The Duchess in Vogue in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery - UPDATED WITH REPLIKATES

The British Vogue and the National Gallery have collaborated on a series of portraits of the Duchess of Cambridge, see the full article at the Daily Mail.

The Duchess has been patron of the National Portrait Gallery, and visited the gallery in 2014 in a Jenny Packham gown.

Picture from RDuJour

As an Art History major and a photographer, I am sure that the Vogue collaboration project was one the Duchess could really put her heart into.

In the pictures, the Duchess is wearing a longsleeve with red and, what appears to be, navy stripes with a pocket detail. Furthermore, in the second picture she is wearing a country-style outfit. She is wearing a white blouse, a trench in suede material, and a felt hat. Below are some Repliklates: 

Red and Navy Striped top, John Lewis, GBP 25

J.Crew Striped Waffle Shirt, on sale for EUR 35,05

Orvis Heathered Felt Hat, USD 89

Farlows Failsworth Adventurer hat in khaki and brown, GBP 39,95

Kate in a J.Crew Sweater - Items of the same Stripe

For the new mental health campaign 'Heads Together', Kate, Harry, and William showed their support this Sunday morning. For more information about the charity and the involvement of the Duchess, see HRHDuchessKate. 

Kate wore a gorgeous striped sweater from J.Crew. Stripes are associated with nautical themes, and are classic, and easy to combine. These days, stripes are offered in a variety of colours too. Get inspired by checking out the items below: 

LK Bennett Harpa Striped Midi Dress, GBP 225

GAP striped sweater, USD 34,99, also available in green, camel, and red

GAP Blue Striped Rib sweater, On Sale for USD 29,99. Also available in grey, black/white, white/black, yellow, and red

Accessories 

I personally love the striped umbrella, would def. brighten up some drizzly days. 

Striped Umbrella in Blue or Camel, USD 16,06 at Ebay

H&M Striped Shopper bag, EUR 29,99

How to Wear it - Romantic and Intricate Prints like Duchess Kate

The Duchess knows how to rock a variety of prints, as we have seen this week. I decided to dedicate a post on how to wear prints. I love prints, and these five rules will help you make the most of them. 

1. One print at the Time 
Let's start off with the safest rule - if you opt for a dress with a print, stick to that one print. It focuses the attention on you, rather than the collection of items you are wearing. Combining prints is perfectly fine, but requires time and effort to make it work. Also, a combination of prints exudes an air of edginess instead of classiness. I love both, but suck at pulling off multiple prints, so I rather opt for a safe bet and gravitate towards bright, multi-coloured prints. (The Duchess seems to follow the same rule, but whether that has to do with her personality or her position as a royal is another question) 

Vanilia Stitch Shift dress with Flower Pattern, EUR 109,95

2.  Earrings and Prints make a Statement 

This H&M dress has a busy print. However, you can easily complement this dress with a pair of big earrings like Kate does. This is because the print is quite small and delicate, so the dress and the earrings will not be competing for attention. A rule of thumb is: the bigger the print, the smaller the earrings and vice versa. 

H&M Blue and Black Shift Dress, on sale for EUR 14,99

3. Choose which colour stands out 
You can change the whole appearance of a dress by emphasizing a certain colour. This navy and coral Isabelt Marant dress can be styled with a pair of coral heels for a summery, boho feel. One the other hand, a pair of nay heels makes the dress feel more subdued and classic. 

Isabel Marant Cotton Paisley Print Dress. EUR 180,- 

4. Match the shoes with the bag 

This H&M dress has a strong graphic print, so adding matching shoes and a bag makes the print stand out. If the shoes and the bag each have different colours, the whole look would feel rather messy. HOWEVER - you do not have to stick to the colours in the dress, as long as it complements the whole look. 

H&M Graphic Print Shift Dress, on Sale for EUR 14,99 

5. To belt or not to belt? 

I have noticed that the Duchess leaves away a belt more often than adding one whenever she is wearing dresses. A belt is a great addition and is perfectly fine to match with your shoes and bag, but can also be in a colour of the dress. Make sure that the belt has some cohesiveness with either the dress or your acessories. This H&M dress would not necessarily need a belt because of the mix of materials, but a belt can be pulled off if the rest of the outfit is kept neutral.  

H&M Paisley Print and Lace Dress, EUR 39,99

Finally - Copy Kate's Cassandra Goad Earrings

I have found the time to look up the wonderful replacement earrings for the Cassandra Goad earrings, which we have seen Kate wearing a number of times this tour. You can find them here. 

As seen on Kate in India - Amrapali earrings UPDATE: Copy Goad Earrings

Kate looked stunning at the gala in the Taj Mahal ball room yesterday night. Her stunning sapphire blue dress was complemented with a pair of earrings by Indian jeweler Amrapali. I love that Kate and her team do their research and put local brands in the spot light, and today I want to do the same. So what is the story behind Amrapali?

Amrapali earrings that closely resemble Kate's

Amrapali Jewels was founded in 1978 Rajiv Arora and Rajesh Ajmera in Jaipur. The brand specializes in gem stone jewelry in local, and tribal designs. The brand became known to the public with the opening of a sales point at the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai: 
'This was a critical point in the history of the Amrapali Jewels, as The Oberoi presented Amrapali Jewels with a platform that was almost global in context, as it was right in the middle of India's financial hub – Mumbai. The Oberoi not only housed the crème dela crème of Indian society, but also international delegates and foreign visitors that really took a liking to this handcrafted technique of jewelry making, and its unique tribal jewelry that was presented in a contemporary manner. This gave Amrapali Jewels a global identity that propelled the company into the limelight of international recognition.'

From that point onwards, the brand has been expanding with stores all over the world. They ship to 22 countries worldwide. Furthermore, the brand  is present in  the UK, US, Spain, Sri Lanka, China & Nigeria. Amrapali has its own store in London at Beauchamp place, and the jewelry is available at Harrods. 


As I am writing this, I am not able to access the main site. The branch site, Tribe by Amrapali, is up though.

UPDATE: I have found a wonderful Copykate for the Goad Cassandra earrings, which we have seen numerous times during the tour. 

Left: Amrapali Gold Plated Flame Earrings, USD 11,
Right: Cassandra Temple of Heaven Earrings, GBP 1495,-

Copy Kate's McQueen Paisley dress as seen in Mumbai

What Kate Wore's live blog brought us the pictures of Kate and William arriving in Mumbai. Kate looked stunning in a McQueen dress in red paisley print. Paisley prints come in many colours, so can easily be incorporated into your personal style. Below are some budget-proof alternatives that work underneath a blazer at the office, or with a pair of great heels at a summer party.

Oasis Embroidered dress in Paisley Print at John Lewis, on sale for GBP 30,00

Nikita Paisley Shift dress at John Lewis, GBP 46,00

Asos Iska Paisley Printed Shift Dress, on sale for EUR 25,35

Asos Midi dress, EUR 39,44

Asos Tall and Petite Red Paisley Print dress, EUR 36,22

Copy Duchess Kate's Monica Vinader Necklace

Remember when Kate looked stunning in a blue Jenny Packham for the Photography Awards Gala in October 2014? You can find the article at What Kate Wore. Today I found a great Copykate for the Monica Vinader necklace she wore at the gala: 

H&M, EUR 24,99

The necklace consists of the same rounded triangular shapes and shares the same open structure as the Monica Vinader necklace. 

 It is a wonderful necklace that can work for both casual and formal occassions. It is not only a statement piece, but also a staple piece due to its elegant and clean design. See below for a closer look at the details of the piece: 

Bring a touch of Spring into the office with these accessoires

April has kicked off, and the spring is here! It is getting sunnier, the days are lighter, and as a fresh-off-the-market intern I feel inspired to experiment more with colours and statement accessories now that the days are brighter. 

I recently purchased this necklace at H&M. It is a statement necklace, yet its dusty rose colour makes it extremely versatile and easy to combine with a range of outfits and colours.

I also purchased a dainty bracelet at the Costes sale. It is no longer available on the website, so I unfortunately cannot show any other pictures. It is a small cuff that has two diamonds paired on top of each other. I love jewelry that has a clean and strong design, but is also delicate.

Costes is a store that I recently discovered. The style is more bohemian-oriented with rich colours and strong graphic and ethnic prints, but the design of their clothes is simple and classic. Below is a selection of little gems from the current sale:

Statement Ring, now EUR 4,95 

Raffia Wallet, now EUR 9,95 (Also available in blue, and black-white)

Geometrical necklace with pearl, now EUR 4,95

Are you changing up your office wear as soon as the season changes? Let me know in the comments!

Love, Lotte

That iconic wrap dress - New looks at DVF and Replikate it!

Today we cover another favorite style as seen on Kate, which is the classic wrap dress. One of her most popular choices proved to be a Diane von Furstenburg wrap dress in a blue ethnic print. The dress was worn at one of her engagements during the Australia - New Zealand tour. Nowadays, this version of the dress has sold out but the style remains a staple piece in the DVF collection.

Kate in the DVF wrap dress 

For the fall season are a number of wrap dresses available in various prints at the DVF website. The Irina Silk and Chiffon colour combo dress is reminiscent of the style and colour as seen on the Duchess.The dress is available in sizes 6 and up at the time of writing.

       Irina Batik Midnight silk and chiffon dress, EUR 497 

Replikate It 

There are plenty of choices if you are looking for a budget-friendly wrap dress. Check out the styles below.

Warehouse via ASOS, Ls Crepe Wrap dress in Merlot, EUR 52

This great maternity wrap dress from Asos is available in cobalt blue and red. The blue version is available in all sizes. 

Asos Maternity wrap skater dress, from EUR 29

Kate Middleton's Style - Mastering the art of Replikating

Good day everybody, today's post dives into the question how to master the art of copying Kate Middleton's style without the royal price tag.

What is a Replikate? 
A Replikate is a piece of clothing that closely resembles the style of the Duchess of Cambridge and that is considered to be an item that would seamlessly integrate in Kate's royal closet.

Kate with her Zara double-breasted blazer and her Gap Shirt 

So, that means that Replikates are usually expensive items? 
No, not at all! Kate is known for her love of high street stores and her visits to designer outlets. She manages to strike a balance by mixing up clothes from the high street with designer items. The same principle applies to the art of Replikating. An tiem that would be very 'Kate' would not necessarily have to be very expensive.

Okay, so where do I find a Replikate? 
Well, that is up to your preference and your creativity. There are a number of great blogs that search for Replikates, but you can do it yourself obviously. Each time you see a great piece worn by Kate and you wish to copy it, find out what properties that particular piece has:

Colour 

 Material 

 Fit, cut, and/or length

Brand
Style 

In other words, what colour is she wearing and what material? Then you can decide which properties are most important to Replikate. Do you like Kate's choice of colours or her choice of designers? It is fun to tweak and adjust Kate's style to your own preferences and lifestyle!

You can find some Replikates on this very blog here and I will be posting my own Replikate-purchases soon.

Enjoy!

Summer Stripes and Citrus Colours - Kate Outfit Inspiration

Kate Middleton has a range of great basics which can make any outfit look fabulous. Two of my personal favorites are the Mirabelle Lolita earrings and her Stuart Weitzman Minx wedges. I have paired these two pieces with a cute striped dress from Boden and a clutch from Allegra London in the colour 'Citrus'.

Kate has worn the Weitzman wedges several times during the NZ & Australia tour in 2014. You can find more information on what shoe brands Kate prefers at Shoerazzi. The Mirabelle earrings were debuted in January this year and Kate wore them again in March - spring, summer, or winter, these earrings truly are all-season pieces!

The clutch I chose in combination with the Boden dress is a hommage to the LK Bennett Cayla dress Kate wore to the Wimbledon match last month - the clutch has the same summery bright orange and is a great eyecatcher!

Kate Middleton Style - Replikate the LK Bennett Cayla Dress

Kate turned away from previously-worn neutrals at her latest Wimbledon attendance to shine in a cardinal red LK Bennett dress, the Cayla style. I adore the colour and the simple and clean cut of the dress. This post is dedicated to some fantastic Replikates of this frock. Enjoy! 

Kate in the Cayla Dress 

Replikates 

Tahari woven fit and flare dress via Nordstrom

Reiss Toluca fit and flare dress

                                                     H&M Butterfly-sleeved dress

                                         Lulus 'Endless Possibilities' Coral skater dress

Royal Wardrobe Copies - Queen Letizia's floral Mango top and Kate's Wedges

It is still raining here, but that did not stop me from going into town. My original plan was buying groceries for a cake I will be baking tomorrow, but I ended up at the local H&M store where I bought this cute little belt. Outfit pictures coming soon!

 H&M skinny belt in patterned beige dessin  

At the H&M, my eyes fell on these two items that look as if they come straight out of a royal wardrobe. Kate Middleton's Stuart Weitzman's cork wedges are one of her trademark pieces, and these H&M wedges are a great Replikate.

H&M Faux Suede Open Toe Wedges in Black and Nude

Another royal who has a very polished and clean style is Queen Letizia from Spain. She is always bold in her choice of patterns, and the Mango top in the picture below on the left is no exception to the rule. The top is in stock only at John Lewis' online store and ships to the UK only. This top from the H&M Spring/Summer collection is a great copy.

Left: Queen Letizia in a Mango floral patterned top. Right: H&M floral top

Summer chic - transform the rainy streets into your boulevard

I am longing to warm summer evenings as it has been raining non stop around Utrecht these days. These items in particular make me dream of a summer in Monaco like Grace Kelly. Enjoy!

1. Three words to describe cat eye sunglasses: timeless, classic, and sexy.

ASOS Cat Eye Sunglasses

2. A favorite of Kate Middleton, the LK Bennett raffia clutch is a true statement piece due to its unusal combination of material and shape.

LK Bennett Raffia Natalie Clutch

3. Minimalist, ethnic, and another favorite of the Duchess. These earrings work for her public engagements out and about, but will also be a welcome addition to any summer wardrobe.

Mirabelle Gold Plated Hoop Earrings

Happy weekend everybody!