A few months ago when Kate was seen driving in the back of a car with William to Buckingham Palace for the annual Diplomatic Reception hosted by the Queen the press were quick to point out that this was the first time that Kate was seen wearing the Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara, also known as Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara. However, since we only got a couple of pictures of Kate in the back of the car, we didn’t really get a chance to see what her dress looked like.
At the time that these pictures came out the press was quick to point out how similar Kate’s gown was to one that Diana wore as if she was trying to look like Diana on purpose. They called her a “copycat” and said she was trying too hard to be like Diana. Here is a side by side comparison from the Telegraph to show you what I mean:
It turns out that there were documentary filmmakers at the reception who captured footage of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and William and Kate for a documentary film called “Our Queen at 90” that will premiere on Easter Sunday, March 27th. Thanks to the Daily Mail, we now have one screen grab (as of the writing of this post on March 18th, 2016) of most of Kate’s dress the full view of her tiara. Here it is!
Now that we have a clearer picture of Kate’s gown we can make a better comparison with Diana’s gown. Besides the fact that they both have some lace I think they are pretty different. Kate’s is blue with lace paneling on the bodice and lace short sleeves while Diana’s is white and totally made of lace with long sleeves.
Kate’s gown for the reception is a bespoke piece from Jenny Packham, one of Kate’s favorite designers. I also recognize Kate’s bag. It’s the same one she wore when she went to a James Bond film premiere with William and Harry in October and is also made by Jenny Packham.
Since Kate’s gown was bespoke it cannot be purchased and it appears that her bag has also sold out. But here are some looklikes.
Edie Parker bag from Saks Fifth Avenue would be a nice splurge.
See it here:
https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=512110992&pid=uid9225-31713435-16
This cute beaded and embroidered bag by Santi from ShopBop is also a nice option and is considerably less expensive. I like that there are beads of various sizing because it gives the bag a mosaic look.
Get it here:
https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=456023064&pid=uid9225-31713435-16
Or this bag is a steal at just $35 from Charming Charlie. It has the same boxy structure and metallic, sparkly embellishment that Kate’s bag has (but WAY less expensive).
Find it here:
https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=503063917&pid=uid9225-31713435-16
As for the dress, Kate tends to gravitate towards light blue in everything from dresses to coats to aquamarine jewelry. The Queen Mother is also known to have favored this color. This gown by Adrianna Papell is $200 dollars and looks like Kate’s style. This gown is available in sizes 0-12 and comes in this “seafoam” color or a blush-y pink.
Find it here:
https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=495881865&pid=uid9225-31713435-16
Or if you want to splurge I think that the lace paneling, short sleeves, and A-line silhouette make this Burberry gown from Saks Fifth Avenue look very similar to Kate’s reception gown. This gown is available in limited sizes.
Find it here:
https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=511888793&pid=uid9225-31713435-16
Kate and Diana both wore lace gowns that had scalloped necklines and I think that this dress by Tahari is similar. It is also reasonable being only $280. This gown goes up to a size 16, which is really nice.
See it here:
https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=514012272&pid=uid9225-31713435-16
I can’t wait to see this documentary when it premieres on Easter. The Queen deserves to have a fabulous 90th birthday celebration and it is great to see her children and grandchildren being interviewed about her.
Cheers!
The Frugal Lady
