Kate Middleton/Catherine Cambridge

[howtorebuild]

I like her hair tonight.

I hatethecold, thanks for that! Just realised HopefulAnxiety had answered my question earlier - thanks also to you HA

She looked bored at the banquet. And her makeup was far too heavy, esp. the eyebrows and round the eyes. The red dress was nice. And the link from today makes her look like she starred in Dallas in the '80s.

I'm not a Kate hater - there isn't really anything to hate. After the disasters of Diana and Fergie the Royals have played safe, very safe.

Polyh - it's the 'what does Kate do' bores I'm objecting to. Fine not to like her dress but I'm fed up about the carping.

I think she looks great. Feel very sorry for her having to sit through those sorts of dinners though.

I do think her hair would look good about 6-8 inches shorter, and if you're going to cut in a fringe, do it properly and be brave, rather than this swept to the sides malarkey.

Today's dress is beautiful, but her makeup is all wrong, too heavy for day time, the blush is too much and not blended well, specially in the outdoor pictures,

I think Kate looks fine. I do think she looks rather tense a lot of the time but then people are always critiqueing whatever she does/wears etc...

I thought Prince William looked rather like David Walliams in the first of ipaid's linked pictures. The coy smile sideways. Prince Walliam perhaps.

Why do I think it needs 4 inches off it?

Because I think it looks too heavy and weighted. Don't think it shows off her beautiful hair to it's best. It's dated (those tonged ends!) and I think it ages her.

And to the cries of 'stop critiquing Kate for doing nothing'. Nope. Not while we pay for her.

Oh and the Dolce e Gabbana dress looks very Phase Eight.

What style do you think she should have, Pringle?

Fact is, you'll think she should have X style, someone else will think she should have Y style - she's never going to be able to please everyone, so she might as well please herself.

Kate seems very nice, but LOLing at the idea that she'd be better craic than Camilla.

There was a wonderful clip of the rf going in to a state banquet where she turns to the camera and does a sort of 'get me!' Giggle.

Don't spouse anyone can find it.
Think it was a pre-youtube formal documentary.

She being Diana, sending it up.

Single I always find it interesting that MNers regularly ask what Kate does - never have I heard anyone ask what Prince Philip does.

They have the same role pretty much.

Quite Anna Marlowe! The fact that she has two very small children seems to be ignored when questioning what Kate does. Surely she is a sahm who performs a wide variety of state duties (which most of us would be crushingly bored by) - I know plenty of sahm who are never questioned on the subject of what they actually "do".

The Dowager I think her style suits her - just a few inches off the end would make it bouncier / more youthful.

And fair point Anna, I shall endeavour to comment on Phillip with more regularity. And Asteria, not all SAHP have the same level of staff...

This is very true, but the childcare element surely is largely to assist where State matters get in the way of parenting, not the other way around? I'm sure that a lot more of us would have if we could afford/justify. I for one would love to have a cleaner and having a nanny would have come in handy too. It's hardly as if they can get a teenager from the village in whenever a babysitter is needed!!

Well, the nanny appears to be full time yet Kate is not on State duties every day. To note, I don't care that she has a nanny - heck I would if circumstances allowed.

I love her hair and love side fringes. I don't suit a full fringe but I need something to soften my rather harsh features so a side does it nicely.
Kate is lucky in that she suits a side or none at all. I also love the length and think it looks really healthy.
Not a fan of the in between length where's it's just at the shoulders. Think it just looks like you're growing it out.

It's not often you'll see me sticking up for the royal family but I think she looks fine - a bit bland and dull but that's her job.

Diana wore some absolute shockers in those early years - it took her a long time to find her own style. Compared to her, I think Kate's doing pretty well style-wise although she probably has more help than Diana did.

Single

I have lots of lovely SAHM friends, with school age children, who have cleaners and gardeners (several of whom are definitely MNers )

It would be appalling rude to ask them what they do all day. It's what works for them and their families and not my business.

I'm not royalist but really don't consider it reasonable to ask what a woman with two small children and a variety of state duties does with every minute of her day. I also don't consider her child care arrangements my business.

Why does the Duchess of Cambridge come in for such ire? I don't hear anyone challenging how the Countess of Wessex spends her time.

I think at least the countess of Wessex had a normal job before her marriage, unlike Kate.
Don't hate her - not really any personality to hate - but to me she comes over as bland and dull - a very safe choice. (Very different from Camilla who seems warm and humorous.) I wouldn't like to be sitting next to her at a banquet! As for suggesting she's in anything like the same position as a 'normal', even a well-off SAHM I find naive and laughable. Sorry.

As for her hair, yes definitely better with several inches off. Present style dull and dated. And much less makeup.

But Poly William and Kate met much younger than Edward and Sophie. I don't doubt that had she never met William she'd have worked.

And of course she's not a 'normal' SAHM. They don't gave to appear immaculately dressed in public within ours of their babies birth.

They don't have threads full of strangers picking over their hair, clothes and personality.

I mentioned before I'm no Royalist, I'd be happy with a Republic but as it is, the woman's rail is to support her husband, produce some heirs, attend a variety of functions and represent the country at state affairs.

All of which she seems to me to be managing to do with aplomb.

would MN like her more if she was fatter and less pretty? So much for sisterhood

I think her hair almost looks too full. It rather looks like a wig or massively heavy hair extensions. It does not look modern or natural, to my eyes.
And whilst the Jenny Packham red town was stunning, that plum lace cocktail dress was just all wrong for a daytime engagement. The color was horrid, so ageing.

I'm told they're both good company, and Kate's just a normal distracted, slightly bonkers mum of two..
How she dealt with the Chinese bossman is anyone's guess.

How I hate the 'i can't hate her, there's no personality to hate' line. It's so jaw droppingly bitchy. I don't know her at all but she looks warm, has a lovely smile and knows that every time she steps out in public that she is judged on such a massive scale that it's amazing she can even breathe. Yes she married into massive privilege but they do appear to be in love and, after what happened to his mother, I am not surprised that William tries to shelter her as much as possible.

Her circumstances are such that I could never imagine the expectations and pressure especially from here. Good luck to her.

It's strange that she wore D & G for an event supposedly showcasing British things. There are so many British designers she could have worn..