Today I've teamed up with Refined Side and five other fashionable bloggers to show the items in our closet that make us feel the most glamorous. That one item that instantly gives a little extra something to an outfit and makes you feel ready to conquer the world!
Sometimes you encounter a coat, that is just perfect in every way... And the Duchess of Cambridge has a particular knack for finding those. I totally fell in love with the Black Watch tartan one by Alexander McQueen, and then again with the dark green 'Angel' coat from Reiss. And now she's done it again, with this gorgeous baby blue coat by Matthew Williamson (btw, she has been wearing baby blue two times in a row now, is she trying to tell us something? ;-) ). It just looks so comfy and chic at the same time! Looking at Kate's gorgeous coat reminded me that a pastel coat is at the top of my WWW (Winter Wardrobe Wishlist), and it should be on yours as well. I mean, seriously, how much brighter would those dark winter days be if everyone wore soft pinks, greens and blues instead of black, grey and navy?! Below you can find a few of my favourites available at the moment (several of them are available in other colours as well). 
So, what if your approach to winter pastels? Absolute yay, or a no-go? P.S. If you are looking for a good RepliKate of Kate's blue Matthew Williamson coat, ASOS has one that is very similar. A custom made one from the Tatiana's Delights Etsy shop is of course also possible. In that case, be sure to send me a message via Etsy regarding a custom listing! 
I feel like I have been living under a rock, that it took me until now to come across the fashion diamond that is Massimo Dutti! While browsing Pinterest I saw this amazing leather bag, when I clicked on it I was redirected to the Massimo Dutti website.... and now I'm smitten. 
The bag that started it all For those of you who are as unaware of Massimo Dutti as I was: contrary to what the Italian name suggests, Massimo Dutti is a Spanish brand, owned by the Inditex Group (which also owns brands like Zara, Oysho and Bershka). Originally a brand for menswear, in later years it also added womenswear (in 1992) and children's wear (in 2003) to its repertoire. By now, Massimo Dutti has over 731 stores in more than 71 countries. Although these are mostly located in Europe and Asia, people from the US, Canada, Mexico, and several European countries have the opportunity to shop the collections online at massimodutti.com. 
Massimo Dutti mostly offers good quality at a reasonable price (considering what you get). With approximately US$ 40 for a leather belt or US$ 300 for a large leather tote, the brand is somewhere in-between Zara and Reiss prise-wise. But what I love the most about Massimo Dutti are the designs of all their garments! A combination of equestrian, preppy and classic, this totally suits my style, and the items are very suitable for both work and dressy casual! Below are my 10 favourite items from their Fall Collection. How about you? Do you like the brand? Have you purchased anything from Massimo Dutti in the past? I would love to hear your thoughts!
Hip, hip, hooray! I wish you a very happy 1st birthday, little Prince George! (My God, that year went by fast!) 
It is always so lovely to see how inquisitive children can be! I feel that for parents it is really important to always stimulate their children's natural curiosity. William and Kate's choice to go to the Sensational Butterfly exhibit is really great in that aspect. I was always that child that kept asking "Why?... But why?.... But why?", which can be very annoying for any parent, I'm sure :-P But my parents always tried to answer me anyway. That way I knew it is always good to keep asking questions and never take anything for granted. Keep exploring, George! 
As for the fashion in the photos: Kate wore her green 'Budding Heart Silk Tea Dress' (including baby spit on her shoulder, how cute :-P) by Suzannah (US $ 810) and her Kiki McDonough '18ct Yellow Gold and Diamond Hoops' (US$ 850) and Annoushka 'Pearl drops' (US $ 505) combination earrings. 
I must say, that 'Budding Heart' dress by is really starting to grow on me. I didn't like it at first, but actually it is one of those rare dresses that looks flattering on pretty much EVERYONE, so below are a few replikate options. 
 *Sigh*, I wish I looked as good after a 25 hour flight as Kate did when arriving at Wellington Airport! My prediction about the red coloured outfit was correct, but it turned out to be too cold for just a dress. A custom coat by Catherine Walker it was, and I totally loved it! (But then again, in my opinion you can never go wrong with a fit and flare coat.) The outfit was quite formal, but that is why it was such a very nice outfit to kick off the Royal Tour with, and obviously very reminiscent of the red Catherine Walker coat she wore on the last day in Canada during the Royal Tour in 2011. And didn't you love the Jackie Kennedy feel of her Gina Foster pillbox hat? I like this type of 'back of the head' hat a lot better than the Jane Taylor piece she wore during the South Pacific tour in 2012.
Inspired by Kate's bold red? Below are some options to channel your inner Kate/Jackie. 
 To participate, the only thing you need to do is:
The contest will run until the end of the Royal Tour (25 April), after which I will choose the lucky winner among all entries, and the best replikates will be featured in a blog post! Until soon!   I can't believe it! The Royal Tour of William, Kate and little Prince George begins in just a few hours! Until now I haven't really written anything about the Tour, because most information was already widely available on other websites and blogs. But of course I will be following the Duke and Duchess closely the next three weeks, like the rest of you. The next three weeks you can expect regular posts looking forward with a summary of the schedule, the weather and outfit predictions. And of course there will be an awesome replikate contest and giveaway (read more info on that below)! The next few days: 7-9 April in Wellington (NZ)The schedule In a few hours on Monday 7 April at 11:30, William, Kate and George will arrive at the military terminal of Wellington Airport. Most likely there will be the opportunity to see a little bit of George. After that William and Kate will attend a reception at the Government House, hosted by Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae and his wife Janine. There they will also partake in a Maori traditional welcoming ceremony (called a 'Powhiri') and an inspection of the Guard of Honour.  the Government House On Tuesday 8 April the Royal party will be recovering from their 25 hour flight (jet lag!) at a private residence.
The outfits And then on to the possible outfits Kate might wear. The first few days we won't see a lot of different outfits, but there will be the arrival, and the welcoming reception. Let us first take a look at previous outfits of Kate when she stepped out of a plane.  Based on this, and the precarious weather, I am guessing a knee length dress with half sleeves or long sleeves, probably in blue, black, white or red, and hopefully from a New Zealand designer. For the welcoming reception Kate might wear something similar, but dressier, with lace or embroidery. Below are some dresses that fit that bill and that I REALLY hope we'll see during this tour.
The new outfits available in the Etsy shopUsually I only list items in the Tatiana's Delights Etsy shop that I already have end result pictures of, but these next three weeks new listings will be added every single day to make it easier to order a replikate of that gorgeous dress or coat worn by Kate during the Royal Tour. So be sure to check out the new additions! Replikate contest & giveaway!So obviously we can't let this joyous occasion go by without a giveaway! Well, actually it is more of a contest, because you'll need to do something for it too ;-)
What do to? To participate, the only thing you need to do is:
The contest will run until the end of the Royal Tour (25 April), after which I will choose the lucky winner among all entries, and the best replikates will be featured in a blog post. I'm so excited you guys! Aren't you excited? I AM!   “I love that woman. I love her more than sharks love blood.” This says Frank Underwood about his wife Claire in the hit series House of Cards. Previous weekend the second season of House of Cards aired on Netflix and Kevin Spacey still plays the vindictive Machiavellian politician as brilliantly as he did in season one, supported by his calculating wife, played by Robin Wright. When watching the second season, apart from enjoying all the political backstabbing, I was drooling over all Claire Underwood's outfits. She always looks so intimidatingly perfect, any professional woman would kill for her wardrobe.  Claire Underwood’s outfits are structured and severe, with an understated elegance. Tom Broecker, House of Card’s costume designer for Season 1 said in an interview that he feels that Claire Underwood wears her clothes as armour, protecting herself behind a shield that is both masculine and sexy. Ready to do battle everyday. And although Broecker refers to her as a modern-day Lady Macbeth, her character actually is far more complex than that, because while she benefits from her husband’s political ties, she wants them for her own benefit, constantly balancing options and playing the field.
For Claire Underwood's wardrobe, House of Card's costume designers mostly chose classic minimalist labels like L'wren Scott, Zac Posen, Theory, The Row, Armani, Ralph Lauren and Akris. But according to Johana Argan, the costume designer for season 2, the precise fit of Claire's clothing is more important than the labels. And indeed, everything is perfectly tailored to Robin Wrights to-kill-for body (if only I had the bone structure for a pixie cut like that!). Claire Underwood makes it look effortless, but there is nothing casual about her. The same kind of intention plays out in the neutral, dark palette of her wardrobe.  The only real colour she wears is blue (the rest is a strict palette of blacks, greys and neutrals, to abide by the unofficial dress code for Capitol Hill), but Claire never looks stuffy. In fact, she makes a mockery out of the traditional ‘power suit’. Summing up her wardrobe as rigid categories like ‘Oxford shirt’ and ‘Sheath dress’ would do it a terrible injustice. It makes Claire’s wardrobe sound rather boring, when it is the exact opposite. There is always a certain element that makes the pieces she wears interesting. An asymmetrical zipper, a square neckline or beautifully placed seams.  To analyze Claire Underwood's style, let's take a look at some of the pieces she wears. When watching the second season of House of Cards, as an avid Duchess Kate follower and huge fan of Reiss (one of her favourite brands) I immediately recognised this navy blue dress. It is their Angel dress in Indigo from the A/W 2013 collection, currently on sale for €125, down from €260. This piece is a perfect example of the simple, yet interesting dresses she wears!
Claire's perfectly tailored shirts are actually more affordable than they look, as they are the 'Oxford Shirt' from Banana Republic. It always takes me ages to find a shirt that is 'just right' (sometimes I am a bit of a Goldilocks ;-) ) so I just ordered one in white and one in blue for myself!
The white dress with bolero as seen on Claire below is actually a favourite among costume designers it seems, as it is also worn by Lara Pulver as Irene Adler in Sherlock and by Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne in Revenge. Unfortunately it is beyond most of our reach, as it is the Illusion Bolero Sheath dress by Alexander McQueen. 
Even when it comes to accessories and jewellery Claire opts for a minimalist look. (If you have such gravitas of your own you don't need bling-bling to get attention, right?) Her go-to bag is the large black leather 'Muse' tote by Yves Saint Laurent. Simple and practical, but of exeptional quality.
Although Claire Underwood mostly sticks to brands that are not very friendly to your wallet, her look is actually quite achievable. In my experience the best places to look for a quality, yet affordable office wardrobe are Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft, Zara and Mango. It's also a good idea to check L.K. Bennett, Reiss and J.Crew whenever they have a sale. If you are trying to channel your inner Claire Underwood, these items might fit the bill.  PS. If you've fallen in love with a specific Claire Underwood item, the Tatiana's Delights shop on Etsy might be able to help you out. Don't hesitate to contact me!  
I know, I know! It's already a few days ago, but I hope you all had a beautiful New Years Eve filled with fun, good company and lots of champagne! I had a great time ringing in 2014 in Dublin at the Countdown Concert, partying with friends and talking to random strangers in the street (Oh, what great it is to be young ;-) ) 
We had such a great time! Ireland really is a magical place. (For those interested: pictures of the last two days will follow in my next two posts!) 
The start of a new year is always a great time to reflect on the lessons and achievements of the past year and look forward to the future. Looking backWhile 2012 was a year I felt I achieved absolutely nothing, 2013 was actually a great year for me. It started of slow, but at the end of it I can definitely say I moved forward, both in 'real' life, as well as emotionally. If 2013 taught me anything, it proved to me that you don’t have to have all of the answers. Reaching out to others for help can actually make things a lot better. The past few years I struggled with my studies enormously, barely making any progress at all, up to the point I stopped believing in myself. Until last January, when I was diagnosed with ADD. 2013 will always be the year for me that everything 'fell into place'. Now that I am taking the right medication I have passed every exam since and feel there is finally light at the end of the tunnel (and hopefully a successful job as well ;-) ) If there is something fashion related I've learned this year is that having a great style is based on two principles: 1) You don't have to be 5 pounds to look amazing. True confidence comes from accepting your own body and all its unique assets by dressing accordingly. 2) You don't have to own a million bucks to look like a million bucks. Anyone can buy a $1,200 dress, $600 shoes and a $800 bag and look great, but a woman with great style has the ability to mix affordable clothes (possibly with a designer piece) and look even more amazing. For me, Kate is the true embodiment of this principle. 
As we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the Netherlands, the end of the year is always the logical time for me to give thanks to the life I have. Last year I have been thankful for:
Looking forwardIt is kind of sad to be taking down all the Christmas decorations, but I am also happy to get the house back to normal. Bye bye, Christmas tree! Hello brand new year and a fresh start! So what are my hopes and dreams for the coming year? As I am a notorious list maker, here are some things I am looking forward to in 2014:
And last, but obviously not least, I want to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2014! Thank you for your readership and support this last year. Looking forward to another great year to come! 
 Everybody's mind is on Christmas now, but I am already thinking ahead. Just after New Year's I am going on a skiing holiday to the French Alps. Have been excited about that for several months now, because I love to ski! Unfortunately, the odds apparently aren't ever in my favour, since I dislocated my knee two weeks ago and I now need to keep using my knee at an absolute minimum. Which means that I (most likely) will not be able to shine on the slopes this year (or actually, not be able to give other people the opportunity to make fun of how bad I really am). Boohoo! Since I organised the trip (with a group of friends from law school) I am still going, but the main consequence is that now the skis, the skiing boots and the goggles stay at home, and my 'apres-ski wardrobe' needs to be expanded. And when it comes to fashion, Kate and you, my fellow Replikaters, are always my source of inspiration! So here's a look at Kate's skiing outfits over the years...  March 2004 April 2005 March 2008 March 2010  March 2009 March 2012 March 2005 I feel like red, white and black is a recurring theme here. Would there be a reason for that? And here's a look at Kate's 'off-duty' style during her visits to the Alps....  March 2009 March 2013 March 2010 March 2013 She sure loves those black furry boots! So, here's the deal: since I now really need to add some pieces to my wardrobe for a fashionable apres-ski look, I need help from you ladies to find the most awesome items available! What are in your opinion absolute fashion essentials for the snowy slopes? What would Kate wear? Any tips on how to pass the time when everybody's away? To gather the inspiration I started a board on Pinterest (think: cable knits, faux fur and nordic prints). If you know some great additions to it, you are very welcome to join in! And of course I am really interested to know about your skiing plans and anecdotes ;-)  I feel like the Middletons and William are just sitting there, judging my fashion choices. The pressure's on!  |
- 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.
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