After four days of processions and parties for the Diamond Jubilee, the Royal Family wrapped up its celebration of the Queen today with a lavish church service at St. Paul’s Cathedral, in London. Afterwards there was a reception at Mansion House and then a lunch at Westminster Hall. For the last few days everything’s been regal and elaborate, with the requirement of hats for the women adding an extra layer of flair to the proceedings.
At the services today, for instance, Kate Middleton topped her nude-colored lace dress — by Alexander McQueen — with a pillbox hat contraption adorned with structured lily pad flaps. The piece was assembled for her by milliner Jane Taylor.
But the biggest outfit news of the Jubilee? Kate Middleton picked out a dress previously worn by Kim Kardashian.
As soon as Middleton walked out for the Queen’s river pageant celebration on Sunday in a red dress — a McQueen from designer Sarah Burton’s fall 2011 collection — observers felt a jolt of recognition. Could it be? Yes, Kardashian wore the same dress in New York last August.
Despite mostly mild praise for the look, British papers were not terribly kind about the association between a Queen-to-be and the reality TV tabloid favorite.
“The Duchess of Cambridge is never afraid to wear something that might not be bang up to the minute,” the Daily Mail reported.
A piece in the Telegraph quipped, “Fame-ravenous Kim Kardashian insists on pouring her hourglass curves into designs approximately three sizes too small.”
And then there was this headline in the Mirror: “God Save McQueen.”
To be fair, the Duchess of Cambridge touched up the frock a bit. Kardashian showed some skin, opting to go with the original sleeveless design, while Middleton added sleeves for the pageant.
We’re pretty sure that a repeat offense won’t happen again anytime soon. Kardashian is now leaving all style advice up to her new boyfriend, Kanye West, and to our knowledge Middleton has not yet picked up a look from the latest collection of the rapper’s fashion line, Dw.
See more ARTINFO fashion and style coverage on our blog Silhouettes.