Welcome to our “In Defense of the Dress” feature, where we take a second look at outfits worn by royals that initially sharply divided us, and build our case for, and against, the dress.
Today, we feature the Duchess of Cambridge at the Dutch State Dinner.
The Facts
Worn at the British/Dutch state dinner in October 2018. Dress by Alexander McQueen, Cambridge Lovers Knot tiara, Queen Alexandra’s Wedding necklace, (Diana’s) Collingwood Pearl and Diamond earrings.
The Case For the Dress
The Handbag: The first glimpse I had of her at the banquet made me sit back and say “there is your Queen Catherine”. It is a supremely queenly look, nothing princessy, nothing fantasy, definitely nothing girly about it. The color of the dress flatters her, the silhouette adds interest to the bodice area, and it’s all very seductive without being overtly sexy. It’s not a dress that would shine on the red carpet, it’s a dress that is designed to shine in a palace, when worn with jewels. The dress works as part of a cohesive whole, anchoring a look that, to me, announces to the world, “there is the woman who will be Queen”.
OC: Absolutely A-plus styling projecting a modern woman wearing a modern dress with historical jewels tying generations together. Welcome aboard, future Princess of Wales.
The Case Against the Dress
lovinlorne – The fabric is hideous. Seriously hideous. I’m also not a fan of royalty sporting blue mummy wrappings. It’s just not my thing. At all.
LuckeyGirl – I wanted to like it…I really did, and from the neck up it’s an A+++, the married pearl parure is amazing. But the dress…it just looks like a wrinkled mess, that someone wore to one of my high school proms back in the mid 90s. Get rid of the ruching, and I could possibly be on board.
Hey, LIL, think you could unwrinkle it?
are defended!