Duchess on A Dime

Whether you love her so much that you got up at 4 am to watch the royal wedding, or you thought the event was a whole-lotta hoopla, you cannot deny that Kate Middleton knows how to get dressed. And although shes a duchess, shes set a few trends that even us commoners can benefit from shes made it popular to dress like a lady, and she shops in her closet!

So in celebration of this and her 1 year wedding anniversary, Gwyneth and I have pulled together some of our favorite Kate Middleton looks from the past year. We have shopping guides for you, but they wont point you to buy the same pieces she wore. Instead, our shopping guides have inspirations from her best looks, so you can make them your own. We think our selections have royal-like style, but commoner-friendly price points. (Weve included a higher priced option for a splurge and a less expensive option for a steal too!)

So lets kick this off with our very favorite lady-like look of the year the white Reiss dress Kate wore for her engagement portrait and on the Canadian tour. We think what made this dress special is the color and the draping, so here are a few options that have the same effect.

Shopping Guide:
Alice + Olivia Spelling Side Peplum Dress from Shopbop
Alexander Wang Asymmetric Draped Cotton Dress from The Outnet

We also loved the many dresses with lace overlays we saw Kate wear. She chose navy, red and black hues to sport this feminine trend, but we think its perfect for Spring and Summer in pink and yellow.

Shopping Guide:
Monique Lhuillier Lace Overlay Sheath Dress from Nordstrom
Skater Dress with Embellished Detail from Asos

The Reiss taupe shift Kate wore to meet the First Lady was truly timeless. For a dress that will never go out of style, we chose these classic taupe shifts.

Shopping Guide:
HUGO Beige Cap Sleeve Kirilla Dress from Stylebop
Lena Textured Sheath from Banana Republic

We loved seeing Kate in Diane von Furstenberg! While her dress is relatively affordable, Topshop makes two dresses that take the best part of her look (the color!) and leave you with a few more greenbacks in your wallet.

Shopping Guide:
Silk Cute Skirted Midi Dress from Topshop
Tuck Neck Shift Dress from Topshop

If you loved Kates colored denim as much as we did, youll love the countless shades there are to choose from! We think these J Brands are absolutely worth the splurge, but if you want to bring home a rainbow of options, Express has a similar style at a lower price point.

Shopping Guide:J Brand Mid Rise Colored Skinny Jeans from Nordstrom
Zelda Colored Skinny Jeans from Express

You know we love an accessory, and we were wild for these basics that Kate wore again and again. (Yes, we consider animal print a basic and a neutral!)

Shopping Guide:Lauren Merkin Diana Washed Leopard Clutch from Shopbop
BCBGeneration Devan Clutch from 6pm
Seville Wedge Espadrilles from J. Crew
Sonoma Life + Style Peep Toe Wedge Espadrilles from Kohls
Orra Pumps from Macys
Chinese Laundry New Love High Pumps from Piperlime

(We never thought wed say this, but.)

Kates definitely got a diet and fitness plan going on that makes those legs so fabulous, but she takes them to another level with nude pantyhose. Not convinced? Well, weve tried them and think Spanxs Bootyfull Sheers give you best of the Middletons Kates legs and Pippas tush. Still not convinced? Sally Hansens Airbrush Legs is another option we love, and choosing this spray over pantyhose means you dont have to carry a bottle of clear nail polish in your purse. With 6 color choices, you can find the one thats most appropriate for your skin tone and the current season. (If you are fair skinned, you simply cannot use the dark one in February unless you have recently returned from Aruba. Sorry!)

Shopping Guide:
Bootyfull Sheers from Spanx
Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs from Drugstore.com

With all of this said, (and as we head over to Asos to pick up the Skater Dress with Embellished Detail), we leave you with this last bit of inspiration: