I'd love to get that polished look like the Duchess of Cambridge, Kim Sears et al

[CambridgeBlue]

I hate the fake nails/hair/tan look that a lot of celebs go for but I'd love to pull off the sleek swishy look that these ladies do so well. I know they have the best hairdressers and make-up artists at their disposal plus generous budgets, and clearly that's not an option for most of us, but there must be other things I could do to make myself look a bit more polished and classy.

I don't suit dresses and heels (nor does my lifestyle) but I don't live in jeans either. I buy quite nice stuff but seem to either look too 'done' and a bit frumpy or casual and slightly scruffy. When I was reading up on colour and style analysis I worked out that I might be a 'natural' type - could that be why I am destined to look like a student or my mother-in-law instead of a classy bird? :)

Cheryl Cole et al favour a 'sexy' look, with the apprentice lady going for the corporate tart look- they are all about cleavage, fake eyelashes and tight body con outfits with KM would not wear!

I thought Luisa did look quite polished in a 'young' way (she is only 25). Unfortunately some of the skyscraper heels took away from the polish, anything over 4 inches just looks silly (IMHO)

I think that Kate does really have good genes. Not sure if there's much in comparing her to her former pre-polished self - people's faces change a lot between teenagerhood and womanhood - mine certainly did; it's become much less round and babyish, although my weight has been more or less the same for years.

The question about C.Cole et al not looking as glowingly polished is interesting. I have been thinking about this and here's what I've come up with: Kate wears blusher really well. It's the right shade of baby pink -- it makes her look cute and healthy and attractive. It makes her eyes and teeth glow. It enhances her natural air of supressed merriment (does anyone else notice that or is it just me?!). Whereas other more made-up women often choose a more contoured look to make them look glam, Kate's blusher makes her look healthy and pretty. (BTW I really do NOT agree that she looks older than 31 - at all!)

I've a friend who looks effortlessly healthy and polished in this way. Lots of it is down to genes, being slim, and looking great with a (real?) tan. But my friend also spends up to an hour blowdrying her hair every day. I am not kidding. It's insanely beautiful hair - we are talking a long thick gleaming sheet of loveliness - but OMG.

Kate looks amazing, am full of admiration. Hope William knows how lucky he is.

I think Cheryl cole's looks suits what she does - something would be wrong if she dressed like Kate.

However, apprentice finalists looked a bit odd because they did heels AND boobs AND legs AND tan AND hair etc etc.

You can't flaunt everything and look polished.

I too think she looks overdone and frumpy, and years older than her actual age.

Cheryl and Luisa's fake tan

I really think its down to being willing to brow dry your [long and thick] hair every day. Who can be arsed with that?

I do think Kate and Kim look gorgeous. They are naturally pretty and make the best of themselves but not in a tarty or frumpy way. Which to me means well fitting but not clinging.

I would love to look like Jen A though - she looks casual yet stunning AND her hair isn't always down...

Reading with interest, I would love to have that naturally polished look.

However I don't hold out much hope as I am sitting in my PJs eating fried chicken

Evidently the blusher is Bobbi Brown- my money is on 'Slopes'.

I think she has a very line to tread with her formal clothes- she looks great in jeans and a jumper but her 'outfits' have to show Britain in a certain light- it's almost a costume she wears for her role. When you look back at- dare I say it- Diana- her outfits at times were ghastly and very ageing. I think it must be very hard for someone like the Duchess to choose outfits that are youthful yet respectful to the monarchy because she is part of the 'Firm'. Off duty she looks much younger.

I definitely see that about her Faddy, she's actually got quite a cheeky face!

I'm off to buy a new blusher and get hair extensions and a boob reduction.

Arf @jamas and chicken

Er, marry a prince...? :)

She's the ultimate package girl.

Without intervention she'd be just another reasonable looking woman with good genes however she clearly works hard at the look.

As a minimum she will:

Permenantly diet
Work out
Professional blow dries
Fake tan
Waxed/threaded
Manicure/pedicure
Brows lashes tinted
Stylist
Excellent dental care

Additionally she quite possibly has:
Regular facials
Subtle lash extensions
Hair extensions
Botox
Other "beauty" treatments

All this on a pretty much unlimited budget.

I'm not adverse to any of these things, in fact I quite like to indulge but her look is hard work,mime consuming and expensive.

What tan do you reckon KM uses to get that colour? I've been searching for years to find one to give that effect and still haven't! In particular her face, looks so healthy due to the tan. I spent a fortune on a clarins face tan but it's barely noticeable!

Kate Wales wears a bit too much make up to look fresh faced, but her hair, legs and generally very slim, toned figure give her a very groomed look, IMO.

I reckon she has a natural tan at the moment. She's a known sun worshipper & has probably been enjoying the recent heatwave in the gardens of Middleton Manor & KP.

Not sure about her tan- according to Jan Moir D Mail, she was wearing tights outside the hospital. Her arms aren't that tanned. She also has a very lined forehead in the close up pics, as does Pippa, and she appears to have some holes in her forehead from previous spots. Having said that she is very pretty, I'm just disputing that she's had loads of treatments because she'd have this stuff fixed if she had!

I think that is a lot of my problem Bumblequeen - I am slimmish but with a curvy hourglass figure - in the sort of dresses the D of C wears I either look frumpy or like Barbara Windsor!

Thanks for all the replies, this is really interesting reading. I think PlatinumStart's list is about right but not sure I've got the time, budget or inclination for that lot! Definitely picked up a few tips for ditching my inner student though :)

I wear Bobbi Brown Slopes blusher.

Extensions, yes. It would almost be more of a surprise if KM didn't have them, imo.
I agree that she is nice looking rather than beautiful, but definitely has the polished look. A combination of her style personality (which her mum seems to share) and a mega budget.
Being extremely thin also helps but there are lots of skinny girls who don't look polished too so it really does depend.

I actually don't like her hair. It is the hair of someone with too much time on their hands, and makes her look like princess barbie. Groomed is one thing, but her 'do' is often pretty much identical to Cheryl Cole's.

I agree about the power of blusher. On me I think it even makes more difference than mascara, and the bobbie brown counters are good at matching you with the right colour.

I liked her post-birth outfit. It was nice that she wasn't too trussed up, and it's really refreshing to see someone high profile with a post-natal bump.