Dressed for royalty

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrived where we were at last able to witness Kate Middleton living every little girls dream: marrying her Prince Charming. But there was a third party to this ceremony, that some were even more eager to see – her wedding dress.
Speculation concerning the dress started the moment the ring was on her finger. Who would design it? Would she go for the traditional long train, or a more modern, sleeker version? Names from Sophie Cranston to Bruce Oldfield were thrown around, but it was the late Alexander McQueen who melted our hearts on the big day, with close friend and now head of his company, Sarah Burton, making the gown.

More Princess Grace than Diana - the wedding dress worn by Kate Middleton will, beyond a shadow of a doubt, be all kinds of influential. It manages to strike that fine and perfect balance between intricate detail and understated refinement, being neither too plain nor too plush. The full sleeves have a certain austerity that the times call for - yet are perfectly feminine in their delicate lace needlework. Her impeccably hand-engineered lace bodice and skirt will with no doubt start appearing on runways all over the fashion world, influencing a new age of elegance in cutting edge clothing.

The dress may be perfectly feminine, but due to it's strong cut, it's not flouncy or frivolous or likely to be mistaken for a giant meringue-based dessert. The fitted bodice, particularly on Kate's slight figure, gives it an air of strength. It nods gently to figures like Queen Victoria, capable of ruling a nation through the good times and the bad. That sense of independence is surely a quality future brides will be keen to replicate.