Catherine, Princess of Wales (Kate Middleton)

[Boomer]

^ Well, I'm old enough to remember the media when Charles and Diana started together; it was mostly "Oh my- a chubby, not terribly bright nursery school teacher???"

 

[Kamelot]

yep, but the public fell in love with her and the media aided and abetted it. Hell, the world over, close to 2 billion watched her wedding and ever since from Europe, United States to all places in the Middle East, Diana was an endless fascination. I remember my aunt who is from Wales telling me how Princess Diana was obsessed over, while Duchess Sarah was often trashed by average Brits who never got on with her & what they termed 'vulgar' behavior.

Anyway, back on topic, I'll be pleasantly surprised if Kate actually gets a sense of style besides the usual knee high boots and frumpy wrap around dresses. Can't wait for the wedding pictures and what she decides on.

ps. not terribly smart was a dig by one of Charles dear friends, Camilla in particular. Guess the joke was on them.

 

[Boomer]

Yes, I suppose the closest thing we have here in the States is the Kennedys, but Kate will be much more constrained in her fashion choices than John Jr and Caroline were...I do remember when Diana was first photographed in a Polo, Ralph Lauren Polo shirt- it was a sensation!! A Yank designer who imitates British Upper Class Style!!?? Good God- what is this world coming to!! So Kate will have to watch her step...

 

[Kamelot]

I love polo anything and Diana was a risk taker, she was the 1st to popularize Sloan look. A lot of us only became aware of her during her divorce from Charles and her sons who are closer to our age.

Kate is already very sloanish in her style, simple, posh-wannabes and pretty. So, the field is open for her to show the public real growth in many things, in particular fashion wise and hopefully tastefully done. I'm surprised how the British media is very toned down with her and William since the engagement. I thought more excitement would be displayed.

 

[Erin]

I love polo anything and Diana was a risk taker, she was the 1st to popularize Sloan look.

I am clueless... what is this Sloan look?

 

[Kamelot]

it was the more refined British version of American preppy, New England WASP money set. It was stereotypical aristo British girls from the polo and hunting set. Diana popularized that relaxed preppy look.

Today thou, its the Chelsea and Kensington set, who live around Sloane Square - very upper crust - Gucci handbags, Barbour jackets and no knickers. So, Kate is a more simple imitation of that without it being vulgar.

here is a good explanation of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sloane_Ranger

Sloane Ranger, a commonplace term in 1980s London, was originally popularised by British writer Peter York and co-writer Ann Barr in The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook (1982) and its companion The Official Sloane Ranger Diary. The books were published by the British society-watcher magazine Harpers & Queen, for whom Peter York was Style Editor and "was responsible for identifying the cult phenomena of "Sloane Rangers" and "Foodies".[2]
The exemplar female Sloane Ranger was considered to be Lady Diana Spencer before marrying Charles, Prince of Wales, when she was an aristocrat from the family of the Earls Spencer. However, most Sloanes were not aristocrats as Diana was. Considered typical of SRs was patriotism and traditionalism, and a belief in the values of upper class and upper middle-class culture, self-confidence in themselves and their given places in the world, a fondness for life in the countryside, country sports in particular, philistinism and anti-intellectualism.

 

[LUXXX]

Saw this on ONTD... They do look a lot alike...

ONTD

 

[McClaire]

^ I know right! I remember JJ doing a post on the two of them looking so similar and the photos he had were scary how much they look alike.

 

[babyjane]

^^Ooh they do. Too bad she doesn't have a little of Lauren style. She always wears nice cocktail dresses and casuals.

 

[Erin]

it was the more refined British version of American preppy, New England WASP money set. It was stereotypical aristo British girls from the polo and hunting set. Diana popularized that relaxed preppy look.

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^

Thank you. I guess I'm a bit out of the loop!

 

[McClaire]

At least she didn't wear those boots again. Something tells me if she could have she would have.

 

[Mirik]

Madame Figaro France November, 27 2010 ebook30

 

[Lacroix]

I don't get the negativity- she is very pretty and will pick up whatever style pointers she needs as she gets into her new role... Diana was a fashion disaster when she first showed up- and she was already Lady Diana....

yes but fashion and fashion economics have changed massively since Diana. To look 'stylish' is so easy to acquire these days and fashion/style is no longer 'expensive'/ exclusive. When Diana was Kate's age, there was no Zara, no Primark. Things are so accessible these days and trends and fashion dominate everything and are followed by masses of people so there's no excuse really. Kate just doesn't have 'it'. She dresses very frumpy. Not a bad thing as fashion isn't everyone's thing. She has a nice figure but pretty bad taste when it comes to dressing it

 

[Ashcottmanor]

I love the dress she's wearing minus the fugly blazer

Whoa! I haven't been in TFS for over a week and this is what I come back to!? I should have known...I agree with you on the dress and the blazer. If I were Kate I would really start getting some help on how to dress appropriately for events, even small one's like these. Those blazers have to go, they do nothing for her, along with those horrible suede boots she loves to wear.

 

[MiuMiuLove]

The dress was Temperley

Kate Middleton LEFT THE HOUSE — Wearing Temperley
12/20/10 at 11:05 AM
If you've been feeling frustrated by Kate Middleton's wearing her clothes inside buildings, away from cameras, join the club! All we've seen of her since the engagement have been the official engagement photos. On Saturday, she finally went out — dressed in an outfit! — to a charity event with Prince William. She wore a dress from Temperley's fall 2009 collection that seems to be a non-runway look in keeping with her put-together, bland fashion sense. She played it extra safe by covering the dress in a blazer of as-yet-unknown origin and wearing black tights and shoes by designers that have not been publicly named yet. Anyway, get ready for a Temperley frenzy. Or do you think it will be the black tights that people will latch onto this time?

nymag- The Cut

 

[Ashcottmanor]

She wore a dress from Temperley's fall 2009 collection that seems to be a non-runway look in keeping with her put-together, bland fashion sense.nymag- The Cut

Amen sister!

 

[ifpu375]

black tights?

Those black tights that actually look more like hose are overplayed. She is tall and slender and it is winter in England. Would love to see her in a beautiful straight leg suit.

 

[Meg]

To be fair to her - the tights probably looked better in person. They look less opaque in the bright lights of the flash.

 

[LUXXX]

Kate is crafting her public image through her clothes. They are all choices that most "common" people could afford...she's not dressing like a fashionable jet-setter because that's not who she is. I think, smartly, William's advisers see the potential in her to relate to a wide swath of people because of her more down-to-earth roots. Despite coming from millionaires, the British pres has made her out to be some kind of working class chick from the wrong side of the tracks, which is just so loony. The class system throughout The UK is just wow...

Anyway, I think using the Michelle Obama model of mixing high and low will be her best bet going forward, especially since the economy isn't going to recover anytime soon.

 

[Boomer]

^ All true, and if she was doing couture and wearing a different rad outfit everyday, they'd all be complaining she was a superficial clotheshorse who was obsessed with her appearance!! You can't win...