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Kate's pageant dress-Kim Kardashian and Tulisa have BOTH worn Duchess of Cambridge's Alexander McQueen dress

The Duchess of Cambridge is never afraid to wear something that might not be bang up to the minute. The majority of the clothes she wears are classic pieces that might be from one or two, even three seasons ago. But they are united in the fact that they suit Kate to a tee.
So it is no surprise that Kate chose a piece from Alexander McQueen's 2011 collection for her appearance on board the royal barge in the Queen's Jubilee pageant today.
What is surprising though, is that the Duchess seemed to have taken style inspiration from two most unlikely celebrities.

De-ja vu: The Duchess of Cambridge's Alexander McQueen dress has previously been worn in sleeveless form by Kim Kardashian, centre, and Tulisa Contostavlos, right, though 5ft 10in Kate had her version made longer to suit the occasion

Kate's red Alexander McQueen dress, which she accessorised with her trusty LK Bennett nude heels and a Lock & Co hat - has been worn on two occasions in the past year since it made its debut on the spring/summer 2011 catwalk back in February 2010.
The first was X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos, who wore a sleeveless version of the dress for the reality show's auditions last July.
She wore the piece, with its flattering pleated skirt and neat peplum, with minimal accessories - just black stilettos and a slick of red lipstick finished off the look for Tulisa.

The long and short of it: The original  Alexander McQueen version was sleeveless, and much shorter than the one Kate wore today

An even less likely style twin for Kate is Kim Kardashian, who the Sarah Burton-designed dress for a night out in New York in August.
Her personal take on the piece was a world away from Kate's demure interpretation.
Like Tulisa, Kim's dress was sleeveless, and the skirt even shorter - which is how the design looked when it was unveiled in the collection last year.
Early reports suggest that Kate, who at 5ft 10in is a full eight inches taller than 5ft 2in Kim - had her own bespoke version of the dress custom made for today's appearance.
Kate's pageant take on the dress had a longer hemline, taking it to just above the knee, long sleeves and a boat neckline.

Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton,in red Alexander McQueen as she boards Royal barge for Queen's Diamond Jubilee river pageant

• Wore a bright red Alexander McQueen dress, topped off with a flamboyant red hat by Sylvia Fletcher from royal milliner James Lock & Co
• Kate was carrying a scarf made of Strathearn tartan - a nod to her Scottish title the Countess of Strathearn

The Duchess of Cambridge cut a swathe through the gloomy weather this afternoon as she stepped on to the Spirit of Chartwell wearing a vibrant scarlet Alexander McQueen dress. Topping off the bright outfit with a flamboyant red hat by Sylvia Fletcher from royal milliner James Lock & Co, Kate made sure the public lining the banks of the Thames would be able to spot her easily aboard the barge.
Fletcher designed the Duchess's distinctive red maple leaf hat worn on her tour of Canada last summer.

Lady in red: The Duchess of Cambridge cut a swathe through the gloomy weather this afternoon as she stepped on to the Spirit of Chartwell wearing a vibrant scarlet Alexander McQueen dress - on her lapel, Kate wore a maritime-themed brooch featuring two silver dolphins. It's a gift from the Royal Navy Submarine Service of which William is Commodore in Chief

Royal arrival: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walked past a row of magnificently dressed Chelsea Pensioners before boarding the boat and waved to the assembled crowds lining the river

Arriving at the river: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, prepare to board the Spirit of Chartwell

On her lapel, Kate wore a maritime-themed brooch featuring two silver dolphins.
It's a gift from the Royal Navy Submarine Service of which William is Commodore in Chief.
The Duke of Cambridge wore his Flight Lieutenant No 1 Dress Uniform complete with blue garter sash, while his brother Prince Harry, a Captain in the British Army, was wearing the No 1 Ceremonial dress of the Blues and Royals and Army Air Corps light blue beret.

Kate was carrying a scarf made of Strathearn tartan - a nod to her Scottish title the Countess of Strathearn.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walked past a row of magnificently dressed Chelsea Pensioners before boarding the boat and waved to the assembled crowds lining the river.

Private joke: The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine shares a laugh with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall

Royal barge: The Duchess of Cambridge was in high spirits as she joined the Queen on the gilded barge

The main characters: Members of the Royal Family (from left to right) the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Philip, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Prince Harry on the Royal Barge

Majestic: The 1,000-strong flotilla started its journey at Battersea bridge and will draw to a close at Tower Bridge, where the Royals will disembark to watch the grand finale

The barge is set to take the senior royals, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen, on their voyage along the Thames today.
The Spirit of Chartwell's journey will come to an end at Tower Bridge where the Royals will disembark to watch a stunning finale as the remainder of the 1,000 crafts pass by.

Once the Duke and Duchess  of Cambridge had taken their positions on the royal barge, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh boarded the Britannia launch to reach the barge, which was moored a quarter of a mile from Chelsea Pier.
It would likely have been an emotional moment for the Queen, who wept when the Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, as the launch had accompanied her on dozens of voyages across the globe.
The Royal Standard was raised as the Queen's launch arrived alongside the Spirit of Chartwell, where Kate, William and Harry were waiting for her.
The Queen had chosen a stunning silver and white dress and matching coat for the occasion.

VERDICT: DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE'S RED DRESS

The Duchess of Cambridge's red Alexander McQueen outfit was a vibrant but safe choice which allowed the Queen to shine on her big day, one fashion expert said today.
The 2011 Alexander McQueen fitted dress with pleats in the skirt was a similar shade to the scarlet Marianne coat by Catherine Walker Kate wore on the final day of her tour of Canada.
Carly Wood, who set up the katemiddletonstyle.org blog, said: 'It immediately reminded me of Kate's all-red patriotic ensemble from Calgary, on her final day in Canada last year.
'I was assuming she'd go for red, white or blue today. I love that it's bright and vibrant and a nice contrast to the weather.
'It's a little safe in my opinion, but then I expected that - it is after all the Queen's big day and the Queen should take centre stage - not Kate and her outfit.'
The dress is 2011 Alexander McQueen and was also worn, without sleeves, by reality TV star Kim Kardashian and Tulisa Contostavlos at the X factor auditions last year.
Kate's version today had full length sleeves and a longer hemline than the original.

The outfit has been a year in the planning and was designed by Angela Kelly and made by her small in-house Buckingham Palace team.

The coat, its matching dress and the hat were made by Angela Kelly's small in-house Buckingham Palace team.
Its colour scheme was chosen to stand out against the red, gold and purple hues of the royal barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, on which the Queen will enjoy an hour and a half long voyage today.

The outfit, created from white bouclé and threaded throughout with silk ribbon, was embroidered with gold, silver and ivory paillettes and embellished with Swarovski crystals to reflect the sparkling water of the River Thames.
The neckline was finished with a finished with a silk organza frill, which ran the length of the coat.
Her wardrobe choices met with resounding approval from royal fans gathered by the Thames.
Julia James, 18, and her sisters Vicky, 17, and Tania, 12, from Malvern in Worcestershire, were full of praise.
'That dress is amazing,' said Julia.
'It's stunning and it suits her so well. She was so nice too.
'We shook her hand and she was asking how long we'd been here and talking about the pageant. She was so lovely.'
Tania added: 'I was asking her if she was scared and she said she would be scared when all the boats arrived.'
Huge cheers erupted as Kate stepped on to the pier followed by William, dressed in RAF uniform, and Harry, wearing the No 1 ceremonial dress of the Blues and Royals.
The Queen's hat featured a sculptural brim with a sweeping upward curve, echoing the waves of the water.

The crown of the hat is made of the same material as the coat.

Details on the hat included feathers hand dyed in Buckingham Palace by one of Miss Kelly's team, a sprinkling of more crystals and swathes of ivory organza.

Stunning: The Queen looked wonderful in a white coat and hat made by Angela Kelly and her team at Buckingham Palace. The outfit, studded with Swarovski crystals, was a year in the making

Fit for a Queen: The Queen's pageant outfit, designed by Angela Kelly, was an ivory dress and coat in white boucle threaded throughout with silk ribbon and decorated with crystals