April 29, 2011. This is the date most remembered for an event that brought adoration to people around the world because of its simplicity and elegance. This is the day His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales tied a knot with Miss Catherine Elizabeth “Kate” Middleton.
The event was a media sensation. From the preparations, to the wedding at Westminster Abbey, up to the presentation of the newly-weds who became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the balcony of the Buckingham Palace, everything was detailed for the world to see. It sparked media attention mainly because of the fact that a commoner was married to a royalty. But that is not only that: the wedding greatly influenced the world of fashion, thanks largely to Kate Middleton’s wedding dress.
The influential fashion trends of the royal wedding:
A year has passed since the royal wedding, and its repercussions are still felt today. The “Kate-effect,” apparently, is still around even though the Duke and Duchess are happily married for one year now. It’s gotta be the wedding dress, which started the so-called “Kate-effect.”
- The wedding dress. The simple yet elegant dress that Kate wore during the wedding has sparked interest of boutique shops to create replica ones. It was so popular that less than a day after the wedding, House of Fraser displayed its replica dress in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A few months later, Peacocks created one for just £60. Even Suzhou, China, known for its wedding dresses, has created such gowns. Orders soared high after the replica gown was sold in various parts of the world.
- Kate’s signature look. Wonder what it is? It is the “blow-dry” look, and women ranging from their 20’s to their 30’s cannot get enough of going to their hairdressers to emulate Kate’s look. Since the royal wedding, there was an 18 percent of hairdressing appointments, particularly on “blow-dry” look requests.
- Footwear. From Kate’s engagement with Prince William up to this point, she is seen wearing designer boots. Brands such as Long Tassel Boot and some knee-high boosts were reported to have increased in sales because of this.
- Clothing apparel. Kate Middleton visited Belfast sporting a Burberry trench coat. The day after, the coat became an online sellout. She was also seen wearing coral jeans, colored pink, while playing field hockey at the Olympic Park. Later, people started looking for such pair of pants.
It is as if whatever the Duchess wears, the more it becomes popular among the people. Indeed, the royal wedding greatly impacted how people dressed, not to mention the increase in sales of casual clothing, accessories, hairdressing, and even the wedding gown the Duchess wore. This goes to show that the year after the royal wedding, fashion trends related to this momentous event won’t be expected to fade out soon.
