by Isabelle Esteves

Created on: January 13, 2013

Kate Middleton, or as she is now referred to, the Duchess of Cambridge, has been a fashion icon ever since her engagement to Prince William was announced on Nov. 16, 2010. It isn’t as if she suddenly started having great fashion sense; she has had it all along. It is just that overnight, the press and the world have been looking at every piece of clothing that she wears. It has been a boon for British designers but it also poses some problems for those who wish to run out and buy what she is wearing. The fact is, Kate has a habit of recycling her clothing and it is very possible that what she wore today was purchased two years ago. It has the designers bringing back some of their designs from previous years at the public's request.

For her official engagement announcement, Kate wore a very affordable Issa blue wrap dress in a striking sapphire blue color. The very next day, the dresses were flying off the racks. The good news is that at only 450GBP, this is a dress that you can purchase and love. Kate’s sister Pippa wore an almost identical dress in raspberry to a friend’s wedding, proving that a great wrap dress can go just about anywhere.

One of Kate’s favorite designers is Alexander McQueen. She recently appeared at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards wearing one of his dresses. It is called a “bell sleeve floor length gown” and was a beautiful teal green with a thigh-high slit. The Alexander McQueen Web site offers the dress in black for a sale price of  1739GBP.  Be prepared for sticker shock -- dressing like Kate does not come cheap. It is, however, a very classic style, and by choosing something more affordable in a slim cut with a V-neck, long sleeves and the pretty teal color, you can get the feel of her style for a lot less money.

If you are looking for another knock-out dress that Kate has worn on more than one occasion, how about her Alice Temperley Amoret dress? This is long and is made with black French lace and has a removable bow belt and silk contrast lining.   It is still available for 2900GBP. The last time Kate wore it, she carried a small Alexander McQueen red clutch bag and a rocking pair of Jimmy Choo black heels.  While most people won’t be able to afford this particular dress, finding a short, black lace dress won’t be too difficult, and pairing it with a great red clutch and black stilettos will make a great party outfit.

Kate looks wonderful in skinny jeans, short tweed jackets, high riding boots and just about anything else that she wears. Her style is trendy, young and classic as her reuse of her items proves, and taking a few pages from her style book will guarantee that you have a wardrobe that will last you for many years and always look good. Good news for expectant mothers: You will soon be seeing some very fashionable maternity wear which, no doubt, the world will be copying as well.

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