How to recreate Kate Middleton’s dreamy white bridal look at your wedding
We take a look back at the breathtaking Alexander McQueen gown Kate Middleton wore when she wed Prince William in 2011, so you can recreate it for your fairytale wedding
In 2011, when Kate Middleton (now the Duchess of Cambridge) stepped out from a black Rolls Royce in front of Westminster Abbey to marry Prince William, she wowed followers with a wedding dress that would go down in history. For her special day, the then-bride wore a white gown created by English designer Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen—a heavily-guarded secret that was only revealed when the bride made her public appearance. Ethereal and romantic, the iconic bridal dress has stood the test of time. Noted for its design and symbolism, the bridal gown has inspired numerous wedding dresses—both in real life and on runways—and continues to do so to this day. Let’s relive that MVP by taking a closer look at it.
Kate Middleton’s white wedding gown featured ‘something old’, ‘something new’ and ‘something blue’
According to an official statement, Kate Middleton wished to combine tradition and modernity “with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work.” According to reports, Middleton and Burton worked closely together in finalising the dress’ design. The result? A Victorian-inspired gown with a V-neck décolleté, lace appliquéd bodice and skirt made from hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace. The satin top borrowed from the tradition of corsetry from the early 19th century, making it the ‘something old’. It narrowed at the waist and was slightly padded at the midsection. The bridal outfit was appliquéd with individual flowers including roses, thistle, daffodils and shamrocks, which were hand-cut from lace, before being hand-engineered onto the ivory silk tulle.
The back of the wedding dress featured 58 buttons of gazar and organza, which were fastened by rouleau loops. The skirt, underskirt trim and bridal train (which measured 110 inches) also incorporated lace appliqué in a similar manner. The main body of the dress was made in ivory and white satin gazar, using fabrics which had been specially sourced by Sarah Burton. Her team sewed a blue ribbon inside the dress to serve as Middleton’s ‘something blue’ on her wedding day.
Kate Middleton’s ‘something borrowed’ was a tiara
Speaking of the ultimate ‘something borrowed’ was Kate Middleton’s tiara, complete with 739 brilliant diamonds and 149 baton diamonds. She wore the Queen’s Cartier Halo tiara on her wedding day, also known as the Cartier Scroll tiara. The head accessory comes with an intriguing back story too—it was purchased by King George VI, Elizabeth’s father, for the Queen Mother in 1936. It was later passed on to Elizabeth by the Queen Mother on her 18th birthday. The tiara rested on Kate’s ivory silk tulle veil.
Middleton also wore a pair of diamond earrings, which were a gift to the bride from her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton. Crafted by Robinson Pelham and inspired by her new coat of arms, the danglers featured diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear-shaped diamond set drop and a pave set diamond acorn suspended from the centre.
Always dreamed of channelling a royal vibe for your big day? We suggest recreating Duchess of Cambridge’s bridal look. Scroll ahead to look at similar outfit choices.
