Why Kate Middleton Is Good For The Economy

April 29, 2012 - PRLog -- The first time Kate Middleton sold out a clothing item was in July of 2006.  When she did it again in January 2007, people started to notice.  These days, every time she makes a public appearance, the instant surge in sales is staggering.  Whenever she wears something that sells out globally within a matter of hours has come to be known as “The Kate Effect” or “The Duchess Effect.”

It's been a welcome boon to the fashion industry and has helped re-start the sluggish economy in a way no one anticipated.  Style icons have always been popular and widely copied, but “The Kate Effect” is fashion-following on steroids.

"Princess Diana had a huge impact on fashion thirty years ago,” says fashion blogger Diana Pemberton-Sikes of FashionForRealWomen.com.  “But there are two key differences between how women followed Diana and how they follow Kate:

“1.  The Internet

“Avid Kate Middleton fans have 24/7 access to her fashion.  Whatever Kate wears gets reported online instantly, and just as quickly, followers can go to store websites and buy the exact same thing.

“But blogs, Twitter, and 24/7 shopping didn't exist in the 1980s.  Women had to wait for newspaper or television reports of what Diana wore, and then call, drive to, or order by mail from the stores she patronized.  Since most of them were British, most non-Brits were out of luck.

“2.  Bespoke and Budget

“Kate Middleton wore an £80,000 custom-made Alexander McQueen gown for her wedding; the next morning, she left the palace in a £49.95 dress from budget retailer Zara.  She looked amazing in both.  Her ability to wear bespoke and budget with equal ease has made her clothing accessible, and consumers are snapping it up at whatever price point they can afford.

“Conversely, Diana tended to wear bespoke or ready-to-wear designer for most of her royal engagements.  Her clothes were expensive and not easily duplicated.  Only women with lots of money could afford to dress like Diana.”

This wide range of clothing choices is why Kate Middleton's style has been a breath of fresh air to consumers and retailers alike.  Not only have fans been able to dress like Kate, but retailers are cashing in on the estimated £2 Billion “Kate Effect” sales since the engagement announcement in November, 2010.

But what if you can't afford to dress like Kate?

“You don't have to buy new clothes in order to copy Kate's style,” says Pemberton-Sikes.  “You just need to be more clever with the pieces you already have.  Even Kate recycles her clothes.  So should you.”

Diana Pemberton-Sikes is an author and image consultant and owner of FashionForRealWomen.com, a website devoted to helping women dress better whatever their age, shape, size or budget.  For more information about how “The Kate Effect” has impacted the economy, check out the infographic here:

http://www.fashionforrealwomen.com/v/the-kate-effect