Happy 31st Birthday Kate Middleton
In the past year, a lot has changed for Kate Middleton
(Marriage! Baby!) and on Wednesday the Duchess turns 31. Kate’s style has
hit some milestones too and in celebration of her birthday, we’ve compiled 31
of her favorite looks from casual Zara frocks to couture Alexander McQueen
gowns.
THE DRESS! A long-sleeved lace
and ivory satin design by Sarah Burton, the creative director for the
late Alexander McQueen. Designers called the dress a "classic Grace Kelly gown that appeals to modern brides." We say: Simply breathtaking.
Announcing their engagement to
the world, Kate wore this blue Issa dress, which at the time retailed
for about $619 dollars. The dress was so popular it completely sold out at Issa and spawned hundreds of less expensive knock-offs.
Kate's most infamous (and edgy)
dress was the one that first caught the eye of Prince William during a
student fashion show at St. Andrew's in 2002. She strutted down the
runway wearing a barely-there $30 lacy slip by designer Charlotte Todd.
It's no surprise that since Kate and William's wedding the dress' value has skyrocked to over $100,000.
In their official engagement
photos taken by Mario Testino, Kate rocked a simple belted Nanette white
gown designed by Reiss. Due to popular demand Reiss re-released the dress in January 2011.
When William and Kate walked out of Buckingham Palace as newlyweds
the morning after their wedding, Kate kept it casual with a periwinkle
blue Zara dress with LK Bennett wedges. According to the Vogue survey,
LK Bennett is one of Kate's favorite brands.
Kate wore "something blue" to a friend's nuptials at St. Peter and
St. Paul's church in Northleach, Gloucestershire in 2010. She paired a
cobalt knee-length flowy frock by Issa with a fitted black blazer. Blue
is Kate's color of choice—when Vogue UK analyzed 100 outfits worn by Kate from April 2011 to now, they determined that she's worn the color 24 percent of the time she attends events.
To attend a 2011 gala thrown by
Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) Kate stunned in a champagne colored Jenny
Packham sequined dress, white open-toed LK Bennett shoes, and a simple
Prada clutch.
Game on! Kate embraced a tennis theme while attending a game at
Wimbledon in 2011. Her pleated off-white ensemble from Temperley
London's Spring 2011 line was three-tiered and stopped just below the
knee.
Kate kicked off her tour of Canada in a navy lace dress from Erdem's pre-spring/summer 2012 collection
On Canada Day, a national
holiday, Kate recycled her Reiss dress that she wore for her official
engagement photos and added a red maple leaf hat.
A-hoy! Kate went nautical with an Alexander McQueen sailor girl
dress and blue shoes from Prada when she greeted fans on Prince Edward
Island.
Kate sported another Jenny Packham creation, though this one considerably more casual, at the airport in Calgary.
Arriving in California for the first time, Kate wore a light blue Roksanda Ilinic dress. Very airport chic.
In Los Angeles, Kate wore a bright green Diane von Furstenberg dress for a party at the British Consulate.
On Remembrance Day, Kate pinned
a poppy to her Jenny Packham asymmetric gown for a dinner in honor of
the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal at St James's Palace with
William.
Kate went super glam with this flowy Alexander McQueen at the BAFTA Brits to Watch gala during her trip to Los Angeles.
Kate rocked Zara again, wearing a Luce Tulip Dress for a fundraiser. Afterward the dress, which retailed for $100, sold out on Zara's UK and US online stores.
This black velvet Alexander McQueen gown drew endless comparisons to one worn by Princess Diana.
On the eve of her 30th birthday, Kate wore this black lace Temperley gown to the premiere of "War Horse".
Date night: Kate wore a lilac Matthew Williamson dress to the London premiere of "African Cats" with William.
Kate dined formally, wearing a
Roland Mouret cream dress with Jimm Choo metallic platform sandals for a
dinner hosted by The Thirty Club at Claridge's. Mouret has since said
that Kate specifically asked that the dress not have a "Pippa butt," since her sister's fitted bridesmaid dress at the royal wedding caused such a stir.
Teal is the color of the day!
Kate wore this stunning Jenny Packham dress with Jimmy Choo sandals at a
concert to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics.
Kate's pretty in pink in a blush-colored dress at the Sovereign Jubilee lunch, held at Windsor Castle.
Kate wore a red Alexander
McQueen dress, Sylvia Fletcher hat and Kiki McDonough earrings for the
Queen's Diamond Jubilee flotilla on the Thames River.
Kate reportedly packed 61
outfits for her royal tour of Asia. Here she wears a Prabal Gurung
printed dress and Prada heels for dinner at the President of Singapore's
residence. Recently, Prabal Gurung announced they would be making a line for Target.
Kate applauded her then-boyfriend William at his graduation ceremony
at the Royal Military Academy in 2006 wearing a red dress coat and
black wide-rimmed hat.
Kate usually avoids patterns, but we love her in this Jonathan Saunders number.
Kate's green Mulberry dress was remarkably similar to one worn by Princess Diana, reigniting comparisons between the two women.
She donned a pretty sage dress and oversize shades to watch William
play polo in 2010 at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire.
For her first official engagement after her unfortunate bout with
acute morning sickness, the newly pregnant Duchess looked radiant at
BBC’s annual Sports Personality of the Year Awards on December 16. Kate
presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman
of the London 2012 games a four-time Olympic medalist, wearing a
figure-flattering Alexander McQueen bell sleeve peplum gown with a
thigh-high slit. We anticipate an abundance of stunning maternity gowns
to come this year.
To attend a 2011 gala thrown by
Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) Kate stunned in a champagne colored Jenny
Packham sequined dress, white open-toed LK Bennett shoes, and a simple
Prada clutch.
