Duchess Kate wore green Jenny Packham to a formal dinner in Islamabad

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Here are photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge heading to a formal dinner at the National Monument in Islamabad, Pakistan this evening (Pakistan-time). This was their third costume change of the day! And William was the one who decided to honor the host nation by wearing more traditional clothing – William wore a sherwani by Naushemian. He looks nice, actually. It’s great to see him in something different and that color is great on him.

Kate wore Jenny Packham – a conservative, covered-up look in a deep emerald color. Green is the color of Pakistan, so that was how she honored the country, plus it looks like Packham did a built-in scarf on the shoulder to make this look more Pakistani-influenced. I’m trying to grab a few close-ups because I think the details are being missed in the wider shots – there’s a real design to the sequins/beading on the dress. My only complaint here is that I would have liked to see her hair completely up. Her chandelier earrings are from Onitaa, a Pakistani jewelry company/designer.

I’ve seen the conversation in the comment section about what is and is not cultural appropriation. My Indian dad always told me he loved to see Western women wearing traditional Indian designs because, in his mind, those designs were the most beautiful garments in the world and they should be shared. I don’t even think there’s that fine a line – garments like the sherwani and kurta and shalwar kameez are not specifically religious garments which should never be worn by outsiders. They’re cultural and national fashion, to be embraced by anyone and everyone. That’s my take.

Also: the Cambridges arrived by rickshaw. Which is sort of cool and was likely arranged through negotiations with the British embassy and the Pakistani protocol people, it’s not like Will and Kate just hopped on a rickshaw out of nowhere.

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Photos courtesy of Getty.

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125 Responses to “Duchess Kate wore green Jenny Packham to a formal dinner in Islamabad”

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  1. Maria says:

    I….like them for this? The outfits, the mode of arrival. Hm. Lol!

  2. Valiantly Varnished says:

    As I was saying…a very expensive fashion show.

      • S says:

        They always seem disingenuous, to me. They seem charmless and forced. I don’t think they can be otherwise given their position in the Royal family and the constraints they must operate in.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      @Valiantly Varnished, I agree with you that we are seeing a metric-fuck-tonne of money on Kate’s back. However, I am just amazed at how well her clothes are tailored and how well they fit. Kate looks really good on this tour if for no other reason than her clothes fit perfectly.

      What I cannot understand is why Meghan’s clothes are not custom tailored as Kate’s are.

      FYI: I am comparing the clothes of each Duchess not the Duchesses themselves.

      • Valiantly Varnished says:

        That is because the MAJORITY of what Kate wears is bespoke. Could Meghan get her mass-produced items tailored? Sure. And who knows maybe she will start doing that when her body stops changing post-baby. Im also sure she would get s*it for how much she spent on tailoring as well. She cant win either way. Will Kate get the same lashing for how much money she spent on this tour as Meghan did on the Australia tour and the Morocco one? I highly f*cking doubt it.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        “That is because the MAJORITY of what Kate wears is bespoke.”

        And this why we will never get a true cost on Cathy’s tour clothes as it is almost impossible to estimate cost of bespoke; you gotta see the invoice and what was actually purchased from the dressmaker.

      • Jan says:

        @BayTampaBay

        Interesting that the bespoke nature of the clothing doesn’t stop the DM from guessing price on Meghan’s items. I seem to recall them claiming she spent 100K on a bespoke caftan with absolutely no proof. But they won’t do that here.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Jan, Agree with you 100%. The DM post articles for click bait. The Meghan haters are a large part (probably a majority) of the DM commentariat. The DM is just playing the tune their audience wants to hear and do not really care what the tune is as long as it generates revenue producing click$.

      • sandy says:

        Of course many people get mass market items tailored. I do, because I have shorter arms and legs than most mass retailers cut for. And if I had the money, I’d have everything tailored.

        Let’s be frank—even the retail items Meghan buys aren’t Old Navy levels of cheap. She should have them tailored to fit her frame. It can be done so if her weight shifts a bit they can be re-stitched appropriately.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        “Let’s be frank—even the retail items Meghan buys aren’t Old Navy levels of cheap”.

        @Sandy, You are so CORRECT. When Meghan or Cathy buys “High Street”, they are buying the USA equivalent of Saks & Neiman Marcus. There is no reason why the clothes should not fit perfectly as all women in BRF have access to good tailors.

    • Le4Frimaire says:

      Interesting little blurb on Lainey about a Cambridge video with someone murmuring Meghan, jealous in background audio. Wonder what that is all about! 🤔🤨

      • Amne says:

        It was of Kate arriving at the museum last week, and a young girl was caught on audio saying, “ooh, Meghan’s going to be so jealous!” She very well could have been referring to a school mate who wasn’t there.

      • Lexa says:

        I think my other comment got eaten, so hopefully this won’t end up a double post, but I actually hear “They’re going to be so jealous,” and don’t hear Meghan, mostly because the kid follows up, “I said they’re going to be so jealous.”

      • Lorelei says:

        @Lexa me too. I listened to it an embarrassing number of times and do not hear “Meghan” at all, just “they’re going to be so jealous.” But everyone else seems convinced she said Meghan so who knows.

      • Becks1 says:

        I am another one who didn’t think she heard Meghan. But maybe I did? Its the kind of thing where because I was told she says “Meghan” I was pretty sure I heard it, but then the more I listen the less I can hear it. I think if I had just heard the clip and not been told what she supposedly said I wouldn’t have heard “Meghan” at all.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Becks1, Even if you heard the word “Meghan” that does not mean the speaker was referring to Meghan Sussex. LOL! LOL!

      • Becks1 says:

        @Bay well there’s that too LOL!

    • AprilMay says:

      Everything shes worn so far has been bespoke. Even her earrings at this dinner are bespoke. Very very expensive. Bespoke Catherine Walker (which shes worn twice) is said to start around £10,000.

    • TheOriginalMia says:

      She has spent a lot of money. A lot. I hope this isn’t a one off wear.

  3. Mumbles says:

    Wow, this is a great look. And I like the poster’s take on cultural respect v appropriation. If a person adopts or embraces something beautiful from another culture and gives it the respect it deserves, that seems lovely to me. If they do so in a crass and commercial nature with no attribution or acknowledgment of the culture it comes from, that’s gross.

  4. HK9 says:

    I wish Kate’s lip colour was a slightly darker berry colour as I think it would have looked nice with the rich tone of her dress.

  5. Erni says:

    Tbh, all her dresses so far has been sooo good I like them all. I’ll wait for the wardrobe cost commentary though.

    • Bren says:

      I doubt we get any commentary on the final cost.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        With the exception of the Catherine Walker’s, I get the feeling that everything else is bespoke from a (her???) private dressmaker. There is no way to get a cost on something that is bespoke unless you see the invoice.

  6. Lady D says:

    William looks uncomfortable and he also looks like he’s embarrassed given how red his cheeks look. Yes, they could be flushed for half a hundred different reasons, but he just doesn’t look at home in those clothes.

    • Algernon says:

      He looks a little sunburnt to me.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Some comment poster over at The Fail stated the Cambridges went to Dubai first which I take with a tonne of salt considering the source but it does explain the sunburn as it has been steadily raining in England (at least in Norfolk) the past week.

      • Becks1 says:

        I doubt that only because wasn’t William at a pub on Sunday talking about mental health and pro soccer/football?

        And just in general(not in response to you Bay but just bc I’m posting here)….yeesh some of these comments are going off the rails.

    • Some chick says:

      They both look fab. I’m not generally a Jenny Packham fan but this dress is gorgeous. I’m sure William would probably rather stick to his basic suits, but he wears this well. They both look very polished. Kate’s eyebrows are on fleek.

      I think Will has gin blossoms from pre-loading!

  7. koko says:

    I’m partial to jewel tones, so I’m loving the color on both of them. Nice change for him.

  8. bread says:

    Wow, William actually has a great body and this sherwani does an excellent job of showing it off.

  9. Erinn says:

    “My Indian dad always told me he loved to see Western women wearing traditional Indian designs because, in his mind, those designs were the most beautiful garments in the world and they should be shared” That’s such a sweet story, Kaiser. I’ve never worn any traditional pieces, or things of any real cultural importance, but I’ve always had some major envy when it comes to different fashion across the globe – it always looks stunning. And once you start to notice all the little details that go into garments you really get a sense of how much of an artist the people making them must be.

    I’m a sucker for glitter, and while this isn’t my favorite of Kate’s looks, I think it’s quite good. She looks great in emerald green. I know that Will wears a lot of blue (like his wife) but I actually kind of like this color on him. It’s nice to see him in a pattern instead of just the usual suits.

    • Some chick says:

      I think the saarwal khameez look good on everyone, regardless of size/proportions. And they are so comfortable! It’s like the most gorgeous set of pajamas that you will ever wear. Here in Berkeley there is an area with a group of Indian/Pakistani shops and the garments are just stunning.

      I agree with Kaiser’s dad that they are some of the most flattering garments created for women – ever, anywhere. (And saris never get too small for you! Or too big!) Saarwaal khameez are also very forgiving, depending on how you have them fitted.

      I can’t see anyone objecting to someone wearing these (and no one has ever objected to me doing so even though I’m Irish white – which is about as white as it gets outside Sweden) as long as you don’t go around talking like Apu or wearing brownface. I’ve also learned that only the red dot bindis mean anything and the others are only for fashion.

      I’m happy to be able to wear and enjoy these beautiful garments and adornments! I would dress like Priyanka Chopra at one of her weddings every singe day if I could.

  10. Mel M says:

    I like the color and the beading but I’m not a fan of all the shoulder pads. Idk it makes it feel dated to me. Maybe because my mom was obsessed with them in the 80s and every picture I have from then she has them in lol.

  11. Lady D says:

    Did she darken her hair for this trip? Whatever she did, her hair looks flat out amazing here, it’s healthy, shining, and lots of bounce. I believe I’m feeling envy, lol.

    • tw says:

      I think it’s just the hairstyle. I have dark blonde hair and highlights. When I pull my hair back like that, it looks darker because the highlights are on the top half of my head and the lighter hair is pulled back.

  12. Ohdear says:

    Awful! No shape, no sexy,she is emaciated and look no fresh. Yes the consort title has a cost. You are not happy Kate.

  13. tw says:

    I realized while looking at the photos how much I dislike the Cambridges. If I’m being objective, they both look great. But if I’m remembering how awful they are and how much I think we should #abolishthemonarchy, it’s really hard to just appreciate the beautiful clothes.

  14. Jen says:

    I love the color on her. The dress overall is very pretty. I would love it if not for the shoulder pads. Is that her ongoing tribute to Diana? Wearing ugly 80s shoulder pads?

    • BayTampaBay says:

      “ugly 80s shoulder pads” were all over the runway during the most recent fashion weeks.

      • Vava says:

        oh no!!! Was hoping the shoulder pad thing would never be resurrected!

        I like Kate’s dress, very pretty – except for the shoulder pads.

      • Vava says:

        Also, despite whatever either of them wears they still have zero charisma.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Vera, Bill and Cathy are very bland boring which is why we are discussing the clothes & jewelry.

  15. L4frimaire says:

    They both look nice, and William actually looks good. No one is going to scream about what Kate’s wardrobe is costing. They’ve met some dignitaries, visited some charities, and don’t look sweaty. Great success all around.

  16. DaggerIsle says:

    I have to say I love that dress, and the earrings are gorgeous.
    She looks great.

    Wonder what the shoes were like… 🙂

  17. Scandi says:

    About cultural clothing. I come from the Faroe Islands, which is a tiny country within the kingdom of Denmark. Just the Norwegians do, we also have national clothing, and I LOVE when foreigners wear or loan them for our national holiday. I would never think it was inappropriate if someone was to wear the dress in respect for my country. I agree with your father, Kaiser 🙂 Beautiful non-religious cultural clothing should not be restricted when worn right. Now, our national dress is way more ´costumy´ or 18th century cosplaying than the Pakistani one (which is beautiful). But it is such a moment of pride to wear a national dress.

    • Mo says:

      This. One thing missing from the cultural appropriation discussion in the West is that the homeland and diaspora populations view their cultural heritage very differently. The homeland tends to see the fact that their cultural heritage is spreading through the world is a sign of national strength and greatness. Diaspora populations see their cultural heritage as something belonging to them, which is stolen when others use it.

      • Kk2 says:

        That’s an interesting point.

      • s says:

        Excellent points! It is great that we can all learn more about the world with these types of events.

      • Scandi says:

        Yes, I have never met anyone of my fellow countrymen- or women who have been offended when foreigners come to visit and loan a suit for national day (it is crazy expensive – about 3000 pounds). And it happens all the time. I have never heard anyone complain. The Danish crown prince, the crown princess and their children were on an official visit in August. They all wore the national suit, made just for them by Faroese artists, and it was really lovely. The former Danish prime minister has also a suit which he wears when he attends to the national festivities in July. I cannot see why they shouldn´t be able to do that?

        However, there have also been examples of foreigners who have used the clothing in mockery. That – of course – is just wrong and lack of respect. But otherwise, it is mainly positive, I would say.

      • A says:

        People from the homeland don’t see it as quite as bad because they’re not minorities living abroad. They don’t deal with quite the same type of power differential that diaspora folks do when it comes to white people. You rule the roost when you’re at home, and you never have to deal with ignorant white people yelling at you for walking down the street in a casual salwaar kameez, or white girls at your middle school bus stop heckling your grandma for stepping out in the same attire she’s worn for her whole life. So yes, it’s pretty easy to see why people in the homeland only consider the positives–they don’t have to deal with the negatives of the ultimately shallow way with which white people choose to engage with non-white cultures.

      • Scandi says:

        You know very little about me, A, and you make a lot of untrue conclusions about minor colonies just because they exist in Western Europe. No, I am not brown, but I get discriminated for my nationality and for belonging to a former colony every day.

        I don´t live in my homeland. I am a (white – but post colonial) minority living in the country that occupied my country 150 years ago. I receive discriminating comments about my nationality EVERY DAY – from coworkers, the media, people on social media and foreign leading political figures also make fun of my national suit and my country. I have gotten mocked for my accent, because when I moved to the Denmark, I didn´t speak perfect Danish. People assume that my country is uncivilized and not a modern state with a home rule. I use a lot of time every day lecturing people about my history and nationality, and I have taken in a lot of discriminating experiences. The same goes from people from Greenland. They only suffer more, because they are actually brown and have faced much worse things than Faroese people. But racism and post-colonial discrimination also exists in happy Scandinavia.

        So despite of these things – why do I think that it is okay that Danish people (who mock me every day) and other foreigners wear the symbol of my nation? Because all of them are not bad people. Most of them aren´t. I have amazing coworkers who want to learn, that are curious and want visit my country after they get to know me. Should we let the bad and discriminating people win and spread negativity?? NO! Mostly, when foreigners wear my national suit it comes from a good place, and it spreads positivity. In most of the cases, it comes from a place of respect, and those are values that I find necessary to spread.

  18. Ela says:

    Thier dressing has been spot on but I need to go on to their Instagram and see the causes they are highlighting. Until then I am not passing judgment. I didn’t like most of the stuff Meghan wore on her South Africa tour but they highlighted causes and charities I wasn’t even aware off. And I am South African!!! I had no idea about the Victoria Yards and Megan’s addressing of gender based violence was thoughtful and serious. I hope this tour does as much.

    • noway says:

      If Instagram and it’s other ilks is the way we are measuring “highlighting” causes then I think WE may be the problem. Cause even though those avenues are all the rage with some it’s still a pretty small portion of what makes causes succeed. Also, this was more of a state trip requested by Pakistan to highlight their country. This is a good idea as it seems to be something the Cambridges are pretty good at. Ideally the British monarchy has so many working members they should put people in places they are best suited for to optimize success for the monarchy.

  19. Linda says:

    I smiled when I saw these pictures. They look great and using the rickshaw was a brilliant move.

    • guest says:

      William looks so dapper in the sherwani – damn lol. I wasn’t expecting William to wear traditional attire, so this is a nice surprise. I was hoping for a Pakistani designer for Kate’s formal evening events. I think it would feel a bit more authentic than Jenny Packham. She looks gorgeous and there’s still some time to go – fingers crossed.

    • Elisa says:

      I saw a really awesome video on IG how they prepared the rickshaw.
      Overall the fashion so far has been on point and they both look quite happy? I also hope Kate will wear more local designers in the next days.

  20. Amne says:

    Wow-they both look seriously gorgeous. William fills out clothes very, um, well.But it bugs me that he didn’t help Kate out of the vehicle. Call me old-fashioned, but that’s the gentlemanly – and simply polite – thing to do.

    • L4frimaire says:

      @Amne, I noticed that too. He does that a lot, assumes she’ll just follow but not help her out or take her arm. Is she expected to walk two steps behind him as well? It’s just their way with each other I guess. She doesn’t seem bothered by it.

  21. Susie says:

    Did anybody else read that they brought a doctor with them? Is she pregnant again? The way she’s holding her tummy makes me feel like it…

    • ME says:

      Yes! Totally thought she’s hovering her hands around her stomach. However, since she seems to typically suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum (nausea, etc) when pregnant, I feel like she would bail on this trip if she actually were pregnant?

      • Becks1 says:

        I wonder if she is pregnant, and that is why she did so few events over the past few months (and why most of the ones she did were embargoed and not announced until the last minute). But, she always holds her hands like that, and she never works a lot, so who knows.

      • Amne says:

        It’s been pointed out that Kate’s an introvert and quite shy. This is a “protective gesture.”

      • notasugarhere says:

        She isn’t introverted when flirting with Ben Ainslie or walking a runway in a see-through dress. She is clearly uncomfortable in situations where she is required to pay attention and try to act like an adult. It usually results in her weird body language, OTT facial expressions, squirming, and comical head tilts. Her lack of professionalism does not mean she’s shy or introverted.

        If she was pregnant, she’d have already called off working.

      • A says:

        You can be an introvert and still “come alive” as it were when it comes to certain people and settings. It’s not a hard and fast rule that all introverts hate crowds and can’t do public speaking lol.

    • Proud says:

      No she isn’t it is a very high security tour so they asked a doctor who is William’s friend since his days in the air ambulance to accompany them I think Rebecca English or Emily Andrews talked about it in a tweet. They look great.

    • LindaS says:

      I thought a doctor went on all royal tours.

    • L4frimaire says:

      Why do they always have to be pregnant? They’re not handmaids or walking wombs. She seems to do that weird gesture, hands over stomach, crossed over crotch a lot. It’s a bit of a tic. People were saying same about Meghan because she still has tummy and big boobs. Must be exhausting for them all this. They both still have little babies. Louis is @18 mo, still in diapers.

  22. AnnaKist says:

    They both look good. That colour really suits the duchess, and I also think her hair, although quite nice, would have looked even better in a full up-do for such a formal event. The style she’s wearing here makes me think “schoolgirl”.

    I taught a little Pakistani boy with autism for a couple of years. Mostly, the nanny dropped him off and picked him up, but his parents made a real effort to do so in the final six months before they relocated. The dad is a Mathematics professor at one of our most prestigious universities, and the mum became head of gynaecology at a major teaching hospital, hence their move. Whenever they came to the school, they wore beautiful traditional garments. In a multicultural school, this was not unusual, but as they are both tall and very good looking, they made a striking pair.

    • Some chick says:

      Here in the SF bay area there are a lot of folks of Indian origin, and even some specialty shops where you can get the S-Ks. Spices and foods too, and of course saris. I’ve even found them in thrift shops.

      I’ve noticed some of the young women (late teens or 20s or 30s) around here wearing the khameez over skinny jeans or jeggings, with sneaks. It’s a great look – modern and traditional at once. I also almost never see them wearing a scarf…

      I have a few S-Ks but I mostly only ever wear them to fancy parties. They are so beautiful and flattering. Some I don’t have the pants to, so… I may have to emulate this look.

  23. Becks1 says:

    I feel like we have seen this dress on her a dozen times before (sparkly Packham in that long slim silhouette.) So in terms of that, its meh to me – she looks nice, a little 80s, but that’s trendy now – nothing especially interesting IMO.

    That said – I do like the color. She looks really good in vibrant greens and blues; I hate when she wears a lot of pale gray or pale blues or even creams. These colors we’ve seen today really work well on her.

    And I’ll give William props for stepping out of his comfort zone like this (I don’t think we have ever seen him dress in traditional clothing like this, have we? I’m not sure I’ve ever even seen him a kilt). He looks like he feels a little awkward in it but I think its a nice gesture.

    • TorontoBeach says:

      We sure have seen this same boring silhouette on Kate ad nauseum but Wills looks great in his outfit.

  24. Lightpurple says:

    I have a shalwar Kameez. My cousin’s husband is Sikh and we were asked to wear traditional Indian attire to their Sikh wedding ceremony. We had so much fun with the women of his family showing us how to wear our garments and everything was so colorful and beautiful. I will never the pants again but I have worn the top since, paired with silver silk cropped pants to galas and formal events. It’s so pretty with silver, gold, pink, and mostly bright turquoise.

    • Vava says:

      Sounds beautiful!!

    • A says:

      The way you can customize a salwaar kameez is honestly the best part. I’ve worn so many of them w/ jeans and other types of pants, and it almost always looks good. You can mix and match to your fancy. You can dress up or keep it super casual, it doesn’t matter. And depending on the region, everyone does it differently. I can guarantee that the way Punjabi women wear it is different from the way someone from Pakistan would wear it.

      The one other piece of South Asian clothing I’ve worn with some type of regularity are saris, and I’ve been trying my hand at seeing how they work with crop tops and things of the like, especially if they’re made from a material like cotton, which is intended for casual wear as far as saris go. My mom is…not a fan, but w/e, lol!

      • Some chick says:

        I said just about the same thing upthread! They can go so many ways. I see younger women wearing them with jeans and jeggings all the time. I’m inspired to wear mine more often from this conversation.

        I have a great book on different ways to drape saris. You usually only see the “urban” drape but there are so many others. You can even make it into pants! An american woman went all around India, to the villages, asking the oldest ladies for the traditional drapes. The urban girls don’t want to look like peasants so the older styles are dying out. It’s an amazing book.

        It was self published and appears to be OOP but you might be able to track down a copy. The title is Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Draping and the author is Chantal Boulanger. It’s absolutely fantastic.

  25. Becks1 says:

    Also, I appreciate the overall conversation about cultural appropriation. I think it has been respectful and interesting.

  26. yinyang says:

    Man I’d love to wear that dress

  27. Emelia says:

    William and Kate always seem detached from whatever they are doing. Nothing about them screams we are in Pakistan to highlight abc . It just seems like they are playing dress up for another country. William looks ridiculous….Kate has either had too much Botox or she is just going to wear that same old painted on smile the entire tour. They are going through the motions and ticking the boxes…..yawn, yawn and double yawn

  28. Sofia says:

    I like the dress but as a brown girl I just wish she got a Pakistani designer to design it.

    Not a white person’s interpretation but that’s my opinion so don’t kill me

    • aka says:

      William wore a Pakistani designer and Kate’s earlier dresses and these earrings were created by Pakistani designers.
      And honestly even if they didn’t I don’t think we (Pakistanis) would care. They’re not from here but the UK. It’s not easy to find a Pakistani designer and get the perfect outfit. They made an effort which was very sweet.

    • guest says:

      I agree with the both of youuu. The main reason I thought it would be nice for Kate to reach out to a Pakistani designer, for the evening wear, is because I think the exposure to the designer/label would be enormous, especially if Kate & her team picked someone less known. They have done well.

  29. Jo says:

    The rickshaw driver looks so so pleased! You can’t help but smile.
    No snark from me. I’m glad William wore a sherwani and I think they both look amazing, frankly.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Yes, I thought that was sweet.

    • Kk2 says:

      They look nice. Do agree it would be nice if she used more Pakistani designers than British interpretations of such, but she is British and has to rep British designers too I guess.

      Also I am no expert on the royal family but there has to be 0% chance that is an actual rickshaw driver. He is probably a security person provided by the Pakistani government. So he’s probably pretty amused himself to be playing rickshaw driver for the day!

  30. eilishb86 says:

    They both look great! Her outfits on this tour have been on point! And that ride look so much fun! Lol.

  31. MD says:

    Beautiful clothes. As someone (white female) who spent many years living and working in India, I almost always wore Indian clothing because it was expected by the families with whom I lived and it was very much appreciated by the community around me. (The expectation was also that I would necessarily wear a bindi [forehead mark/sticker] as this was considered an essential part of women’s dress, rather than an exclusively Hindu or religious marking.) I came to be very uncomfortable in Western clothing when in those contexts and many times it would have been considered very inappropriate as I was living and working in conservative communities. (Incidentally, Sri Lanka was a different story as I was basically expected to wear Western clothes and no one batted an eyelash.) I have never been in a situation in which wearing Indian clothing was considered to be cultural appropriation. That being said, I have met young people of South Asian descent in Canada who have different opinions about the appropriation of bindis as a kind of fashion, for example (think Gwen Stefani or Madonna).

  32. Mtec says:

    Glad to see a William wearing more traditional clothing, it looked weird him not doing it and Kate going all out. I just with they had coordinated their outfits better for this, they look good individually, but clash together.

  33. Redgrl says:

    This is a beautiful dress – colour, cut, everything.

  34. Mrs.Krabapple says:

    Kate’s face looks *really* jacked. I wonder if she went overboard on the work just before leaving England?

  35. Charfromdarock says:

    William closed the door himself – is that only breaking Royal protocol when it’s an English car?

    The colours look great on both of them.

  36. lucy2 says:

    Gorgeous dress, I love the glittery look of the fabric and the rich color.
    No mention of the cost of it though?

  37. Catherine says:

    Prince William in velvet slippers is GIVING ME LIFE!!! 👑👑👑

  38. Beach Dreams says:

    Another dated and no doubt pricy look. Don’t know what’s up with the constant inclusion of shoulder pads.

  39. Jane says:

    As a person of Indian descent, the usage of a Riksha to arrive seems almost mocking. The usage of rickshaw is due to the poor infrastructure of roads making cars inaccessible. It is also the way most poor people tend to travel due to the lack of money to access cars and a way to earn money. Nobody arrives to an event in a rikshaw. At least a four stop which is a type of car with no doors. It be one thing if they took a ride in a rikshaw as an experience. To arrive in a rickshaw, as a wealthy person, almost seems like it’s mocking the culture and making it seem as if it’s the norm to arrive to fancy events in a rikshaw to the western world which is simply not the case. Making something that is not the norm of the culture (arriving via riksha to a fancy event) and making it seem exotic. Especially in your thousand pound dress! 🙄

    • BayTampaBay says:

      @Jane, Thanks for your comment. I did not know any of this.

    • dawnchild says:

      Arriving in a rickshaw is what stands out as cultural appropriation…agree with @Jane that it’s out of place. But much as I’m not fans of the Cambridges, I blame the diplomats for this…they live there and should know better. I was so tired of expats in India exoticizing rickshaws, when I know people of little means who traveled in them would much rather have been in a car. Her outfit probably costs more than the rickshaw anyway. No reasonably well-off Indian (or Pakistani, am guessing) would arrive at a dressy event in a rickshaw, anymore than someone would take a pony cab to the White House for a state dinner.

    • aka says:

      That is fair enough but at the same time in Pakistan fancy decorative Rikshaws are used in many cities during weddings to bring the bride and groom in.
      Honestly everyone I know from my family to friends and random social media users loved this. I understand your POV but Pakistan also has its own cultural nuances and I don’t think anyone was offended.

      • A says:

        I’m sure no one in Pakistan was offended. But I find it tacky. It’s the exact sort of tacky touristy thing that white people in South Asia would do for the heck of it, to grab a cute photo for Instagram or w/e. It has a whiff of “Oh haha, look, isn’t this mode of transportation SO exotic?”

      • aka says:

        @A

        But again that’s your issue not an issue for most people in Pakistan. At the end of the day it is their culture & the visit is to their country.

        I just don’t understand why our voice is being silenced by people who are not actually from our country. No offence to you but different things are perceived differently everywhere.

      • Jane says:

        What you refer to as a fancy rishka used to carry the bride and groom is not a rishka but a palanquin. Which is different than a palanquin. The only people who ever used the actually rishka was the extremly poor which again makes this disrespectful considering the wealth of these people

      • aka says:

        @Jane

        I’m actually from the country so I think I know what I’m talking about.
        No I don’t mean the palanquin I mean an actual Rickshaw.

        I don’t think palanquins have been in use in Pakistan for decades. At least I haven’t seen one in my living memory.

  40. s says:

    I think they both look fantastic! And I love the twist of William wearing the more local fashion look – plus he looks great! Excited to see what they wear (and get up to) over the next few days.

  41. AprilMay says:

    Its the best thing shes worn so far but whew the clothes bill for this tour is going to be enormous. Every item of clothing shes worn so far has been bespoke. And her earrings tonight are too. And Catherine Walker and Jenny Packham bespoke aint cheap. Not sure about the Pakistani designer shes worn but shes quite established and is CEO of Pakistani fashion week so my guess is shes doesnt come cheap either. And now Will has added a bespoke outfit to the mix too.
    A very interesting interview with the designer Maheen Khan (the blue outfit from today) revealed that Kate has a whole fashion style team.
    “I stock my clothes at O’nitaa in London and that’s where the Duchess’ style team first spotted them. They are a very savvy team of young stylists and they picked up some clothes to show them to the Duchess and then, reached out to me,” she explained.

    “They chose a selection. One, they chose off the rack while they also asked me to create some bespoke designs. I signed a nondisclosure agreement which meant that I could only talk about it when they allowed me to. I feel that the Duchess has a very classy, elegant personal style and I created my designs along those lines.” images.dawn.com – hope the link works

  42. Digital Unicorn says:

    Who called it that she’d be wearing a lot of greenish colours was spot on.

  43. Busyann says:

    What is happening with her face? She’s going heavy with something….Botox?

  44. A says:

    So this is what, her fourth outfit of the tour? And it’s been a day, maybe two? She wore a new Catherine Walker to step off the plane, the blue salwaar kameez, the green Catherine Walker coat dress and trousers to meet Imran Khan, and then what appears to be a custom Jenny Packham tailored for her. All of this, in less than two days into a week long tour. I wonder how much the total bill comes up to, or is this only an issue when it’s Meghan who dares to purchase and wear custom couture?

    My rule on cultural appropriation is this–I’ve found that white people are willing and eager to marvel over our aesthetics, but rarely does that respect extend to the people and the bodies that wear those aesthetics. Loving the aesthetics of a culture is not the same as loving the people of that same culture, and white people so often fall into this trap where they think the two things are the same, but they’re not. This is the reason why I find a lot of the fawning over Jenny Packham and Catherine Walker on this tour to be rather over the top. I’m glad they’re expanding their horizons for this trip, and they’ve done well, but at the end of the day, they are white designers creating clothes that Pakistani people have been designing for decades now without anywhere close to the same fanfare. At its worst, white people have openly sneered at and ridiculed South Asian men and women for wearing their traditional clothes in North America and the UK. There is a history of violence in the UK especially regarding this. So to let this disparity go unacknowledged seems remiss to me.

    I’ve spent parts of my life in both spaces, both as an immigrant, and as someone who spent some time growing up in South Asia. The people who live in South Asia don’t have to contend with being otherized in quite the same fashion that people in the diaspora do. And a large part of that means they don’t have to deal with the ugliness that often comes with being a visible minority in a predominantly white/Western country that often positions brown people as inherently less than white people. And what I’ve found happens with South Asians quite often, especially South Asian men, is that they’re eager and willing to fawn over white people, especially white women, who wear traditional South Asian clothes, but treat the brown women in their lives who do the same like trash. And I’ve seen a fair bit of that from some of my peers on this tour as well.

    At the end of the day, I’m not going to enforce this stuff in a draconian way. On the scale of big issues, this isn’t one of them, for me anyway. However, I do urge people to sincerely ask themselves if their appreciation for South Asian fashion extends to South Asian people who also wear that fashion. If not, then I’d suggest that you put the sari back on the rack and find a nice jean skirt.

    • Nitz says:

      I commend you for saying this. I couldn’t said it any better! This tour is disgusting to me! A white woman cosplaying our dresses, yet couldn’t highlight the plight the women in our country is going through…Utterly utterly disgusting..what a waste of their (UK) tax monies.

  45. MsIam says:

    The green gown reminds me of the blue sequin gown Meghan wore while she was pregnant. Minus the bump, of course, lol. I really like William’s outfit, very classy.