Blue Jenny Packham Post-Maternity

This week the Duchess gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  For the official hospital departure "photo call" Kate stepped out in a powder blue Jenny Packham dress with little white polka dots.  Apparently she was on a bit of a polka dot trend for her pregnancy.

She looks great but of course since the occasion certainly merited it, she did with a bit of help from a hair stylist!

The dress was a high-waisted cut with short sleeves.  Its very simple and there's not much to say about this look in retrospect since if we take away the circumstances its a rather boring and safe look.  If she's going to go with a custom designer piece, I'd at least like the dress to scream quality and I don't think this does.  I'm not saying she has to go couture glamazon but his dress just looks so plain and home-made.  I really think that with all the lovely looks that come out of Jenny Packham, the design house could have done a bit more.

However I like her in this shade of blue, I love the casual-ness of the outfit.  Above all I love the comfort of it, I really love that this look does away with the vanity (fantasy!) of having to be pin-thin immediately after giving birth.  Like all mortal women she has a bit of post-pregnancy related belly that the high waist helps accommodate. 

Image via StyleBistro.

There were rumors among the media and bloggers that Kate paid a "Diana" tribute of sorts by emerging in a similar blue polka-dotted dress just as her predecessor had done.  In that sense I must admit I am a bit of a dissenter since if it is true, I really wish she had chosen to do her own thing.  She already has the ring, she can afford to be her own royal.

There were also rumors that it was a tribute to "blue for boy" since the Cambridge couple had opted to not know the sex of the baby beforehand and there was another of the same dress in pink on stand-by.  If that rumor is true then it was a cute play on a public "gender reveal".

For you non-post-maternity style mavens out there, here are a couple of similarly suited blue-with-white-polka-dot frocks.

First up is this one by Fred Flare.  Since we are talking non-maternity, this one is decidedly in that category with a belted natural waist and "skater" (mini) length.

The color is less the powder blue shade of Kate's but the overall neckline, sleeves, and skirt - with the exception of the non-maternity waist - is a pretty good dupe!

This dress is available for pre-order from Fred Flare for approximately $44 U.S.

Fred Flare - "Blue Me Away" polka dot dress.

As long as we are on the subject of non-maternity looks, I really love this next dress from Modcloth by Emily & Fin.

Okay so it is a bit further removed from Kate's very simple dress.  However it is so cute with the collar, key hole neckline, and banded waist that I couldn't resist adding it.  It is still Kate-inspired with its round neckline, sleeves, and gathered waist, it just much cuter!

This one is available from Modcloth and retails for approximately $99 U.S.  It is so cute I might just have to get it for me!

Emily & Fin via Modcloth - "Set Me Free" dress in dots.

Teal Jenny Packham Evening Gown

Here's one I thought I'd never have a repliKate for - Kate's teal Jenny Packham evening gown.  She debuted this gown exactly one year ago at the Olympic concert at Royal Albert Hall in May of 2012.

Credit - StyleBistro.

There are so many notable features to this gown but what seems to stand out is the neckline.  The Queen Anne style, which is how this neckline is called, features an open front with a high, raised collar at the back of the neck.  This was also the style of neckline on Kate's Alexander McQueen wedding gown.  In this case it is a low plunging neckline accented with sheer lace and a pleated bodice.  The skirt is also pleated and is finished in a jeweled belt detail.

The back of this gown is sheer lace with delicate crystal accents, as are the short sleeves, and it is finished in a button line closure and a bow detail at the waist.

Credits: StyleBistro.

Now the color of this gown just bowls me over.  I like Kate in a strong jewel tone and I think the gown is lovely - for a Hollywood starlet.  This plunge is little low-cut and daring (not in a good way) and paired with that sheer back it is just too filmy and bare up top for her position.  I would have preferred to have seen the neckline raised just a bit more so the emphasis would be more on her face, not the daringly low cut chest.

Credits: StyleBistro.

A version of this 2012 gown was featured in both the Jenny Packham Bridal collection in white with the style name "Aspen" and the Ready-to-Wear Spring collection in color as look number 8.  Customization to Kate's gown was most notable in the color of course, a pleated bodice and skirt as opposed to gathered in the original versions, and a slight raising of the neckline up from the waist a few inches.
Jenny Packham gowns range in price from the hundreds to the thousands.

Credits: left, Jenny Packham Bridal 2012 collection, style name "Aspen";

right, Jenny Packham Ready-to-Wear Spring 2012 collection, look 8.

The duplicate I have found is by none other that Allen Schwartz, the replica king famous for his accessible copies of the unforgettable red carpet gown.  Just check out his dupe of a famous Stella McCartney gown.

This is a very spot on look-a-like with few noticeable adjustments.  However the bold impact of the gown remains true to the original inspiration.

This gown retails for approximately $562 USD, on sale for approximately $268.

Credits: A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz via BlueFly, teal silk chiffon and lace embellished gown.

An identical short version of the gown is also available in black.

This gown retails for approximately $395 USD, on sale for approximately $239.

Credits: A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz via BlueFly, black silk chiffon and lace dress.

Kate Inspired by... Yellow Shirt Dresses

Hello to anyone out there, just wanted to let you know progress here has been slow I know and I am sorry about that.  I don't have any intention just yet to let this blog go completely but I still am planning some changes.  In the mean time let's continue on to the fashion!

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The Duchess seems to like yellow shirt dresses for those famous worldwide traveling tours.  Yellow, according to Color Wheel Pro, is a color that promotes cheerfulness, energy, spontaneity, and attracts attention.  Fitting for Kate then as it seems she very much enjoys attention.

First was this pale yellow Jenny Packham for the Cambridge's Canada tour of 2011 with short sleeves, collar, high waist, and A-line silhouette.
My first post on it was here.  In a nutshell, I was not too big a fan of this dress.  I found it a bit boring, the color not very interesting, and the thin, silky skirt inappropriate for the windy setting since it provided various uncomfortable oops moments for Kate.  I think she would have preferred being able to concentrate on the day's events instead of constantly being worried about her skirt (and her hair) flying everywhere.

Via DM.

For the Asia tour of 2012 Kate wore this bright yellow dress by Jaeger with gathered cap sleeves, collar, drop waist pleated skirt, and self belt.  The material on this dress looks to be a fresh cotton or a cotton blend, which helps hold those stiff pleats and collar.
I was a big fan of this dress, both for the bolder color and the cut.  I also think Kate looks best in fuller silhouettes like this pleated skirt and the fabric and style was a good choice for the tropical Asia climate.  I think a pony tail might have kept her cooler but overall the modified shirt dress style was great for the setting.

Via StyleBistro. 

The first repliKate is this shirt dress by thie Limited with button placket, bodice pockets, and gathered skirt.  This is a little bit of the Jenny Packham dress shape with the bolder almost acid yellow of the Jaeger dress.

The Limited short sleeve shirt dress yellow.

This Eshakti dress is in poplin cotton with a shorter bodice and button line, cap sleeves, slightly high waist, and pleated skirt.  This is a good look-a-like of the Jaeger dress right down to the slightly similar pleated skirt and capped sleeves.

Eshakti retro poplin dress in yellow ochre.

Jenny Packham yellow dress

During the Canada tour of 2011 on a stop at Calgary, the Duchess wore this bright yellow Jenny Packham dress.  Its not quite a shirt dress but the bodice is definitely styled like one, with a button front placket, collar, and short sleeves, paired with a flowy A-line silhouette skirt.

Via DM.

Let me just say the dress is fine, but it isn't a very exciting or interesting dress and paired with the nude shoes the outfit itself is a bit boring.  The waistline here has a bit of awkward placing because it is a bit high, making the bodice fit short on Kate's long torso.  I think the combination of the high waistline paired with an above the knee hemline isn't very good on Kate since it makes her dresses look like the fit is too short for her.
But I like the good balance and proportion of Kate strong shoulder with a fuller skirt.  The fuller sleeves do help mask and soften that strong shoulder while the full skirt helps give a feminine shape.  I like when she mixes it up with fuller silhouettes since she does seem to favor the sheaths.
The only downside is that it was not as appropriate for the windy condition and as you can see in the photo she struggled to keep the hem wrangled  Maybe a slip would have helped or maybe dress weights, but for future reference this would be one occasion where her more structured sheath silhouettes would be better suited.

I didn't find a ready made repliKate but I did come across this interesting pattern set for any of you DIY-ers out there.  It features a pattern for a dress almost identical to Kate's.  It has the same button down bodice with collar and sleeves paired with a flowy fuller skirt.  It even appears to have similar dart placing at the bodice.
Its a bit of a coincidence that the yellow dress is featured so prominently in the envelope, so clearly it is meant to be an inspiration of Kate's original.  The other dress in the set is a long sleeved wrap style.

Simplicity brand pattern set # 1880.

Kate-Inspired by... Gala Gowns

Most of what the Duchess wears is well-received but a couple of Jenny Packham evening gowns in 2011 particular thrilled fashion aficionados.

One was this beautiful rose-gold version to the ARK Gala on June 2011.

It is a great color in general and with Kate's coloring its just a smidge similar to her skin tone but not so much so that it washes her out much.  I think that slightly angled waistline does work really well with her long torso and the bias drape of the skirt really helps give shape to her narrow frame.  The dress has such detail and such a soft and lovely neckline that I wish she would have chosen to have her hair off her shoulders for once to show it off.

Now I'm going to nitpick my personal pet peeve here and comment for a bit on the strong shoulder line here.  Kate's athletic frame needs a bit of help shaping a feminine figure and softening the strong angles, especially at the shoulder line.  I just feel the puffiness of the top of the bodice adds sharpness to those angles instead of softening and minimizing them.  The dress is really amazing and with a bit of tailoring it could have really flattered her strong, angular frame.

Credits: Reuters via I.B. Times.

The second was a silver one shoulder Grecian style gown, worn to a gala held at St. James' Palace.
Now this one is much more flattering to her figure because it softens a lot of her hard angles.  I think the full volume of this gown really helps evens out her top and bottom halves as well; she still looks super-slim and athletic, but more proportioned and her waistline here sits just right.
The only good front side pictures I could find are below -- I particularly like the one on the right with Kate in the "boys club" since it looks like they're sharing a joke that seems to have passed her by!
From what you can see, the asymmetric one shoulder really helps narrow out that wide shoulder line, and the one draped sleeve really helps soften those arms.

Credits: Reuters via I.B. Times.

I found a few gowns that are not exact repliKates but are very much in the "Kate-inspired" style of these designer original inspirations.

First up is this embellished Adrianna Papell draped gown.  (Its two different pictures from two different retailers but clearly the same gown.)  The bodice is a draped and blousy asymmetric one sleeve style with bias godet skirt.  I think it has a bit of elements from both, as if this would be the result if you meshed both gowns together.
Retails for approximately $340 U.S.

Adrianna Papell gown - left via Von Maur; right via Macy's. 

This grey gown, also by Adrianna Papell, clearly mimics the Kate's silver Grecian gown above.  It is a matte chiffon with asymmetric detail and draped shoulder with gathered skirt.

Retails for approximately $158 U.S.

Adrianna Papell via Dillard's - draped grecian gown.

Last but not least is this lace Tadashi Shoji gown.  It is a champagne colored lace overlay full length gown with one shoulder.  It is probably the least similar of the gowns but it still shares elements of both, such as the one shoulder and the metallic shade.
Retails for approximately $400.

Tadashi Shoji via Bloomingdales - one shoulder lace and sequins gown.