PA Wire, Getty, APKate Middleton went from Duchess of Drab to Duchess of Fab in the course of a week!
During her royal tour of India and Bhutan, Kate officially shook off her old nickname and instead wowed her critics with one perfect East-meets-West ensemble after another.
But dressing like the Duchess of Cambridge doesn't come cheap. According to our calculations, her latest tour wardrobe rings up to almost $50,000!
On the trip Kate changed outfits 18 times, including for today's special visit to the Taj Mahal, and wore pieces by 40 different designers or brands. She donned four different looks on one day alone: one dress to board their flight to Bhutan, another dress when she and Prince William deplaned at their destination, another to wield a bow and arrow and then yet another, this time for a double date with the King and Queen of Bhutan.
Bright native fabrics and Jaipur-inspired patterns replaced her usual block colors. She thoughtfully mixed looks from her favorite designers such as Alice Temperley and Jenny Packham with new pieces to pay homage to the host countries. While, disappointingly, Kate didn't wear a sari, she got to show off her fashion chops when she donned a traditional Bhutanese kira (it took two months and five people to make the fabric!) and mixed it with a hot-off-the-runway Paul & Joe cape top—genius!
Also packed in what must have been a number of suitcases (we're betting the duchess wasn't limited by stingy carry-on restrictions) were old favorites such as her trusty nude LK Bennett Fern pumps—and then there were those boots she went hiking in on Thursday. She's owned them for over a decade and we first spotted her wearing them in 2004!
Excuse us as we fall in love with the duchess all over again…
But turning her fashion cred up a notch might not have been all Kate's doing. Rumor has it her assistant Natasha Archer is her new secret weapon and the real reason a little bit more spice has been added into her closet (by adding modesty linings and chaining up hemlines).
So it takes a team and a year's salary to look like Kate Middleton for just one week, but we're not complaining. The future queen looked utterly fabulous.
And even though we'll be off in search of chic substitutes on the cheap, here's our breakdown of her stunning tour wardrobe:
SUNDAY
Arrival in India:
Alexander McQueen red dress: not yet for sale, approximately $2,000
LK Bennett Fern nude pumps: recycled from her closet, $345
Temple of Heaven earrings: $1,495
Russell and Bromley curvy clutch bag: $235
Cricket:
Anita Dongre dress: specially adapted for Kate, $236.60
Monsoon nude wedges: $79
Accessorize earrings: $11
Bollywood Party:
Amrapali Jewels blue lapis earrings: $1,925
Jenny Packham gown, beaded in India: average $6,000
Prada suede wrap sandal: $750
Custom beaded bag: price unknown
MONDAY
Mumbai:
Temple of Heaven earrings: repeat wear, $1,495
Mulberry Blush Bayswater clutch: $790
Emily Wickstead dress: now on sale, $2,500
Rupert Sanderson pink pumps: $600
New Delhi
Queen's Party:
Alice Temperley Delphia skirt and matching crop top: $2,995 skirt and $1,525 top
Gianvito Rossi criss-cross shoes: $835
Earrings: provenance unknown, in Kate's wardrobe since at least 2007
Prada bag: $1,340
TUESDAY
Glamorous red maxi dress: $70
Russell and Bromley xpresso shoes: $250
Accessorize earrings: repeat wear, $11
Meeting the Prime Minister of India:
Alice Temperley Desdemona lace dress: $1,395
LK Bennett Natalie Straw clutch bag: recycled, $295
LK Bennett Fern nude pumps: repeat wear, $345
Kiki McDonough earrings, custom-made to commemorate the birth of Princess Charlotte: $4,950
Later:
Black Pied a Terre Imperia wedges: Recycled, $65
Anna Sui blue-green maxi dress: $820
Earrings: Kate's own since 2006, designer unknown
WEDNESDAY
On Safari:
Sebasi Bala flats: first worn in 2011, $95
RM Williams shirt: approximately $130
Brown Zara stretch pants: $50
Flora Garments scarf: $180
Kiki McDonough citrine pear drop earrings: recycled from 2009 and 2011, $993
Ray Ban sunglasses: recycled, $150
Later, With Elephants:
Topshop embroidered print dress: $140
Dune wedges: recycled, $57
Accessorize earrings: repeat wear, $11
THURSDAY
To Airport:
Tory Burch Chrissy dress: $395
Arrival in Paro:
Emily Wickstead coat dress, bespoke soft yellow gold that took six weeks to complete, and new belt: $1,700
LK Bennett Fern nude pumps: repeat wear, $345
LK Bennett Natalie Straw clutch: repeat wear, $295
Brora gold charm earrings: $55
Archery:
Paul & Joe top: $520
Kira-style skirt, fabric hand woven by Mrs. Kelzang Wang Mo of Bhutan, can take five people more than three months, material then taken to London to be tailored: approximately $1,500
LK Bennett shoes: repeat wear, $345
Kiki McDonough Lavender Amethyst Pear and Oval Drop earrings: $5,500
Dinner With Bhutanese King and Queen:
Tory Burch embroidered tulle gown: $1,550
John Lewis orange Pashmina: $30
Gianvito Rossi criss-cross shoes: repeat wear, $835
Brora gold charm earrings: repeat wear, $55
FRIDAY
Hike:Penelope Chilvers boots: recycled, in Kate's closet since 2004, $674
Really Wild Clothing Nubuck waistcoat: recycled, $700
Jaegar blouse: $126
Kiki McDonough citrine pear drop earrings: repeat wear, $993
Zara khaki trousers: $50
Ray Ban sunglasses: repeat wear, $160
Evening Reception:
Beulah gown: $1,060
Gianvito Rossi criss-cross shoes: repeat wear, $835
SATURDAY:
Paro Airport:
White Alexander McQueen broderie anglaise suit: recycled from her closet, approximately $2,000
Necklace: given to her by the Queen of Bhutan, unknown
Taj Mahal visit:
Naeem Khan dress: approximately $2,000
LH Bennet Fern pumps: repeat wear, $345
Ray Ban sunglasses: repeat wear, - $160
Earrings: bought by Kate on her hike down from Tiger's Nest, $7