B+W Peter Pan Collar Dress from Topshop

Back in March Kate paid a visit to Child Bereavement UK, a charity to help families who have lost children.  Kate was fairly along in her pregnancy and chose a black Topshop minidress with a crisp white rounded edge peter pan collar.  The silhouette is fairly loose and kind of a "swing" style, which comfortably accommodated her increasingly changing figure.

Image via Hello.

Upon arrival Kate wore a cream colored coat from Goat.  The cashmere coat was a collarless style which when tucked under the dress collar created a sweet extra little detail and just a touch of contrast.  The coat silhouette matched the "swing" style of the Topshop dress underneath.

I am personally torn with this look.

On the one hand I really like the dress with the coat.  I think it was a nice match, I love the black and white/cream color scheme and the little detail of the collar peeking out over the coat.

However I do not like this length on Kate at all.  I think just above the knees would have been wonderful, not this thigh high mini length.  I feel it caused too many fussy moments as well since the length and coat style seemed to blow up with the wind at times.  The peter pan collar is a youthful detail and while it can be sophisticated, when paired with an equally youthful "skater" length dress it is just too juvenile a look for Kate.  I prefer when she does fun and youthful in a sophisticated way.

Both above images via StyleBistro (left, right).

Click for larger image.

Kate's dress was black with a white collar and featured short sleeves, a loose silhouette, and a thigh high mini length.  The polyester material looks fairly fluid and not too stiff.

The Topshop dress originally retailed for approximately £42 or about $71 USD.

Topshop via Nordstrom - contrast collar shift dress.

The first repliKate come from Dorothy Perkins.  It is a black mini length dress with a shorter cap sleeves and a similar contrasting white collar.  This collar however is a bit more pointed and is not like Kate's rounded peter pan style.  It is a ponte and polyester blend which appears to lend just a bit of structure to the silhouette (note how it is not as loose at the Topshop version.)  However this is our best dupe of Kate's exact look.
Originally this dress was approximately $29 USD but is currently marked down to $28 (lol, what a mark down) and is also available in petite sizing.

Dorothy Perkins - black white collared shift dress.

Next up are two Merona options from Target.

The first is this peter pan collar sweater dress from Merona women's sweater dress collection.

It features short sleeves and a rounded contrasting white peter pan collar on a black bodice, although it also comes in grey and navy.  It is a cotton/rayon blend knit so it will drape slightly different than Kate's and it is also an above-the-knee length.

Retails for approximately $34.99 USD, currently on sale for $27.00.

Merona at Target - peter pan collar dress.

The other Merona option is this women's ponte dress.
It features short sleeves and a contrasting white collar on a natural waisted shift bodice in navy.  This one is a bit further removed from Kate's version but it fully retains the same stylistic influence.  It is also in a similarly draping polyester/rayon ponte fabric.  The collar is pointed, the sleeves are a bit longer, and the silhouette is more structured and work appropriate.  For the record I would have absolutely loved Kate's version if it had been closer to this length since it is much more professional.
The only other major difference from Kate's dress is the color - this comes in navy.
Retails for approximately $29.99 USD.

Merona at Target - women's ponte dress in navy.

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.

Polka Dot Dress from Topshop

Back in April, the Cambridges and Harry popped into Warner Bros. studios in Leavesden.

Kate wore a polka dotted dress from Topshop, and according to various outlets opting for a maternity style of dress for a change.  She paired it with a black Ralph Lauren 3/4 length sleeve jacket that you may recall from various previous outings but most notably their honeymoon exit.  The Duchess also opted to repeat this outfit again fairly quickly at a recent wedding.

Image via StyleBistro.

I think she looks marvelous here, comfortable and visibly at ease but still put together.  Its an easy and safe combination but appropriate.  While I am still not liking her choice in hem length and I personally do not think this looks like a maternity style dress.  But I think this dress is looks better than than her other custom maternity dresses as of late, which I have to admit I am just not liking.

Image via StyleBistro.

The dress was identified as being the maternity "Florence" style from Topshop, seen below right.  While the polka dot placement clearly matches the non-maternity "skater" style dress on the left the waist on Kate's dress looks to be a bit higher.  Also note that both dresses below have the skirt about the same length as the bodice while Kate's skirt is clearly much longer than the bodice on her dress.  It s definitely Topshop since it matches other maternity styles on Topshop's website and I wager it is a maternity version of the dress below left (since it matches Kate's polka dot pattern) rather than the right as is the popular opinion, I just can't find the actual dress for comparison.

The dress features a round scoop neckline, sleeves, and slightly gathered skirt in a white and black polka dot print.

Both of these dresses retail for $76 USD.

Left: Topshop polka dot skater dress in cream, via Nordstrom;

Right: Topshop "Florence" dress, via Nordstrom.

You can find lots of polka dotted dresses in a wide variety of styles but for this repliKate I stuck with dark dots on light backgrounds and dresses with round necklines and sleeves.

This look-a-like from Dorothy Perkins is the non-maternity style closest to Kate's with a gathered round neckline and sleeves.  Its my favorite out of all the repliKate dresses.
This dress retails for $49 USD.

Billie and Blossom ivory black spot dress via Dorothy Perkins.

This ASOS dress, also non-maternity, in jersey fabric is a bit further removed and a bit more casual than Kate's.  Though it is grey with flock textured polka dots it still features cute little sleeves, a round neckline, and a gathered skirt.

This dress retails for $47.52 USD.

ASOS Collection mini skater dress in grey flocked spot.

This same dress is also available in a midi length from ASOS for $50.91 USD.

ASOS Collection midi dress in grey flocked spot.

I'll admit right away that this Anne Klein dress is a higher end version since it is even more expensive than Kate's, but it is probably the highest quality of the bunch.  It has a similar rounded neckline, cap sleeves, and a tiered swing skirt.

This dress, in light tan with black polka dots, retails for $129 USD.

Anne Klein honeycomb dotted dress.

……………

A commenter recently alerted me to this last look-a-like of Kate's post-wedding Zara dress, as seen in this original post.  It is a pleated sleeveless dress worn with the same black Ralph Lauren jacket seen above.

Image via StyleBistro.

This Calvin Klein dress is an almost exact dupe with a fully pleated bodice and skirt, and even matches the length and fabric of Kate's.

This dress is currently on sale for $169 AUD (the retailer is Australian in origin), or approximately $169 USD.

Calvin Klein blue chiffon dress via Royal Tag.

Many thanks to the anon contribution, as always feel free to leave comments or email me your repliKates!