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Tuesday, 27 September 2016

The Duchess in Dolce & Gabbana for Kelowna Visit

Fresh from last night's glamorous reception at Government House (if you haven't already seen Kate's to-die-for red Preen dress click this way) the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travelled to Kelowna for the fourth day of Royal Tour Canada 2016.

William and Kate received a warm welcome upon arrival.

Rebecca English noted William and Kate are the first royals to visit the city of Kelowna since William's parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana did so thirty years ago.

"I'm really pleased they're coming—they're a nice example of the royal family," said Marie Ablett, a member of the local branch of the United Empire Loyalists, a group whose members celebrate their British family ancestry.

The Sept. 27 arrival of William and Kate, and their children George and Charlotte, will be a bit of a Kelowna tradition for Ablett. "I saw Princess Margaret when the (Okanagan Lake) bridge opened in 1958," said Ablett. "She was so tiny. Barely five-feet and under 100 pounds. You don't expect the royal family to be so small."

The next time she saw the royals was when Princess Diana and Prince Charles arrived in Kelowna May 3, 1986, just a few days before the opening of Expo '86. An estimated 25,000 people turned out to see Charles and Diana, but Ablett, her husband and her son managed to get quite close.

"We were only 20 feet away from them," she said. "We stood for an hour before they arrived. But it was absolutely wonderful." Ablett said Charles and Diana drove through town in a cavalcade, then they walked to the podium in City Park, near the rose Gardens. Mayor Walter Gray introduced the couple, referring to Prince Charles as Prince Phillip. "It didn't matter, we knew who he was," said Ablett.'

Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. Its name derives from an Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear". Kelowna is the third largest metropolitan area in the province and ranks as the 22nd largest in Canada, with a population of 179,839 in 2011.

The couple visited the University of British Columbia Okanagan. The university is a leader in research in environmental sustainability and resilience, conservation, ecology and resource management. The institution has cultivated a relationship with the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) to better provide tailored networks for Indigenous students, including an Aboriginal centre and Aboriginal Access Studies program.

The royals received quite the athletes introduction with their heights announced.

Rebecca English Twitter

William and Kate watched a women's volleyball game.

UBC Okanagan Heat women’s volleyball team in action!

William and Kate were given matching jerseys with 'Cambridge' on the back after watching a women's volleyball game.

Meeting the crowd.

The royals unveiled a plaque marking the conclusion of the 10-year anniversary celebration of the University of British Columbia Okanagan and the 100th anniversary of the University of British Columbia.

Next on the agenda, A Taste of British Columbia showcasing British Columbia’s agri-food and seafood industries at Mission Hill Family Estate. The Duke and Duchess toured stations of samples and displays that showcase the diversity and bounty of the province’s agri-food and seafood industry.

Rebecca English reported they tried geoduck, which is a type of clam. William said 'presentationally they are quite challenging'. Kate admired its 'firm texture'. When asked if she like cooking Kate said "Yes, especially curries".

The Duchess meeting young participants in the Chefs in the Classroom program.

Prince Williams played a few chords :)

A nice video of William and Kate meeting 'little chefs'.

Prince William and Kate shake hands, speak with kid chefs at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in B.C. https://t.co/fFyFhkodqf

The bottle-green dress features gold-toned buttons down the front, a bow-tie collar, and a ruffled trim along the sleeve seals. The decorative pocket watch detailing is an eye-catching addition to the dress; it's crafted of sequin, crystal, and gold bead pocket watch appliqué. It retails for $3,545 and is currently available at Matches and My Theresa.

Matches

The $3,545 dress is described this way:

'Dolce & Gabbana is inspired by the magical world of fairy tales for AW16. This bottle-green dress is cut from smooth stretch-crepe, and playfully embroidered with a pocket watch motif in reference to ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. A self-fastening neck tie and polished gold-tone acetate buttons draw the eye down to the elegantly nipped-in waist. '

When we heard the Duchess was wearing Dolce & Gabbana, we expected a lace dress. It was a lovely surprise to see her trying something new from the label. It's a lovely dress. Do you like it? Would you have liked to see Kate wear the original with the pocket watch detail?

The Monica Vinader website adds: "Onyx is a chalcedony consisting of fine bands of quartz and morganite in a variety of colours. Our green onyx comes from India and is enhanced with natural dyes to attain its strong, pure bright green colour."

'Monica Vinaders Siren range features an array of coloured gemstones and organic shapes inspired by sea-worn treasures and the glamour of southern Italy. Simple and sophisticated, the Siren Wire Earrings are great for everyday wear and boast a multi-faceted Green Onyx gemstone encased in 18 karat gold plated vermeil on sterling silver.'

Great day-dress. I know some people will think it old and frumpy. I think it's very nice, traditional and retro. Not too fond of the little bow, but it's not terrible. I like the gold and green combo. Cannot wait for the rest of the day once more!

Looking lovely and so appropriate again. Huge crowds again. Twitter anti katers sure get themselves in twist before they realize the true extent of engagements. There was such a big element of seriousness at the beginning of this engagement and casual would not do. Well done again Kate!

She looks good but not a dress to my liking. The tie and retro vibe worked better being a bit hip and campy with the watch detail but the tie and sleeves and big gold/brass buttons just to make the dress look very little girl.

I don't like that shade of green or the cut of the dress :( I watched the live streaming and I actually felt sorry for William and Kate. It was obvious that they wanted to talk to the students but they were herded along and then had to sit on a stage and listen to dignitaries and then be hurried along again. Hope they get a chance to meet and greet--that is obviously what they really enjoy.

Oh, dear. Kate knocked it out of the park last night with the red dress and perhaps that triumph has meant today's dress just falls flat. I hate to criticise Kate because she gets so much unwarranted criticism but I really can't see any feature that might make the dress appealing. It's an awful colour with a frumpy neck tie and terrible cut. Those buttons have a very 70s vibe. Perhaps with the watch and worn in a kooky way this dress would work. It really doesn't as a plain piece.

Not likeing the clothes is not critiquing her per se. If you had said she's not living up to expectations or saying it impacted her role because you didnt like the dress, then yes. BUt we can't like everything she's wearing. Personal taste doesn't work that way :P

Wonderful! I've been wanting to see Kate more in green - the correct shade of green that suits her skin tone and sets off her eyes and here it is! - A beautiful dress, the right length and a lovely style on Kate. Only quibble is that it is either pulling a trifle or a little creased but it is so pretty I'm glad to skim happily right by that. Will be interested to see what earrings she's wearing. That style suits Kate's figure with the flared skirt and buttons!! So often Kate has chosen outfits with covered plackets or zips - delighted to see buttons (these small pleasures in life!)

Looks like a great engagement too -- glad they're following in Diana's footsteps.

The bodice is either too tight or too long, causing those creases. But I like this dress and indeed, it is a beautiful shade of green. Maybe Kate can encourage the return of green, which is hard to find! The skirt is beautifully flared and the perfect length. Compare Diana's skirt length!

I agree! This is one of her best colors. The dark green makes her hair pop and her skin glow. I wish she would wear it more often. The design of the dress is very nice with pretty vintage details. Unfortunately, there are some fit issues with the bodice but even with those, this is a total win for me. Wish she wore a different pair of shoes. She could really play with her shoes with this piece. Her new earrings are beautiful. Actually, I almost bought them several months ago but I rarely wear yellow gold anymore, so decided against them. The color of the stone is striking.

Yes, I am bummed that she took off the pocket watch detail of the dress. It's such a fun detail that would have been so nice. I also don't like the way the dress is pulling on the top around her chest. It's like it is 1 size too small and needs just a bit more room.

I love the silhouette of the dress and it is quite lovely color and she looks great in it.

What a beautiful fall color on the Duchess. Her locks really look lush against the green. Would love to see how this dress moves as she walks. It's such a pleasure to see her experimenting with fresh new styles!

I like the dress. I prefer it without the clock on it, but at the same time, the dress to me looks incomplete without the clock. I think that a nice brooch would have looked great. I also think that her chocolate Emmy suede heels would have looked great with the green. As usual Kate looks gorgeous.

For the life of me I don't understand why Kate's hair stylist fails at Kate's hairstyles when she wears it down. I just compare it to the blowouts she had in 2011 and 2012 and this looks nowhere near as amazing as then.

Yes, I agree Rebecca-Sweden! Pregnancy/nursing/post-partum hormones/stress all change hair texture, skin, etc. I have only one child who's almost 5 y/o & my hair will never be the same!! i too miss Kate's newlywed hair but I greatly empathize with what she went thru to have her beautiful children.

Funny enough, I think her hair look WONDERFUL today! I really love today's dress, too (yikes about the clock embellishment, so happy about her custom version).

And Kate truly lights up in the presence of children. Compared with the first couple days of "serious" engagements with their political, cultural, historical tensions, I can see a lightness about her today.

I wasn't in love with yesterday's outfits, but this is a winner! I can see this as a solid repeat for future too. I was only thinking last night she hasn't worn D&G for a while, nor any new green. Curious she hasn't worn many Canadian designers as yet (as opposed to this stage of the Indian tour she had worn a few local designers).

Thank goodness she ditched that hideous embellishment! I can't imagine her wearing it, so I doubt that there was ever any question about it. She looks wonderful in highly saturated colors; the blue and this green have been my favorites so far.

This is a classic Kate dress: buttoned up, a little prissy, a little fussy, but all in all I like it. Her style works for her. I think it is the gorgeous green color that makes this dress pop, both by itself and for the occasion. To answer your question, Charlotte, thank goodness she had D&C make her one without that distracting, strange watch! I know people will complain about her tan shoes, but I think they work, too.

I haven't posted for the last two days, so must get in my two-cents worth about them! Last night's head to toe red ensemble (just the mono-palette I suggested in my arrival outfit for her ;)) was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The neckline, the shape and sweep of the dress, her hair, her make-up--it was all stunning. I would NOT have had her wear strappy shoes; the red worked. I think the naturalistic shape of the earrings contrasted nicely with the sharp tailoring of the dress. Just a knockout, one of her best looks ever.

Her boots, jeans, sweater, jacket look of the afternoon was nicely done. I started out wondering about her choice of earrings with it, but they grew on me, and once I knew they were by a Canadian, that sealed the deal.

I have to thank Anon 00:59 and Christen from NY for commenting on Monday that the McQueen dress was based on a cowgirl outfit, Yes! Just imagine it with kicky cowboy boots and you can see it. I loved the dress and it being a western style underneath it all is wonderful. Did Kate realize it? Or intuit it? In any case, you couldn't get more western high-style chic than that for a day in a cosmopolitan western city. Also, thanks to Stephanie Marshall-White's comment that she saw Kate and said it worked. Nice to have on-scene validation.

So far Kate has done a remarkable job of choosing thoughtful, fun, and regal outfits. Can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve in the remaining days.

You are welcome, but it was Christen NY who first got me on the trail to validate her perceptions. Sure enough, today, at the wine tasting there were cowboy/cowgirl shirts with the band up the front and on the cuffs. Theirs were in black but Kate's were in white (on her red and white dress) and the buttons echoed Kate's or visa-versa.

Someone said only cowboy stuff in Calgary. I saw cowboy/cowgirl shirts prominently with Kate and William at the events today, and their host, among others, wore a cowboy hat. Kudos, Christen.

Oooh, I love this dress! So 1940's!!! Even the forest green is of the era. Very sweet on Kate, love the nude shoe with it, wish the hair was up somehow, it fusses a bit with the bow and pretty puffed shoulders. But she is radiant and I love this choice! :)

Nice dress.. Like the colour and button detailing very much.. Was hoping for a nice half up-half down hair style today, which in my opinion would have looked nicer with the dress.. I feel the lose hair cover the nice sleeves and take away from the front of the dress too.. Any thoughts?? I would have been thoroughly shocked had she not customised this dress without the pocket watch.. Can't expect so much bling on the duchess! I'm glad she had it removed from hers..

I would NOT like to have had her wear the watch patch. Costumey, weird. Thankfully, she has way more sense than that. Everyone would have been staring (in unbelief) at the watch and not watching the ceremony. (Although I thought the ceremony was kind of weird on it's own, kind of like an obvious left-handed compliment at best.)

Costumey really is the right word. I really love that pocket watch on the dress. It's whimsy and fun and fashion and art. It works great on the runway, a red carpet etc. But it is not the right thing for a royal engagement. So I think Kate made the right choice.

Another day another gorgeous dress she has not put a foot wrong this tour, the colour of this dress suits her colouring beautiful, i much prefer the dress without the embellishment of the watch, bit tacky if im honest maybe on someone else but not on cathrine!

I am really loving the choices of the duchess this tour! She is really experimenting with colors and silouhettes! Love this dress! I am going to have to buy a cheaper version of this dress. Hello China! 😊

The people in cowboy shirts (yes, cowboy shirts and it isn't Calgary), had the black banding up the front of the shirt with black cuffs, like Kate's red and white dress only her bands and cuffs were white. Notice the "buttons", same genre as Kate's. If they weren't wearing slacks, I am sure the women would be wearing a short tiered skirt to go with the cowboy shirt. Kate's red and white was a nod to a cowgirl dress I am sure.

The people in cowboy shirts (yes, cowboy shirts and it isn't Calgary), had the black banding up the front of the shirt with black cuffs, like Kate's red and white dress only her bands and cuffs were white. Notice the "buttons", same genre as Kate's. If they weren't wearing slacks, I am sure the women would be wearing a short tiered skirt to go with the cowboy shirt. Kate's red and white was a nod to a cowgirl dress I am sure.

The people in cowboy shirts (yes, cowboy shirts and it isn't Calgary), had the black banding up the front of the shirt with black cuffs, like Kate's red and white dress only her bands and cuffs were white. Notice the "buttons", same genre as Kate's. If they weren't wearing slacks, I am sure the women would be wearing a short tiered skirt to go with the cowboy shirt. Kate's red and white was a nod to a cowgirl dress I am sure.

Very pretty! Kate is doing very well to wear solid colors, with the exception of the fussy Vancouver dress. (I think she should generally avoid Sarah Burton, even though some of her simpler outfits have been wonderful.) I wonder whether Kate was tempted by the pocket watch!

I was just able to watch some wonderful video clips from Kate's Entrance last night, as well as the Ceremony by the Fireplace & Kate Mingling, via CTV.ca They have a Live Feed of Today's Events that I've been watching & video & News Coverage from the moment they landed. It's great to Check out!:) xo

I was curious, if anyone knows, we have seen The Lovely Premiere & The GG at most all The Events thus far... No Justin & Sophie? I know they were expected to meet them when W&K arrived via Float Plane to Vancouver ( & the CTV News Commentators commented on this, wondering where he was?) Do any of our Canadian DKB Friends have a better understanding of this? I know nothing of him & just remember lots of speculation that the 4 would hit it off famously as they would be spending much time together? Perhaps I misunderstood! xo

Becca, it could be protocol. I notice that the B.C. premier, Christy Clark, has been sticking to them like a limpet (she is in so many shots that even some of the Press are commenting) so perhaps Justin & Sophie stand back for the true "B.C." events. But that puzzles me because the First Nations have as much to do federally as they do provincially. It could be Justin is avoiding the political morass at this time.

Actually Trudeau spent an unusually long time with the royals on this tour. Normally they meet on the opening day of the tour and maybe one other time. Very unusual for a PM to spend the whole day with them as he did.

I'm getting the impression that this tour was Trudeau throwing a bone to the First Nations tribes due to all the pressure and problems he's had from the west coast. I don't think it's customary for a prime minister of a country to be with them all the time they're in his country. He would, of course, if the queen was visiting but they weren't accompanied all the time by the prime ministers of Australia or India on those tours.

i'm so not a fan of this dress, first i do not like this color on kate i'm not really a fan of grean perion. i don't care for the style eighter the collar and sleves remind me of a little girls dress shoes and bag same old same old. love the earings and her hair is pretty today. thank god she had the watch removed.

I absolutely adore this dress, though perhaps it does seem a bit out of place for a day of fairly casual engagements? In any case, it's gorgeous and I do love the clock detail although I understand why she had it removed, it's not really her style. It would be a cute detail on a top.

It wasn't really that casual. Multiple dignitaries, celebrating 10 years of the wing and uncovering an artwork to highlight the connection between the First Nations of the are and the school. So I think it was a good choice of dress on her part.

I actually prefer the dress without the pocket watch embellishment. I think the embellishment makes the dress look less expensive and sophisticated. The version that Kate chose to wear is much improved, in my opinion!

I do wish she would have worn a bracelet instead of her Cartier watch - maybe something in an accent color? Or her gold charm bracelet with her insignia on it? Just something besides the watch. Overall, that's a minor quibble. She looks amazing!

I'd expect when she's shaking hands, a loose bracelet could get in the way, could also come unclasped and fall. The watch is snug on her wrist so it doesn't interfere with meeting and greeting. I also see that she tends to have nervous hands when she's not carrying a clutch so probably better to be seen just with your hands together than fiddling with a bracelet.

Yes :) exactly, lol. I agree the dress is better without it. Actually, I'm not enthusiastic about the dress but I realised again that she looks great in practically everything. Do you thing the green colour could have anything to do with beautiful Canadian forests?

Oooooh, I love this! I was half expecting to see jeans, wedges and the Smythe jacket today for volleyball and wine tasting, so this is a massive pleasant surprise. This shade of green looks great on her and it makes a lovely change from the blues and reds of recent days. I honestly wouldn't change a thing about today's look. For me, the pocket watch is a pointless bit of frippery that doesn't enhance the dress at all and I think it would have been a bit rude to her hosts to walk around all day implying that she was running late for a very important date! Without the watch was definitely the way to go. Another stunning winner from Kate. Wow, this tour is turning into a classic.

I have loved everything she has worn on this trip, but I really don't like this dress! I do see why she chose it- it stands out, it is stretchy/comfortable and it's tight at the bottom so it won't blow up. I think it reminds me of a really cheap polyester dress I had when I was young. I love her new earrings and the fact that she removed the clock from the original design, though.

I guess it is a nice day dress but i personally just don't like the fit ...it seems too tight Not one of my favourites, it is ok. Can't wait to see her casual look in the next day or so...thks again Charlotte for the quick post

One more thing- this is my favorite color on her. When she wears green to hand out shamrocks to the military I always comment how wonderful she looks, it just dawned on me: I'm a fan of the color green on her.

Thank God she didn't go with the original dress with the pocket watch. That's hideous. I do LOVE the version she has on and truly think this is my favorite tour in terms of attire. Even William's outfits have improved!

While this won't be on my list of favorites, I think the dress is pretty, and I'm glad she had the watch detail removed - I think that was awful. I also think this is a nice shade of green on Kate. Funny how, with every outfit, so many people have opposite reactions! Additionally, I think her hair is lovely today.

I'm looking forward to seeing Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Is that Thursday?

Love the green color--looks gorgeous on her but don't particularly like the style at all. There are things I do like about the dress, besides color. I love the length and the flared skirt. Hate the shoes. Please don't get me started on her one-style shoe closet. No.hope. Great post and she does look lovely!

This is nitpicky but bothers me quite a lot. There are no side darts at the bodice, but rather seams up the side area but....um....something is not right. Either she needs a wayyy better bra or the dress is not fitted properly. For that much money, it should fit like it was made especially for her. I also found her wedding dress to be fitted like that through the bodice and was so disappointing......

Thank you for giving us information quickly. I get bits and pieces other places, but this is the best place to learn all about what William and Catherine are doing. She looks great, and they seem happy, which is the most important part of it all.

I love this dress (full disclosure, green is my favorite color) ... BUT the style is very complimentary and I love the 40s vibe and earrings. It seems like there isn't many colors that Catherine can't wear! And she looks fabulous in the retro style fashions.

I love Kate and usually adore her wardrobe choices, but I've found her quite off-kilter on this trip. Good arrival outfit and great cocktail dress, but the safari jacket was too big through the shoulders, the belt was too wide and cheap looking, and the color, that sallow khaki, took all the color out of her skin. Today's green D&G is inexplicable. It looks childish, the color makes her blend into the background, and it doesn't fit through the chest. Even her hair is letting her down. It looks like she hasn't bothered to style it, just rolled out of bed and ran a hair brush through it. I know that can't be true, but it has definitely been disappointing so far. BC is gorgeous and the people look so happy to see William and Kate that it is a real pleasure to watch the videos.

I am LOVING the slightly vintage feel of this tour wardrobe! And such gorgeous colors--the blue arrival gown, the red Preen (though I wish she had changed out the shoes), and this green (she should wear it more often). I'm glad she left off the pocket watch. It was cute, but a bit random-looking :)

I like the dress, don't love it. I do like the color. Hate it with the pocket watch detail, how hideous. I don't care for the darts in the front, unfortunately are placed to look like nipples (my one complaint about her wedding dress also).

Some readers have commented that they don't think Kate's hair has looked good lately when worn down. There are several reasons that may account for this. Her hair could be changing. I know my hair became less thick as I got older and had children. It could be the water in the area...my hair has always behaved differently when travelling, and can be thicker, thinner, limper, drier, softer, etc, all depending on the water of the area of the country/world. It could be, as I mentioned the other day, just the fact that she's been extremely busy on this trip, taking care of the children on top of all of the activities, and maybe hasn't been putting alot of time into getting her hair styled.

Could be a combination of ferocious humidity, indoor heating/cooling and a lot of product on it in an attempt to quell the frizzies. And I agree w/you on the darts. Darts, unfortunately, tend to end right where they shouldn't on the bustline and they have that same effect on a lot of dresses.

I wish she had worn the original design. I know it is out of ordinary and she would have got extra criticism but turning this into another bespoke dress made this look bland and simple. And while I get it is always a pleasure for every designer when she wears a particular outfit, it is against the whole design. The clock was meant to be there. I regard this as a lost opportunity.

OK, I'm an adventurous eater/foodie but it has to be said.....did anyone else have a little giggle upon seeing the geoduck at the Taste of British Columbia?! I might need to put down the wine glass ;-)

I love the dress but I love the original even more and I wish she'd stuck with the original. It's much more young and fun. A good dress for the event but I still keep getting the feeling that this tour is - I don't want to use the term lowbrow - but rather basic, compared to their other tours. It seems like it's some political gesture by the Trudeau government to appease the Canadians on the west coast and especially the First Nations tribes and peoples, who have been putting up rather a fuss with Mr. Trudeau. It seems like something they were forced into doing, albeit being great sports about it and enthusiastic about the events and gracious to those they meet, rather than something they may have asked to do themselves.

I love this dress!! I've loved all of Kate's dresses so far on this tour - on tours that's usually the case, which is why I always look forward to them so much :) I think she always looks nice but on tours her wardrobe always seems to be more special and colourful, which I prefer :)For myself, I would have chosen the dress with the clock on it but the one without the clock looks so great on her that I don't mind. If she had chosen the one with the clock, she would have definitely had to put her hair back, otherwise the effect would be ruined. Anyhow, I really like both versions of the dress, the colour is really nice and I love the vintage feel it has. If I could choose one of the day dresses she's worn so far on this tour for myself, I'd definitely choose this one.

I have loved every outfit HRH has worn on this tour, including this green dress - love the retro feel to it. Love them, like them or hate them, every dress/outfit choice has been respectful and appropriate and thoughtful. Taste is a personal thing and it's interesting to see how we all respond to the style of an ensemble. But I like to think we all agree that Catherine is representing The Queen and her country beautifully!!! Cara, Australia

I love this dress, and I think the pocket watch, while making the dress more contemporary, would have clashed with the classic style that the Duchess so likes - as do I! She looks beautiful, her hair is stunning and she really seems to be enjoying herself all round. It is also lovely to see her with William and how happy they seem together.

Love the way the volleyball announcer introduced the Cambridges! Moving on to Kate... I love the dress! Prefer it without the pocket watch detail. It is very flattering. The colour is very in at the moment and I like the details - the gold buttons and the bow tie (again very fashionable for the coming season). Also, I like the way she accessorised it with those new emerald earrings, nude clutch bag and shoes. I like the coat matching the dress too and the tartan scarf. Kate has indeed mastered diplomacy through her fashion choices!

I like the dress, it is pretty but thounsands of dollars is way to expensive for it!! I mean, I could understand such a high price tag if it was something very special, for example by a local designer and embroidered by hand or sth similar. But Dolce & gabbana has no connection to Canada that justifies the horrendous price for a rather simple dress.There are so many lovely Dolce & gabbana dresses, I would have much preferred to see her in the D&G short wool dress suggested in the dream looks post & the accessoires suggested there: https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Oj8Uf0kBzw/V-Wz19yQc5I/AAAAAAAA_N8/eRtP-0TadYcZ-vjnjARz-xgtGsPte_oPgCLcB/s1600/look_068.jpg

This dress is one of my all time favourites. Everything about it is simply gorgeous, including (especially!) the colour. And the sleek late 1930s style silhouette fits Kate's body shape perfectly in my opinion. Not many would be able to carry off this dress. I like both versions, with and without the watch and I fully understand why Kate selected the more modest version. Imagine otherwise! Looking through D&G's AW16 collection, there are a few dresses with slightly surreal appliqué elements. For me, they have somewhat of a Schiaparelli vibe and I absolutely adore it.It really makes me quite happy to see Kate in this dress. I would have styled and accessorised it somewhat differently but Kate and I almost never see eye to eye when it comes to the final touches ; )

Royalfan, have you also looked into Elsa Schiaparelli's historic designs from the 30s and 40s? It was revolutionary what she did back then. For example, her collaboration with Dali which - among other creations - produced the lobster dress, famously worn by the Duchess of Windsor. I love it when Kate's style shows a bit of whimsical edge. For me that's a sign of confidence and healthy honour.

Balbina, I'm glad to know that you like the stop watch version of the dress as much as I do! I think it's fun and, yes, "healthy humor"! ;) If Maxima wore it, she would be applauded for the whimsical aspect of it. If Kate wore it, she'd be accused of reminding people that they have a few minutes of her precious time. :))))

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