Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Current Events 1: April 29-November 2011

[Zonk]

At this moment, I am reminded of a Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother quote, when criticized by some because she dressed up and wore pearls to visit those Londoners affected by the bombing in World War II. To paraphrase it, "They would dress up to visit me in their Sunday best, why shouldn't I do the same for them?"

I disagree with the assessment that wearing jeans, a hoodie or something else. That too me says, you are so not that important that I didn't even get dressed up. Unless of course, she was going to participate in the clean up...and than that would be a distraction from the real work that needs to be done.

Do you think that Harry, William, Charles and/or Camilla wore a cheap outfit when they did their visits? While it probably wasn't appropriate to wear such an expensive outfit (unless its something she has already worn before), wearing something cheap wouldn't be acceptable as well. Than we would be hearing about that as well.

ETA: Catherine is fairly new to the game, in the future I am sure she will recognize that perception plays an important role. With the attention of the press so focused on her and her clothes, she will learn that certain name brands shouldnt be worn for certain events. She probably didn't think that they would be able to spot the designer outfits. If the outfit wasn't so expensive we wouldn't be talking about the cost but rather the look of the outfit.

 

[MRSJ]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...am-area-affected-riots.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

I think she looks appropriate. She's matching William, Charles, Camilla and Harry clothing choices when they visited. I personally don't like the blouse but it's still fine.

 

[bethaliz6894]

At this moment, I am reminded of a Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother quote, when criticized by some because she dressed up and wore pearls to visit those Londoners affected by the bombing in World War II. To paraphrase it, "They would dress up to visit me in their Sunday best, why shouldn't I do the same for them?".

thank you for the quote from the Queen, i appreciate you reminding everyone it isnt about the clothes pre se, it is the attitude and the feelings the clothes protray.

 

[princess-royal]

One of the reasons why people were rioting was because they were fed up of having wealth pushed in their faces. I'm not saying it was right to riot at all, and I think what they did was very irresponsible and stupid. But I don't think it's a coincidence that they rioted in the year of the royal wedding and massive public spending cuts. Charles and Diana got engaged a few months before the 1981 riots, and of course there were Margaret Thatcher's spending cuts. So while I'm sure most people will be thrilled to see William and Kate, it's important to think about your audience before you get dressed up. I think it's more about blending in and keeping it simple than about wearing your 'Sunday best'.

Kate wore jeans to visit damaged Slave Lake, but nobody seemed to think that she didn't care or hadn't made an effort. I see her and William as a very down to earth, modern couple and to be honest I had expected her to wear something a little more subtle. Sometimes she wears very low key outfits and other times she really goes all out. I think low key would've been more appropriate for today. What she wore reminds me of her McQueen military coat, perfect for an event that was very ceremonial and full of pomp. That was appropriate for the occasion - this not so much. The outfit doesn't have to be cheap; just simple and sensitive to the surroundings. Like you said, hopefully she'll grow more aware of all that.

 

[soapstar]

Birmingham riots: Kate Middleton and Prince William visit Winson Green | Mail Online

I think she looks appropriate. She's matching William, Charles, Camilla and Harry clothing choices when they visited. I personally don't like the blouse but it's still fine.

Agree. I think she looks fine too. Not a big fan of this outfit, but she looks nice and appropriate.

I don't mind that she didn't wear jeans or dress down. None of the other royals did, so I don't see the problem with Kate not doing it.

 

[Donovan]

This link has a video of their visit:
BBC News - Prince William and Kate visit Birmingham after riots

 

[Grandma828]

She had on a skirt and blouse. If the press hadn't posted who made them you wouldn't know they didn't come off the rack somehwere. She looked very appropriate. Her shoes were simple pumps. Nothing fancy. I don't understand the sour grapes.

 

[Tyger]

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lq6af0imWk1qlsqdgo1_400.jpg

In Birmingham with William. She looks lovely, but does anyone else think it's a bit weird to be so dressed up when visiting a poor area devastated by riots? Her outfit is McQueen and Prada, quite formal, dressy hair... doesn't match the occasion.

As always, I will have a problem with her heavy make-up - for such a young woman, for any woman - and the heavy handed mascara - reminds me of Sarah Fergerson in her recent Australian interview - is this intense eye stuff a fashion now? Because I'm noticing it on other women in the camera's eye lately, too.

I do agree that she has dressed very 'flashy' - and could have 'dressed up' nicely but without the fashion being front and center. Her wardrobes are verging perilously close to 'wearing her' - being 'costumes'. She's learning, as someone said. She has yet to strike that balance of being fashionable and as Coco Chanel said: It is always better to be slightly underdressed. Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

I don't see any sour grapes. Our world has become so casual that most folks don't even want to dress up. Her outfit is totally appropriate for this type of visit (but the price tag is stupendous).

 

[Lady Ann]

I agree the price tag is stupendous...but lets face it Kate is RICH. She can afford to wear these outfits. She looks great in them and she is there doing a job. She is dressed for her job. My opinion is that she has shown that she knows that people are down and out. She has worn a number of outfits time and again as she will most likely wear this one again and again. I wish we all could wear these outfits with such large price tags. well I wish I could ...

I wish they would print just how much Williams suits cost and who made them. I'm sure they are not off the rack.

 

[Elly C]

In this thread shouldn't we be discussing other aspects to the visit & leave the outfit to the fashion thread? I am pleased they visited Birmingham & meet the bereaved parents. The reports suggest that they were well received by the communities they visited and were genuinely moved & engaged by what they were shown & told about the awful events. Kate is new to this kind of visit & it must have been very difficult to respond in a way that didn't involve making some comments that could either be taken as political or in someway inappropriate. It appears both of them achieved this.

 

[fascinator]

One of the reasons why people were rioting was because they were fed up of having wealth pushed in their faces. I'm not saying it was right to riot at all, and I think what they did was very irresponsible and stupid. But I don't think it's a coincidence that they rioted in the year of the royal wedding and massive public spending cuts. Charles and Diana got engaged a few months before the 1981 riots, and of course there were Margaret Thatcher's spending cuts. So while I'm sure most people will be thrilled to see William and Kate, it's important to think about your audience before you get dressed up. I think it's more about blending in and keeping it simple than about wearing your 'Sunday best'.
.

I couldn't agree more and thank you for adding the context of the 1981 riots. I was going to start a thread on that topic- the parallels are stunning- but didn't want to deal with ... We'll, you know

 

[camelot23ca]

I think both William and Kate look appropriate. IMO dressing the way they have indicates they appreciate the serious and important nature of what they're doing.
To me the brands they're wearing - whether they're recognizable, known to be expensive, whatever - are less important than the fact that they both realize that this is an occasion that calls for some formality.

 

[ghost_night554]

Happy to see the Duke and Duchess. Had to wake up really early today and was kinda not happy so then to see this was such a nice surprise. I hope this doesn't come out wrong but when I watched this all unfold I kept thinking to myself "I wonder if after all this is over will the Duke and Duchess visit some of the victims affected by all of this?"

Another video
Video: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit riot-hit Birmingham - Telegraph

People Magazine article
http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20395222_20521397,00.html

 

[fascinator]

This is her "Let them eat cake" moment.

Inappropriate and ostentatious.

Formality is nice but she should have worn the gray dress she wore to the tree planting in Canada or the blue suit she left for Canada wearing.

Prada and McQueen from the high street princess when visiting areas ruined by class tinged riots?

After all, in addition to police brutality, her wedding (or the decision for the public to pay for most of the expenses in a year when 75% of the youth funding was cut in the areas where the riots erupted) arguably sparked the unrest.

This gaudy getup veers toward the insensitive. It's not even typical of what she wears.

 

[ghost_night554]

Ok once again I'll be the one to chime in here. Honestly the two of them come down to visit areas affected by the riot. People who met them respected the fact they came down to visit. William and Kate both showed so much admiration for the police and other emergency force down their those nights as well as compassion to those who lost loves ones from it and all we can sit here and do is complain about her clothes? Are we serious right now? If I'm being honest who gives a crap what she was wearing I don't care if it was Mcqueen or if it was from the store down the street for me it's the actions that matter most. I don't see this in any way as being disrespectful and honestly I don't think the people who met them gave a crap either I'm sure they were just happy to meet with them.The fact they and the rest of the royal family has shown such great compassion this last week means more to me then anything else. Ok rant done had to get that out. I feel better now.I'm just tired of this bickering over what she should or shouldn't wear and has to express my honest opinion.

 

[windsorgirl]

It seems to me that there were some who criticized Catherine for "only" wearing high street labels. Now, when she appears in full designer-ware, she is too dressed up, spending too much, rubbing it in their faces, etc. I don't personally care for the style of the outfit, but I think it sends a message that this is an important visit to her -- that she cared enough to wear a new outfit and a nice one, too.

Let's face it, most of her new outfits are going to be either designer ready to wear or full on couture as the years go by. Good for her and for us who get to enjoy the results. I seem to remember Diana once commenting that she didn't want to disappoint people by wearing something obviously old or recycled because it would give the impression that she didn't care enough about the event to wear something new.

 

[TLLK]

IMO, the most important thing is that Charles and his family are out visiting the affected areas. As the future king Charles should be the one to interact with the victims of the recent looting and riots as I strongly believe that the issues that led to this violence will continue even into his reign.

I may not agree with his comments regarding the looters, but it is important that he and his family meet with the victims affected by their actions.
I'm glad that the D &D o Cambridge met privately with the families of the young men killed in Birmingham. The press did not need to be apart of their visit.

As for Kate's outfit, it reminds me of something Diana would have worn in the late 80's or early 90's.

 

[Duchess of Durham]

Ok once again I'll be the one to chime in here. Honestly the two of them come down to visit areas affected by the riot. People who met them respected the fact they came down to visit. William and Kate both showed so much admiration for the police and other emergency force down their those nights as well as compassion to those who lost loves ones from it and all we can sit here and do is complain about her clothes? Are we serious right now? If I'm being honest who gives a crap what she was wearing I don't care if it was Mcqueen or if it was from the store down the street for me it's the actions that matter most. I don't see this in any way as being disrespectful and honestly I don't think the people who met them gave a crap either I'm sure they were just happy to meet with them.The fact they and the rest of the royal family has shown such great compassion this last week means more to me then anything else. Ok rant done had to get that out. I feel better now.I'm just tired of this bickering over what she should or shouldn't wear and has to express my honest opinion.

Amen, sister!

 

[HRHHermione]

Yeesh, she really can't win with some people can she? She showed up, she looked nice, and there's no way on earth she can make everyone happy with what she wears.

I'm just glad to see them out and about

 

[putski]

well said, ghost_night554!

Wonderful to see the royal family pay their respects and visit riot victims! Let that be the focus of things... not what they are wearing. And for the record, I thought they all dressed appropriately. Kate looked decent and attire appropriate. The fact that they visited made many people happy. They deserve praise, not unnecessary fashion scrutiny, for that.

 

[soapstar]

Great post, ghost night.

I wish they would print just how much Williams suits cost and who made them. I'm sure they are not off the rack.

I do too. I imagine the price tag for his suits (as well as clothes of other royals) would be expensive.

Thanks to BritishRoyals twitter, we have a few more videos from their visit.

BBC News - Duke and Duchess visit Birmingham areas affected by riots

William and Kate visit riot-hit Birmingham - Channel 4 News

 

[Princess of Durham]

Let's be honest here .... there are some people who Catherine will never satisfy no matter what she does. It is really kind amusing seeing the very same ones carry on about her and grope desperately for something to complain about at each new opportunity.

 

[HRHHermione]

Let's be honest here .... there are some people who Catherine will never satisfy no matter what she does. It is really kind amusing seeing the very same ones carry on about her and grope desperately for something to complain about at each new opportunity.

Agreed. Luckily, she seems grounded enough to ignore the criticism when it's without merit

 

[Queen Penelope]

Ok once again I'll be the one to chime in here. Honestly the two of them come down to visit areas affected by the riot. People who met them respected the fact they came down to visit. William and Kate both showed so much admiration for the police and other emergency force down their those nights as well as compassion to those who lost loves ones from it and all we can sit here and do is complain about her clothes? Are we serious right now? If I'm being honest who gives a crap what she was wearing I don't care if it was Mcqueen or if it was from the store down the street for me it's the actions that matter most. I don't see this in any way as being disrespectful and honestly I don't think the people who met them gave a crap either I'm sure they were just happy to meet with them.The fact they and the rest of the royal family has shown such great compassion this last week means more to me then anything else. Ok rant done had to get that out. I feel better now.I'm just tired of this bickering over what she should or shouldn't wear and has to express my honest opinion.

Agree 110%!!! I don't think many, if any, cared if her outfit was appropriate or not. They cared that she and William showed up. This may not have been my favorite outfit, but I didn't think it warrants being labeled as inappropriate or disrespectful. Kate may not alway dress appropriate for some, but you can't deny the effort is always there. How many people get it absolutely right all the time anyway??

 

[EIIR]

This is her "Let them eat cake" moment.

Inappropriate and ostentatious.

Formality is nice but she should have worn the gray dress she wore to the tree planting in Canada or the blue suit she left for Canada wearing.

Prada and McQueen from the high street princess when visiting areas ruined by class tinged riots?

After all, in addition to police brutality, her wedding (or the decision for the public to pay for most of the expenses in a year when 75% of the youth funding was cut in the areas where the riots erupted) arguably sparked the unrest.

This gaudy getup veers toward the insensitive. It's not even typical of what she wears.

I'm sorry but this is one of the most offensive, disgraceful posts I have ever read on this forum. Suggesting that 'police brutality' is the reason 11 year olds are stealing rubbish bins from Debenhams is outrageous. And then to try and excuse the actions of these criminals by saying that it was a result of the royal wedding?!! Are you serious?!

Oh, and William and Kate had a private meeting with the families of the 3 men who were killed by these scum. When meeting people who are very deeply in mourning you wear your best clothes, however expensive they might be. In this respect Kate was completely appropriate.

 

[Queen Penelope]

This is her "Let them eat cake" moment.
Inappropriate and ostentatious....

This is so not her "let them eat cake moment". Far from it. Seriously, you don't think people wouldn't complain had she wore the grey dress? They would say she should have worn something dark to such a somber event, that it would be better suited for cocktails with girlfriends.

As far as the argument that her wedding played a part in sparking the unrest, I feel that argument is threadbare at best, since security was the only thing covered by taxpayers (so, no, not most of the expenses).

 

[Daria_S]

Ok once again I'll be the one to chime in here. Honestly the two of them come down to visit areas affected by the riot. People who met them respected the fact they came down to visit. William and Kate both showed so much admiration for the police and other emergency force down their those nights as well as compassion to those who lost loves ones from it and all we can sit here and do is complain about her clothes? Are we serious right now? If I'm being honest who gives a crap what she was wearing I don't care if it was Mcqueen or if it was from the store down the street for me it's the actions that matter most. I don't see this in any way as being disrespectful and honestly I don't think the people who met them gave a crap either I'm sure they were just happy to meet with them.The fact they and the rest of the royal family has shown such great compassion this last week means more to me then anything else. Ok rant done had to get that out. I feel better now.I'm just tired of this bickering over what she should or shouldn't wear and has to express my honest opinion.

Well put! At the end of the day, it's the thought that counts, and I'm sure the visit lifted some spirits. Personally, if I were in the shoes of the victims, I would be glad to see that someone actually cares and wants to see what went on, and I probably won't remember what the heck she had worn, but I would remember what she said, and the fact that she showed up. This couple has compassion, and perhaps we need to pay attention to that.

And as far as this being her 'let them eat cake moment', I don't exactly follow. To me, that type of moment would be if they stayed at home, released some phony statement, and then took an expensive holiday, instead of being out and about and doing what they can to help (and yes, visiting and talking to those who have suffered is helping, because it makes the people feel like someone actually gives a darn). On that note, I'm going to stop, because really, I don't want to get kicked off of here for reading anyone the Riot Act.

I will say though, that she did look appropriate (not a fan of the attire she chose, but that's besides the point).

 

[Tiggersk8]

First off...Excellent post ghostnight and ITA!!

Second..I hate to break this to some of you, but *every* Royal lady dresses in designer clothes for the most part when they are out working/doing an Engagement representing the Royal Family. It's called looking good for the job and all of us have such a grouping of clothing in our closets. For some of us, that's sweaters, long sleeved shirts and pants or skirts. For Catherine and other female members of the RF, that's designer clothing.

She's not the only one to have them, she won't be the last and I think trying to criticize her for her choice of clothing by some today has officially taken over the number one spot of stupidest, silliest and pot stirring postings I've seen on this board to date on my personal list. Which considering some of the stuff I've seen posted about Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is saying something.

Catherine dressed exactly how she should dress for a visit such as this. To look at that outfit and say it's too flashy is laughable to me. It's exactly the elegant and sombre kind of an outfit you wear to visit w/someone/a group of people who have had to go through such a horrible event such as losing their loved ones in such a manner.

Good for them making the visit. That means far more to the people of Birmingham than whatever Catherine's wearing.

 

[Super Baroness]

Reading through the posts from today, I had to check if I was accidentally looking at Kate's fashion thread.

Anyway, it's nice that the whole "Wales" family (albeit at different times) went out and did their own thing in the aftermath of the riots.