Duchess Kate in a £2,300 McQueen frock to Wimbledon final: cute or overpriced?

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I genuinely expected some announcement during Wimbledon that the Duchess of Cambridge would be taking on some kind of role at the All England Club, because that’s what months of gossip had indicated. But at the end of the day, Kate wasn’t assigned anything. Yet? She just got to attend two of the biggest games of Wimbledon, Serena Williams’ semi-final last week, and Andy Murray’s final on Sunday. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined a full house to see Murray defeat Canadian Milos Raonic in straight sets. Murray was so emotional after his Wimbledon win that he broke down in tears as he waited for the trophy presentation.

Will and Kate, who are very keen tennis-lovers, were front and center for all of it. Kate even wore a new frock, something she didn’t even do for her big appearance at the air show last Friday. I often wonder how she determines how and when to repeat a previous look and when to wear a new dress. This dress, at Wimbledon, was from the Alexander McQueen Pre-Fall 2016 collection, and the print is called “Obsession.” This frock costs £2,300, which seems exorbitant, right? You’re paying for the McQueen label, but it’s just a short-sleeved, knee-length print dress. Kate did the high-low thing by pairing the crazy-expensive dress with an inexpensive pair of £39 Brora Gold ‘charm’ earrings. Kate wore those earrings in India earlier this year.

Here’s a rare opportunity to see Will and Kate in action, interacting with Andy Murray following his Wimbledon win. It’s mostly Will and Andy talking.

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Photos courtesy of Getty, Pacific Coast News.

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177 Responses to “Duchess Kate in a £2,300 McQueen frock to Wimbledon final: cute or overpriced?”

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  1. The Original Mia says:

    Someone said she’s wearing Farm Hero Saga and now I can’t unsee it. Pattern aside, the dress is ridiculously overpriced. She didn’t need a brand new $3K dress to watch tennis.

    • Mandy says:

      Its not actually $3000 – must be much more since its “bespoke”? Ridiculous amount for a dress to watch tennis.But since this is not an official event, won’t they be paying for it themselves- in that case I guess its not my business what she chooses to spend on her clothes , even if it makes her seem more like a clueless celeb and less like a part of the British establishment.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The Duchy (the taxpayers) pay for all of it.

      • The Original Mia says:

        Probably is. I just remember being aghast that Charles would allow her to spend so much. She has so little concept of what is good asethetics and what’s not.

      • Megan says:

        I dislike this dress less than the last five she has worn. She has no eye for fashion.

    • Vava says:

      I didn’t know what Farm Hero Saga was so I googled it, and YES – that’s it! LOL.

      Kate is ridiculous as usual. She wears this expensive below the knee dress to Wimbledon and a pencil skirted dress that hikes up to mid-thigh to the airshow. She loves all the attention, it’s plain to see. I don’t think I’d pay $50 for this particular dress because I think the print is odd – but it is eye catching and that is what she was going for.

      Poor Andy having to deal with the Cambridges afterwards.

      • hmmm says:

        Another charmless dress. But more so, I don’t understand why she needed a new and obscenely expensive outfit just for Wimbledon. She’s now reached the level of mass quantities of conspicuous consumption, so nouveau riche.

    • Llamas says:

      Ohmigod! I SPY!! My favorite game as a child. I can’t believe they made the game into clothing!

    • Sarah says:

      It’s cute – for $89 at TJ Maxx. No more. Such exhorbitance!!! I’m amazed after BREXIT, the Brits aren’t calling to get rid of these useless dolts.

      Interesting, watching the video. I think Kate has flashes of personality, but then Wills steps right on her when she is talking or starting to say something and she backs right down. He must be a real joy to live with. No wonder the woman is so thin – she seems a nervous wreck.

      • Vava says:

        She should just tell him to chill out. I don’t care who he is, rudeness is obnoxious and people like that need to be called out. Publicly if necessary.

      • Mika says:

        Kate DID have loads of personality when she was at University, but her relentless quest for William tamped her down. Unfortunately, she is coming off worse looking because she is desperate to please him! UGH!

  2. Kitty says:

    How can a dress cost that much? Oh how I want Harry as King in the future.

    • Hudson Girl says:

      The dress looks like it’s worth about £100
      I don’t like it but, I LOATHE her earrings, which look like they were purchased in the 90’s at Chico’s.
      I can’t stand how she accessorizes her overpriced outfits.

  3. Sally says:

    Are the clothes not given to her for free or hugely discounted like celebrities ?

    • COSquared says:

      Freebies aren’t allowed. Before she became HRH, she famously got a cut-price Audi and a constant stream of Issa clothes. Discounts are highly possible, but freebies? Nope. JMO.

      • notasugarhere says:

        W&K’s office announced it at one point, that they do not accept freebies or discounted items. Some businesses get around this by giving things to the Middleton family.

      • burnsie says:

        Hasnt that been disproven though, that they don’t accept freebies? I coulda swore there was a story where Kate accepted something and liked it so much she asked for another. I wanna say it’s a hat but I don’t remember the details

      • Kitty says:

        They pay full price, aren’t allowed to get free clothes or discounted clothes. @notasugarhere, I doubt that. Anyways why does Charles have to fund her wardrobe? Does that include Jewelry and shoes as well?

      • COSquared says:

        Burnsie: Google “Pippa Middleton charm necklace gift”. It’s the perfect example of what Nota mentioned of businesses gifting her through her family.

      • LAK says:

        Kitty: Charles pays for everything.

        It’s a continuing puzzle why William, a man worth his own millions and trustfunds, continues to live off his father.

      • bluhare says:

        To be fair, Harry does too.

        And Charles expenditures from the fund that supports them went up 10% last year.

      • hmmm says:

        Just imagine. That’s 10% of several *millions*.

      • Snappyfish says:

        Charles doesn’t have to pay, he chose to pay. It was announced long ago that he covers the boys & the Duchess’ clothing so people wouldn’t be agast at taxpayers footing such an expensive bill. The costs of a bespoke outfit are always a guesstimate. The dress, if made mass produced, would cost far less. It’s still a McQueen & labels often add commas.

        So yes Charles pays for her frocks & everything William & Harry wear too. I don’t hear much grousing about that

        She takes over the trophy presentations next year

      • LAK says:

        Snappyfish: the tax payers end up paying for it anyways because Charles presents it as a tax write off. Very sly if you ask me because not many people notice that particular transaction and are happy to accept the fiction that Charles magnanimously takes care of their clothing budget (and various other expenses) at no cost to taxpayer.

      • Nic919 says:

        I wonder if the ones who voted for Brexit because they didn’t want nameless EU bureaucrats getting their money are ok with this family getting millions and doing absolutely nothing.

      • MinnFinn says:

        Snappyfish, Perhaps there’s little grousing about Willy and Harry’s clothes budget because theirs has to be a fraction of what Kate spends. The brothers wear the same blue or tan khakis for casual events or a navy suit to e v e r y t h i n g. And on top of that their laundry bill has to be tiny because oftentimes the khakis look rumpled, slightly dirty or faded.

      • Megan says:

        As she has no taste, no style, and can’t dress for her figure, I think she should take all the freebies she can get on the condition the designers, not Kate, get to choose the pieces and style her looks. It’s a win win for everyone.

      • Snappyfish says:

        it was stated by Charles that he uses his funds from his Dutchy Originals line. his private business & the misnomer is that tax payers eventually pay for it. He was quite clear that these are his personal funds. What he does with his money is his business.

      • notasugarhere says:

        He’s using the Duchy money, not his “personal” fortune to pay the annual $4.5 million in costs for W&K&H. The Duchy Originals do not belong to him personally, it belongs to the Duchy which is ultimately taxpayers. When the BRF are thrown out, Charles doesn’t get to keep the Duchy or anything associated with it (Duchy Originals, Highgrove, etc.)

        Charles is as much a cheapskate as William in some ways. Everything spent out of the Duchy that he claims is “work-related” he takes off on his taxes.

      • LAK says:

        Snappyfish: it really doesn’t matter which pot out of his private funds he uses to pay for Kate. It’s fact that he passes on the cost to the taxpayer via a tax-write off. When Kate first joined the household, the public accounts were fairly transparent on this point. After the public outcry, not to mention Charles successfully applying for exemption from FOI over his financial affairs, transparency disappeared.

        Further, using duchy originals money is fudging the issue since it’s original charter was to raise money for charity 100% and not a personal revenue stream.

        If the charter has been extended to provide revenue for William and Kate then that is something that should be examined properly rather than accepted with a shrug because people buying those products are under the misconception that their money is going to charity.

    • Kitty says:

      @LAK, she has it lucky then if Charles pays for her clothes, shoes and best of all jewelry.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Ultimately it is the taxpayers who pay for all of it.

      • Egla says:

        Well, once I saw an article about the USA president. It was detailed his paycheck, money for clothes work related, house maintenance, expenditures for travels and for hosting guests at ceremonies. It was stated that he paid for his own food for his family. The sums were pretty high.
        Now, I am not saying that the royal families deserve all these money but since they are accepted then it’s normal, as they represent their country, that things are going to get paid for them to do their job. We get to pick on Kate as she is front and center but if you look closely other royals wear expensive clothes too. She HAS to look good and yes she can do a lot more with all that money (I know I would with the right stylist and my job in mind) but she is who she is. She has to represent her country at best. 2000 pounds for a dress for BRF and England it’s nothing. She could work more but that’s another topic.
        As for the Duchy paying for everything let’s remember here that it was created for that purpose: To maintain the lifestyle of the throne prince. As far as I know it was created to give the future monarch the lifestyle without asking money from others and Charles can spend them as he likes. Our parents have taken care of us financially too. Yes it’s not his personal property but it’s not like people are starving because of that.
        For closure, we had a new president and he went public with his wife for the first time (our president is like QEII, just a figure but still). When we saw her on TV we were ashamed of her and everybody commented as to why she couldn’t bother to buy better clothes. The truth was she was a normal person previous to her husband becoming president so sure as hell she couldn’t afford expensive clothes. Eventually she changed her style and we were all happy. It was reported that when she went to the USA, at a dinner with other people someone complimented her about her Chanel coat. We were almost proud, and remember we are a poor country.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The Duchies and the Crown Estates were created to fund “the instrument of government”. Not to fund the exorbitant lifestyles of the Windsor family. It is 2016 and their excesses are being noted a lot more than in the past. Increasing attention has brought increasing criticism. They need to watch their step and their spending carefully.

        I’m not saying she needs to wear obviously mended gloves like Princess Anne, but the amount of money she spends on her inappropriate wardrobe is over the top.

        Letizia of Spain is Queen in a country with 20+ percent unemployment. She dresses well, professionally, and stylishly for a fraction of what Middleton spends. It is important to represent your country well, but that does not require $100,000 a year. No unelected representative needs to spend that kind of money to do their job and dress appropriately.

      • Sarah says:

        Egla, have you seen how Presidents age in four or 8 years??? They work constantly! And we don’t support their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. And they were elected by the people. Not just the fast swimming sperm, which is how royalty are continued.
        No comparison!

  4. Cherry says:

    Yes that’s a lot of money for such a simple dress, but the fit is perfect and the material looks quite expensive. Anyhoodle, I like this a lot better than the ill-fitting lace monstrosity Beyoncé wore at Serena’s final. What was that all about?

    • Christianna says:

      If you want a perfect fit, you can get dresses tailored for less than that!

  5. Right says:

    Zzzzzzzz

  6. LadyJane says:

    Can we please stop forever talking about her boring fashion choices? She is an endless Boden catalogue. You know how some people can make even the most expensive thing look trashy? She has a similar, more mitigating effect: she makes everything look yawn-tastic upper-middle snoozefest. God.

    • Bettyrose says:

      In this particular case, the dress itself should shoulder some of the blame. Cut aside, the pattern looks like a $3 terrycloth dish rag.

      • burnsie says:

        The print looks like it can’t decide if it’s an old school nature print dress or an emoji dress

  7. Betti says:

    Chuck seriously needs to have a word with her about her spending, a new outfit, jewellery or accessories EVERTYTIME she’s seen in public is outrageous but she doesn’t care, she clearly likes to Lord it over people at every opp she gets.

    As usually it looks better on the model and as usually she makes it look cheap and boring.

    • Ninks says:

      I mean, it’s not EVERYTIME she’s in public. She repeats outfits and accessories frequently. We talk about it a lot.

      She’s damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t, to be fair.

      • LAK says:

        Actually she does not. She’s does so few events that when she repeats, it is memorable. Out of an average 70 public events per year, she repeats 3-4 outfits. The other events are always new. The only time she wears the same outfit is where sports is involved. She’s worn that stripy tee/jeggings combo at all such events. Hard to tell if she’s wearing new stripy tee/jeggings or repeats.

        There are websites that document her outfits according to events and it’s quite clear that she rarely repeats her clothing, including the boring courts which have been identified as several brands though they look very similar. One website had her at 15 black courts from various brands.

        If anything, she repeated her clothing more in the first year than she has done in the past couple of years.

        The only area she repeats consistently is her jewellery though to be fair, she has several versions of the same drop earrings which she switches out with the sapphires.

        She used to repeat her hats, but lately she appears to be debuting a new hat every occassion that calls for one.

        And of course her clutches. She appears to have only a handful, no more than 5 altogether which are repeated ALL the time.

      • Cee says:

        Who needs 15 pairs of black shoes/pumps? I understand having two if you wear them a lot, but 15?! She needs to invest that money in better shoes. Or just stop spending 300-500 pounds a pair to end up with so many shoes in the same colour and with the same basic design.

        And yes, she barely repeats her outfits. And don’t forget about those outfits we haven’t seen yet. She spends most of her time off duty. My take is that she wears most of her new clothes while off duty and then wears her cheapest/repeats to appear more “down to earth”, pairing high end designers with high street cheap accessories.

    • Easypeasy123 says:

      She repeats a lot of outfits. If I were repeating an outfit at an event I would probably jazz it up with new accessories

      • Betti says:

        When she repeats and outfit she usually has a new bag or piece of jewellery of new shoes so yes she wears something new ll the time.

      • Em' says:

        @Betti But she does not. We constantly throw shades at her because she always styles her outfits the same way. She always wears the same boring shoes or clutches.

        And I don’t find it fair to compare her spendings to William and Harry’s. Nobody wil throw sh!ts at the princes for always vwearing the same dark blue suits.

        Speaking of which, I am impressed by William who, lately, seems to be mixing it up stylewise. I am not a huge fan of this particular colour combination but I applaud the effort.

    • notasugarhere says:

      She has spent over $100,000 on new clothes this year. It is ridiculous how much she spends, even if she was working 400 engagements a year she’d be spending too much. We need to retire the words “repeat” and “recycle” when discussing royal wardrobes. They are supposed to purchase a suitable working wardrobe and wear items dozens of times.

      • The Original Mia says:

        Yeah, I think it’s ridiculous she’s spent so much money on clothing this year. We’re only at the halfway point and be numbers are still lagging behind everyone else’s. All of those bespoke outfits from India/Bhutan will probably not be seen again. That’s a waste.

      • Kitty says:

        How do you know she spent 100,00 on new clothes this year?

      • LAK says:

        Kitty: there are several websites that document Kate’s clothing for public events. She’s already reached that figure. It’s unsurprising when you know that she spent £10K on 4 lace dresses from Dolce and Gabanna. It quickly adds up.

      • notasugarhere says:

        As LAK pointed out, there are sites that track it. HRHDuchessKate and WhatKateWore are two of them. Those are both Kate Middleton fan sites, not critical blogs.

        The prices they give are often lower than what the items cost. They post the cost to purchase it, but when it is a custom item (as this may be as it is a longer version) they do not estimate the added cost of the changes.

      • Vava says:

        It would be one thing if the stuff she bought was actually wonderful but she’s had a lot of awful things on display lately. The lace dresses in particular.

        And then her shoes have got to be the most boring ones on the planet. It is odd that she buys so many that look like the others.

        Then again, a lot of her coats and various dresses sort of look alike too. Seems like such a waste of money…..how many blue coat dresses does a person need? How many pairs of black suede pumps does one person need? just so mundane!

    • hmmm says:

      Yes, I agree. It’s about lording it over everyone (she’s a _princess_, people). Isn’t that what the nouveaux riches do?

    • Vava says:

      OK, I’m not a UK citizen, but maybe Chuck should talk to her more about buying “perfect” pieces for her professional wardrobe. Charlie understands perfect tailoring………….. It seems to me that the dear Duchess just doesn’t have an eye for high quality, well made clothing. If she did, she wouldn’t be wearing some of the junk she’s been showcasing lately.

      That said, this “Sarah Burton For McQueen” seems to be an artistic expression using a tricky print and so…………..even though they left off the waist detail from the runway version, it is mildly passable, imo. Still though, it isn’t worth the price tag.

  8. Say Whaaa? says:

    Today, I have so say…What the hell is William wearing? The clothing choice and fit are all kinds of wrong.

    • LAK says:

      It was leaked just before India that he has taken to shopping at MR Porter aka http://www.mrporter.com, the menswear version of Net-a-porter.com

      On the one hand i applaud his move away from stodgy geography teacher, but on the other, MR Porter clearly caters to Hedi Slimane trendies with their very slim silhouttes. William, being a big man, needs to go back to bespoke tailoring.

      He should take pictures of clothing he likes from the website to his tailors and have them create versions that fit him. As demonstrated above and in recent outings, these Mr Porter clothese are too small for him and fit really badly.

      His suits are bespoke and he looks good in those.

    • Vava says:

      I’ve been chuckling about William’s wardrobe lately. As LAK said, his clothing has been too small for him. I’m surprised he doesn’t see that. Or feel that when he wears this stuff. This jacket is one of his worst because of the fit. And in other photos out there, that tie and shirt looked as if they were choking him.

      • LAK says:

        Yep.

      • HH says:

        I feel like he’s going for that “fitted” casual/ “smart casual” look that men have been going for lately. It’s very metropolitan/urban. However, the men that I see doing that have a better figure, style, and overall look to the pull that off. However, because I know William, I feel he’s far too traditional/grandpa to pull this off. Just google the term “smart casual menswear” and look at the images. You’ll see what I mean.

      • hmmm says:

        I wonder if he has a lady friend he’s trying to impress. Or did Kate wear him down regarding his image? He clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing- nor does Waity who imagines a tailor is beneath her.

      • Vava says:

        hmmmm……….LOL.

        That may well be the case. I just fail to understand how any woman would find this guy appealing though. And to think just 10 years back he actually looked sort of good.

        The ill-fitting jacket, the pants that are too short – and showing the royal jewels………it’s just too much to deal with – because he is just such a geek. Lenny Kravitz he is NOT.

    • Angel says:

      I actually was going to say William looked really good (gasp) for a change. The tailoring is more modern and so is the fabric choice. This one is a 1+ for me. Oh, well. To each their own:)

      • hmmm says:

        Frankly, he doesn’t have the figure for that sort of clothing. Or a tailor. Or the presence. He’s a shlub who looks really great if rather old-fashioned in his bespoke suits. Look at Charles- he makes the best of what he has and he looks impeccably turned out and fabulous!

      • notasugarhere says:

        Re. William’s Speedo-like trousers. I don’t need to see either of their royal baby makers, thanks.

        hmmm, Charles does the best with what he has. He was quite fit when younger, but his proportions are similar to KM’s. Short legs, long torso. Who notices when he’s wearing a beautifully-tailored suit?

      • Vava says:

        William should take note of his father’s impeccably tailored suits. That’s what he should be striving for.

  9. Sixer says:

    Weird dress.

    Poor Andy. Fancy having to talk to these two know-nothing dimwits right at one of the high points in your sporting career.

    • LAK says:

      I’m a McQueen stan.

      These Sarah Burton for Kate’s version of McQueen really, REALLY bug me.

      The only positive is that they insist on tailoring the clothing themselves rather than letting Kate and her team of incompetents ruin the clothes with their amateur adjustments.

      • Sixer says:

        I’m an Oxfam shop stan.

        I’m like catnip to you, LAK!

      • Vava says:

        me too. I wish in many ways that the McQueen line died when he did, because Sarah Burton just doesn’t have “it” like he did. I wonder if he were alive today whether or not he’d even deal with Kate.

      • LAK says:

        See you can’t thwart me Sixer!! The Oxfams near me are filled with the cast offs of every bored MIC wannabe or designer addicts who indulge in every new season. I’m sure we can pick up no-price McQueen (and other labels) for you!!!!

      • Sixer says:

        Ha. The thing that will always disappoint you, LAK, is that I would wear literally anything from the Oxfams near you provided you went to buy them and I didn’t have to bother!

      • LAK says:

        I’m sure i can employ Charles’s method of paying for Katie Bucket’s clothing to kit you out!!!

      • Sixer says:

        Haha. Go for it! I dare you!

      • notasugarhere says:

        Sixer, not sure how I missed this. Cameron quit 10 hours ago?

    • Jo says:

      I couldn’t hear the video that well, but is seemed a little rude for Kate & William to ignore Andy’s question about Charlotte.

      • Sixer says:

        Yep. And it’s not as if Andy is the world’s greatest conversationalist himself. At least he tried!

      • Hazel says:

        I thought so, too, and that was mostly Kate. She allowed William to do most of the talking then brushes off a question about the kids. She could have given a short ‘social’ response. I must say, for someone so ‘keen’ on tennis, Kate’s conversational skills (or lack thereof) surprised me.
        And hey! William was not in a blue suit!

      • Tourmaline says:

        Totally agree I thought that was rude! Andy was the one trying to be polite by asking about their kids, because William had been asking about Andy’s baby daughter. Kate should have politely said something like “They’re well, thank you!” and swiftly turned the convo back to Andy’s tennis win. Instead she responded like Andy was some gossip trying to invade the all-important Cambridge privacy. Awkward.

  10. MinnFinn says:

    The print is whimsical. I don’t mind it but it is just shy of being Hello Kitty territory. A qualified stylist would have advised her that this dress which is silk is hotter than cotton or other traditionally summer-weight fabrics. She apparently doesn’t get hot though.

    So Rebecca Deacon was also there sitting several seats away from Kate. I’m as interested in the trappings of royalty as I am in the fashion. Someone reported that Kate left twice to go to the bathroom and also that lipreaders claimed she told Willy she was ‘popping up to the loo’. The same article talked about how one states they need to go pee as an indicator of social class in the UK. It was mildly interesting. But anyway, what does Deacon do at activities like Wimbledon? Does she accompany Kate to the loo and IDK wait next to the sink holding a hand towel for her? Anyone have any insights about why she is there when they are just watching tennis?

    • Betti says:

      Interestingly there was an article in the fail that Deacons relationship with their assistant press secretary had ended and he was now seeing Harry’s PA. coincidentally said guy is leaving their employ.

      Deacon is Kate right hand women – where Kate goes Deacon is 2 steps behind.

      • MinnFinn says:

        I know Deacon is Kate’s admin assistant and I get that she goes to every official duty with her. But Wimbledon puzzles me. What can there possibly be for her to do there?

        I read about the press assistant. His deal with Deacon and apparently not long after Harry’s assistant seems so skeevy to me. Does he not know that one who wishes to be viewed as a professional should never ever fish off the company pier?

    • Rapunzel says:

      Minnfinn- I too wonder why Deacon is there. Maybe she’s a tennis fan? And hello kitty is a perfect description of the print of this dress. Juvenile, imo. But Kate likes twee, doesn’t she?

      • MinnFinn says:

        Twee is the perfect description. You just made me remember another notably twee outfit. She wore it to France a few years ago for a remembrance day. It was a cream McQueen dress with ruffled drop skirt and puffed sleeves. It would have been perfect for a 9 year old royal.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The day W&K didn’t recognize either King Felipe or the President of France? One for the books. Her outfit looked particularly bad next to Queen Mathilde’s elegant pale blue chiffon.

      • MinnFinn says:

        Nota you have a good memory for details! Yes that was the event. Here’s a photo of said outfit. I think this is a lovely ensemble for say a 9 year old royal.
        http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article3987944.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Kate-Middleton-and-Prince-William.jpg

      • Rapunzel says:

        Nota- didn’t recognize King Felipe and the President of France!? Ugh…. Ridiculous. What poor representatives for HM QEII. She’d never be so lax.

      • Vava says:

        MinnFinn, that cream colored coat dress was ONE OF THE WORST. Ewwww!

    • COSquared says:

      I don’t see any reason why she should be there. Sponging off as a royal staff member, maybe? Also, I find the “lipreading” creepy. I find that focus on her a bit extreme imo(and I’m a card-carrying member of the Royal Critics Club).

      • LAK says:

        Rebecca’s presence nullifies their argument that she’s an assistant and not a LIW. A LIW is needed at Wimbledon, an assistant is not.

      • Hazel says:

        I did notice the other day at Wimbledon, Rebecca carried Kate’s tote for her, and at the air show, she carried two totes, Kate’s and hers. Definitely seems more LIW to me.

      • Liberty says:

        ….her presence makes it “work” ?(click, another point for the Waity books)

    • MeeMow says:

      Perhaps she also enjoys watching tennis?

  11. Kay Dozier says:

    Horribly overpriced. How in the world does that cost so much? It’s always amazed me that some clothes can be so expensive and yet look so plain, if not downright ugly.

  12. Kate says:

    I actually like the dress but it is way overpriced. I watched a lot of the tournament yesterday and every time I saw them on screen, they looked bored out of their minds.

  13. Rapunzel says:

    Kate’s had a lot of new stuff lately. Is it just me, or didn’t she used to show off less new stuff at a time? Feels like she’s either buying more new stuff lately, or not spreading it out amongst repeats as much.

    The price tags have gotten steeper too, haven’t they? I don’t recall so many 3000$ pieces before recently.

    I wonder if her wardrobe is getting extra boosted for a reason. But I can’t think of a good reason. Anyone?

    • MinnFinn says:

      She may have gotten a bigger clothes budget from Chuck this year. Brenda and Chuck get a percentage of their assigned duchies’ income and all of the profits were way up. I think I read that Liz’s increase over the last few years has been 40%.

      • Kitty says:

        Maybe she does have a bigger clothes budget. I still don’t understand why she can’t buy her own clothes, shoes, and jewelry.

      • Cee says:

        Kitty – she has no money of her own to spend and I don’t see William giving her access to his trustfund(s) and telling her to shop at her heart’s content.

        What bothers me about Kate is that she uses taxpayers money to buy everything and yet she still works very little. If she didn’t choose this arrangement then the least she could do is earn the money she spends on her image.

      • Cee says:

        ETA: what I meant about earning the money is by working more in her role, not like, go away and work in a bank lol

    • Betti says:

      She has always been a champion shopper and is often seen down Kings Road shopping. That and being fawned off by celebs seem to b the only things that make her really smile.

    • CuriousCole says:

      I think it’s possible the clothing budget boost may be down to 1) she’s now mother to two heirs and 2) she passed the five year mark of being a royal in April. Charles is giving her a “raise” for time served?

  14. COSquared says:

    So…when will Burton be kicked to the curb? Her designs are more tired than Raf’s. At least Dior hired one of the co-creative directors of Valentino, Maria Chiuri.

  15. graymatters says:

    This patronage/president chatter reminds me of the fuss made about her upcoming RFO before the Chinese state dinner. Her maj was just waiting for the right time to award it, she’d definitely have it for the tiara event, it would be for the Chinese…. and then no RFO. Also, her arms look really strong here. I don’t think she’s underweight… just on the low end of her normal. And what’s with Will’s trousers? He has children; we don’t need further proof of manhood.

    • Betti says:

      He’s one of those unfortunate blokes that thinks boxers r comfy and sexy, they r neither. I hate them with a passion and if I date someone who wears them then they r told if they want to sleep with me they have to burn their boxers. If they don’t, bye.

    • Deedee says:

      Will’s been wearing a lot of too tight, too short lately. All the sugars are excited that Will’s wearing something different from his usual blue suit, but this change doesn’t excite me.

    • Rapunzel says:

      Graymatters- William is taking Malcom Reynolds’ place as “captain tight pants.” Hope someone gets my Firefly reference.

      • graymatters says:

        Yes! I watched the first few episodes before life intervened and then I forgot about it. Must go back.

        William had a chance at being cool a decade or so ago. And then he spoke…

    • The Original Mia says:

      I’m tired of seeing the royal dong. It looks unprofessional.

  16. Christianna says:

    “I often wonder how she determines how and when to repeat a previous look and when to wear a new dress.”

    Wouldn’t she have some royal stylist do the thinking for her?

    • LAK says:

      She refuses to employ one officially. Any improvements in her style appear to be the work of her assistant OR orders from HM.

  17. Linda says:

    This dress costs just on $4.000 aust dollars. It looks like something that you can buy at a department store for no more than $200. I can understand paying that sort of money for a beautiful evening dress but this, I am sorry but sitting at Wimbledon does not require a dress anywhere near that expensive.

    I think it is a case of I am not paying for it, I bet if willy was paying it would be a different story and also a sense of entitlement for being a stuck up princess. I am sorry but I cannot stand these two morons.

  18. Margo S. says:

    I’m so confused by Kate. It’s so true what many posters are saying, she makes beautiful dresses look boring. Is it because of her hair, makeup, or because she just looks bored? Also, are the unflattering photos on purpose? Like, do the photogs take bad photos of her on purpose? Or is she just not photogenic?

    • perplexed says:

      I’m one of those people who is confused too. She has all the elements of someone who should be considered beautiful (and I think she probably is considered to be so), but I feel nothing when I look at her face.

      • Elle says:

        Superficial beauty always eventually wears thin. It’s not just about aging. There are millions of beautiful faces, and new ones are born every day. Even Marilyn Monroe (at only her mid-30s) was being eclipsed by Audrey Hepburn and others before her death.

    • HH says:

      Yes, it’s quite odd. I think I boiled it down to two reasons:

      1 – Despite branching out in terms of patterns or bold colors, Kate often repeats the same silhouettes. This on top of repeating shoes (nude pumps, anyone?), hair, and accessories dulls the impact of anything new she wears.

      2- Kate doesn’t have any “presence.” Whether it’s because she shy or lack of life experience, she doesn’t really command a room. Think of Queen Maxima, Queen Rania, or Letizia (or Diana, if we wanna go that route). Some people’s personality also shines through with their outfit. I don’t think Kate will ever reach that level. I think at times she will look nice, appropriate, and pretty. However, she will never have that extra “it” thatj makes an outfit shine.

  19. Starlight says:

    Kate is obviously dressing Wills getting him away from the aristo uniform which is worn and worn. A bit like Diana putting Charles in that double breasted suit all those years ago. I watched this match on tv and noted at one point when the cameras focuses on them Wills wasn’t giving her much attention then at a player break Kate leaves to go to away from the game (perhaps the Loo or phone the nanny) – but it’s very unusual to go to the toilet while watching live tennis you normally go before you sit down because getting out of your seat is annoying as you have to get passed lots of seated people. But it looked like Wills was surprised when she left. She returned but I am sure he went off to find her, as he looked like he left his seat shortly after a set in the match.
    Anyway I like the dress very pretty and unusual worth wearing a good ten times to get value for money

  20. cindyp says:

    Ugh…that hair! What is the deal with William? He needs a decent pair of trousers & shirts that fit. He looks like someone who never has to dress up & pulled old stuff out of his closet. Awful

    • Llamas says:

      My best friend and I were discussing these two and she pointed out that William looks like a giant asparagus. She has a point.

  21. Lucy says:

    I don’t understand this dress.

  22. bluhare says:

    I’m going to say it. I really like this dress. It’s the first dress she’s worn in quite some time that I actually like.

  23. meme says:

    they need to retire the name McQueen since Burton rarely designs anything that looks like McQueen.

  24. Lucky Charm says:

    I could have sworn I’ve seen her wear this dress (or something very, very similar) before. If you hadn’t said it was new I would have continued to think it was a repeat. If I had the clothes budget she apparently has, I certainly wouldn’t buy so many things that all look the same!

  25. Elle says:

    I had a conversation with a few design students right before the Met Gala once. They told me dresses are priced high for construction reasons, but also for exclusivity: big designers don’t want everyone wearing their clothes, and rich folk don’t want everyone looking like them.

    • Llamas says:

      I don’t have any issues with rich people spending their money. (Most of the time) they earned their money. That being said, I’m not okay with people being a**holes about it. What you said falls into the a**hole category.

      • Cee says:

        Ha, more often than not rich people end up looking the same! And the high street exists for a reason.

        I can’t count how many times I walked into a room and there were other women wearing similar dresses to my own, and the exact same shoes.

  26. Rocío says:

    I’m crazy about that dress!!! Love it!!! But I would have loved it more on someone else like Keira Knightley or someone with a sunnier or playful personality.

    • Guesto says:

      Or just someone with a personality.

      I like the dress, the fabric, the fullness of the skirt but would have preferred it minus the sleeves.

      • Vava says:

        Agreed. I think the sleeve pleating ruins it. The runway version had the pattern on the waist and I liked that, but of course Kate left that off of her dress.

    • Natalie says:

      Cate Blanchett could have pulled it off.

  27. kori says:

    Just as an off note, that’s the mayor of London behind them. He’s the first Muslim elected the mayor of a major city (though Rotterdam had one as well) and the son of immigrants.

    • Ravine says:

      Of a major WESTERN city. Pretty sure there have been Muslim mayors of Cairo, Tehran, Karachi… 😉

  28. Kiliki says:

    You Brits pay so much in taxes, I don’t see how this wouldn’t be an everyday MADDENING issue.

    I love the dress. I would be humiliated to wear said dress knowing the price and knowing full well others would too. This coming from someone with unfortunately expensive taste in clothes, but still, THIS is ridiculous. (Reminds me of the Cinderella remake-the theme-the print.)

  29. hey-ya says:

    …beautifully cut frock…just the right length..the black version is nice too…

  30. tomato says:

    This is a beautiful dress. To equate the cut and design of this dress to a high street product shows a lack of understanding of couture and dressmaking. Feel free to not like it, to not like the wearer, to be aghast at the price, but it is worth every penny. We can’t afford it, but if I could it would thrill me to own and wear it.

    • MinnFinn says:

      …”shows a lack of understanding of couture and dressmaking”

      Please enlighten us. How is this ‘couture’ and what about its construction makes it worth every penny?

    • Sarah says:

      Couture is an outfit made from scratch for the wearer. One of a kind. I don’t believe this is. This is just a cute dress, way, way overpriced. How can you say with a straight face that this unimaginative piece of cloth is worth $4000!!! I may be ignorant but that’s nuts!!!

    • hmmm says:

      This came from an atelier? For that price? Ha, I doubt it. Would cost the earth. Not only that, this is not one of a kind. It’s available in department stores.

  31. J says:

    I like the pattern of the dress but not the sleeves. The sleeves make it look matronly or Duggar-ish or …something.

  32. Tourmaline says:

    It looks better from a distance but I don’t like the print close up. Skulls, eyeballs, butterflies, lipstick tubes……edgy, but Kate isn’t edgy…
    She also had it modified to be longer and the waist is done differently than on the publicly available version of this dress

  33. Suzanne says:

    This princess needs a new look. Period. Her taste in clothes is matronly….and her hair is boring as hell. Cut the damn hair and give yourself a fresh new look. Even Lady Di had sixteen hairdo’s in her day…and she always looks FABULOUS…Very tasteful clothing…not this frumpy looking stuff Kate manages to wear.

  34. carolind says:

    I got quite a good look of her on BBC when Andy was being congratulated by everyone on the way to the dressing room and she and William were also waiting to speak to him. I thought she looked beautiful and dress suited her. I did not see her feet. When Andy asked her about her kids what she actually said was something like ‘No. This is all about you today, not us’.

    Kate is often compared to Kim Murray, Andy’s wife, who is quite similar in appearance but softer looking than Kate. Kim is typically English looking and very classy. Yesterday she had on a gorgeous straight orangey coloured dress by Jenny Packman which cost £100 less than Kate’s dress. Kim was gorgeous at the Champions Dinner later on.

  35. Velvet Elvis says:

    On someone else I might find that dress a youthful and lovely breath of fresh air, but on Kate it just feels boring and forgettable. She’s a beautiful woman but is 100% lacking in the charisma to be any kind of style icon.

  36. wow says:

    William is actually starting to look handsome again. And whatever diet Kate is on is working for her Two kids and a waist like that? Props to ya!

    • Sarah says:

      It’s called the eating disorder diet.

      How sad that she is literally wasting away and people give her props. We are one messed up society when it comes to women and body images.

      • Katie says:

        Sarah
        Exactly! Except I’d add that this behaviour with Kate has being going on for years and I can’t for the life of me figure out how and why William and the royals don’t step in and get her the help she so desperately needs. Remember Diana?

      • Sarah says:

        Katie, I am exactly Diana’s age, so I remember her well. And even at her thinnest, I don’t remember Diana ever looking so gaunt, and really really tiny. Tiny waist, tiny legs, Kate is disappearing – and people say, “Hey, great diet!!!” It’s frightening.

      • claire says:

        I’ve been following the comments on this topic on this and other Kate threads and have to agree she seems quite unhealthy and a shadow of her former self. As others have noted before, she used to be slim and athletic pre-engagement then embarked on a downward spiral with extreme dieting, exercising. It is most noticeable when she is pictured beside other people who seem to be normal, average body weight. Even the heavily padded bras and flowy fabrics fail to conceal how frail she is.

      • Ravine says:

        All the talk on this site of Kate “literally wasting away” (really??) or looking “gaunt”… I don’t see it. At all. She keeps a trim figure (certainly far from curvy), and I have no doubt that diet and exercise are a big part of her life, but this dangerously skeletal appearance you’re describing is ridiculous.

      • Polly says:

        I agree with you Ravine, she obviously maintains her figure with diet and exercise but I see nothing to be ‘concerned’ about and she honestly looks healthy and fit to me.

      • Cerys says:

        Sarah – agree completely with you. I work with teenagers and I find it concerning that Kate is portrayed as a role model and fashion icon.

      • Vava says:

        I know some folks think speculating on EDs is taboo, but there is something going on with the Duchess. This is not her normal weight and even though she has muscles still, it doesn’t mean she’s healthy.

  37. Cerys says:

    It’s a nice enough dress but grossly over priced and as usual Kate looks blah. Mary or Maxima or even Sophie would have looked great in it. I’m sure she could have recycled one of her many frocks to sit at a tennis match. I’m not keen on William’s new look either. It just doesn’t look right .

  38. TyrantDestroyed says:

    The only reason why this terrible printed dress should cost that much is because it’s from fair trade, everybody is making a decent living from it and the environment didn’t suffer that much during its production but I honestly doubt this is the case.

  39. notasugarhere says:

    Putting in a plug for Kaiser to please cover Victoriadagen next week (14th). It is the annual birthday celebration of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Both Estelle and new baby Oscar should be there for part of the fun.

  40. Caz says:

    I’m in the minority – I really like the dress.

    Haven’t paid any attention to Charles until recently- his styling & tailoring at recent appearances has been impeccable (as others here have already said). That’s how a future Monarch should dress.

  41. benchwarmer says:

    I can’t wrap my head around the concept of dressing up to watch a sporting event. So highfalutin to me. It’s not to be meant as an insult to the royals but to this idea in general of dressing up to watch people play sports. Opera, Ballet, I get it, but tennis? I don’t get it. And I’m more gobsmacked by the men’s clothing, I can’t imagine they’re comfortable in jackets and ties. Is this just the way the rich dress or are they this dressed in the cheap seats?

  42. happyXamp says:

    I think this would have looked a lot better as either a skirt or a shirt i find the pattern a bit busy as a dress. I also think it’s ridiculously over priced. The pattern reminds me of the bedspread my sister got from pottery barn a few months ago.

  43. anon123 says:

    I love that dress and all McQueen is overpriced, obviously.

  44. Joanie says:

    Love it.

  45. Crowdhood says:

    I love this dress so much and I think she looks fine so I probably shouldn’t dress myself anymore

  46. Six of Nine says:

    That dress looks cheap on her as usual.

    Also I wonder if she got lip fillers because her upper lip is suddenly more prominent.

  47. JudyK says:

    It’s cute and appropriate for the event, but I’d be embarrassed to purchase and/or wear a dress that cost that much, even if I were someone in her position.