Duchess Catherine does it again!

Duchess Catherine attended a movie premiere in London yesterday, and everyone loved her lace Alice Temperley gown!  I did too... but I could never afford the price tag.  There are Alice Temperley gowns that go for $2000+, which is way out of my league.  You know I'm a fan of taking inspiration from Kate and finding a way to make it work for me... so here's an attempt at this lace overlay trend she favors.

I found a current Alice Temperley lace gown for sale on their website for $2900.  It's GORGEOUS and I love it.  But not many of us normal girls have room or need for a lace gown in our lives.  But, taking modesty cues from Kate such as midi lengths and dresses with sleeves, we can find a more practical dress that still feels very 'Duchess'.  The black ASOS dress is something I would really wear, and I think the brunette model almost seems to be styled like Kate too!  It's on sale for $70, so if you want the look for less, something you could definitely wear out for a special evening, this could be for you!

Inspired by the Duchess

If you've ever perused my style pinboard on Pinterest, you'd know I'm a sucker for whatever Duchess Catherine (Kate Middleton, whoever) is wearing.  And this DVF silk dress she actually wore TWICE.

DVF Dress, $398

Well, being a working gal without $400 to spare on a green dress, I put it out of my mind.  But then I spotted a dress on ASOS with a similar design and fell in love... and it's under $62!  That's right, you can have a similar look as the Duchess for a fraction of the price.  It's chiffon and not silk, and the color is a little different, but the aesthetic still looks like what Kate would wear.  So I bought it... it's payday after all!

I love a good fashion deal.

ASOS dress, $61.11

Want want want.

This is a wishlist.  This is a wishlist.  This is a wishlist.  Things I wantwantwant and am working to getgetget.  :)  Yes, I am repeating myself.  But I am willing myself to save for things, instead of just buying impulsively.  It's a wonder I haven't bought them already.

What do you want these days?  Anything catch your eye?

Want. Camera.

Nikon D3100.  I was looking at higher-end Nikons, but then realized that for what I want a DSLR for, this will do the trick.  It's their entry-level model, but I'm an entry-level user.  I just want those beautiful photos that I can't get out of my point-and-shoot cameras.  This would make me happy.  I'm scouring Craigslist to try to find a good deal; I wouldn't mind buying it slightly used to save money.  But I havetohavethiscamera by December for my Maui trip!

Want. Bag.

Burton Wheelie Double Deck bag.  My friend LC used this as a suitcase over the weekend.  It belongs to her fiance, and is technically snowboarder gear, but I refer to it as the Mary Poppins carpetbag of luggage!  You can just put more and more and more into this thing.  I don't check luggage often, but this thing isn't rigid, fits a WHOLE lot of stuff, and would be great for travel in general.  I fell in love when we were able to just continually stuff "one more thing" into the bag.  I think I could live out of this thing for a month, which I can't say about my current luggage.

Want. Shoe.

Nine West Smooch Wedge.  I don't need more shoes, but I do love this one.  It reminds me of the wedges Kate Middleton (excuse me, Duchess Catherine!) has been wearing lately.  My favorite and most comfortable wedge sandals are from Nine West, and I would love these in either black or taupe.  I am a perfect 6.5M in Nine West shoes, so I have many pairs from their stores!

(UPDATE:  I bought the shoes!  They went on sale for 40% off, and I found a 20% off coupon code... so they were only $38!  Original price? $79... so that's $41 in savings, over 50% off!)

The Royal Wedding!

I haven't blogged about William & Kate (excuse me, Prince William & Catherine, Duke & Duchess of Cambridge!) since their engagement, but I HAD to join the hubbub surrounding the Royal Wedding this morning in London. I feel like the only person who's been waiting for this event as long as I have is Kate herself! I have been following their relationship for almost a decade now, as creepy as it sounds, and I was in love with this wedding.

First off, the DRESS. Love the dress from Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Everyone remarked on its resemblance to Princess Grace of Monaco's wedding dress. It was SUCH an appropriate choice, both the lace and the deep V-neck. I also LOVED the Cartier tiara, with her hair cascading down. It was both understated and fitting, because it wasn't overwhelming on her. She was beautiful in her own right, not just totally adorned. And I heard she did her own makeup! I feel like she embraced the 'blushing bride' modesty, and everyone agrees it was stunning.

Next up, the rest of the bridal party. LOVE that Prince William chose the Irish uniform, because the red was awesome. Next, Pippa Middleton's Alexander McQueen dress was almost as gorgeous as the bride's dress! Both of the sisters are stunning, and I think Pippa wore that dress like a model. (I'd get married in HER dress!) Last for the bridal party, Carole Middleton's hat and outfit were so pretty and appropriate as well.

Lastly, THE HATS. Oh, the hats! Some of them I hated (sorry, Princess Beatrice) but some were AWESOME. I kind of wish the hat thing were bigger in the U.S., outside of the Kentucky Derby. As I said before, I loved Carole Middleton's powder blue hat, as well as Princess Letizia of Spain's more traditional-looking pink hat. There were some crazy ones out there, but even some of the more modern ones looked cool (like Victoria Beckham's.)

On a side note, David Beckham looked AMAZING. Seriously, Google it. And print it. And frame it. And look at it every day.

(All photos are from ABC News' website! It was SO hard to choose which ones to use.)

A Royal Engagement!

Oh-my-gosh-you-guys, I am so flipping excited that Prince William and Kate Middleton are ENGAGED at last! I mean, it is only fair that William be allowed to marry since he never proposed to me and I am now off the market. I've only been waiting to hear this news for like six years, since they started dating.

And now the prospect of a royal wedding next year has me spinning! What does the ring look like? What will she wear? How many bridesmaids? WILL IT BE TELEVISED???

Oh, be still my heart. I am so excited. Look, I know it's weird, but I guarantee I'm not the only one who's pumped here!!!

Always,

Aubrey

UPDATE: He proposed with his mother's engagement ring! Kate Middleton now has Princess Diana's sapphire/diamond engagement ring. So precious...

Photo from People.com by Mark Stewart