said: “I’m no volleyball expert but I thought she did great. She showed good skills and hand-eye co-ordination.”
He added, joking, that his patron, who was attending her first public SportsAid event, realised she would have to change her footwear for the next visit: “She said ‘I must remember to bring my trainers next time – this is great fun’.”
Ken Goff/GoffPhoto.com/Splash News
The shoes are no longer available in the navy suede version, but they are available in other colors at several retailers, and at discounted prices. We show them below at Neiman Marcus, currently selling at $160.
And the Duchess wore her Kiki McDonough Grace earrings once again.
One last image, Kate leaving the Arena. The photo was shared by People’s Simon Perry.
Simon Perry/People Magazine
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Also today, we want to share updates on several items that have been re-issued or their stock replenished.
- The navy ASOS Maternity dress worn by Kate is back in stock, selling at $44.50 and it has a new name: the Kate dress.
ASOS
- Many thanks to WKW Facebook friend Stephanie Champion Helton, she alerted us to news that an LK Bennett outlet has opened in the Chicago area. The store opened at the new Fashion Outlets of Chicago shopping center in early August.
- In other news about LK Bennett, the company’s fall sale is underway.
LK Bennett
- Another item back in stock (but not on sale), LK Bennett’s Darwin jacket.
LK Bennett
- The cashmere coat Kate wore to Cambridge last November has been reissued by MaxMara. At the risk of being repetitive, guess what the coat is now called? Yep, it is the Kate, available at House of Fraser. The garment is priced at £875, approximately $1400 USD.
Splash News/MaxMara Studio
- Many thanks to WKW Facebook friend Tiffanie, she let us know about the special Royal Infant stamp being offered by Canada Post.
Canada Post
Upcoming Appearances:
- Next Wednesday (the 23rd) is Prince George’s christening, the private event begins at 3pm London time, 10am EDT, 7am PDT.
- Next Thursday (the 24th) Kate attends the 100 Women in Hedge Funds gala at Kensington Palace
LINKAGE:
- Visit the SportsAid website here, the group’s Facebook page is here
- The Telegraph‘s video story can be viewed here
- Another volleyball video from The Daily Mail and The Globe is here
- The Mail’s online story, laden with photos, is here
- Gordon Rayner’s story in the Telegraph is here
- The Express story about the event is here
Anne
Wednesday 23rd of October 2013
The Duchess looks lovely in this casual outfit - i especially love the skinny jeans and high wedges. I would love to see her hair cut by a few inches (maybe 4") - it is distractingly long. Otherwise she looks great.
katefanatic
Sunday 27th of October 2013
while I generally love anything she does, I do have to agree about the hair (and I have longish hair---past my shoulders a bit) but the Duchess is letting hers get a bit too long and it doesn't appear nearly as lovely since she switched hair dressers (please go back to him Kate). As this is a fashion blog, I would point out that the hair is beginning to overpower her fashion choices and it seems to get in the way sometimes. Perhaps an aggressive trim, more updos, and ponytails for sporty events.
Suzy
Tuesday 22nd of October 2013
What fabulous photos! Great to see the Duchess so thoroughly enjoying herself with one of her patronages. Navy is quite flattering on her, I can see why she favors it for many of her "working" pieces.
I don't find the skinnies off putting at all, I think when one is wearing some volume on top (as the Duchess does here with a tailored but still hip length blazer and layering), pairing with a close fitting bottom works.
I do agree that her hair is looking less than its best these days, but I agree that it might be post-partum related... goodness knows pregnancy has done a number on my hair!
Akaleistar
Monday 21st of October 2013
Love that she can rock wedges while playing sports!
Michelle
Monday 21st of October 2013
Has anyone considered that the changing hair might be a postpartum issue? Her lack of shine, luster, etc. that people keep commenting on, and the fact that her style is much "flatter" than normal...most women lose a lot of hair after the baby comes with hormonal changes, etc. Kate looks so great that it's easy to forget she might be dealing with some of the no-so-great side effects of postpartum life!
AshleyOlivia
Tuesday 22nd of October 2013
That is an insightful and very possible observation, Michelle. However, I think most of those commenting are suggesting that the Duchess's hair, while almost always enviable, looked its very best when being styled by James Pryce, her hair stylist for her wedding day and during the Canadian tour.
Personally, I don't object to a little natural wave and body! In this engagement, for example, the more natural feel to her hair delivers a casual look that I find appropriate for this venue. My only real beef with the Duchess's hair has been those wretched bangs she sported briefly last year. I'm so happy those have grown out!
Lauren
Monday 21st of October 2013
Susan, thank you so much for another thoughtful and focused post! I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that you are my favorite, creative, and most refined Kate blogger.
For some commenters, whose thoughts I always love to read, I want to clarify that Kate's jeans are denim jeans cut in the skinny style with a bit of stretch for comfort. Stretch denim skinny jeans are a wholly different garment than jeggings. The latter are leggings composed of stretch / Lycra material that are dyed or textured to resemble denim; or have pockets sewn onto the pant to mimic jeans. Jeggings and skinny jeans aren't interchangeable. It might seem like a nitpicky term to clarify, but it's significant for our purposes since jeggings are completely inappropriate for a professional engagement, whereas skinny jeans are a business casual staple.
For the record, I love Kate's J Brand pieces. I'm wearing a similar pair of Levi's twill stretch skinnies right now!