I drew down fire and brimstone on my head a few weeks back when I said I thought Kate had struggled a little finding her pregnancy style, but today she was right on target at the Queen's Garden Party in a yellow and white Emilia Wickstead coat, her ever present nude LK Bennetts, and the hat she wore to the Order of the Garter with that stunning McQueen coat.

2012 Order of the Garter

Garden Party. 22, May 2013

Interestingly, last year Kate also wore Emilia Wickstead, who is fast becoming the Duchess's go-to girl for stylish and substantial pieces, but in pale pink with that incredible hat.

2012

2013

This style is really working well for her, in my opinion. I am surprised that I like it the best, since I was sure I would prefer the clingy look that it seemed she was going to favor when she appeared in the MaxMara dress, but this is very much in keeping with the Mulberry that was so flattering:

Windsor 2013

The silhouette is really suiting her.  A little background on HM's garden parties from the Express:

The Queen’s garden parties are a quintessentially British chance to celebrate the achievements of people who have contributed to public life or their local community.
They have been held at Buckingham Palace since the 1860s when Queen Victoria instituted what were known as public “breakfasts”, although they took place in the afternoon.
In the 1950s the number of garden parties held at Buckingham Palace was increased to three a year, taking the place of presentation parties attended by debutantes.

The article also details:

She met Marie Curie nurse Susan Bradley who said afterwards: “She instantly recognised my uniform and the daffodil in my lapel and told me that she had great admiration for the work the charity does as our staff cared for her own grandfather in his home when he was terminally ill.”
When another guest called out to Kate: “You look lovely in yellow”, she smiled and thanked him, gently smoothing her hand over her swelling belly.
Kate, who is not expected to attend the other two summer garden parties at Buckingham Palace, also spoke about the effect the weather was having on her pregnancy.
“'She said that the one benefit of the weather was that it was keeping her temperature down. She said she was thankfully rather cool,” recalled guest Juliet Rogers.

Kate sensibly had her hair pulled halfway up, if she is feeling a little overheated at times, revealing her delicate earrings. As usual, she seemed happy and upbeat, naturally interacting with the crowds.

You know who made a bit of a fashion splash today? Camilla! What are the thoughts on that coat? I liked it! It was structured and flattering, and the fabric looked really interesting. As usual, she was a little out there with her hat. Something growing on her head??

Kate Wears Sneakers As She Shops Chelsea for Lighting

Do you know what we don't see Kate wearing often? Sneakers aka trainers!  The beautiful Duchess was dressed down yesterday to shop in Chelsea for all manner of home goods, as her new Kensington apartment continues to be readied for the move.  Kate was out and about despite the poor weather.  The pictures are not all that good, unfortunately, but they do allow us to see she was wearing jeans and sneakers, an as yet unseen Zara coat, and the Aquascutum scarf she seems to love so much. Kate first debuted that scarf in Canada, I think, and is often spotted wearing it when out for a spot of shopping.

From the look of the umbrella, she didn't come prepared with her own umbrella. E!online reported on Kate's shopping day:

According to a source, Kate had breakfast at the Dome Cafe in Chelsea Harbour around 11 a.m. She then spent a couple hours at the Design Centre, also located in Chelsea Harbour, where she was apparently looking at lighting.
After that, Kate went to a carpet shop on Lots Road, where she stayed for approximately 45 minutes.

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely we will get a guided tour of the couples private apartment, but with all the shopping Kate has been doing, I am sure it will be absolutely fabulous.  As usual, i love these shots. She just looks so great in candids!

Love the hair:

Meanwhile, Pips was out to lunch with Vanity Fair and noted fashionista/os, including Tom Ford and Jemima Khan--don't miss the Princess Diana connection there, folks. I kid. Really. Don't bring that up.

 
As is her wont, Pippa went edgier than I might be fully comfortable with myself, but I sit here on the sidelines and applaud. I like, even if I do not dare.  That being said, our faux-Princess, as I think some like to refer to her, was out clubbing earlier this month in the same jacket, but very eye-catching trousers. I won't tell you what I think of these, because I know you can guess.

Kate Attends Wedding in Polka Dot Dress

Whenever I travel, I always bring my computer case along so I can blog at a moment's notice. I never want to miss a Kate appearance. I have schlepped that machine through more airports and foreign streets than I care to consider. But, that can get tedious, and I thought I could sneak away for the weekend with an iPad in the purse and call it an easy day. So, Kate showed up at a wedding...of course.  Kate has been in Anglesey with William following her engagements at the end of April.

You can overdo vacations, so I am happy to back on my own cozy couch, with a steaming cup of tea and some good royal action to soak up.  Kate rewore the entire outfit from Warner Bros. with the addition of a hat. Here is the problem as I see it. it seems to me that when your figure gets a little fuller due to pregnancy, you don't want to overdo yourself in the styles stakes. Too much rarely helps, and I know a lot of pregnant women right now on which to base the theory. What I mean to say is, simplicity is slimming. We all can think of a certain pregnant individual, whose initials may or may not be KK, who often overdoes it, with disastrous and headline grabbing consequences.

The billowy polka dot dress incorporates several pregnancy danger zones in one outfit, so I found this choice daring for Kate the first time around. I thought she pulled it off at the time, but not so much here. The hat only furthers the problem. She was right at tipping point before, but that hat is breaking the camel's back for me. What is up with this hat? It is a little wild, un peu adventurous, in short, exactly what she should avoid with this outfit.

I never thought I would say this, but I think Kate is a little lost in the whole maternity wear department. She has kind of ricocheted around. She wears something flattering and beautiful one appearance, and then something that really raises the brow in the next. I don't really understand why she hasn't shifted to clothes specifically designed for her changed body. Interestingly, the custom clothes she has worn have all flattered her beautifully.  I am particularly thinking of the blue Emilia Wickstead.  When she wears clothes that are off the rack she has had some real disasters. The plaid Moloh coat comes to mind first.  There is a time and a place for everything and I hope Kate gets this under control as she rolls into the last few months of her pregnancy.

I don't want anyone to take this as harsh criticism. Before her pregnancy, Kate rarely put a foot wrong. I might not always love the outfit, but there is a distinction between what isn't always fully to my taste and what is actually a bona fide fashion miss. She has had a few of those, too, as have we all, but not often. Even now, she has more hits than misses, but in my mind her misses are unusually high for our mostly flawless Duchess of Cambridge. I have every confidence she will soon be back on track!

Meanwhile, while I wasn't posting this weekend I was following the news and Kate and William were spotted a nice little restaurant -after the wedding for a quick bite to eat. The Mole and Chicken says:

The 60 cover restaurant offers a blend of British and Mediterranean food using classical cooking techniques and fresh local produce. A well chosen wine list accompanies the light lunch and a la carte menus and there is also a finer wine and drinks list for the connoisseur.

I was surprised to read that William had mushroom risotto while Kate opted for Fish and Chips. Kate has been known to love her comfort food, but in recent years most menu choices have been reported as lighter fare.

Fun stuff. Hopefully, we will be seeing Kate again sooner rather than later, and she will be in something specifically designed to highlight her loveliness.