Send William and Kate a Christmas card and Duchess Kate's five outfits for Christmas day, What they could be?

With December 1st upon us, I thought it was the perfect time for a Christmas themed post. (I'm a huge lover of all things to do with the festive season, so expect to see it reflected in the blog in the coming weeks :)) Coincidentally Duchess Kate has been making the headlines today regarding her Christmas day style choices. Kate will spend her first Christmas as Duchess of Cambridge at Sandringham with the Royal family. 

King George V famously described the estate as:

"Dear old Sandringham, the place I love better than anywhere else in the world".

One would think The Queen's retreat, set in twenty four acres of stunning gardens would be the ideal location to relax and enjoy the festivities in casual wear. While most of us will opt for comfort, The Duchess has five outfit changes Christmas day. Royal etiquette expert Jean Broke - Smith said

"She won't be able to wear the same outfit twice. Kate will need a casual outfit for breakfast, a smart outfit and a hat for the morning church service, a dress for lunch, a cocktail dress for early evening drinks and a full-length dress for the evening meal. The golden rule is nothing too short, too revealing or too gaudy".

With all these outfits to plan for one day it is no surprise Kate was photographed shopping in Zara lately. She also visited L.K. Bennett where she reportedly purchased a black sheath dress and two cashmere cardigans. For the party season a little black dress is simply an essential and I expect the Duchess chose a black dress as a 'go to' item for the holidays. While looking through the L.K. Bennett website attempting to identify which dress Kate may have chosen I must say I was really very impressed with their collection. There are a number of black dresses Kate could have chosen and she would look amazing in any of these.

The first three dresses, The Suki, Davina and Pia are all very Kate and would be perfect for Christmas drinks or worn with a coat and hat would look stunning for the church service. They are very similar in length and structure. The Davina is my personal favourite, It is available in an array of colours.

The long sleeved lace Eloise dress caught my eye immediately. We know Kate loves lace and I imagine this dress would have appealed to her. The elegant Allie dress features a chiffon overlay with stunning detail on the bodice. The Harriet (which is currently on sale) is a divine 1950's inspired dress. In many ways Kate reminds me of Grace Kelly with her timeless style and I would love to see her wearing the Harriet. I imagine Kate would pair it with a shrug. The full skirt is pleated allowing a 'dreamlike quality' to your movement.

As for the cashmere cardigans, These two instantly caught my eye. The black Street cardigan would look perfect with any of the above dresses. The merino wool and cashmere cardigan has jewelled detailing and velvet taping over the grosgrain covered buttons.

I can see Kate wearing the Chelsea Shrug with skinny jeans and her flat suede boots while grocery shopping. The flexible layering piece made with 100% cashmere would be ideal for the winter.

Kate has reportedly ordered two evening dresses from McQueen. I was amused to see the headline 'Kate will have a Christmas fit for McQueen'. These dresses could be for future royal engagements, however I would not be at all surprised if one of them is for Sandringham. These three dresses could easily be altered for such an occasion. 

Whatever Kate chooses I'm sure she will look elegant and beautiful. The only photos we will see will be from the church service Christmas morning. In 1989 Princess Diana wore stunning striped purple coat and hat for the service. Something similar would be ideal for Kate.

  

I received a tweet earlier from a reader of the blog enquiring about sending Duchess Kate a Christmas card. For Kate the formal opening is 'Madam' or 'Your Royal Highness' and end the letter with 'yours sincerely'. If you wish to send the Duchess a card you can use the address below. As you can see I was feeling quite festive while using paint.net :)

Duchess Kate attends reception at the 'Tweet Suite'

Duchess Kate and Prince William joined senior royals including The Queen and Prince Charles this evening at a reception held for three hundred and fifty members of the press at Buckingham Palace. Guests invited included journalists, editors, photographers and bloggers. Well known British presenters Chris Evans and Philip Schofield were in attendance as were members from the foreign press. The event was held ahead of the Queen's jubilee celebrations. Giving her the opportunity to meet those who will be reporting on the event. It also gave the press a rare chance to mingle with Kate. The last time a similar event was held was in 2001 ahead of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. William looked fresh faced after working a gruelling shift searching for missing sailors.

PA

In honour of the guests the Palace very cleverly renamed the east gallery the 'Tweet Suite' (I love it :)) for the occasion. Displays about the Queen's Golden and Silver Jubilees were also on show.

Members of the media thoroughly enjoyed the reception. Sky News reporter Paul Harrison described his meeting with the Cambridge's.

Sky newsreader Eamonn Holmes described the couple as 'stunning'.

Daily Express writer Richard Palmer described Kate as very 'self assured'.

Majesty Magazine's Joe Little thought Kate was 'delightful'.

While the reception had a gathering of many senior royals, In my very biased opinion, Duchess Kate stole the show. She looked beautiful in a stunning green Mulberry dress. The Bright Cabbage Peace&Love Jacquard plated dress is currently selling for $2200. The eye catching dress has trees and peace symbols. With it's peter pan collar and midi length it is being hailed as one of her most on trend looks. Members of the media felt the 'peace and love' themed dress was a tongue in cheek message to them to continue playing nice :) It is described as 


"Prim and proper with a Mulberry twist. The full pleated shirt dress will not let you blend into the crowd. A shirt style dress with Peter Pan collar and front pleats, the buttoned up look is kept contemporary and cute with metal mock buckle waist belt and a silk jacquard Peace and Love motif. Bright cabbage dress in 100% silk".

From the Mulberry fall campaign. (With many thanks to What Kate Wore)

Other pieces from the Mulberry 'Peace and Love' collection that Kate might like including her dress in black.

Duchess Kate was wearing her charm bracelet and said she was very proud of William! While the fashion elite love Kate's dress most fans of Kate do not think it is one of her best looks. What about you? Unfortunately no full length photos have surfaced, If they do I'll add them immediately.

Sources (Daily Mail, Mulberry, Twitter, What Kate Wore, Socialite.com)

How William and Kate would look on your wall, royal wedding fragrance, the secret to Kate's smile, fueding stylists and more!

I would like to begin tonight's post by commending Prince William. In the early hours of this morning he co piloted an RAF helicopter which searched for eight sailors who were swept into the sea after their cargo ship, The Swanland sank off the coast of North Wales. Sadly five crew members are still missing, I do hope they are found alive. Flt Lt. William Wales (William's title at work) qualified as a search and rescue pilot in September 2010. Earlier this year he said there are 'hairy' moments involved in his job. It must be very difficult for Kate with William working in such dangerous conditions, like any other wife who has a husband in the forces.

The Swanland

Duchess Kate's hair is one of her most valuable assets, It always looks healthy, shiny and frames her face beautifully. Now the stylists who perfect Kate's hair are fueding. James Pryce who created Kate's stunning demi chignon hairstyle for the royal wedding has left the Richard Ward salon in Chelsea. The salon has been frequented by Kate, Carole and Pippa Middleton for years. James Pryce was creative director at the salon and his departure has caused 'considerable anger'. The question remains who will the Middleton family choose to stay with? Without doubt I expect Kate will go with James, he accompanied her on the tour of Canada and was responsible for her gorgeous hairstyles. 

James now has a facebook page discussing everything hair related, You can visit it here.

Kate leaving the Richard Ward Salon

Hamburg perfumer Kim Weisswange has created 'Royal wedding perfume'. The two scents appropriately named William and Catherine come in the most amazing packaging. Each bottle of perfume includes a locket with a photo of William and Kate in it. William's perfume is described as 'sporty and direct' while Kate's is 'a softer scent, made of rose and magnolia'. I don't know about the perfume but the bottles look like a collectors item :)

The Duchess has an undeniably beautiful smile. How does she keep her pearly whites looking so good? It has been revealed that Kate chose a French dentistry expert whose speciality is creating an imperfect look to mould the mouth into shape. Dentist Didier Filion said

"You know why Kate's teeth look so good? Because they are not perfectly aligned. The problem in the United States is they have a very artificial vision. He did some little micro rotations on Kate Middleton to produce something which is very natural".


This comment by Filier is referring to cosmetic dentistry not regular orthodontia

A photo of William and Kate leaving Buckingham Palace in Prince Charles' convertible Aston Martin on their wedding day is to be included in a photography exhibition and charity auction in aid of Sightsavers. The photo is amazing and the expression on Kate's face is priceless. You can find information on bidding here.

There are so many beautiful pieces being featured in the exhibition, I thought I would share a couple with you. This one is called 'Autumn 2010 at Stourhead' by Matt Cardy.

'Ex Caelo lux: Bulbs' by Loties Davies.

Now to finish off this photo packed post with information on how to get your own framed or box canvas photos of the Duchess. Majesty Magazine has opened up their archive of images. With the festive season approaching perhaps you would like to give someone the gift of a framed photo of the royal couple or as a keepsake for yourself. There is a wonderful collection of photos with everything from the wedding to the tour of Canada. Watermarking and website addresses do not appear on finished products. Prices range from $8 to $140.

Examples of framed images you can order.....

Majesty have gone to the trouble of showing you how one of these photos could look on your wall too :) I love these and rather enjoyed seeing how different photos worked with various rooms.

sources (majesty magazine, Daily Mail, What Kate Wore facebook, telegraph.co.uk)

Duchess Kate's University fashion show dress replica, Get Kate's nails, Iconic dragon boat goes up for auction and more

Hello Duchess Kate fans,


I have a few interesting stories I thought would be of interest to you. When we think of William and Kate's romance one event firmly has a place in our minds. The University fashion show where Kate caught William's eye. Wearing a stunning sheer Charlotte Todd dress, Kate looked like a supermodel. The dress was later sold for £126,000 on March 17 2011.

I was delighted to receive an email today about a replica of the dress also designed by Charlotte Todd going on sale in the US at badgirlsbook.com. For those of you in the UK the dress can be purchased at Fashion Babylon. This version is slightly less sheer which makes it more adaptable and wearable for various occasions. I do think it's a beautiful dress. It is available for purchase for $129. 

Kate's nails always look perfectly filed yet so natural. The day before the royal wedding Camilla reportedly organised a final pampering session for Kate with her favourite manicurist Marina Sandoval. Marina desvribed Kate as 'incredibly beautiful in the flesh'. Click Here to see Marina's tips for achieving nails like Kate's 

On November 28th the British Style Awards are taking place and it is entirely possible our favourite Duchess will be crowned the most fashionable icon of all Britain. Kate reflects both the ordinary the extraordinary in terms of style. Whether she's wearing a McQueen gown or a Zara blazer her style is effortless and timeless. I would like to see her win. While the 'fashion elite' would be displeased Kate is the most relatable style icon of our time.

Throughout her University days Kate has always been very athletic. One of her greatest sporting loves is rowing. (We all recall the dragon boat race during the Canada tour :))

Now the Sisterhood rowers are auctioning a dragon boat Kate rowed on the River Thames in 2007. I was delighted to hear the proceeds will be going to a cause close to Kate's heart, Royal Marsden Hospital. I do hope it raises much needed funds for the hospital and the new owner will have a piece of royal history :)

Finally for today, The wonderful ladies at What Kate Wore Facebook  discovered a photo of Kate I have never seen before. It appears to have been taken during her time at University. She is wearing  floor length, low cut black dress which is very similar to the pink Issa dress she wore to the Boodles Boxing Ball. Kate looks stunning in this photo, black really suits her.

sources (mirror.co.uk, what kate wore facebook, daily mail)

Duchess Kate shops in Tesco wearing light brown sweater

Duchess Kate was photographed shopping for groceries at her local Tesco in Holyhead, North Wales yesterday. Kate proved she is just like any other wife opting to buy 'Tesco Value Potatoes' and I love the fact that she still does the grocery shopping herself, As a Duchess she obviously doesn't have too, but Kate is clearly very down to earth. It's refreshing to see. Kate also purchased lettuce, chicken and ice cream.

Just Jared

I was concerned some readers may not want to see candids like these but the general consensus is we don't see Kate out and about too often so it's not a daily thing. Thanks to all my lovely followers who contributed. I will be continuing the blog as I have been up this point including all new news and photos! :)

Do any of you think Kate's hair looks darker? Kate is not wearing her engagement ring her, I expect it is so precious she doesn't wear it everywhere. Perhaps she was off to the gym or somewhere where she would have to take it off.

As you can see, Kate looks radiant (How many of us can we say look this good when popping to Tesco :)) Noticeably Kate is wearing the same light brown turtle neck sweater she wore while privately visiting 'The Art Room' last week. Many thanks to Ashley who very cleverly remembered she had seen Kate wearing the sweater during a skiing trip to the Alps during February 2010. If the designer is confirmed I will update :)
It's a beautiful sweater and it looks very warm and comfortable. Kate completed the look with dark jeans and what appear to be her Aquatalia Cookie Boots.

Kate was photographed shopping at the same Tesco store back in August, Again she chose a sweater and jeans. 

Baeur Griffin

For readers of Hello magazine. The current issue includes a wonderful piece to celebrate the one year anniversary of William and Kate's anniversary. I'm sure it will include excellent photos as always.

On a quick side note, I saw Amanda Wakeley on television earlier this evening. She said it's very important
'A woman wears her dress and the dress doesn't wear her'.
Perfect summary of the beautiful pieces Kate has chosen by Amanda, hope to see her wearing more in the near future.


Sources (Ashley via facebook, just jared, hello magazine)

Duchess Kate pays a surprise visit to primary school in jeans

We really are being very lucky with Kate news and photos lately and today was no exception. It has been widely reported that Duchess Kate has been making private visits to charities in order to decide where she would like to work with. Last week the Duchess of Cambridge made a surprise visit to an art charity center in an inner London primary school.

Unfortunately the photo isn't wonderful quality as it was taken on a parents mobile phone. However we can see that Kate chose to dress casually wearing jeans a turtle neck sweater and black boots. Obviously the Duchess wanted to keep a low profile for her informal meeting in order to learn more about the organisation. The pupils at the school were not entirely convinced with one little girl saying "She doesn't look like a princess. Where's her dress". :)

A local woman who was collecting her brother said

"Kate was dressed down in a jeans and a jumper. The children had been told by the headmaster Mr Miller and the deputy headmaster Mr Murphy that a real life Princess was coming to the school. They were so excited and were all told to wait in the car park to see her. When I got there, some of the children were so tired they were sitting on the ground. When she came out of the art room after the visit, Mr Miller walked her to her car. She posed for a picture and waved at the children before she left".

The pupils were expecting to see Kate dressed like one of their favourite Disney princesses. :)

As a History of Art graduate Duchess Kate would be the perfect patron of 'The Art Room' which is based in Oxford but has a London branch at the Robert Blair primary school. The Art Room works with children to increase their confidence and self esteem through art. If interested you can donate here. Access to Art can open a door for so many children and unfortunately funding is a definite problem. I was touched to see one pupil said

'I would like to live at the Art room and have my friends over and eat things'.

A plate decorated by students of The Art Room.

A spokesman said 

" The Duchess of Cambridge paid a private visit to The Art Room in order to find out more about what we do and gain a wider experience of the work within this sector. The Art Room wrote to her and caught her eye".

It will certainly be interesting to see if Kate chooses to support The Art Room. From what I could see in the photo she appeared to be enjoying herself and by making these visits privately she can relax and make an informed decision. It has also been announced that Kate's name wont be added to the Prince William and Prince Harry foundation even though she has agreed to become one of its patrons in case her popularity overshadows the charities. 

Duchess Kate painted with children in a school during the Royal tour. I think Art is a serious love of hers and we will see that in her charitable choices.

Sources (Daily Mail, The Art room,)

Duchess Kate looks striking shopping in Zara

I was very excited to see these unexpected candid's of Duchess Kate leaving a Zara store in London yesterday. Kate looked relaxed and elegant walking beside her royal protection office. I expect the Duchess is starting her Christmas shopping (Yes it is that time of year again :) I was chatting with another Kate fan on facebook recently and commented on the fact it has been a couple of months since we saw a candid photo and that I expected to see one soon........

Pop Sugar

In this photo we can see Kate's stunning outfit.

Duchess Kate looked chic and glamourous today. I really expect she would stand out on any street even if she was not married to Prince William. Kate wore a fitted black polo neck sweater and the Mulberry Polly Push Lock Herringbone Wool Skirt. (With thanks to Rachel for the ID) The skirt is currently selling for £424 and it described as


"A feminine pleated skirt in a black wool blend with a herringbone stitch. Slighlty flared, small waistband, deep pleats, decorative belt. A mixture of classy,......classic and luxurious".

Duchess Kate is also carrying her favourite Mulberry Polly Push Lock handbag. I love how she is wearing a matching skirt and handbag. They look beautiful together. 

Kate finished off her look with black tights and her favourite black suede Aquatalia cookie boots. The Duchess also wore them in the last candid photo we saw of her leaving James Ward's salon.

This has to be one of my favourite 'Kate' outfits. She looks simply stunning. Only Kate could look even more beautiful out shopping than when attending a ball. I'm also glad to see her shopping at Zara, she is staying true to her love of the high street. Kate is still very young and we rarely see her in a shorter skirt, I think the length suits her as she is so tall. Hopefully we will see her wearing whatever she purchased!

Sources (Mulberry, Popsugar, What Kate Wore Facebook)

Will and Kate pop art, Digital Perms, Royal lookalikes, the truth about the Dukan diet, Why the Cambridge's could relocate to Scotland, Vote for Kate as your favourite royal bride and more

Hello Duchess Kate watchers,

We were undoubtedly very lucky last week with three appearances from the Duchess. For now her next scheduled engagement is a reception for the Tusk Trust on December 5 (I'm sure something else will turn up before that) Clarence House have a habit of announcing William and Kate's engagements last minute.

 While there are no new photos today there are a number of interesting little stories I would like to share with you. Do all of you remember it is exactly one year since William and Kate announced their engagement. If you would like to see the photos and the engagement interview as a reminder of the joyous announcement click here.

A new series of portraits featuring William and Kate has been unveiled by Brazilian pop artist Romeo Britto. Britto has captured the likes of Lady GaGa and Michael Jackson 'in colour burst images of cubism'. The royal couple is painted in rainbow colours with matching red hearts. It's a wonderful take on the engagement shot. 

So, How did Romeo feel about capturing the worlds most famous royals? In an interview with the Huffington Post he said

"I think one thing about today's artist's or artist like myself, particularly Andy Warhol that did many portraits, is that it's the freest style of creating a piece of art. Before, in other forms of classical art, such as old masters, the portrait would be a bit more contrived. Kate Middleton and Prince William are among the figure I've most enjoyed painting and Michael Jackson was a challenging study".

I also have to include Romeo's stunning interpretation of Princess Diana, The love heart tiara is a lovely touch.

You can view the entire Royal collection here and own your very own piece of Duchess Kate pop art from anywhere to two to thirty two thousand pounds. :) The exhibition takes place at the Imitate Modern Gallery on December 7th. 

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I wonder what William, Harry, Kate and Pippa would think of these lookalikes. In the spoof by photographer Alison Jackson, Pippa is seen leaving Harry's bedroom while William and Kate pull off some rather strange dance moves.

What do you all think of these lookalikes? I think the girl imitating Pippa looks quite like her (Speaking of Pippa, I will do a length post on her in the Middletons page very soon) but there are very little similarities between the Duchess and her lookalike. I wonder if the royals really danced like that at the reception? :)

As you know the renovations the Cambridge's are making in Kensington Palace have been making the headlines however, it seems an entirely different move is on the cards. Royal insiders say William could possibly transfer to RAF lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland when his three year contract in Anglesey is completed in 2013. The move would also give William to command his own helicopter. The couple met in St Andrew University in Scotland and loved their time there. For now this is just a rumour but if William stays in the RAF instead of becoming a full time royal it's a definite possibility. 

The scenic Lossiemouth, quite similar to Anglesey.

The famous 'Dukan Diet' reportedly used by Kate her mother Carole Middleton has been labelled as 'ineffective' by a leading health group. A number of experts from the British Dietetic Association named the Dukan diet the worst celebrity weight loss plan to follow because it had absolutely no solid science behind it. The diet itself is rather complicated and involves four phases, the first of which is a protein only approach. The BDA said

"The diet is so confusing, very rigid, full of very French foods that most Brits would run a mile from like Rabbit and Offal, and even Dr Dukan himself warns of the associated problems like lack of energy, constipation and bad breath".

Eating so much protein can put a strain on the kidneys. This could be problematic for those with underlying kidney problems. Others diets which made the list of the worst celebrity food plans are the raw food diet and the blood group diet. As someone who tried some rather unorthodox diets I know for a fact exercising and eating healthily is the only diet that works. Yes these plans promise immediate weight loss but it is neither sustainable nor healthy. It is quite saddening to see so many women succumbing to the pressures placed upon us by the media and society in general. I do hope Duchess Kate is no longer on the Dukan. She has been looking healthier lately and I expect this is down to a healthy diet!

Singer Jennifer Lopez has also used the Dukan diet.

On a lighter note, It has been a year for royal weddings. First Duchess Kate then Prince Charlene married Prince Albert of Monaco in Armani. For fans of the tv series Gossip Girl, one of the best loved characters (widely considered television royalty) 'Blair Waldorf' is set to get married in the popular show. InStyle are holding a poll asking which of the dresses is your favourite. All three look absolutely beautiful. I'm going to be a little bit biased and say Kate's :) It is genuinely my favourite though, I fell in love with the dress the second I saw it. If you would like to vote in the poll click here.

Duchess Kate's curls always look divine. According to the Daily Mail the secret to natural, healthy looking curls is the Digital Perm. The perm, discovered in Japan is now being used by top stylists to introduce wave and body to the hair. Unlike old fashion perms the digital one does not harm hair instead it claims to leave it shiny. Hair is rolled up in rods, then each roller is connected to a machine which digitally controls heat and helps to set the curl. The perm lasts for four months. Have any of you tried it? :)

Digital perm specialist Chritstian E. Toth brought the technique over from Japan.

Finally for today, I was having a quick look through Twitter and saw Daily Express royal reporter, Richard Palmer was asked what he thought of Kate. He described Kate as very attractive, likeable, competitive in a fun way and posher than portrayed. A lovely, honest summary of Kate!

Sources (Daily Mail, Royal Reporter Via Twitter, InStyle, Mirror.co.uk, huffington post)