Kate-Inspired by... Lace Gowns

Full credit for this post goes to the eagle eyed commenter who alerted me to this look-a-like, thanks again!  Remember you can always leave a comment to submit your repliKates!

For reference here is the teal lace Jenny Packham gown from the last post.

This lace and chiffon gown from Tadashi Shoji is a dead ringer for Kate's original, save for the pale french blue shade of course.  I'll admit that the color was enough of a distraction that I can't say I would have picked up on the similar design myself, so thanks again to you commenter!  

Same pleated bodice and gathered skirt, strikingly similar lace raised neckline and sleeves, and an exact imitation of the jeweled waist and gathered skirt.

Credit: Tadashi Shoji, crinkle chiffon and lace gown in blue stone.

It also comes with a sheer back panel to boot.

This gown retails for approximately $488 USD.

Tadashi Shoji's website is filled with amazingly lovely gowns so of course I had a look around and one gown in particular struck a familiar chord.

This chantilly lace gown features a lovely contrasting lace illusion neckline, long sleeves, and a godet skirt and comes in a stunning "blue lagoon" color.

It retails for approximately $548 USD.

Credit: Tadashi Shoji, chantilly lace long sleeve gown in blue lagoon.

It is definitely "in the style of" Kate's navy lace Erdem shift dress but in a gown version.  It has similar sheer lace sleeves, a similar bateau neckline, and even a similar shift silhouette, with the addition of godets to add fullness and shape to the floor length skirt.
She most famously wore her lace dress on the Cambridge's 2011 (?) tour of Canada and at least one other time since.

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.

Kate-Inspired By... Combos

In her day to day life its apparent that the Duchess enjoys her combos.  For more formal, official events she seems to favor a dress, but occasionally for less formal, unofficial events or personal down time she seems to favor a combination outfit put together herself.

All, Pinterest via:TL - People; TM - Instyle; TR - People.

BL - CelebrityGossip; BM - GoFugYourself; BR - FYCatherineMiddleton. 

When I came across this page from the Mango look book for fall, both looks sort of jumped out at me as being something not too far removed from what Kate would wear.

Mango Fall Look Book - tailored blazer.

What do you think?

Kate-Inspired By... blue + blazer

Kate has long favored a blue and black combo, even since before becoming duchess: blue dress worn with a dark blazer.

This is a combination that is so easy to repli-Kate its almost laughable: blue dress + dark top and you're done.
In fact, retailers will even put it together for you.
Take this Antonio Melani look below, that pairs a blue sheath dress with a black cropped cardigan.  The sheath style dress with 3/4 sleeves really looks like something Kate herself would wear.
And presto, you've got a Kate-Inspired look and you didn't even have to put it together yourself.

Antonio Melani via Dillards.

Even this put together look from Sears manages to capture the spirit of a Kate inspired look by combining a blue tinged wrap style dress with a black blazer and a clutch.  And we all know Kate loves blue, loves wrap dresses, loves to pair outfits with blazers, and of course loves her clutches.

Sears - "saucy cocktail outfit".

Kate-Inspired By... Reiss "Shola" dress

I recently put together a post on the Reiss "Shola" dress that the Duchess wore to greet the Obamas.

Below is the dress, a neutral tan, short sleeve shift dress with lots of interesting wrap details.

In my search for the repli-Kates I also came across a couple of nice dresses that while they were not exact or even similar look a likes, I felt they were in the same style of the "Shola" and in a neutral palette.

This Jones Wear dress is one of them.  It has a slight scoop neckline, short sleeves, and an interesting pleat-wrap detail at the top of the skirt.  Its less intricate than the original inspiration but captures the essence in a ore minimalist way.
It retails for approximately $50 U.S. (!!!)

Jones Wear via J.C. Penny - short sleeve belted dress.

This Black Halo dress is also has a lot of interesting sculpted detail going on.  It has cap sleves and a more open scoop neckline, with diagonal bias strips.
Retails for approximately $375, which I guess is a bit pricey but hey it might be in someone's price range.

Black Halo via Bloomingdales - sorrel tweed.

Kate-Inspired By... Alexander McQueen Military Coat

At an Irish Guard Parade Kate was feeling the military vibe and wore another Alexander McQueen coat in navy with double row gold buttons and a shamrock brooch on her lapel.

While this ModCloth coat is far from being a dead ringer for the original, it has the same theme making it an acceptable repliKate.
With absence of a strong dark color or more obvious military details, this version is subtler than Kate's making it more practical and wearable for day-to-day.  I will admit this piece is slightly costume-y with a faint drum majorette feel.  But that bit of cheeky-ness and the general clean look is what keeps this look from being too somber and literal.
We don't all have occasions for mimicking all of Kate's pieces, and this is one piece that definitely benefits from a real-life practical version.
Retails for ≈ $84.99.

Modcloth - Command A Chance coat.