When Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton dons a reasonably priced, $63 maternity dress, it is almost guaranteed to sell out — and the polka-dotted jersey she had on Wednesday was gone in 30 minutes.
The Mirror reported that the ASOS wrap dress the duchess wore to the Brookhill Children’s Centre in London created what the newspaper termed a “Kate Effect.”
ASOS told The Mirror that more dresses have been ordered and they should be available next week.
“She may be royalty, but
Princess Kate's not afraid to live on a budget,” People magazine said.
While visiting the center, the duchess told a volunteer there, "I'm due mid-April, to the end of April. Not long to go now."
The volunteer, Christine Osborne, told People that she "couldn’t resist asking." "It's very exciting — and was wonderful to have her here," she said.
Vanity Fair took a look Thursday at Middleton’s “pregnancy style,” pointing out that she’s been wearing lot of “truly excellent coats.”
The elegantly clad duchess has been setting the fashion bar high since she appeared on Prince William’s arm. In 2012,
The Telegraph reported that one of Middleton’s favorite stores, Reiss, had doubled its profits during that year because of sales from the “Kate Effect.”
It was a trait also shared by Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana.
Talking about rubber rain boots called The Hunter, the newspaper said, “Sales rocketed in 1980 after Lady Diana Spencer, who, like the Duchess of Cambridge, had an ability to sell clothes just by looking at them, was pictured wearing a pair after her engagement was announced. Two years later The Sloane Ranger Handbook noted: ‘London Sloanes sprout green wellies in wet weather like a plague of frogs.’”