We have a few items to share today, beginning with two quick updates on dresses worn by the Duchess. The black Issa dress worn by Kate when she went shopping just days before her wedding is now available at My Theresa.

Some readers may recall that Kate did a bit of shopping on April 20 (more on that here), here is how the dress is described:

Deep V-neckline with gathering detail at the waist. Short sleeves with slight gathering at the shoulder. Back seam detailing. Hidden zip at the side. 100% Silk.

The dress is selling for $675 at My Theresa, Sizes 8 & 10 (UK sizing, considered XS & S in US) are wait-listed as of this writing, all other sizes are shown as available. Our thanks to DuchessKateLove on Twitter for the tip on the Issa, she was also kind enough to let us know the Duchess’s ‘Scala’ dress by Joseph is available at Harrods.

This was the frock Kate wore to preview the wedding gown exhibit with the Queen back on July 22.

(Click here for more.)  From the description:

• A classically tailored piece in an on-trend neutral hue, the Joseph Scala dress epitomizes the brand’s effortlessly elegant design aesthetic.
• Pale pink dress, Mock wrap design, Deep V-neckline, Cropped sleeves, Zip closure to side
• 78% acetate, 22% polyester

This dress is also available in many sizes, it is £395, approximately $635 USD at today’s exchange rates.

Next, a look at a fascinating story about Kate’s presence at NY Fashion Week, which kicks off tonight with Fashion’s Night Out.  No, the Duchess isn’t expected to put in an appearance, the reference comes from this piece in the NY Times:

Are the RepliKates Ready to March?

The story examines Kate’s influence on the fashion world, including her appeal to young women.

“Indeed, Kate’s influence will be felt on the runways on Thursday when New York Fashion Week begins, if not in any literal sense, then surely as a state of mind. “We are in a Kate moment,” said Ed Burstell, the managing director for Liberty of London. Mr. Burstell, who expects to see a pronounced Kate effect in New York this week, added that since her recent tours abroad, everyone wants to look like her, to act like her, to be her.

Much of what is said in the story echoes sentiments previously expressed in this space: people have grown weary of a culture honoring over-the-top, scantily clad, blinged-out celebrities. They are looking for more substance from both their stars and their styles.  Some of it is the need for solid ground underfoot as recessionary realities grow ever-more-disturbing, but it is also a desire for respect: apparel and accessories that are appropriate, that allow one to be respectful of one’s surroundings.

More from Ruth La Ferla’s story:

“Kate’s advent is timely nonetheless. Her unflagging graciousness, guileless manner and nonthreatening good looks are viewed by admirers as a tonic, the sparkling antidote to excess. “There’s nothing trashy or vulgar about her,” said Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, which has featured the duchess several times. She dresses her age and never looks out of place.

Designer Wes Gordon was quoted at length in the story, talking about the way younger women respond to Kate’s style.

They could not seem to get enough of her, Mr. Gordon recalled. Not her slim dresses, nor her pumps, her J Brand jeans or see-through hose. But mostly they chattered about her sleeves. Those long sleeves were a touch, said the designer (who will show his spring line at the Hosfelt Gallery on Thursday) that six months ago not one of those girls would have commented on.

It doesn’t take an immense stretch of one’s imagination to see Kate in any of the styles shown above; the print on the first garment is a little loud for the Duchess, but a different belt on the blue dress makes it ‘very Kate,’ the dress on the right is a more covered up version of the Joseph dress we chatted about near the top of the post.

Back to the story, you’ll see the line that has been exploding online in certain forums:

Catherine is, in Mr. Burstell’s term, the anti-Kardashian, a bracing antithesis to the strident style and manner of many Hollywood celebrities, who look so phony by comparison, he said, with their paid endorsements and brand-ambassador deals. Diane Von Furstenberg, whose dresses the duchess has worn, said that she represents a craving for a proper alternative to the housewives, a reference to the popular television reality series.

We highly recommend reading the article in its entirety, click here to do that.  We leave you with a line about the story in The Cut:

“The anti-Kardashian” and you’ve been looking for the perfect three-word way to describe Kate’s look. That is so it, and that is so what the world needs.