Blog Archives

Cat Lovers Unite!

4/29/2014

Sometimes you just have to buy an item, not because it is fashionable or flattering, but because it is awesome. This 'The Entire Cat Population Is My Best Friend' sweatshirt from The Ballet Cats is one of those things. Unfortunately, sweatshirts are totally 'it' this season, so apart from awesome this sweater is fashionable as well. I came across it a while ago via Pinterest, but alas, it was out of stock then :-( Luckily, I was smart enough to subscribe to the Ballet Cats' newsletter, because a few weeks ago I got a notification that the sweater was back in stock and I snapped it up!

The Ballet Cats is an Indonesian company established in 2008 to "preserve the tradition of the feline loving business". Well, I can't object to that ;-)

Not a cat lover? No problem at all! Since 1 April the Ballet Cats offers a 'Dog Population' sweater as well (plus a whole bunch of other garments!

Sweater: The Ballet Cats / Jeans: H&M /
Heels: Lauren Ralph Lauren / Shirt: Banana Republic /
Earrings: Palm Beach / Bag: Modalu England

The sweater is made of 100% cotton and available in sizes S, M and L. Because it is a unisex piece and the size chart on their website is about as limited as it gets, I wasn't quite sure about which size I needed. Luckily Petty from The Ballet Cats gave me some helpful advise and I decided to order a Medium (I'm a US 8/10). It fits well, but in hindsight the Small would have also been great.

How do you feel about the new 'dressy sweatshirt' trend? During the Tour Down Under, Kate was seen wearing a dressy sweatshirt when watching a rugby match during the Royal Couple's night off (although obviously without the statement on the front! :-P), so sweatshirts might become all the rage within minutes!

And btw: isn't my new sweatshirt totally awesome?! :D

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Royal Tour - 22 April 2014: Kate rocks(!) another outfit!

4/22/2014

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When the Royal couple went to Uluru yesterday, Kate changed from her new Roksanda Ilincic dress into the bit more comfortable Hobbs 'Wessex' dress ($180, previously seen in July 2012) when they took part in an Aborigine Welcome to Country ceremony at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. After this, the Duke and Duchess walked a bit along the Kuniya track at the base of Uluru. She paired the dress with her natural 'Imperia' wedges from Pied-a-terre ($141), the white braided 'Neston' belt from Hobbs and the 'Gold Leaf' earrings by Catherine Zoraida (£140).

And of course the latest edition of Tatiana's Replikate Collage! :D

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Royal Tour - 17 April 2014: Furstenberg Frenzy

4/17/2014

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Another day, another dress. And a new dress at that! Kate was seen wearing the 'Patrice' wrap dress from one of her favourite designers: Diane von Furstenberg ($479), when she visited the Blue Mountains with William today. There, the couple spoke to emergency services personnel and victims about the devastating bush fires of October 2013. Later, William and Kate planted a tree and visited the famous Echo Point, where they enjoyed a breathtaking panoramic view of the area.

The DVF 'Patrice' dress is made of cotton with a navy and black ikat print on a cream background. It features a shirt collar, ¾ sleeves with two buttons on the cuffs, pleats on the back, a cross-over wrap front with self-fastening waist tie, a concealed zipper on the side and two pockets.

I really liked the dress! It was elegant, understated and laid-back at the same time, and to me, one of the best pieces to combine with her navy suede 'Corkswoon' wedges ($398) and matching 'Muse' clutch (£245), both from Stuart Weitzman.

On the jewellery front no big surprises, seeing the return of her white gold and diamond 'Fortune' necklace by Mappin & Webb (£3,950), her sapphire and diamond dangle earrings, and her Ballon Bleu Cartier watch ($5.000).

And of course below the well-known replikate collage! I particularly focussed on replikates for the dress and Mappin & Webb necklace. And of course a big thank you to everyone who messaged and shared their replikate suggestions for this outfit!

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Royal Tour - 16 April 2014: Yummy Yellow

4/16/2014

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This afternoon, William and Kate arrived in Sydney for the second part of their Royal Tour. After arriving at Kingsford Smith Airport the couple headed straight for the famous Sydney Opera House, where they attended a welcoming reception held in their honour.

Kate paid homage to the country she arrived in by wearing a bespoke dress by Roksanda Ilincic in the same colour yellow as Australia's floral emblem, the Golden Wattle. As a modified version of the 'Ryedale' dress from the label's S/S 2014 collection ($1,558) the knee-length dress, made of wool crepe, featured a square neckline, white panelling on the left side of the hem and under the arms, short sleeves and an exposed zipper on the back.

As for accessories, Kate brought back her trusted taupe 'Sledge' platform heels from L.K. Bennett (£195). Rather unexpectedly so, since rumours where that she didn't bring her favourite shoes along for this Royal Tour. She combined the shoes with her woven 'Natalie' clutch (£160) from the same brand.

As for jewellery, Kate chose to combine her go-to pieces for this Royal Tour: white gold and diamond 'Fortune' necklace by Mappin & Webb (£3,950), the Pearl Drop Earrings from Anoushka (£1,090) and her Ballon Bleu Cartier watch ($5.000). Royal jewellery indeed!

For me this is one of my favourite of Kate's outfits during this Royal Tour. The Roksanda dress is a strong piece with a clean cut, and I am a big fan of square necklines and exposed zippers! Some people were a bit disappointed about the return of the infamous Sledges, but with such a statement dress the only good way to style it is with simple, nude shoes and accessories. Plus, I am a strong believer in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". They look well with her skin tone, apparently they are comfortable, and they match with a lot of colours and styles, so I am very glad the Sledges have found their way into the Royal suitcase ;-)

And of course, with all these bespoke and/or expensive pieces, a replikate collage is in order!

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What did you think of this day's yellow outfit? Was Kate radiant or (as William apparently thought) did she look like a banana?

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Perfect replikate for the Jonathan Saunders sweater!

4/16/2014

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I was totally in LOVE with Kate's oval knit sweater from Jonathan Saunders that she wore during the Rippa Rugby coaching! But unfortunately it was already sold out everywhere and anyway, at a original retail price of $ 595 waaaay above my budget. Therefore, I searched high and low for a decent replikate, but apparantly that was easier said than done :-(

But look what I just found! A nearly exact replikate, in the same colour combination (light pink, cream and green) from Australian cashmere brand Gasparre. Still pretty pricey at $360, but definitely the best replikate I have seen after a very, VERY extensive search! Btw, they also have it available in orange/cream.

The second best replikate I found (and this one is a lot cheaper) is this one from River Island ($75). It is a bit darker pink, and has a sort of 'statement necklace' attached to the fabric, but to me that seems easy enough to remove ;-)

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Casual and still chic

4/14/2014

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As I already said before, I really like Kate's casual style. Some are not that convinced with the skinny jeans, but they work for me. And I LOVED Kate's new sweater by Jonathan Saunders, both the colour combination and the oval knit pattern. Unfortunately the colour is sold out, as far as I know, and even if it wasn't, I'm afraid that sweater really is a bit too pricey for me. So obviously I've searched for some alternatives...

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And some other options for the sweater here, here and here!

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Preppy for dinner

4/13/2014

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Blazer: Zara / Trousers: H&M / Top: H&M / Wedges: Pied-a-terre / Bag: Modalu / Earrings: Tudorshoppe

Just as Kate, I can't get enough of my new Zara blazer! Last night I had dinner at Restaurant Millers in the Delfshaven district of Rotterdam, only a 3 min walk from my home. (I really recommend it, should you ever visit Rotterdam!)

Delfshaven is pretty much the only part of Rotterdam that is still 'typically' Dutch (a.k.a. old :-P). The rest was bombed by the Luftwaffe at the beginning of WW II. There are always lots of tourists taking pictures, but it is easy to become unappreciative of the view when you see it daily from your window or walk past it to the subway. But last night I did stop for a moment (and smell the roses so to speak :-P) and I realised I am pretty lucky right where I am! It's so easy to forget such things...

Anyway, to show that taking outfit pictures isn't at all a serious business, below are some 'behind-the-scenes' pictures. Does it show that I am a big fan of John Cleese?

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Royal Tour - 13 April 2014: Four outfits!

4/13/2014

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Boy, were our fashion hearts rewarded today! Three outfits in one single day!

Firstly, the Royal couple flew to Dunedin to attend a Palm Sunday church service at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. On their arrival at Dunedin Airport they were greeted with a traditional Ngai Tahu (Maori people of the South Island) welcome. For the service, Kate chose for a dress by New Zealand born, London based designer Emilia Wickstead, identical to the one worn by Kate during the Queen's Buckingham Palace garden party on 29 May 2012, only this time in an aquamarine / teal colour.

To make the outfit even more chic, Kate added a bespoke felted wool hat (approx £500 - 600) by Jane Taylor Millinery in a matching colour.

Her shoes were not new. They were her suede 'Valerie' platform pumps in the colour 'carbon grey' (£400) from Emmy, which Kate combined with her matching suede 'Natasha' clutch (£290).

This was also another occasion where we could gaze upon that gorgeous fern brooch, made of platinum and diamonds, which was a Christmas gift to The Queen from the Women of Auckland during the Commonwealth Tour of 1953-4.

As for the other jewellery, we (probably, the pendant was under her dress) saw the return of Kate's white gold and diamond 'Fortune' necklace by Mappin & Webb (£3,950), and her Classic Green Amethyst and Diamond Oval Drop Earrings (£ 2,600) by Kiki McDonough, which were a Christmas gift from William in 2011.

After the church service the Royal couple went to a sporty event, each coaching a competing 'Rippa Rugby' team at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. 'Rippa Rugby' is a non-contact form of the sport designed for primary school children with players ripping a flag from the belt of an opponent instead of tackling them.

Obviously, Kate changed into a casual outfit for this event, combining her J-brand 811 mid-rise dark blue skinny jeans ($219), with a new sweater: a light pink, white and mint green 'Deborah Egg Knit' jumper by Jonathan Saunders ($677).

She finished the outfit with her taupe/grey suede plimsolls from Mint Velvet.

William was quite determined to avenge his loss during the yacht race in Auckland Harbour, and indeed, this time he was the one who was victorious! But obviously Kate accepted her loss with real elegance ;-)

For their next event the couple flew to Queentown, where they first visited the Amisfield Winery. There, they got a tour through the vineyards and tasted several of the wines.

Kate changed again, this time from casual to a bit more 'casual chic', bringing back the new double-breasted navy blazer from Zara (€89,95), but this time combining it with a new shirt from Gap, the 'Fitted Boyfriend Gingham' ($49.95).

Also her blue suede 'Corkswoon' wedges from Stuart Weitzman ($398) made another appearance. The braided belt she wore with the outfit seems to be the 'Toast natural leather braided belt' from Mulberry (£225).

Last, but not least, William and Kate went on a whitewater rafting trip on the Shotover River, aboard a jet boat.

The Duchess' outfit remained much the same to the vineyard outfit, although she changed her blazer for the same black 'BR1 Channel' jacket by Musto (€279) as she wore during the yacht race a few days ago. She also changed from her high wedges back to her Mint Velvet plimsolls again.

We also saw Kate wear again her new 'Folding Classic Wayfarer' (RB4105 50) sunglasses by Ray-Ban in the colour tortoise with polarised glasses ($205).

Replikates for the items above will follow in a separate post within a few hours! :-)

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Royal Tour - 12 April 2014: it's pretty awesome being green

4/12/2014

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This morning, the Royal couple departed for Hamilton, where they first had separate events. William spent the morning at the Pacific Aerospace Centre at Hamilton Airport, viewing the manufacturing plant and static aircraft display, and Kate attended a 'Mad Hatter's' tea party at Rainbow Place Children's Hospice. There, she met with the nurses and staff, and talked with several of the children and their parents.

After an hour, Kate left for the town Cambridge, to join William again. There, they paid respects at the WWI memorial, each placing a single rose on it. After a quick lunch they did a walkabout to greet the large crowds present (close to 15,000 people!).

After this, both William and Kate returned to Hamilton to open the Avantidrome, a new national velodrome. They also met with several New Zealand’s Olympic and Paralympic medalists. At the end the Royal couple received a miniature bicycle for Prince George.

This day Kate opted for green, wearing the wool crepe 'Allie' coat from the Pre-Fall 2013 collection of Erdem ($2,953), and the 'Budding Heart' silk tea dress by Suzannah (£475). (In Cambridge, Kate wold one woman that she liked the coat, but that William thought it was a "bit bright" :-P). I like the all the seams on the front of the coat, the peter pan collar, and I am a big fan of jewel tones, like this emerald green, but the stiff/heavy material and the front zipper didn't really do it for me.

We couldn't see the dress in full, because Kate never took her coat of, but we got a glimpse of the hem a few times, like in the picture above. This picture also shows that she was wearing her Ballon Bleu Cartier watch ($5.000) again.

The other two pieces of jewellery she was wearing were her UFO emerald, diamond and gold dangle earrings, and a the small New Zealand WW100 poppy pin that both William and Kate were gifted in Blenheim.

She paired the outfit with her black suede 'Bayswater clutch wallet' from Mulberry (£495), and her black suede 'Angel' pumps by Episode

A replikate collage will follow tomorrow. (I promise! :-P )

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Royal Tour - 11 April 2014: Nautical in New Zealand

4/11/2014

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In the morning of Friday 11 April William and Kate travelled to Whenuapai, near Auckland, to Air Force personnel and their families at the largest RNZAF base in New Zealand.

For the occasion Kate opted for casual chic, wearing a navy double-breasted blazer from the current Zara collection ($ 139), a nautical striped top by British label ME + EM ( £48), J-brand 811 mid-rise dark blue skinny jeans ($ 219), and her trusted Stuart Weitzman 'Corkswoon' wedges in navy suede ($398).

As for jewellery, Kate wore her simple, yet elegant round 'Grace' studs by Kiki McDonough, made of white topaz and small diamonds, set in 18k white gold (£695).

When looking at all the pictures, I also immediately ID'd another item. Not anything worn by Kate though, but of a wife of one of the Air Force base employees :-P It is the 'Electric Wonderland' dress in blue, by New Zealand designer Trelise Cooper (currently on sale for $250).

I came across it when doing some research regarding New Zealand designers and possible items Kate might wear during the Royal Tour, and it was also featured as a 'Royal Tour' possibility by Susan from What Kate Wore. It reminds me a lot of the cornflower blue polkadot dress by Jenny Packham that Kate wore when leaving the hospital with Prince George, so if I would be talking to Kate while holding my baby, I would probably choose for this dress as well ;-)

After the visit to the Air Force base, the couple went to the Auckland Marine, where they raced each other twice in an 80ft America’s Cup sailing vessel. Obviously, Kate won both times, and couldn't resist reminding William of that a time or two.

To be sporty-appropriate, Kate donned her head with a black 'New Zealand' baseball cap with fern embroidery ($18), and of course a ponytail.

For the yacht race she also traded the navy blazer and the wedges for a bit more comfortable footwear: her beige and white Sebago Bala deck shoes ($94.95).

While the Duchess usually goes for the more 'feminine' style (a.k.a. big and black), We now saw her wear a new pair of more 'sportier' sunglasses: original 'Wayfarer Classic' from Ray-Ban in the colour Tortoise ($155).

The Ballon Bleu watch by Cartier also made a reappearance. Bravest act of today! I would never dare bringing my $5,000.00 watch within a five mile radius of salt water! :-P

And last but not least: Kate briefly sported the 'BR1 Channel' jacket by Musto (€279), a high quality jacket designed for coastal sailors.

Although I absolutely LOVE looking at all of Kate's beautiful designer dresses and coats (really, they're like a work of art!), I am always so very glad when she wears something more casual, because that is often a lot more wearable for most of us (for me anyway), and easier to replikate! In the collage below only one item costs more than $69.99!

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- ABOUT TATIANA -

Hi there! I am a fashion and travel enthusiast living in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Tatiana's Delights is your online resource for preppy and minimalist fashion, travel tips, affordable home decor and adorable cat photos. You can find out more about Tatiana's Delights here.