The Weekly's Market Editor Olivia Fleming on Catherine's transformation from dull to dashing in just a few weeks.
When I was a little girl, dreaming of becoming a princess revolved solely around images of me in sartorial heaven.
I didn't care about the prince, the castle, or even the fairy godmother. For me it was all about the beautiful gowns — romantic and ethereal dresses to float through doors in, spin around dance floors in and run down grand palace stairs in. The shoes! The jewellery! Oh the wardrobe I would have.
Evidently it seems Catherine Middleton had a similar, albeit more demure, idea in mind. While her pre-princess wardrobe was drab at the best of times, post-princess she seems to be turning into a modern day Grace Kelly at lightning speed.
One week into her nine-day whirlwind royal tour of Canada, it's obvious Kate has found a style that suits her lithe figure. Taking fashion cues from the world's most effortlessly chic First Ladies (think Jackie Kennedy and her 50's dresses, big sunglasses and Chanel suits, Michelle Obama and her short sleeve ensembles in bright colourful prints, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and her below-the-knee, slim-fitting Dior dresses with kitten heels), Kate is making her own style her signature in both an alluring and demurely 'appropriate' way.
Gravitating towards shift dresses with a three-quarter sleeve and hemlines that always fall just above the knee, elegant high-heel pumps, skinny capri pants, loafers and tailored jackets, she has put an intelligently polished wardrobe together, cleverly mixing high-end British designers like Alexander McQueen, Burberry and Erdem with easily accessible Zara and Reiss pieces for her most die-hard fans.
While it would be nice to see her take some fashion risks, away from the mostly safe there-goes-Kate-in-another-nice-dress versions we have seen so far, she has undoubtedly proven she can hold her own in the fashion world — especially when the stakes are so high and the possibilities for a faux pas are even higher.
Your say: What do you think about the outfits Catherine has worn on her Canadian tour?
Video: Prince William and Catherine's dragon boat race
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