Duchess of Cambridge takes style tips from the Queen as she recycles favourite Reiss dress for Canada Day celebrations

By Tamara Abraham

Last updated at 8:27 PM on 1st July 2011


It seems the Duchess of Cambridge has a few old favourites among the 30 outfits she has packed for her trip to the U.S. and Canada.

The white Reiss dress she chose for a citizenship ceremony in Ottawa this morning was the same one she wore for her official engagement portrait with Prince William last November.

The 29-year-old paid tribute to the host nation's flag by teaming the £159 frock with red accessories. Her hat by her favourite milliner Sylvia Fletcher at Lock & Co, featured Canada's national symbol, the maple leaf, as did her diamond brooch, which was borrowed from the Queen.

Royal recycler: The Duchess of Cambridge stepped out in Ottawa today (left) in the same white Reiss dress that she wore for her official engagement portrait in November (right)

She completed the look with red court shoes and an Anya Hindmarch Fan clutch from the British label's spring/summer collection.

It is not the first time Catherine has worn a garment twice. Last month she wore an old Katherine Hooker coat for the Duke of Edinburgh's 90th birthday, and she has been seen in a favourite black-and-white dress on a couple of occasions.
But this particular outfit pays special tribute to the Queen, who herself gave a favourite white dress a Canadian twist around this time last year.

Flying the flag: Catherine marked Canada Day with red accessories that included a hat by Lock & Co's Sylvia Fletcher, an Anya Hindmarch Fan clutch and pointed court shoes

And the diamond maple brooch, which was first worn by the Queen on a trip to Canada in 1951, and again when she celebrated Canada Day in London last year, also references the Monarch.
Catherine's look has won praise from fashion press in the U.S. and Canada since the Royal couple arrived in Ottawa yesterday.
TV fashion expert Louise Roe, who hosts Plain Jane, told MailOnline: This outfit is such a home-run, for multiple reasons. First up, she's diplomatically - and stylishly - paying respect to Canada with their national colours and the maple leaf motif on her fab headpiece.
'Secondly, the recessionista princess strikes again! Re-using old clothes not only makes her more relatable, but the fact that it's the very same dress she won Britain's heart in, reminds us of why we love her.

Royal wave: The couple took part in the city's official Canada Day celebrations, which attracted more than half a million people - despite the searing 90F heat

Atten-shun! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watch a ceremonial display by soldiers on Parliament Hill

'A very clever, calculated move, this look will have been carefully picked out long ago, head to toe.
'The only gripe I have is with the shoes. As a stylist I'd say too much red in the look! A nude or taupe patent pump would have looked better, and one with a higher heel. She's too young and stunning to wear mediocre kitten heels. Somebody introduce her to Jimmy Choo!'
Lauren Sherman, Executive Editor of Fashionista.com, who regularly covers the Duchess's style, also had praise for the look.
'I love that she's wearing the Reiss dress again,' she said. 'I think her look is very Eighties aristocrat, but in a good way. The matching shoes and hat are a little silly, but finally show that she's willing to take a few risks.'

Something borrowed: Catherine had been loaned a diamond maple brooch from the Queen, who wore the same piece for the Canada Day celebrations in London last year

Family values: The Duchess also paid tribute to the Queen by recycling a favourite white dress. The Monarch did the same last year, giving a gown she wore in November 2009 (left) a Canadian twist in July 2010 (right)

Her main criticism, though, was for Catherine's ill-chosen hosiery.

'As for her legs - is she wearing nude tights, a la Pippa? I say those have to go, or she needs to lay off on the self-tanner.'

The Duchess's wardrobe meanwhile, continues to be a source of fascination as she scored a sartorial hat trick yesterday, changing outfits three times.

To board the plane to Canada, Catherine wore an elegant navy Roland Mouret dress and Smythe blazer but changed mid-flight into a lace design by British-based, Montreal-born designer Erdem Moralioglu.

Fashion hat-trick: Catherine boarded the plane to Canada in Roland Mouret (left), but changed mid-flight into a lace design by Erdem (centre). Later she changed into a bird-print dress from Issa

Later in the day, she changed into a bird-print dress by one of her favourite designers, Issa, for dinner with 120 of the cream of Canadian youth at the Governor-General's 175 room mansion, Rideau Hall.

As part of the tour, the couple will hand out newly minted Canadian flags at the ceremony during their nine-day visit before jetting off to Los Angeles.

The young prince and his wife have star power to burn and Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore reckons this will be one will be the most-watched royal tours in Canada's history.


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