Duchess of Cambridge wows fashion critics with chic Canadian style
Kate Middleton mixes high-end labels with Canadian designs during tour
Criticized in the past for her bland style, the Duchess of Cambridge has impressed fashion experts with her clothing choices as she tours British Columbia and Yukon with husband Prince William and their two children.
As the tour has progressed, experts are suggesting the "Hollywood makeover" will push Kate into the fashion echelon A-list movie stars enjoy.
But designer labels are not the only talking point in her choice of attire — a number of uniquely Canadian pieces have also made it into the mix.
Maple leaf brooch
A maple leaf brooch has been Kate's go-to accessory throughout her Canadian tour. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the brooch was given to the late Queen Mother by her husband, King George VI, to commemorate her state visit to Canada in 1939.
Inuit earrings
Nova Scotia-born jeweller Shelley MacDonald is feeling just a touch of star power after Kate bought and wore a set of her earrings in Yukon this week. The earrings are based on the Inuit knife the ulu, with a bronze base and silver backing.
Britain meets Canada
Kate donned a blue tailored Jenny Packham dress for her arrival in Victoria. She offset the look with a maple leaf-adorned saucer style hat, custom-made by Lock & Co., and the maple leaf brooch. Kate and husband Prince William were greeted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.
Red, white and royal
For the couple's second stop in Vancouver, Kate stepped off a float plane in a red and white printed Alexander McQueen dress, which is valued at $6,800. She paired it with a red Miu Miu clutch.
From coast to coast
In a more casual look suitable for a day in the Yukon, left, Kate sported a ribbed sleeve wrap jacket from Canadian designer Bojana Sentaler's brand Sentaler, available at Hudson's Bay and Holt Renfrew. Her earrings were from a local Yukon goldsmith and jewelry designer Shelly Silversmith and she finished the ensemble with brown cowboy boots from R. Soles. For their stop in Kelowna, B.C., Kate wore a Hobbs London Persephone coat, draping a green, red and yellow scarf over her arm — the maple leaf tartan, Canada's national tartan.
Seeing Red
Perhaps her most talked about look was this red satin Preen dress, worth $1,700, which she wore for a reception at Government House in Victoria. She paired it with Soru Baroque double-sided pearl earrings and the maple leaf brooch. A few days later, Kate chose red again during a visit to the McBride Museum in Whitehorse.
