Welcome to My Royal Closet! Each month, take a look into a different closet that has been royally-inspired by Kate. The Duchess of Cambridge has been a huge influence on our closets, and we want to share our favorite repliKates and outfits with you!
Meet Chloe: Chloe is a student at the University of Birmingham, England, and is studying German. She first became interested in Kate, and the Royal family as a whole during the Royal Wedding of 2011. Now, she is Deputy Editor at Royal Central, running a fashion blog on the site, and has been trying to replikate The Duchess on a student’s budget ever since!
Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon RepliKate
Firstly, I’d like to say what a great place ebay is! You can find almost anything on the site and this is where I found my replikate SW Corkswoon wedges. They’re originally from Next, and I paid £24 for them, probably cheaper than the RRP too so I was very happy! The same navy suede and cork on the heels, but a more wearable height for me, since I’m no heel-queen like Kate!
Zara Lace Tulip Dress
Another item I found on ebay, was Kate’s Zara tulip skirt dress, worn shortly after the engagement announcement. It’s lace detail is the thing I loved about the dress in the first place, and having worn it to my boyfriend’s graduation, I found the tulip skirt to be very flattering! However, it doesn’t make for easy sitting due to the boning within, and sits rather short on the back of your legs – a small price to pay for a great dress! It will definitely remain in my wardrobe for a long time to come!
(I recently just lost out on Kate’s French Connection Sunrise Tellin dress – that is how versatile ebay is! If you save a search for a particular item, ebay can let you know when something is added fitting this description – tres handy.)
Alexander McQueen RepliKate Blouse
A blouse I found at Oasis instantly reminded me of Catherine’s Alexander McQueen blouse worn in Birmingham in 2011. It does not feature the military ‘stripes’ down the front, but thanks to its faux pockets and buttons on the shoulder which give the impression of epaulettes, you can definitely see the inspiration! I am currently on the lookout for a navy skirt in a similar chiffon material, and I will find some buttons to attach to recreate the skirt to complete the look– customisation can make a huuuuge difference.
Orla Kiely RepliKate Dress
This customisation advantage can be seen to its full effect with this piece: this grey dress was bought from ASOS. I then found some crochet flowers of about the right size on Etsy and voila! A replikate of the Orla Kiely dress!
I’ll admit, it took me a long time to stitch these on, even with a machine, as I didn’t want any of the ‘petal’ edges to stick up, so I had to sew around every one! But it was worth it! I am so pleased with this, and only finished it a few days ago, so can’t wait to wear it! The dress is a knit fabric which makes it great for the colder weather on the way; the skirt isn’t pleated like Kate’s was, but fitted, meaning a snug fit, great with some thick tights for the autumnal cold!
My tip is don’t be afraid to try – stitching can, in most cases, be undone without too much fuss or damage, and, if you have the patience, most things can be achieved by hand, without the expense of a machine. Decorative items for embellishment and customisation can be found on the internet, and Etsy is a great site for that, so have a go. Youtube has lots of tutorial videos if you’re unsure and forums are handy too!
I am tempted, when I get the hang of patterns and dressmaking fully, to start making Kate items to sell… so contact me in 6 months to see how that goes!
RepliKate Jewelry
My last item is actually a group of jewellery, which I am fond of. A shop on Etsy, Tudor Shoppe, sells replica jewellery for the TV show The Tudors, as well as Kate, Diana and even Pippa. From there, I have the replica Kiki McDonough citrine square drops (though lovely, they are quite heavy and tilt forward during wear, hiding the stone somewhat), the Links of London Hope Egg earrings, the replica Asprey button pendent and the Vinnie gold leaf drop earrings.
The replica Diamonds by the yard bracelet was from Amazon(!), as were the diamante and pearl drop earrings – Catherine’s are from Tiffany and Heavenly Necklaces.
My imitation Annoushka pearl drops and Kiki McDonough round studs were, in fact, from my trip to Buckingham Palace this summer! The Royal Collection sells jewellery, mostly based on The Queen’s vast collection, but this year has a number of items based on what Kate wears and I can only imagine they will expand their range as Kate does her own.
I have the Zara dress too and completely agree that it’s not one for sitting down in!
Jennifer x
Ginevrella
But it looks so pretty! Who needs to sit….. 😉