SilverStyle: Dress like a princess

SilverStyle is a weekly blog focusing on fashion and beauty both in and outside of Blair. Come back next Wednesday for the next edition of SilverStyle.

Forget the puff-sleeve ball gowns, petite glass slippers and long gold braids and welcome skinny jeans, cocktail dresses and long coats. With Kate Middleton's style choices bringing in over $1.5 billion into England's economy, modern day princesses (or in her case, duchess) and their trademark styles have become leading trends and inspirations to people around the globe.

One of Middleton's specialties is her wide collection of hats with floral-inspired decorations on the right side. To tone down the attention the hats may bring, she often balances out their large, circular brims by wearing them in subtle colors such as dark gray and navy. Regardless of season and occasion, Middleton can pull off wearing a hat that color coordinates with the rest of her outfit.

Another signature style Middleton dominates is her long, colored coats. In winter, she adopts a common American style by pairing up solid colored woolen pea coats with dark colored leggings and knee-high leather boots. In the springtime, she continues to wear long-sleeved coats, but in lighter pastel colors to match the warm temperature and budding flowers. The coats graze the trimming of her knee-length dresses, allowing her dress to show from underneath her coat. Clean-cut and formal, this look presents Middleton as a poised and bright young woman.

And finally, her famous casual attire, which never ceases to capture the attention of fashion magazines. Middleton is often photographed sauntering the streets in skinny jeans and solid-colored, light-weight cashmere sweaters or flannel button-down shirts. Other times, she pairs plain ivory dresses with classic black heels. Instead of flaunting her royal wealth, Middleton tends to stay away from and gold-heavy accessories and diamond broaches, bringing her closer to the average English person. Her hair is most often kept in carefree soft curls, complementing her relaxed style. And no matter how elaborate the occasion, Middleton leans towards wearing plain, solid-colored clothing rather than patterned or accessorized outfits.

According to an article by the Huffington Post, whatkatewore.com, a fashion blog catered around Middleton's fashion choices, received four million hits in just one year. Other than her profound impact on the fashion industry, Middleton has several humanitarian accomplishments to add to her successes as well. She may be a worldwide style idol, but her ability to relate to the common person is what really makes her popular.