Okay, I know, I know, ANOTHER DRESS POST. You love it, don’t lie! So there’s, like, a million pieces of information about The Dress. The Dress and How It Will Change Everything, Forever. By the way, I just want to say: I TOTALLY CALLED IT. I mean, I was wrong about it NOT being McQueen, so obviously I have to suck that up (I apologize). But when I first saw the dress, my immediate thought was Grace Kelly’s famous wedding gown, and I wrote that in my post. Now everybody else is jumping on! While Kate didn’t have Grace’s dress copied completely, the two dresses do seem very similar, especially from the waist up.

As for the “borrowed, blue, old, new” tradition, Our Girl had it covered. According to People Mag:

Her wedding entrance by car over carriage was a modern touch, but Catherine Middleton seems to have stayed true to the Old English wedding rhyme: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The Palace tells PEOPLE the newly ennobled Duchess of Cambridge paid homage to each of these categories – from her v-neck Alexander McQueen gown to her 1936 Cartier tiara – when she married Prince William on Friday at the Westminster Abbey.

Something old
Middleton’s wedding dress, designed by McQueen creative director Sarah Burton, featured a long-sleeved lace overlay that paid respect to the Arts and Craft custom. This tradition, characterized by the Carrickmacross lace-making technique used in the dress design, is a tribute to British craftsmanship.

Something new
As a wedding gift, Middleton’s parents, Carole and Michael, gave the bride a pair of leaf-shaped diamond earrings, which were made by Robinson Pelham to match her tiara.

Something borrowed
The Queen lent Middleton the glittering 1936 Cartier halo-style tiara that crowned her curls. The tiara has been in the Royal Family since it was purchased by King George VI for the Queen Mother.

Something blue
Although Middleton appeared to be all dressed in white, a hint of blue ribbon was sewn into the gown.

[From People]

Wait, the “something old” was the craftsmanship of the gown? It can’t be theoretically old, it has to be old, literally. Which is why I think the tiara was doing double time as something borrowed and something old.

As for the styling, specifically Kate’s hair and (too heavy) makeup, Us Weekly has the scoop:

Besides a Cartier tiara and pave diamond jewels, the best wedding-day accessories for Kate Middleton were her picture-perfect hair and makeup.

After much speculation as to which coiffure would do the royal ‘do, the 29-year-old bride did in fact stick with her tried-and-true hairstylist, James Pryce of the Richard Ward Salon and Metrospa.

Middleton has been going to the Sloane Square salon for over eight years. According to the Daily Mail, “Kate wanted to look like herself on her wedding day. She told salon owner Richard Ward, ‘William must recognize me by the time I get to the alter.'”

A source tells Us Weekly, “Kate had around four or five tryouts. She brought along photos of the styles she liked and showed them to James. Hairstyle tests were then done in a top-secret location. Kate was very pleased with the result.”

There’s no doubt that the classic half-up, half-down coif (her brunette tresses done in cascading ringlets) paid homage to her everyday easy, breezy blowout. Sources say Pryce will be on hand with Middleton throughout the day to ensure that not a strand falls out of place.

As for Middleton’s flawless makeup, rumors are buzzing that she did it herself — possibly using cosmetic brand Bobbi Brown. Just last week, the bride-to-be was spotted making a purchase that included “eye makeup and basics that were a shade darker than she usually uses in the winter” at the brand’s cosmetic counter at London’s Peter Jones department store last week, a source at the company tells Us.

Regardless of what the Middleton used, experts agree that she looked absolutely radiant.

“Her complexion was perfect and her makeup completed the fluidly femininity of her soft look,” beauty specialist Sarah Chapman tells Us. “She carried off the English rose look well with fresh rosy cheeks and nude lips that were balanced by her strong eyes and glossy dark hair. You can tell she looks after her skin very well, which allows her to pull off a natural look.”

And with a sparkler like the 18-carat sapphire engagement ring that once belonged to the late Princess Diana, a flawless manicure is necessary. The bride’s nails were done by the Duchess of Cornwall’s manicurist, Marina Sandoval from the Jo Hansford Salon in Mayfair, who used a combination of Essie Allure (a sheer, beige pink) and Bourjois Rose Lounge (a light, milky pink).

[From Us Weekly]

Eh. You know what I think about the makeup. I won’t repeat myself. But I do like that Kate wanted to look like herself on her wedding, and I think she achieved that.

Photos courtesy of WENN.