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Understanding the fashion of the heirs and the spares

It was bound to happen - comparisons between Duchess of Cambridge Catherine and soon-to-be duchess Meghan Markle were inevitable. And with Meghan being called "the biggest influencer of all" by Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic of The New York Times, she is already being seen as the style star of the Windsor household.
On one of her last royal engagements before giving birth to Prince Louis, Kate, as the Duchess of Cambridge is fondly called, met basketball players who're hoping to compete in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She accompanied Prince William and wore a pair of jeggings. Immediately, the website of the American edition of a leading fashion magazine ran a piece saying, "Kate Middleton Took a Surprising Cue from Meghan Markle's Stylebook". The same article called Kate's style "conservative" and described her as a "something of a by-the-book gal". Well, a tad unfair, isn't it? Yes, Meghan has great style, it's fun, effortless and, of course, has a dash of glamour (she does come from Hollywood, after all), but does that mean the media should offer her the style crown right away?
Let's not forget how much the Duchess of Cambridge has done for fashion as an industry - be it her support of quintessentially British high street brands such as L.K. Bennett and Jigsaw to her own wedding dress that was designed by British luxury house Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton. At that time, Newsweek magazine had concluded, "The Kate Effect may be worth £1 billion to the UK fashion industry", as anything she wore would be an immediate sellout. Young girls all over the world wanted a piece of Kate's style. She likes her pumps, fitted knee-length sheath dresses and tailored coats. Her mantra is elegant and effortless. Her style is approachable yet chic, mixing high street fashion with high fashion. She has no problem repeating an outfit: from coats to dresses to accessories, she is often seen pulling out a piece, and wearing it on more than one occasion. This royal's real take on fashion made her an icon. And, yes, her style can be a bit conservative, but let's not forget that she is the "Queen in Waiting", and that also informs her choices as opposed to Meghan, who is marrying the "spare" Prince Harry, who is at present sixth in line to the throne.
To put things into perspective, let's rewind to the 1950s to Queen Elizabeth II and her late sister Princess Margaret, who was, of course, the "spare". She was truly fashion's poster girl. Known to wear dresses that cinched in the waist to show her trim figure off, she favoured the off- shoulder "Bardot" style. Be it Christian Dior or Norman Hartnell, she wore the best of the best. Margaret was always ahead of the fashion curve with her cat eye sunglasses and long-stemmed cigarette holders. But then Margaret was not the head of state, so she could afford to be slightly risqué. Her wedding dress was designed by the official court designer Hartnell; it had no embroidery, no frills, no shimmer and so, at that time, it seemed quite "unbride"-like. Made of silk organza, it had a full skirt. Back in 1960s, fashion world branded it as a "study in simplicity" though her jewels made sure she dazzled. She teamed her minimalistic dress with a magnificent tiara bought for her wedding and an eye-catching collet-set solitaire diamond necklace. The Queen had, at her own wedding, also worn a beautiful Hartnell, but it was far more traditional. Made of soft satin, it had embroidered floral motifs scattered all over and was decorated with pearls and crystals. It was full-sleeved and had a 13-feet train. She finished the look with a fringe-style tiara she "borrowed" from her grandmother, Queen Mary, and a pearl necklace. It was feminine yet modest. The Alexander McQueen dress that Kate wore at her wedding over 50 years later seemed to mirror this dress.
Perhaps like Princess Margaret, Meghan will choose to push the fashion envelope at her wedding. I, for one, can't wait to see the dress tomorrow, as I'm sure it will be fabulous. She is the "spare", after all!
sujata@khaleejtimes.com

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