‘Princess of the High-Street’.  That should be the Duchess’s real title.  It was expected upon joining the FIRM, Kate would go from high-street shopper, to designer clothes covetress.  How wrong we were.  It seems Kate’s ongoing high-street love affair is as strong as ever, even now that she has embarked upon royal married life.

Kate’s Non-Designer Dress Choice to Meet Fashion’s First Lady

We refer to Kate’s choice of outfit she wore to meet Barack and Michelle Obama yesterday, at a reception in Buckingham Palace.   While William and Barack were deep in discussion, Kate chatted animatedly to Michelle in, (cue: designer name,) err, wait a minute, a REISS dress!

You certainly have to admire the Duchess’s sang-froid in not opting to wear ‘designer’ when you consider that Mrs Obama is something of fashion icon- a true first lady of fashion; she arguably gets as much coverage as her husband thanks to the attention her outfit choices bring her.

Michelle Wears Tom Ford for the Banquet

We should add, that yesterday was no exception – Michelle wore an outgoing ensemble by California designer Barbara Tfank.  But for the first lady of fashion, it was only the beginning, with Michelle surpassing herself and her earlier outfit later that evening when she arrived at the photo-call in a criss-cross halterneck white floor-length gown by Tom Ford.  Teamed with white opera gloves, Michelle’s gown really stole the show.  (Queenie looked radiant as ever, we hasten to add.  Goes without saying really!)

The Duchess of Cambridge: A Style Icon in the Making

But back to Kate: we are growing fonder of the Duchess by the day! Long live the Princess of the High-Street! Or the High-Street’s Princess.  We’re not sure which one we prefer.  So, now that Reiss’ website has crashed due to the influx of orders placed for Kate’s Cream bandage-esque, capped shoulder number, just where is there to turn for something similar?

We have come up with the following solutions. And what’s more, they might well have cost more to start with than Kate’s but these designer numbers come with high-street price tags!

Kate really is missing a trick here; she would be a brilliant brand ambassador for GMD! (Get in touch Kate, if you’re listening).  On-line designer dress hire and the Duchess are simply a match made in heaven!  What’s more, we love the Duchess’s choice of a nude colour palette, so very now!  Which is why, we’ve chosen our favourite GMD designer dresses to hire, all in a lovely tone of nude a la Kate.  A style-icon in the making in our opinion!

Many customers have come to us requesting to hire prom dresses for events they are attending this month.  So, we couldn’t hesitate to update anyone wanting to hire a prom dress on the lovely designer prom dresses we currently have gracing the prom dress hire section of the copacious GirlMeetsDress wardrobe.

Hire Prom Dresses for May-Dates

May events that have got people turning to us to take care of their prom dress hire ‘needs’ are the World Superyacht Awards, the Pirates of the Carribean Premier, and the Royal Caledonian Ball, to name a few. Oh, and for all fauna fans out there, there’s the Chelsea Flower show that falls at the end of this month.  There are very few dresses at GMD HQ without a ‘May-date’.  But, don’t despair. Several glamorous gowns are still gracing our hangers, in wait of the perfect May-date, so time is of the essence to hire.  Prom dresses get a bad name, and many might think twice about their hire. Prom dresses, on the contrary, should not be a dress option that is overlooked.

Prom Dresses РHire the Cr̬me de la Cr̬me of Prom Dresses With no Strings/Frills Attached

Prom dresses don’t have to mean poofy pink monstruosities, worthy of the finest and cheesiest teen school leavers’ dance. Blair Waldorf’s quote sums up the changing attitude to prom and its rituals: ‘We don’t do prom queen; that’s for suburban high schools and the lame teen comedies that are set at them.’  What’s more, Blair’s prom dress, a couture Marchesa gown, could not be further from a sugary pink blob right out of a suburban rom-com prom-tale. (Just as well, prom date Nate doesn’t turn out to be her true prince!)

Prom Dress Hire Designers of the Moment

You couldn’t really get any closer to couture than the fabulous ‘Full Moon’ Ruth Tarvydas prom dress. Hire: £99 (It was over £600 at full price!).  Another picture-perfect hire prom dress that will ensure you cut a dash is this sultry Suzannah ‘Corsage Maxi’ prom dress.  Hire it for £79- originally, the dress retailed at £525.   Yet another fantastic member of the hire designer prom dresses collection is this Omar Mansoor prom dress. Hire yourself a piece of the British designer’s action for just £79- it’s RRP was originally £540! And finally, the Amee Lou Floris dress (top)-one of our favourite designer prom dresses. Hire for £69, when you would have had to buy it for £300. Proof, if it were ever needed, that prom dress fairytale endings really do exist. Even if prom fairytale endings might not.

We’ re pleased to announce the arrival of some fabulous frocks to the collection online.  Designer dress newcomers include this asymmetrical striped dress with buckle and gold toned button detail by Cambodian-American fashion designer Phillip Lim for his label, 3.1 Phillip Lim.  Designer evening dresses also new to Girl Meets Dress were this divine Butter by Nadia short jersey dress in sapphire. Having already received numerous accolades, this dress really is as versatile as you want it to be, wrapping in unfathomably numerous ways.  And as if more needed to be said, it’s one of our designer evening dresses that fits all sizes, which can be dressed down for day if needed.

Online Designer Dress Hire – Day Birger et Mikkelsen & Schumacher

Next, this chic ‘Modern’ dress by Schumacher makes its debut onto the online designer dress hire pages here at Girl Meets Dress.   With gray trim detailing and lace floral embroidery, this dress ticks all the right Spring/Summer 2011 trend boxes.  

We predict these dresses are going to be the real ‘hot cakes’ for online designer dress hire in the coming months.  Introducing the Charleston style beaded sleeveless dress by Day Birger et Mikkelesen, one of the most flattering choices from our designer evening dresses collection.  Suitable for almost any occasion from weddings to a glamorous night out on the town.

Designer Evening Dresses and Playsuits from Halston Heritage

Next in line, are these two striking Halston Heritage pieces.   Steal the show in this vivid neon pink tiered fuschia playsuit or alternatively, bowl everyone over in this sultry twisted halter dress – a stunning addition to our designer evening dresses collection as we’re sure you’ll agree. Online designer dress hire has never been so good! Who would want to go to a shop?  

This week in terms of prom dresses, hire options proving most popular consisted of the following:

The Marchesa Notte, a show-stopping navy blue bow cocktail dress, was favoured among short prom dresses hire.  Normally retailing at £540, the dress is available for two nights hire for £179- a fraction of the price.

2nd Place for Hire: Prom Dresses by Schumacher & Butter by Nadia

In second place for this week’s dress hire, prom dresses by Schumacher were highly sought-after.  Hire prom dresses by the label particularly in-demand included this delectable Shadow prom dress.  With an RRP of £330, yet available to rent for just  £119 for 7 nights, it was yet another of the short prom dresses many a girl this week wanted to meet.

Another contender for the top hire prom dresses  prize was of the long prom dresses variety; a sumptuous Butter By Nadia ‘Amethyst’ long jersey dress.  The most dynamic and versatile of this week’s prom dresses, hire this dress and be amazed- it wraps in incalculable ways.  So much so, that it has received more comments than almost any other hire prom dresses.  Yours for seven nights, for just £89.