Cashing Out On Royal Style! Kate Middleton Super Fan Spends Thousands Recreating The Duchess’ Expensive Style

By Rebecca Drew

THIS ROYAL fan was taken over by the ‘Kate Effect’ and has copied more than ONE-HUNDRED-AND-FIFTY of the Duchess of Cambridge’s outfits and estimates that she has spent ‘thousands’ on her hobby over eight-years.

Physician, Dr. Danielle Magness (39) from Hanska, Minnesota, USA, has been following the Duchess of Cambridge’s impeccable style ever since she stepped out in her stunning blue Issa engagement dress in November 2010 and was swept up in the ‘Kate Effect’ that followed soon after.

An avid follower of fashion, Danielle takes part in style challenges on social media and would often find herself posting ‘real-Kate’, the identical item of clothing as Kate Middleton has worn or ‘repli-Kate’, a similar outfit she had worn as a result. Danielle then decided to start an Instagram account to document her royal-inspired looks.

Danielle follows the Duchess’ calendar of events and if an outfit fits with her budget and own style she’ll try to buy it before it sells out but she can take months finding repli-Kates of an outfit or the original piece on websites like eBay or Poshmark.

Luckily for Danielle, she shares a similar style to Kate and finds that her outfits are suitable for work and for when she’s playing with her three-year-old son. Over the years, Danielle estimates that she has copied at least 150 of Catherine’s outfits and has spent into the thousands on her hobby.

Incredible pictures show how Danielle has perfected the Duchess’ effortless style in the stunning floral print & Other Stories dress Kate wore to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May this year, in the bargain Zara summer dress worn by Kate to the polo in June last year and in the Seraphine lacey blue dress worn at the opening of the Place2Be headquarters in March last year.

Other timeless looks Danielle has recreated include the casual Durbarry jacket worn by Kate in January this year, the stunning emerald green Dolce and Gabbana dress worn by Kate in Canada in 2016 and a repli-Kate of the Ralph Lauren houndstooth dress worn by Kate in September 2015 on her return to royal duties in following the birth of Princess Charlotte.

“When I saw her for the first time in the beautiful blue Issa dress I fell in love with her style. At that time and especially during the London Summer Olympics was when I started following her style. The Kate effect started at this time and I guess I was taken over by it,” said Danielle.

“Her look is classic, but she does utilise trends which keep her looking up to date. Her style is similar to mine which is important since I will be able to wear her outfits to work or even when I’m active with my three-year-old son.

“I will follow her calendar of events that she is scheduled to attend. These calendars are usually found posted on blogs. If there is an event where she may wear a dress or outfit that could be within my budget I will try to purchase it right away.

“The piece must be within my budget and follow my style. I try very hard to purchase the item before it sells out. In order to do this, I may have to be checking Instagram or Facebook throughout the day with the hope that the piece will be identified.

“For pieces that I’m not able to purchase directly from the store or need to repli-Kate it may take months of trying to find similar pieces or the actual piece on eBay or Poshmark. I just regularly check and I might be lucky and that piece will show up.

“I can find some real-Kate pieces on certain websites such as Poshmark, The Real Real, The Outnet and eBay. Usually these real-Kate pieces are less then what the actual cost was when sold at the original store.

“I do watch for sales at Kate Spade, LK Bennett, Zara, Reiss and Tory Burch. If I find a piece that I really want and feel I will be able to meet my cost per wear goal I will invest in the piece of clothing or accessory. I have found repli-Kate pieces on Etsy.com and aliexpress.com. There are stores on Esty who actually make repli-Kates of pieces that are usually very expensive and are very well made.

“For a replicated outfit I may spend between $100-150 if all the pieces are just repli-Kates If some the pieces are real-Kate then the amount may be higher. If I am going to invest in a real-Kate piece, then I take into consideration the cost per wear.

“If the piece or accessory is within my budget and I really like it then I will purchase it. I allow myself a monthly ‘Kate’ allowance to purchase items that she may be seen wearing that month at events. I consider purchasing items that appear to fit my style and are within my budget.”

As a psychiatrist, Danielle has been very impressed by Kate’s work in mental health.

As well as copying Kate’s looks, Danielle has also started to imitate those of Pippa Middleton and Meghan Markle but says those items made specifically for the royals are the most difficult to repli-Kate.

“They do charitable work such as Kate focusing on mental health. Since I’m a psychiatrist I am very thankful that she is helping to make mental health less of a stigma,” she said.

“They bring people together by creating a sense of nationality and patriotism. Kate appears to be compassionate and brings people together. She is also a great role model.

“Since it’s been about eight years that I have been following her style I’m unable to give an exact amount but I would estimate it’s in the thousands with purchasing repli-Kates but also real-Kate items. Fashion is my hobby and Kate is one of my favourite fashion icons. Her sister, Pippa and now Meghan Markle are two others who I also follow and this has increased the amount that I have spent.

“Any gown that has been made specifically for her is difficult to find. Such as ones by Alexander McQueen. Sometimes similar ones can be found on Etsy.com or repli-Kates from aliexpress.com.

“The key is to be persistent. If there is an outfit that you love, then you will eventually find a repli-Kate or a real-Kate for a great price. It is not going to happen right after she wears the outfit but over the months or maybe years you may be lucky and find that piece that you love.”