I’m very big into athleisure wear. It’s one of the great things about being a professional blogger and working from home – I get to wear whatever the hell I want, and my comfort comes first. It means that I’m constantly scouting the best and most comfortable sweatpants, lounge pants, yoga pants, etc. I have separate criteria for the sweatpants I actually wear to the gym, by the way – gym pants are totally different than my “work pants.” But I am not the Duchess of Cambridge, with an unlimited budget and the necessity to theme-dress on any given day (although her work days are fewer and far between). I always find it fascinating to see how Kate dresses when she’s attending a “sporty” event in particular – Kate is allegedly quite sporty in real life, but how she dresses to these sporty events rarely reflects that. I’m thinking… wedges, jeggings, tight blazers, stuff like that.
So it’s sort of a relief to see Kate looking genuinely sporty in these photos. Kate did her first solo event in months today. This is also one of her first “events” as patron of the Lawn Tennis Association, a patronage she was given last Christmas because she’s always been so keen on tennis. So keen, in fact, that she only made two trips to Wimbledon during The Championships this year because now “watching tennis” feels too much like “work.” Anyway, Kate went to the National Tennis Centre in London today. That’s Kate’s new “private secretary” Catherine Quinn behind her, in the violet coat. I already feel sorry for Quinn.
As for Kate’s ensemble… it costs a lot to look this sporty. Kate wore £220 “tuxedo track pants” from Monreal London, which… is way too much for track pants. She also wore £170 Nike Air VaporMax sneakers/trainers. A few years ago, I got a little bit disgusted with Nike kicks and how quickly they were wearing out. Commenters recommended Asics to me and I haven’t looked back. I’m an Asics girl now. But a lot of people will spend a lot of money for Nikes. And hey, if you’re only going to wear them for one hour to play tennis with kids, I guess that’s fine. My favorite part of Kate’s ensemble: I like her black jacket.
It doesn’t seem like Andy Murray was there. But Johanna Konta (British #1 on the women’s side) was there.
Kate greets Johanna Konta at the Tennis for Kids session @BritishTennis national centre pic.twitter.com/XRqqYVMyMu
— Simon Perry (@SPerryPeoplemag) October 31, 2017
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News.
Love love love the pants.
Agree. She looks event appropriate, and engaged. AND the hair is back in a neat ponytail. Thumbs up all around.
Drab. Hairstyle very ageing.
Yep. Of course on the rare occasion she has her hair back, it makes her look 55.
Woman can’t win.
And @RoyalSparkle, I don’t even have to read your posts to know what you are going to say, although it does take me quite a while to figure them out. Kate = Lazy Waite, waste of Waity bad, terrible, should go jump off a cliff. Potential King Henry, Megan Sparkle, best in Universe, brilliant, brain surgeons, work their fingers to the bone every hour of every day.
Although I have to say, I have NO idea what your last paragraph is saying. At all.
+10000
Nice slacks and a jacket instead of this …as a Royal Family member. This is not workout for the lazy waste of waity middleton, who seem to beleive disappearing hideaway -then show up for playtime activities is what she beleive Royal Duties for the millions her family of 5 and middletons is about. How about serious work for the less fortunate, charities with the holidays close.
As to her and petulant willnot PR – lets hope whiny saw/heard The POW, heir to the British Throne and his Consort DOC, affectionactly gretted each other with a kiss in public (re potential King Henry Sparkle Couple at IG) , and he manage to Professionally perform formal Royal Tour Duties for HM GB CW.
She actually did interact with the kids, so I think it’s OK. More OK than skin tight jeans and wedges!
Your choice of outfit not appropriate for hitting a ball over a net.
Well, outfit looks sporty. But that is not why she is there. She isn’t supposed to work out there. She is there to draw attention to that event. And somewhat different clothes would have done a better job doing that, honestly. Kate looks like one of the sportsmen/women who arrive there to do sports. She blends in too much because she wants to hide, I suppose. That is NOT what she is supposed to be doing there.
This is a good stylish outfit for a celebritiy / vip doing some show-sport at a sport event:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/08/article-0-0B18C799000005DC-759_634x517.jpg
This is a brilliant outfit for sports ambassadorship
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/03/13/article-2114589-122773D0000005DC-49_964x858.jpg
It is a ponytail. Calling it an aging hairstyle is a reach.
I think its the way its pulled back. No fringe and with a bit of height?
But if there was fringe, someone would find an excuse to complain about that.
Thank You! Kate can do nothing right around here. And I thought ponytails were a youthful look, no? I think she looks lovely. I probably give her a lot of leeway b/c I’m American though. And she’s pregnant so the outfit doesn’t bother me.
THIS! I mean now we are pony tail shaming. It’s a fine hair-do for a sporting event.
Agree. The pony tail looks nice. If she wore her hair down, people would be complaining it’s in her face. I’m no fan of hers but this woman simply can’t win on this site.
Nope. She does. But some will just latch on to the 1st negative, if only slightly, comment and scream fake news.
Thank you. I was kind of baffled when I saw a ponytail being called an aging hairstyle…
I have to say, I used to just lurk, but feel like I need to jump in now. It is really weird here since Meghan showed up on the scene. Kate can do no right. People are horrible to her. And Meghan can do no wrong, even though people know very little about who she really is.
I don’t think Kate is worth the $$ the British taxpayers put out for her, but I don’t see evidence that Meghan will be a ball of fire or light a fire under Harry, who is pretty darn lazy himself. No way around it – when you do 80 one to two hour events a year and a week or two of charity work per year, you are lazy.
And when you criticize Kate, everything is fair game: her looks, her clothes, her ability as a mother. And if anyone criticizes anything about Meghan, they are accused of being a racist, a sexist, a troll, a concern troll. I don’t get the absolute adoration of someone in the public eye for a mere year who no one knows much about.
So I feel like there should be a few voices here for balance.
There are a few voices in here for balance. They just don’t get the attention.
So true bluhare, but where is the fun in agreeing with the logical comments here…
Megan
Way back pre engagement Kate was painted in a lovely light. The girlfriend of a prince who mistreated her, yet she stayed loyal. What did her on was herself. She was hyped as the 2nd coming. Educated from a top university and already a decade nearly of royal adjacent. That she would “hit the ground running” regarding her royal duties and work harder than ever before a married in senior royal. That her shopping took over. Her avoidance and sudden cancellation of charities. And those that were frustrated with her lack of interest, but once a year as a patron. It was a lot. A lot did this. Or she’s just been hated and mocked from the start. Whatevs.
I read it as that hairstyle ages Kate, not that a pony tail is an aging hairstyle.
Yes?
Yes, that is what I meant.
Yet I get pounced on with implied chortles and shrugs.
I really love this site but its getting bitchy. Fake news? what?
I was talking about the style of ponytail with the little lift. It looks ageing on her. Its not modern. There are better ways to wear a ponytail. Oh well I am entitled to my opinions are you are yours. I never comment on what people write. It is opinion.
Might just lay off this site.
I rarely come to these threads, about Kate, and today I reminded why. It’s ridiculous, and quickly edging into becoming belligerence.
I like the site; Kate posts, not so much.
I don’t get how it became “ponytails are aging” but you’d be surprised the gross unfair comments people freely make about kate.
Her skin and body, things she can’t control and are flaws many women have. I think the tides are changing and people are sick of body shaming so much that they do tend to overreact.
A ponytail is aging ? Okayyyyy.
Well, Kate can’t pull off a lot of things and that is one of them. She allways looks like sheep dressed as mutton. Pretender. Kiddie trying out mum’s clothes. It just looks not stylish and not sporty.
Donald, is that you?! I had no idea you took such an interest in royal fashion!
Those shoes are ugly.
Also, I feel like this is Kate’s “actually have to play sports” look. Whenever she does an event where she needs to be more active and not just talk to some people, she wears this almost exact look. I’m thinking of her outfit in Scotland last year, etc. Trendy athletic pants, brand new sneakers, and a polo shirt with a black jacket.
Often. When not pregnant and in very good health she will still show up late, interact very little and leave early. What you see in pics is often all there is to the event regarding her involvement. Enough for photos.
For a time she did more. Sat down and talked or spoke, but nothing has ever come from that either.
She makes appearances for her own PR image as a public servant.
It’s so weird seeing her in casual clothes.
Still laughing maniacally, I see.
She can’t even laugh and have a good time. Yikes…
It looks so fake!
She’s showing joy? What a bitch she is for smiling ! I mean who does that? Who laughs and looks entertained by who they are talking to? The Devil.. that’s who😂
She’s showing joy? What a bitch she is for smiling !
Who knows, maybe Quinn will be a good influence on her.
Quinn looks like the Royal in these pictures.
It’s true! You’d think that Kate was the personal assistant.
Perhaps Quinn can teach her how to wear tailored black slacks instead of jeggings for the times when a professional look is required (I’m not talking about today, but in general).
Yaaaaassssss.
She looks like the old Kate just paler that’s to be expected. I always said her clothing and sometimes her makeup aged her.
This isnt a knock to her physical appearance. It is observations on the edits vs reality.
Kate’s makeup has often been said to be extremely heavy in person. Like theatre makeup. And she has features like we all do. Things unique to our faces. A beauty mark, wrinkles, pox marks. When hers are smoothed over like they are here you can be sure it’s photoshopped. I suspect she looks more pale here from filters and edits. During the renovations it was said they had tanning equipment installed.
She is a little paler, but she has had to deal with HG for the past two months, so she probably isn’t feeling back to normal.
This whole look is very awful. She really has poor taste.
….and a lack of respect for the BRF HM GB her Status on the world stage. Not to mention the POW Duchy millions of luxury
entitlements taxpayers of GB -this is all she can give back with that grin/smirk- after 7 going on 17 years. Waitie carol middleton seem to be looking for a way out – with three middleton kids/ lifetime luxuries. Lets hope when the time comes she is removed to buckleberry from the Palaces- time… witg the holidays/months vacay on the way – she willnot should be out 2-3x a week performing serious duties.
But how do you really feel?
@Bridget i’m just happy to see a comment by Royalsparkle NOT calling out “potential King Henry” – such a ridiculous moniker. the comment is still a word salad, but it’s progress.
Olive, no this poster did that earlier along with the usual abusive ‘will not waity’ comments and was called out on it by several other commentators myself included, all the comments were subsequently removed.
I’m glad RoyalSparkle was called out for her abusive talk about Kate and William. I am not a fan of them, but this person crosses the line regularly and NEVER gets called on it.
Sometimes I think this poster is a bot, cause the same things get said over and over. Royal Sparkle, are you a bot? From Russia? Spreading fake news???
People want to know.
She’s at a sports event!
Yes; the pants should be burned.
She is dressed appropriately for the event. I…..I…..I like it.
Ms. Quinn’s resume still reads like she is over qualified for her position.
I think the outfit is appropriate for the event too. It’s just that she has to spend money on new clothes every time she steps out.
I like it, too, but it’s ridiculous that it cost that much. Looks like it came from Target, which is fine.
Re: Ms Quinn’s resume – I agree! While I understand the appeal for some people to work for the royal, when she was announced, it seems like such a strange step. She has so much experience, I don’t see why she’d want to become a glorified PA.
Probably for networking and mixing with influential people.
I doubt this is a full-time position for Ms. Quinn. If Kate barely works, there’s not a lot of ‘assisting’ to do.
I think she looks great.
She looks great. Love the cut of the clothes on her
If I saw her and didn’t know who she was, I wouldn’t look twice.
I think they are the same pair of athletic “tuxedo” pants she wore a few years ago to a similar sporty charity. Honestly this doesn’t bother me because I personally know several women who have half the money (and none of the publicity) Kate has access to and still pay close to that much for a pair of trendy yoga pants. I’m by no means a Kate Sugar, but $220 for a nice pair of workout pants she plans to wear to multiple official charity functions sounds about right.
I had to double check because Kate has been known to buy multiples of items or similar styles in bulk.
I don’t think the pants are the same. I’m basing this on her pregnancy. The waistline would have to accommodate. And the original pants you’re referencing… I don’t think that’s the case. This is not a woman that plans ahead or understands a budget when cash is free flowing.
Wow, Kate may own multiple pairs of $200+ tuxedo track suit pants… Yeaaaah, there’s no defending that.
this is the same exact outfit she wore to the last tennis event she did with judy murray right down to the same pants and white shirt (underneath the black jacket she’s wearing today)
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/02/kate-middleton-judy-murray-tennis-workshop
they are the same pants. they are elastic and she’s barely 3 months pregnant, she didn’t need to get bigger ones. come on guys.
just as she has her striped top and skinny jeans casual look for events this is clearly her sporty events look.
she and william are into work uniforms. i’m not a huge fan. i don’t quite understand it but it is what it is.
Where is the bump?
It’s there. Because we’re told in tabloids it’s there. Like hg. 😉
It is there and visible. She’s wearing black and carries small and low anyway. Like many expecting she won’t show like she’s carrying a beachball. She’s progressing normally and has only appeared to gain weight with a glow for a healthy unremarkable pregnancy.
Sigh. I saw the heading, tuxedo track pants, and immediately pictured something luxuriously slouchy. Black wool with a black stripe in a slightly different texture perhaps.
When will I learn.
“Luxuriously slouchy” That sounds like a fabulous take on an athleisure outfit! And very posh!!
Didn’t she wear these pants to that indoor tennis event with Judy Murray? She’s so thrifty! Her hair looks fine. It’s a ponytail, ffs, it’s the standard exercise hairstyle for women of all ages. I just don’t think black is her color, which is why she looks a little drawn and washed out here.
Quinn looks good, too. Shouldn’t she be carrying something?
Similar in multiples…this looks new in some shots elsewhere. The whole outfit is awful for her Royal Status (and state).
Did you expect her to wear a tiara and heels?
And I notice the mods ars at work today😅
Millie: why not? Isn’t that the point of royalty at these things😁?
In the photo I saw she was carrying a folio or something like that.
Every January all of my friends get excited about fitness,buy $1200 worth of yoga wear and track shoes and spend the next eleven months just wearing it to Starbucks 😀
LOL! I hope you walked to Starbucks!
Me, too!😏
£400 on just a pair of shoes and pants. What a fucking waste. And this is only her 18 solo engagement this year.
Really want to know what Quinn did during this engagement. Rebecca used to collect her flowers and hold her clutch. ( I hope she did more but it never looked like it) At least Quinn is more suitably dressed than Rebecca so far.
Was it her 18th solo engagement for the year?! Ugh. Its hard for me not to think back, Diana worked so hard in comparison.
Diana was the Princess of Wales, Kate is still one step away from that role. Why do people always compare them? Camilla as the curent Princess of Wales works and does a good job.
Kate’s role isn’t really defined, she’s not the heirs wife so she has an excuse to just do the bare minimum. Things will change big when Granny dies. No retirement for Will and Kate ever. They will be cutting ribbons till they die, so let them focus on their kids and freetime now. They have decades of service in front of them.
Ollie: Your comment regarding her future work is often repeated public assumption plus wishful thinking to justify Kate (and William and Harry)’s poor work ethic. It’s as true as people saying no one else in the family can work harder than Charles in the family yet you have Anne (no 12 in the line of succession) outperforming him most years.
By the wishful logic people apply to Kate (and William and Harry), everyone else in the family should stop working immediately since they are not the top or second couple in the land. And since there is no chance of them getting the top jobs, they really should quit altogether and just enjoy their lives like WHK do.
All other royals have said repeatedly that there is no manual that they can follow. They have all self-created their jobs /roles. Charles is the first POW in history to make his title mean something instead of following in the footsteps of previous POWs and simply party and vacation as he waits. Ditto Diana outside of the expectation to birth an heir and a spare and no more.
Ditto Philip, Andrew, Anne, Edward, the Kents and the Gloucesters.
Harry is a smidge better than WK because he is trying to create a role for himself with IG and Sentebale.
WK are not prepared to work unless pushed, nevermind trying to make something of their title or platform.
William was /is forever making excuses for his not taking up duties until he was pushed into it. Kate follows William.
Based on WK’s history, there is no reason to believe that they will make anymore of the POW title than they’ve made of the Cambridge title. It will forever be PR statements telling the world of their intentions to work except for the pesky, seemingly plausible, reasons that keep getting in the way of said work which is put off until next time.
Harry inadvertently told us in that Newsweek article that they intend for the William Monarchy to be the polar opposite of the current incumbent and heir as far as royal duties with very few royal duties and only special projects at which they can sprinkle royal magic.
@LAK, I do agree with you about Kate and Will’s work ethic, but I wish people would be fair, cause Harry works just a seldom as they do. And he gets pass after pass on this site.
Thank you, LAK! That was good.
Maren, Harry has charisma. Not William’s fault he doesn’t, but people can overlook a lot if someone is engaging. William has picked up the pace the last couple of months, and I think Harry has done more as well.
Despite being ridiculously young to marry a future King, and despite the various character flaws and mental issues that have come to light since her untimely death, Diana DID hit the ground running and never stopped thereafter. Diana was well prepared and suitably dressed for her engagements, why is this so difficult for Kate? She has after all had the benefit of being in William’s life for many years before their marriage so it is all hardly a big surprise. That said, today she looked happy, healthy and appropriately attired. Curiously (or not) she does much better without William glowering at her side. Kate does seem to enjoy sport related events, can she not make some sort of platform in this area that becomes “her” thing, giving her a chance to contribute to her country, and on a personal level become her own person.
Just realized Kate is almost the same age Diana was when she died. I have a headache now.
I stopped buying my kids Nikes because they were falling apart one month in. They’re so cheaply made. We picked UnderArmour last time-and they seem a little bit better. I know I have to buy shoes for growing kids frequently-but I expect the kids to size out before the shoes rip/tear/wear out.
For the most part, Nike’s are being made as a lightweight, more minimal shoe. They’re just plain not meant for a heavy duty running shoe. Comparing them with Asics are like comparing apples and oranges. And really, the key thing with running shoes is fit. Different shoes are meant for different gaits. When in doubt, go to your local running store and get fit.
However, those shoes were a weird choice. They’re specifically a running performance shoe – that’s part of why they’re weird looking, because they’re made for function. Why didn’t she just get a pair of the Nike Frees like everyone else? They’re pretty cute.
Federer wears vapors on court, so they do make an actual tennis shoe version, no idea why she didn’t just get a pair of shoes designed for what she would actually be “doing.”
I didn’t say anything about them not making a tennis specific shoe. I was commenting on the fact that she’s wearing a shoe that’s built for running performance. She’s wearing a really ugly shoe built for a purpose that she doesn’t really need. She could have easily chosen something much cuter, because it’s not like she was buying it to perform.
Fashion over function. As far as running shoes go… they get extremely technical. Xc, distance, Sprint, track, training, etc… And unless you’re training a few hundred miles every few months or have specific needs for your legs or feet you don’t need half the items offered per classification.
Any normal jogging sneakers that felt nice to walk in work for her. And I doubt from the lack of wear these show, plus the recent styles of this shoe that she’s uses it for anything else. These were for this event.the white and solid tread gives it away
Bridget, I didn’t say that you did. You might want to re-read what I wrote. My point was the fact that nike does make a tennis version of that vapor shoe makes it particularly odd that she didn’t just wear the shoe that is designed for the exact purpose of the activity she was engaging in.
Agree. If Megan wore her hair in a pony tail, everyone would be gushing at young she looks.
And how amazing her tuxedo pants are!!
A ponytail is not aging and she doesn’t look 55.
It’s aging on Kate though. She’s unlucky in that she has quite a jowly face / jawline and her hair loose kind of balances it out. When she wears her hair up (and isn’t grinning like a maniac) her face is really drooping. I think that’s why we rarely see an updo, it shows how badly she needs a lift. Girlfriend hides behind her big 70’s hair, her looks are going south literally.
Well said, ABC. Also, if you zoom into photo three from the top, you can see the bunched bits of extensions lurking above her ear. Another reason this ponytail is not cool.
I can see dinging Kate on her work ethic. I can also see dinging her on her clothes, cause she spends a fortune and doesn’t work.
But if I said what you said about Meghan or any other woman in the public eye – drooping face, jowly face, jowly jawline, and that a 35 year old needs a lift and that her looks are going south, literally?? I would be ripped to shreds for shaming a woman for her looks. And it would correct to call me on it.
So I’m calling you on it. Your comment is appearance shaming and is anti-feminist and does not belong on a site that generally tries to be respectful about women.
What do you mean when you say ‘lift’? A facelift? Presume you are american where they are more popular?
There is nothing new. Ugly clothes, manic grin, the old hand gestures that I cannot unsee as pictured in the DF article I’ve read. How come she cannot do better? And why no videos to see her actually interacting and speaking? I’m curious to know what the possibly Queen Consort has to say.
I think she looks good. Yeah, she spent a lot of money on her clothes, but I actually think it’d be weirder if she didn’t, given her position and being in public. I like this outfit better than the jeggings and wedges. Maybe pregnancy helps her pick out better outfits for athletic events.
Her hair looks fine.
I don’t think she has charisma but I don’t think she looks 55 or unattractive either. She IS pretty. She just has a boring personality – that’s all.
I have to say it’s refreshing to see people actually picking out some of the hateful comments from the same people who have nothing nice to say about Kate ever.
I get legit criticism but a few ppl here hate her and try to project so much negative stuff onto her it’s crazy.
Those sneakers look like hospital shoes, and clearly fresh out of the box lol, can’t expect her to put on a pair she already had lying around. The fleece however looks like it shrunk a bit in the wash.
Or maybe it’s a bit tighter than usual because she’s pregnant.
Perhaps, though I always think her jackets look that way, maybe she just has a long torso.
She does have a long torso, and she tends to buy her jackets a bit too small.
I can’t see how the hairstyle ages her.She looks great,fresher and younger even.She needs to keep that weight,looks nice on her.The price is a lot but I like it
Kate looks so happy. She appears to be at a point where she can enjoy her pregnancy without being sick all of the time.
It certainly is wonderful for her that the HG is so well managed that she can participate in a sporty engagement – many others with HG would have been unable to swing a racket and do so much doubled over bending.
It would be so nice and refreshing if she could realize that when she gives one of those huge open mouth grins, she looks like she doesn’t have a brain in her head.
I think she has some serious social anxiety, cause when she smiles like that, it comes across as inauthentic. She may just be inauthentic, but I read uncomfortable from her a lot more.
I agree with you Maren. Kates public persona kinda reminds me about myself when I’m with a group of people I don’t know very well or have just meet. I can get that kinda manical inauthentich grin and look really stiff cause I feel so damn uncomfortable (unless you can get me to talk about something I’m really nerdy about). So yeah I kinda think she’s just really uncomfortable with public life and the things that are expected from it due to having some social anxiety but that’s just the vibe I get from pictures and videos.
Yes how dare a woman give a big grin without considering the consequences of how she looks!! What a disgusting tramp.
On the topic of sneakers- I’m a nike and asics girl, but I think it’s a bit of a hit and miss with nike, depending on the model I guess. I treated myself to a pair of black barely visible zebra striped ‘roshes’ some years ago and they tore in no time. A year ago I got roshes as well but a different model and I walk them silly (comfort level is incredible in them), I wash them in the machine and they look and feel as new. Sorry really long post on sneakers.