The lavender Alexander McQueen gown that the Duchess of Cambridge wore to a glittering red carpet event in Los Angeles has been the pinnacle of all the outfits worn during her first royal tour, according to fashion followers.
The glamorous Grecian-style scoop neck dress Kate wore at the Bafta dinner in aid of British creative talent made her stand out among Hollywood's elite.
Tom Hanks, Barbara Streisand, Jack Black and James Gandolfini were among the others drawn to the dinner — and such was |the sense of excitement among |them that Duncan Kenworthy of Bafta felt compelled to urge the guests to “be cool” and not all rush at once to meet William and Kate.
Now a global fashion icon, Kate’s floor-length pleated dress with a floating skirt, nipped in at the waist with a shimmering belt, was hailed as the “best outfit” worn on the trip by Alex Butt, royal wedding blogger for Grazia's website graziadaily.co.uk.
“I loved it, it is a mix of Hollywood and royalty,” said Mr Butt.
“She looked amazing. I really like seeing her in something with a softer shape.
He added: “She usually wears really structured clothes so it is nice to see something a bit more floaty.”
The Duchess complemented her ensemble with a silver clutch bag, a silver bangle and earrings loaned to her by the Queen especially for the occasion.
People magazine said she brought “glamour, grace and star power” to the event.
Jenny Packham's designs are also staking a permanent position in the Duchess' wardrobe.
On Saturday she sported a pretty silver and marble grey hand-painted silk dress by the designer while watching the Duke of Cambridge play in a charity polo match in Santa Barbara.
The Duchess had a fine line to tread on her first royal tour, with Kate expected to showcase both British and Canadian labels; to look the part while avoiding appearing too flash.
The verdict from style critics was broadly positive, yet in some corners it was whispered there was room for improvement.
The Duchess boarded the plane at Heathrow wearing a navy blazer by Toronto-based Smythe les Vestes, a gracious nod to her host country.
After a mid-air wardrobe change, she landed on Canadian soil wearing a dress by Erdem Moralioglu, a Montreal-born designer.
Canadian fashion experts |applauded this diplomatic overture.
But some had hoped she would step out in a few more Canadian labels during her stay.
Mosha Lundstrom Halbert, associate fashion news editor at Canadian fashion magazine Flare, said: “I thought she would wear other Canadian designers. I think there was this appetite for her to wear more Canadian stuff than she has.”
But the Duchess could not be accused of ignoring local sentiment.
On Canada Day she dressed in the country's national colours of white and red.
Her red Sylvia Fletcher hat was even decorated with the national emblem of maple leaves.
Her decision to pair this with the draped Nanette Reiss dress she wore for her engagement |photos last year raised eyebrows in some quarters, however.
Ms Lundstrom Halbert said: “I get that she recycled, but you don't re-wear a dress like that.”
Dressing down when she visited more remote parts of the country, venturing into the wilderness around Yellowknife, hit the right note too, she said.
“She still looked very chic,” she added. “Perhaps more so on those occasions when she wasn't trying to look like a duchess.”
