The awards celebrate the inspiring ambassadors of positive mental health in Place2Be schools. The Place2Be Wellbeing in Schools Awards are open exclusively to Place2Be partner schools who were invited to nominate inspiring ambassadors who have shown a remarkable commitment to championing children and young people’s mental health. These are the second Place2Be Wellbeing in Schools Awards and recognise the work of school leaders, teachers, support staff, parent champions, child champions and Place2Be colleagues who go above and beyond to enhance the life of the school community.
The Duchess was very taken with an adorable baby she met upon arrival.
The Duchess has been Patron of Place2Be since 2013. Ahead of the engagement, Kensington Palace noted her involvement with the charity "reflects her interest in child mental health and the importance of early intervention to provide children with in-school mental health services at the earliest stage possible".
Place2Be is the UK's leading children's mental health charity providing in-school support and expert training to improve the emotional wellbeing of pupils, families, teachers and school staff. The charity works directly with more than 282 primary and secondary schools across Wales, Scotland and England, reaching a school population of over 116,000 pupils.
Kate attended a reception where she met the finalists in each category.
Often times, my favourite moments from royal engagements are seeing the interactions and conversations. Tonight, Kate met Ceri who was overcome with emotion as her thirteen-year-old son Ethan told Kate about his battle with autism and Asperger's.
Ceri said: "The Duchess just leant over and said to me 'I've got to give you a hug as a mum'. I couldn't believe it, it was such a kind gesture." It was a lovely moment and I'm sure a very special one for Kate.
The Duchess presented the Child Champion and Young Person Champion Awards.
During a speech Kate praised the work of Place2Be: "Tonight, we are celebrating the truly remarkable work taking place across Place2Be schools in support of children’s mental health. Without many of the inspiring people gathered here, countless children would not receive such transformational support in their schools."
Kate's speech in full:
'I have been privileged over recent years to visit a number of schools and to meet the teachers, volunteers, and parents who make Place2Be's work a reality. Together, you ensure your students know they have somewhere to turn, someone who will listen, or simply a safe place to escape.
As you all recognise through your support of Place2Be, even the luckiest people can face great challenges. No matter how invincible we seem on the surface, all of us need help from time to time. This is why William, Harry and I have set up the Heads Together campaign. We want to end the stigma surrounding mental health that stops people getting the help that and support that they so desperately need.
On a recent visit to Stewards Academy in Harlow, William and I were so impressed by the young people we met. I know that some of you are here tonight. I wanted to thank you again for sharing your stories with us; each of you had faced difficult times but had the courage to seek support and to speak openly about your experiences, encouraging others to do the same. Our young Champion finalists here tonight are extraordinary. You have not only faced challenges but you've had the resilience to overcome them. You have also, in your willingness to have open conversations, become young mental health pioneers.
So well done to you all. I cannot tell you how moved I was to be here this evening. Thank you once again, and have a lovely night.'
Does Kate's dress tonight look familiar to you? You all voted Kate's red Preen Finella dress, worn for a government reception in Victoria during the Canada tour, as your best tour dress. It certainly appears the Duchess loved it too - so much so, she opted to wear the midi dress in black tonight.
The Finella Satin Midi Dress is crafted from heavyweight satin and has a classic fit-and-flare silhouette that's elevated with a wide asymmetric hemline, front pleated wrap, and box pleats at the skirt. The £995 garment is available in limited sizing at Net-A-Porter, Boutique1 and Farfetch.
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| Net-A-Porter |
More from the product description:
'Preen by Thorton Bregazzi's Finella dress evokes the glamourous style of the 1950s withits marked waistline, draped bodice and voluminous box-pleated skirt. Body flattering and elegant, this ensemble is the key-piece for an elegant soirée.'
The dress is from the pre-AW16 Collection. Below, a closer look at the fabric.
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| Net-A-Porter |
A look at the back from Rebecca English's photo.
Kate teamed the dress with a sparkling new belt. Kate J via What Kate Wore Facebook identified it as the Temperley London Crystal Bow Belt. It's available for $1,055 at Boutique1.
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| Temperley London |
Kate debuted a gorgeous new pair of Prada shoes this evening (with thanks to the talented ladies over at WKW). The $750 Prada Suede Cutout Wave Pumps are described as "feminine suede pumps with cutout detail". Made in Italy, they feature a pointed toe and self-covered heel. A very chic addition to Kate's shoe collection, I think you'll agree!
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| Saks Fifth Avenue |
The amazing Anna quickly spotted Kate's sparkling earrings are on loan from the Queen. It's excellent to see the Duchess borrowing more pieces - there is such a extensive collection steeped in history in the jewel vaults. The Diamond Pendant earrings Kate wore tonight were previously worn by Her Majesty at the 2012 State Opening of Parliament. One of my favourite blogs, Her Majesty's Jewel Vault reports: "This pair of diamond pendant earrings includes a pendant of separate stones hanging within a diamond frame. These appeared at the 2012 State Opening of Parliament, but have no publicly known provenance as of yet."
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| Kate & Sophie Blogs |
I thought tonight's look simply sublime. The Preen Finella was obviously a big hit the first time around and Kate freshened it up with the addition of the sparkling Temperley London belt, stylish new Prada shoes and the pièce de résistance: the Queen's diamond pendant earrings. What do you think of tonight's look? And do you prefer the Preen midi dress in red or black?
You can watch a brief video here.
If you're just joining us, Kate had an unannounced engagement earlier today at the Natural History Museum. The Duchess wore the L.K. Bennett Cersie dress for the outing. You can read the post in its entirety here.
We'll see you on Friday with our annual Black Friday wrap up.
Place2b seem to be such a great organization so it's great to see this event today!! Alot of brave people in that room tonight!
ReplyDeleteIt's so great seeing Kate grow, and you can really tell that she is growing in her speaking. Very proud of her! They are getting longer and "meatier"!
And it was very sweet that Kate hugged the mum crying "as a mum". Very sweet.
On to the look: Nice shoes again! She is really experimenting and branching out with her shoes this year and it's so great!!
This hair back look is not everyones favourite but it's my own go-to look. And it works very well today. The hair and the belt etc gives it a youthful and playful feel, while this dress will be able to be styled way more conservatively.
Sure, it's the same dress in a different colour. But don't we all do that? I know I do. And considering how great the red one looked on her I think this was a very clever buy and both might get alot of use in the future!
Great to see Kate digging more into the treasure troves! Very nice and substantial earrings! And very classic but not "old fashioned" so they worked well with the outfit!
A very nice, cool and cohesive look and a splendid event! :)
I know if I find something I like I get it in a different color! I mean if it is cheap like a tank top or shirt not something this pricy haha
DeleteBut I think a lot of people find something they love and get it in a zillion colors
Yeah, sure if it's a splurge piece you don't buy it in every colour even if you look great in it :) But Kate has the budget so I think it clever because she really look great in the dress :)
DeleteI never used to buy the same thing in different colours but I find that I do it more often, thanks to Kate. I would however draw the line at 2 of the same evening dresses, but then again evening dresses for Kate is the same as work dresses for me.
DeleteBut I am glad she bought the black one, because I actually like it more than the red and I love myself a red dress.
I am just so happy about the lovely diamond earrings! Love that we are seeing more of the Queen's jewels on Kate.
ReplyDeleteAs for the dress, I like the black better than the red version. Mainly, I think I like how she accessorized better. Imo this style shoe complements the the dress in a better way while the addition of the sparkly belt is perfect.
My only criticism is her hair. I don't favor the ends pulled back style she seems to like so much right now. It is too girlish and
casual for such a sophisticated dress. I think a high ponytail or half up/ down would have been more in the spirit of her vintage look.
Ha! I just read my comment. Better seems to be the repetitive word of the day. The house full of in laws for the holiday seems to have had a negative effect on my vocabulary:-)
DeleteBeautiful lady, but really needs to do something better with her long hair. Not a fan of long locks hanging unkempt. Does anyone think some of her outfits are dyed a different color after a wearing? Seems she wore a pink outfit, and suddenly we saw it on Australia tour in blue - was it the same? Now we see a black version of a red dress - same dress?
DeleteI didn't think of that, anon USA. Certainly, that could be happening.
DeleteMaybe, but red is hard to color event over even with a black dye.
DeleteErika, you beat me to it. I love the black dress and accessories here, but am not a fan of the hair. The hairstyle is casual and the length is, well, long. ;) I tend to agree that a more sophisticated evening look would have been preferable.
DeleteYeah, I doubt it for this piece. It was not bespoke from the beginning (as the Wickstead was) and the red and black ones are both on their website.
DeleteAnd to be honest, I'm not sure if the blue/pink ones (hah! Makes me thing of the sleeping beauty "Make it blue, no pink!!") are recoloured or two different ones. I guess we'll know if the pink one shows up again!
It has not, but I believe the blue version has, Rebecca. :+)
DeleteThe Duchess looks sublime. Each piece works so well together, and the addition of the belt gives the dress a whole new spin. I love this piece even more in black, and am so glad she really dressed up with new shoes and the Queen's glamorous earrings!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Not only a great dress but also greatly styled!
DeleteI agree and disagree. I love the dress in both red and black and it has a great retro feel. I think Kate looks really good in it too. However, whether you like the zipper or not, the belt breaks up the line of it in the back. I really like the belt too and it looks OK in the front but not in the back. And I really like the shoes, but I think Kate should get more evening shoes for events like this. Black satin would have looked great with this dress, and so would a pair of ankle straps in a material other than suede. I think a more delicate shoe rather than suede would have really pulled it together. Maybe even with a pop of color. The earrings are lovely, but maybe some jewelry on the bodice or even at the waist. Something to add some bling but not mess with the line of the dress. I love that dress; I think it's one of the nicest she's ever worn.
DeleteGood point about the back view-the belt's breaking up the line, bluhare.
DeleteAn anon further down suggested that the belt helped to correct some of the
awkwardness in fit (I thought) of the red dress bodice. Or perhaps she really has put on a few pounds-..in more than one way. ha!
Jewellery on the bodice could be a problem, due to the design. Would the Q's bracelets work here? (minus the belt)
Shoes-...baby steps. First, ease off the suede , then variety,then a bit of vamp.
We know she can do it. Would one of those black sandals from India tour have worked?
But I do agree with all your thoughts here. :+)
I think the bodice is supposed to be swathed like that; it's the asymmetrical neckline. I like the swath -- looks like a sash -- and I think you just don't see it on the black because the fabric absorbs the light unlike the red. It gives the dress more of an edge that I think the exposed zipper trades on.
DeleteSeveral posts back I posted a link to a ruby brooch I saw on justdibs a while ago, that I think would be lovely draped down the front of this dress. It's diamonds with a ruby and smaller peridot. I would kill for that brooch. It's an antique that breaks up into four smaller ones if you don't want to wear them together. In this case I would vote together.
As far as shoes, those sandals would work I think, but I'm more of a closed toe fan in the winter. Peep toed shoes would have worked, though. But I like a delicate pump or strappy shoe, maybe with a smidge of color.
If I were Kate I'd have Preen make this into a gown with sleeves, and I would wear it to a state dinner.
Forgot about the weather-season. Sandals are sometimes worn to strictly indoor events in
Deletewinter, I suppose. The brooch sounds marvelous. Where would you place it? The asymmetry throws me off a bit.
Perhaps a sparkly hair ornament? :+)
Sleeves-there's an idea! Does anyone still wear shrugs? I think they are back in.
Two pairs of awesome new shoes today! I am giddy with excitement!
ReplyDeleteI knew those would be HM's earrings as soon as I saw them. Love this outfit. Very chic, very regal.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great day for Kate and her followers! I really wished we had Place 2 Be at schools in America! I think many, MANY children would benefit from it! (like my own son. He is a great kid, but he deals with issues that stem from his dad and me not being together and the drama that goes on with it!)
ReplyDeleteIs there a video of the full version of her speech?? I saw 12 seconds of it on twitter but that is not enough.
I loved both outfits today, I loved both shoes, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the Belt with the dress!!
Charlotte, do you know why the 1st engagement was embargoed??
Hello Emily,
DeleteI was told it was because they didn't want to disrupt the museum's patrons with the media, nor did they want to close early.
I guess that makes since. When they stated a special guest I was hoping it was George.
DeleteYeah, Emily (Not you, the reporter!) has a tendency to play fast and loose with words. Last time the "Special guests" she mentioned were Ant and Dec! And this time a dead dinosour skeleton...
DeleteI saw Emily's post on Twitter and I really got my hopes up. I didn't even know what the name was until I saw Kate and kids standing in front of the dinosaur.
DeleteSpeaking of Twitter, if anyone wants to follow me my name is @emmajen25. I mostly follow the royal reports and a few key Royal sites. Also Mervin the Hamster, he is adorable on Twitter!!
This dress in black with the belt and her hair down looks wonderful! I was one of the few, perhaps, who liked the red dress least of all her Canadian dresses, so am surprised by the difference hairstyle and belt have made. The new shoe
ReplyDeleteThe flow blue chiffon in the other dress worn today is beautiful.
I was not a fan of the red Preen either Judy but did not make a comment because EVERYONE seemed to love it. I thought it was poorly acessorized and had a fit issue through the bodice. Also, does the black seem longer? It may only be the difference in shoes but I like length it looks to be at today better.
DeleteAgree with the fit/styling of the bodice,Erica. I was another voice that self-muted regarding the red dress. :+)
DeleteThe belt may have helped the fit.
DeleteLooks like Kate has put on some weight since Canada!! Good for her! She looks great. I think I prefer the dress today, since she looked just a tad too bony for me the first time. Loved her earlier L.K.Bennett dress too, just not a huge fan of the shoes. At first, it looked like she had duct taped them, lol.:) Her hair and makeup were spot on at both engagements. Just too bad she didn`t bring George to the museum, :), he prolly would have had fun.
ReplyDeleteI don't think she was bonier last time. Maybe she was. But I think it's more a case of her updo showing more of her body while this time she had her hair down.
DeleteI think she looked super today at both events, I loved the fabric and shape of her earlier dress. I didn't like this dress in red at all, I felt that she was just too slim for it and that her bare arms didn't look well, however I think she looks really fab this evening in her classic little black dress, beautiful shoes and diamonds.
DeleteI love this dress with the belt and the Prada shoes! Would have preferred a different hairstyle, but that's just nitpicking. Her hair is still lovely. And is it just me, or does it appear as though she's gained a little bit of weight? In the side-by-side photo of the two Preen dresses she looks a bit fuller in the face and arms today. Let the pregnancy rumors continue! :-D
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I have to say what an incredibly important event. Kate is doing a fantastic job with bringing childhood mental health into the spotlight - and what a sweetheart, "as a mum" hugging Ceri, the very proud mother of that very strong and brave boy. Kate was absolute perfection tonight, in every way. Confident, compassionate, engaged and happy, it's evident she truly wants to make a difference and is!!
ReplyDeleteAs for her look: Stunning, classic, elegant, youthful, perfect. I love it all, her hair was styled appropriately for the event, not too casual or too formal (my go-to style). The belt was gorgeous, the shoes-love them, the gown very"Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly" and the earrings are to die for. Simply stunning!
It's funny how the people who moan about her dressing too mumsy/granny-like or whatever they want to call it always seem to miss these occasions where she has a youthful look.
DeleteImogen, I agree with everything you said! My sentiments exactly. What a lovely and heartfelt gesture towards the other mum! It clearly shows how empathic and natural Kate is.
DeleteI liked the way she spoke, she looked more confident and very sincere.
I think when Kate has two engagements in a single day, it is very practical for her to wear her hair down at the first and then her hair back at the second. Having an updo made between the engagements would surely take a lot more time. This is not the first occasion she did it this way.
I loved the red dress with an updo but I love the black one with this style of hair even better. And I'm happy for those readers who longed for more "interesting" shoes! :)
Exactly Zara, she would haven pressed for time and I'm sure any spare second she had she'd wanted to spend with her kids and practicing her speech :)
DeleteAnon 12:16. I have never commented on her dressing too "mummy/granny" like but I do not find this a youthful look. I like the look just not terribly youthful. The hair is not sophisticated or "hip" young but little girl young, i.e. 12-15 age. The shoes too me would appeal to someone 30-70 plus, same for the dress. Both the dress and shoes are pretty safe standard designs that would work for anyone from Kate to someone like Helen Mirren.
DeleteLovely engagement. I loved Kate's response to the mum who was in floods, a very touching occasion. Her speaking also looked to be much more animated; haven't seen a video yet. ]
ReplyDeleteThe red dress was a favourite of mine. I might have waited a bit long to debut the one in black but it is likewise a most successful look. I was thrilled to see proper evening shoes and new shoes and proper jewels. The belt works very well. I like her hair pulled back although I think the best look is an updo, as the dress's style is centred in the neckline which shows to best advantage when her hair is worn up.
I also wondered abouy the quick succession of the two dresses.
DeleteMaybe that is why she decided to have her hair down and make the focus the belt rather than the neckline like she did with the red one. If I wasn't a Kate fashion follower I might not have realised it's the same dress.
My be its just me, but I noticed in the pictures that I saw. When Kate was talking to the Children she had her hair pulled forward, but when she was speaking to an adult her hair was pulled back. I wonder if that was intentional?
DeleteWell her speech it was pulled forward.
Love her whole look. I think the dress looks better with a belt and the earrings are incredible. A note on her hair, the shine and texture seems to be so much better. Much healthier looking lately. Not sure if it is better treatment, time after birth:) or the color but looking gorgeous. I love her hair up or down but I am not crazy about this styling. Pulled back like that can be great but this looks too little girlish, it needs more fullness or less of a part I think. The shoes are great.
ReplyDeleteI think this dress performs much better in red--the pleats and structural details, which IMO make the design, are much more visible in red. I also preferred her hair up. Still, this was one of my favorite dresses, so I can't complain about its reappearance.
ReplyDeleteAnd fun shoes!!! They're black pumps, but a fun pair of black pumps!
Not seeing the structure and pleats is the exact reason why I prefer the black one.
DeleteThe shoes immediately caught my attention - I love them! I think she was MORE stunning in the red dress, but if I'd never seen the red I would love it in black. The addition of the belt was perfect.
ReplyDeleteKate has a bandage on one pic I've seen n net on her calf muscle.
ReplyDeleteWow! Wow! Wow I love DoC's sartorial choices for both engagements. The print outfit and shoes were sublimal and fitted neatly in with the painting of dinosaur eggs. I wish prince George could have joined her this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThe preen dress is one of my favorite. I think she was ravishing in the red dress, but the styling of the black dress was superb. I think the Queen has a fondness for Catherine, and this is seen in the provenance of the jewelry on loan so far. RM
Standing ovation to the Duchess!!! Bravo!! What an incredibly important event. Nothing is more necessary and important than looking after our children. They are our future. I teared up reading this entry. Kate showed true confidence, compassion and sincerity, when she "As a mum" hugged Ceri, the very proud mother of that very brave and strong young man.
ReplyDeleteAs for fashion- simply stunning. Her hair style brought a youthful look to the elegant classic silhouette of the dress. I love the belt, the shoes are gorgeous and the earrings are to die for! Wow Kate, WOW!!
Charlotte, I think either Kate reads your blog or her dresser :) She put on the bling tonight, wore fancier shoes. What more could we ask for (although we always seem to, don't we?) Thank you thank you for your wonderful blog!!
ReplyDeleteYes, Valerie! And she pulled her hair back so it wouldn't get in the way of her making the speech. Yay!
DeleteShe looks stunning. I wasn't sure about the belt at first, but I think it gives the outfit a very vintage vibe which I love. She looks like she could be at a party in the 1950s!
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to see the duchess wearing the black version, too! Love it!
ReplyDeleteoh I love the pieces the dress look good in black too I love the earings the lean to duchess by the queen I love those too outfit she wore
ReplyDeleteI loved the dress in red but am glad Kate accessorised the black version with the Temperley belt. I think it might have looked to stark without the jewel decoration. I love both looks. A great dress but Kate has managed to make each wear look very different.
ReplyDeleteI love her shoes but I do prefer this dress in red however she still looks lovely. Thanks Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteThe duchess looks lovely, though I think I prefer the red look. What I don't understand is the very visible zipper. I know it is quite common now, but to my mind it always makes an outfit look cheap.
ReplyDeleteI don't like midi dresses,so I, not crazy about this dress only because of the length, I felt the same way about the red dress. The earrings are nice but the seem a bit out of place for this outfit/event. The belt middle looks too chunky, I really like it, just wish the gems were smaller. I love her shoes! I also liked the grey shoes earlier today, not sure if it's a faux croc print or snake print, but either way I really like them! Liked her dress earlier today too, but again, I didn't like the midi length.
ReplyDeleteI also don't like the midi length but Kate seem to pull it off better than most (I would look short and stumpy) and I can see why it is a great solution for this kind of engagement where you want to look more dressy than the day events, but it full evening dress would be too much.
DeleteAn inspiring event. Kate showed her compassion and sensitivity, and her natural reaction to Ceri was lovely. She seems like such a wonderful woman, she exudes kindness and warmth.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Preen in red, and love it in black. The belt, gorgeous shoes and earrings added some more sophistication. Kate was just beautiful.
Absolutely gorgeous; I do prefer it in red - more ritzy, but let's not take away from this look. It's super duper!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the minority but I preferred the styling of the red dress. I feel like the dress really doesn't need a belt--it has such simple, classic and clean lines and the belt just feels fussy and unnecessary to me. I also dislike any time Kate wears her hair like this. It always looks so juvenile on her. Kate looked stunning in the red dress in every way and, in my eyes, this is a pale comparison. I also don't understand why she would wear this so soon afterwards. Why not save it for six months or so, when the memory of the red dress has faded a bit?
ReplyDeleteSo that my post isn't totally negative (I do love Kate, after all!!) I am loving the shoes :)
My sentiments exactly. Red version was a class above. That stretchy belt with crystals I suppose is meant to replace jewelry, however it's quite weird (and such an extreme price, unless, again, you look at it as jewelry). I think it draws attention to an area of the dress that already has enough going, between the skirt pleats and the folding pieces from the top. But these are some of the best shoes she has worn in a while.
DeleteRoyal fan in Northern Ontario
That's what I'm thinking too: The red one was wonderful! the black one is 'a pale comparison'. The hair like this makes look her IMO too 'juvenile' and girly like. But it is so nice to see: Duchess Kate has a wonderful charm, charisma and style. May God bless her.
DeleteIf you look at her hairdo as a whole-side, back, it is a version of the half-up
Deletehalf down style that many praise. An effective contrast to the formality and starkness of black. Perhaps a nod to those who insist she dresses like the
Queen or too old. Or maybe no time for an elaborate up-do or chignon.
Also, sometimes I think she is embarrassed by ostentation and seems to wear her
hair to minimise the show of HM's necklaces and earrings, despite vigorous
out-cries. Wearing designer dresses isn't the same as wearing diamonds when it comes to being ostentatious. Besides, we already have a senior royal
Queen of Diamonds. No sense competing there. :+)
Might be a tad too soon to wear this dress when the red one is so fresh in everyone's minds - I adore the earrings and the shoes are divine!
ReplyDeleteAn important event for Kate. She seemed to be in her element at both events. The preen dress is simply stunning. I too like the red but who wouldn't want this black dress in her wardrobe as well? The accessorizing is nice and gives it a different look. And the shoes more on trend with what we'd all like to see.
ReplyDeleteThe dress earlier in the day reminds me slightly of the Beulah floral print dress she worn to a friend's wedding (ivory and peach-tone). And again new shoes. I wouldn't have chosen those shoes for that dress but they're new and something a little different.
Only comment is Kate's hair today. If HMTQ is loaning you amazing diamond earrings, make sure to wear your hair in a style where they're seen from every angle. Give them lots of light to shine and sparkle. My 2-cents.
I completely agree about her hair. This hairstyle does not even suit her. I think if they let her wear a serious bling from the queen, she should show it and not hide it with her blanket of hair.
DeleteI like the black dress and Love the shoes! The belt seems too dressy blue jeans-casual for such an elegant dress. Maybe a repeat with a patent slim bet with fixed bie- or pop of color or with matching purse and shoes- pink--And then add coordinating jewels! Loved the black floral dress from earlier in he day- maybe blue shoes next time to match the flower instead of grey?
ReplyDeleteAnon 02:02 You might be right on the belt:) I actually thought it worked but a more sophisticated belt might be a good bet also, although I would not go with color pops as I think that would work against the sophistication of the dress the way you felt the belt did.
DeleteI think the belt was made for cocktail dresses. The dress was beautiful on Kate and I think the shoes are beautiful also. That the Queen is loaning her Jewelry often to Kate does show her appreciation and love of Kate in my opinion. Remember the Queen let her wear her wedding bracelet designed by and gifted to her by Phillip as a wedding gift and the Queen let her wear her grandmother Mary's bracelet also, both for the Chinese State Banquet.
DeleteKate has also already worn the Halo tiara, the Lotus tiara and, of course, Diana's tiara. She has worn the Hyberdad necklace, various earrings, and the Canadian Maple Leaf, and some other "official" pins, like the pins she wore on her hat when she launched the lifeboat in Wales, and the dolphin pin for the maritime visit, and the shamrock pin, etc. And there will be more. yay
The smile on Ethan's face after Kate hugged his Mum says it all. :+)
DeletePersonal attention from someone who cares, especially an admired someone, has
a worth beyond price and measure.
This is a part of what Kate does,and she does it well.
Exactly! Well said, Anon 18:43.
DeleteCompletely agree Anon 18:43! While Kate looks very beautiful and extremely elegant in this dress, Kate's best accessories are her genuine kindness and sincerity. The true highlights of this event are the caring way in which Kate hugged the mother, the look of love from the son to his mother and the wonderful accomplishments of the children rewarded. A worthy cause appropriately recognized and a job very well done Kate!! cc
DeleteSuch a great cause, and so lovely to see Kate interacting so personally.
ReplyDeleteI was in the minority on the red version, I thought the look was too sharp for her. I like the black much better - I think maybe having her hair out helps as the neckline seems softer.
wow she is just so beautifull i like the dress in black and the belt is just stunning.the queens earings are amazing on her but i don't like her hair in this little girl style, i mean you have on a pair of priceless earings you need a classic updo.i love how she is adding new shoes to her wardrobe i loved both pairs today. wasn't fond of the dress she wore eariler today it was to long to wear with flats. her speech came across very well and she is much better at speaking,brought tears to my eyes when she embraced the other mum. all around great day for her. thanks charlotte
ReplyDeleteAt first glance I didn't see the belt, just the sparkly clasp. For one very exciting moment I thought that maybe stomachers were coming back in fashion. I'm all in favor of anything that gets more jewels on display!
ReplyDeleteLove the dress and the accessories! Only wish Kate had worn her hair back to show off the beautiful bodice.
ReplyDeleteTwo lovely engagements for Kate and we saw her at her best for both of them. I felt she was appropriately dressed for both events and looked absolutely stunning at the evening one.
ReplyDeleteShe appeared to really enjoy the afternoon tea party joining in with the children's activities and they clearly enjoyed her being there. It is very evident how good she is with children and since having her own little ones she is totally at ease.
What a tremendous charity Place2be is arranging the tea party for the children.
The evening function once again showed just how much Place2 be is needed in our schools and the stories of some of the young people were staggering by how they had overcome mental health problems and were helping others. Kate gave an excellent speech no hand moving , hair tied away from her face and plenty of expression in the way she spoke let us hope she now gives speeches rather than forewords at future events. I thought Kate's reaction to the mother, who understandably became upset when her son was telling Kate about his life, was lovely and showed just what a very caring person Kate is in a gentle quiet way unlike her husband with his over emotional behaviour on occasions.
I just hope William really realises what a lovely girl his wife is the Royal family should be relieved that Kate married him at least hopefully she will be able to continue to be a calming influence.
Like one or two others I think Kate has put a little weight on since Canada judging from the side by side pictures of Canada and yesterday. She looked very thin in Canada it was a hectic tour and I do wonder how things were with the children .
Taking 9 month George to NZ & A will have been a great deal easier than George over 3 years and Charlotte 18 months far more of a worry I suspect future tours will be without the children for some while.
There is a lovely photo of Kate on this weeks Hello U.K. magazine. It is not a recent photo & doesn't say when it was taken she looks lovely & very relaxed in a red & white very small check dress with long sleeves Her hair looked shorter than it is now. The article was about what Hello thought Christmas might be like with G &C this year so photo was not connected to the article.
mary E- dress-photo...must have been the red and white colors-Christmassy? :+)
DeleteKate is a lovely person, she looks lovely. So far, many agree, the shoes are pretty but perhaps better with a more tailored outfit, her hair is just a little off and youngish but good that it was out of the way for her speech. Even though some may not have liked the dress or the silhouette of it, many acknowledged it is the trend. I think most were happy she is wearing yet more of the Queen's bling. Everyone serms to be thankful that she was there to help children. Everyone liked the sweet hug. Just using the everyone as a general consensus.
ReplyDeleteand some thought she should have waited a little longer before wearing the same style dress.
DeleteThe diamond in a flower pattern on the top of the Queen's earrings match the center flower design of the bling on Kate's belt.
ReplyDeleteThere is Kate's attention to detail again, 19:29.
DeleteThat matches exactly.
DeleteThe belt matches the other lady's brooch and the designs in the carpet! But those are not specially similar to the Place2Be logo, so I am not sure what the reference is.
DeleteThe rhinestone pattern in the center of the belt buckle matches the top of Kate's earrings perfectly. Those "floral" or "sunray" designs match the Place2Be sun with the smiley face in it.
DeleteAnother "Kate thing". yay Thanks 23:34
DeleteWhat a lovely dress. But why do the designers spoil the sophisticated, glam look, with the exposed, industrial zipper? That is just ugly. And completely unnecessary. There are plenty of "invisible" zipper options that would make the whole look very sleek.
ReplyDeleteeelady. read 15:32. Google "blind" zippers. It is all a matter of making more profit by putting in a big industrial zipper. Not as labor intensive as a blind zipper. Every detail or involved sewing item you add to your design, the more it cost per item. Add that cost over 10,000 or more of the same article and you can see why some manufactuer's cut corners to increase their profit margin.
DeleteI'm with you, eelady. I'll be so glad when that trend has worn itself out. :+)
ReplyDeleteHAPPY THANKSGIVING 💐🙏
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, USA!
ReplyDeleteToday was a great day of engagements for Kate. I was happy to see her again at the NHM because we haven't seen her have an engagement there for some time. I think now she has had at least one engagement with each charity and meusems she is patron of this year.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures with the kids at the tea party. It looked like a lot of fun. She is so good with children. Tonight's reception showed her true character IMO.
Now for the less important fashion of tonight. I love, love, love the shoes. The more I see them the more I like them & I typically don't like pointed toe shoes. So pretty and a change from her norm. As Labelo said above the red dress really showed off the design details of the dress. The way Kate styled the look really made the dress the focus. I loved the look and thought she looked beautiful.
Those that did like it wished for another outing and we got it. Even if it isn't quite how we were thinking. I still love the dress the same in black. This time the styling made the accessories the focus and the dress became a back drop. I think it's really clever to change up a rehear like this and I'll have to remember this trick in the future should I ever be so lucky to be in the same circumstances. 🙂
I am beginning to wonder if all the royal jewels is Kates way of foreshadowing something to come?
Julie-maybe the jewels are the Queen's version of "You go, girl!" :+)
DeleteThose zippers that show are lot cheaper to put in.
ReplyDeleteA proper "blind" zipper, like in most perfectly tailored dresses/skirts, costs more because it takes more effort to do. They look much better, in my opinion.
Love Kate but that hairstyle does nothing for her. It really is little girlish. The earrings and neckline of the dress could be a lot better showcased with a cute French twist or even a flirty, more casual updo. Nothing tight as usual with her updos. I do so wish she would assign her girls to other tasks and get a new hairstylist and a real stylist. No offense to Amanda and Natasha, but really.
ReplyDeleteAgree, agree, agree. A flirty French twist, done right, would have been so perfect with this 60's inspiration. The hair as she had it was so, so, so little girl. Kate has been daring with skirt slits, and transparent fabric. I would love to see her do some classic and fun things with her hair up. Looser and more vivacious. But, like her old wedges, faded skinny jeans and striped t-shirt, this little girl hairstyle has to go. Has to.
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving To All:) For Those Who Are Not From USA, I Am Thankful For All of You, Charlotte & Our DKB Family Here! :) xo
ReplyDeleteI agree that Kate looks Wonderful & a bit more "Healthy" (not so thin) & Yes, I hope it's for The Reason that We are Hoping For! :) I immediately noticed how much more comfrotable She seems in her own skin, as she gave her speech! Bravo Kate all around! :)
Wishing all those celebrating a very Happy Thanksgiving. X
ReplyDeleteThanks Charlotte, et al. Happy Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays. Yay.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Charlotte to you and your family!!
DeleteThis look of Kate is perfect, and I'm marveling at the Queen's collection of jewels that Kate has worn,, Thank You Charlotte!!XOXO
Ooh, this dress is amazing, though I prefer the red version. But the Prada shoes... gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't commented in quite some time, although I regularly read this blog. Thank you Charlotte. I absolutely love this dress and it looks magnificent on Kate. I think I prefer it in red but I liked the addition of the belt to the black dress and really liked her new black pumps ~ very pretty and feminine. Wishing all in the USA a very Happy Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday ~ celebrating all that we are grateful for with friends and family.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to our American friends. Love Love Love both outfits. Mega thanks Charlotte for all your wonderful much appreciated hard work.
ReplyDeleteI am reading a lot of suggestions for more formal shoes, jewels, and hair style. But Kate is already dressed more formally than the other women who appear to be Place2Be hostesses. That is fine, since she is the royal patron and it is an awards reception. But this was not a state dinner or a film premier. As she did in Canada, I thought Kate hit the right note. I would not like sandals or the Queen's wedding bracelet at an occasion like this. I do think she could have gotten more of her hair out of the way with the half up look she used to wear. But I really like this dress in both colors, and especially the way Kate styled the black version. I love those shoes and the belt!
ReplyDeletePS. I also very much like Kate's rounder arms and face!
ReplyDelete