We’re officially suffering from royal wedding mania. Aside from fixating on all the details of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day, we’ve also been taking a look back at some of the biggest royal weddings of the past, particularly Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 nuptials.
It was while we were pouring over photos from that day, that we came across Kate Middleton’s under-discussed after-party look, which didn’t get nearly as much scrutiny as the Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen bridal gown she wore earlier at the ceremony—for understandable reasons. But in revisiting her second look—a strapless ivory gown, also by Burton for McQueen, with a sweetheart neckline and a bejeweled belt—we found ourselves debating whether Kate’s after-party dress was perhaps . . . a bit basic?
“Yes, it was a little bit basic,” admits writer Michelle Ruiz, who doubles as Over The Moon’s resident Kate Middleton expert. “But that’s only because she is a little bit basic herself.” Ruiz tied the knot the same year as the Duchess of Cambridge and wore a similarly bejeweled belt around her midsection, since they were having “kind of having a moment.”
But overall, Ruiz was a fan of her look. “I still think it was stunning and sophisticated and perfect on her, especially after the pomp and circumstance of her first McQueen dress. And I find that the little mohair jacket-thingy made it a little less basic.”
Meanwhile, Over The Moon’s Senior Editor Patricia Garcia wasn’t exactly a fan of the cropped mohair bolero. “To me, it looked like something you would wear to the prom back in 2001,” she explains. “If you have Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen designing a custom dress for you, don’t go and choose a simple strapless, satin gown! Do something a little more exciting! Live a little!”
Vogue’s Style Editor Edward Barsamian, on the other hand, couldn’t have loved the look more. “Kate Middleton made history when she walked into Westminster Abbey wearing Sarah Burton’s majestic wedding dress for Alexander McQueen, but it was her reception dress that really captured my attention,” he admits. “The more minimal dress had hints of regal polish with the embellished belt, which pulled double duty and emphasized the bride’s enviable physique, while the simple silhouette kept the focus on Middleton. A furry shrug was a modern touch and infused the look with a cool twist on convention.”
While we still have no clue whatsoever as to what Meghan Markle will wear to her wedding’s after-party at Frogmore House, we have an inkling the actress will definitely go with something a bit more fashionably adventurous than the dress she wears to the main event that morning. After all, this is the woman who wore ripped jeans to her first official public appearance with Prince Harry! Stay tuned for our take on Meghan’s after-party dress come Saturday.
