A Royal superfan has revealed how to dress like fashion icon Kate Middleton for a fraction of the glamorous Duchess’ budget.
For the past few years, Mallory Bowling, 29, has been aping the Duchess of Cambridge’s coveted style – uploading pictures of her copycat looks to Instagram, where she’s part of a community called ‘replikates.’
The attorney, who lives near Washington DC has remarkably only spent ‘a few hundred dollars over five years’ on copying Kate’s designer wardrobe.
Once she knows where the original item was from, she will trawl eBay, Amazon, boot sale-style app Depop or secondhand shops, for either pre-owned or very close copycat versions.
Her biggest triumph was scoring Kate’s iconic blue Issa engagement dress – originally $758 (£575) – for just $25 (£18) by buying it at a consignment store, a type of secondhand shop, where customers can both buy and sell unwanted items.
She also combs the internet for cheap LK Bennett shoes – a brand favoured by the Duchess – in a bid to achieve her cut-price Kate look.
Mallory Bowling, 29, from Washington DC has been aping the Duchess of Cambridge’s coveted style for years, including this Self Portrait dress she wore to a film premiere
The Duchess of Cambridge in Self Portrait at the London premiere of a Street Cat Named Bob
She even included nods to the Royals in her October 2017 wedding to husband James Bowling, 31.
Fellow attorney James wore Union Jack cufflinks, while Mallory had a tiara just like her royal idol’s.
Their cake was also a replica of that served at Kate and William’s regal nuptials, making it a bake fit for a future king.
‘I didn’t want an exact copy of her dress, but it had elements that were the same, like a long train and A-line shape,’ said Mallory, who became engaged to James after he proposed at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.
Mallory in Kate’s iconic engagement dress (left) which she bought for just $25 at a consignment store. The Duchess wore the blue Issa wrap dress for her official engagement photos in 2010 (right)
Mallory in a dress Kate wore for a Taj Mahal visit (left). The Duchess chose Indian-American designer Naeem Khan for her visit to the iconic landmark in April 2016 (right)
‘Before the wedding, James and I had a look into our ancestry and it turns out he’s very distantly related to the Queen Mother, so, in a way, I married into royalty.’
With relatives living across the Atlantic in Cambridgeshire, Mallory was ‘raised on British culture.’
She first became aware of Kate Middleton, who had met Prince William at the University of St Andrews a couple of years earlier, while she was a student at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, between 2006 and 2010.
Mallory Bowling with husband James and their dog Winston
Mallory and James cutting their wedding cake, which was modelled on Will and Kate’s
It was during this time, at the 2007 Jamestown Quadricentennial celebrations – the 400th commemoration of the founding of America’s first permanent English colony – that her admiration for the royals was really fuelled.
She said: ‘I was at university when the Queen visited as part of the celebrations in 2007.
‘I got to see her in the flesh and it was an absolutely phenomenal experience. It was an opportunity of a lifetime.’
Mallory copies Kate’s look from the Calgary Stampede on her visit to Canada in 2011 (left). The Duchess wore an Alice by Temperley blouse teamed with a cowboy hat (right).
Mallory in a Smythe blazer and Zara trousers worn by Kate (left). The Duchess wore the ensemble for a visit to the Eden Project in Cornwall in September 2016 (right)
Mallory, who stayed up all night to watch the Royal wedding in April 2011, when it was broadcast across the globe, continued: ‘Lots of young girls here in the USA followed Kate, during my college years. I think the real hype started when she got engaged, though.
‘There was so much in the news about it – especially that amazing blue dress she wore.’
As Kate stepped into the public eye, Mallory became increasingly fascinated by her style.
Mallory Bowling’s LK Bennett shoes bought to replicate Kate’s
Mallory and James’ Royal-inspired wedding accessories, including Union Jack socks and cufflinks
Mallory’s Monsoon wedges, which Kate also owns
At first, she began ‘replikating’ casually, using photos of her outfits for inspiration, rather than copying them exactly.
But, over time, she got more and more into tracking down where Kate’s clothes were from, finding discounted versions, so she could dress the same.
‘Her style is so classic. It’s not just a trend. The so-called Kate effect means that clothes like that are far easier to come by,’ said Mallory.
‘Her style is very similar to mine, as well. I like the formality of it all, as it means I can wear it to work.’
Mallory in an outfit worn by Kate while visiting London’s Olympic park in 2012 (left). The Duchess wore a smart blazer and coral skinny jeans to meet the women’s Olympic hockey team (right)
As well as copying Kate’s most enviable dresses, Mallory also emulates her more casual looks (left). The Duchess in a navy jumper and checked shirt during a traditional welcoming ceremony by the Heiltsuk First Nations community in Bella Bella, Victoria
Earlier this year, things really took off when Mallory discovered a community of ‘replikates’ on Instagram.
Posting pictures of her own looks, she quickly built-up a close circle of online friends.
Now, they all exchange tips on where to buy Kate’s outfits from.
Mallory, whose love of all things British has led her to call her pet dog – a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – Winston, after Winston Churchill, explained: ‘Dressing like Kate has become a nice hobby, and a way to destress after work. Luckily, I’ve never received any negativity for it.
Mallory showcasing the Duchess’ casual style (left). Kate meeting wellwishers at Auckland Harbour in New Zealand in April 2014 (right)
Mallory Bowling, who is a huge fan of all things British, with her husband James at Blenheim Palace
‘It’s a lot easier if someone’s already identified where Kate’s clothes are from. If not, the replikate community will do a very comprehensive search and we’ll quickly track the retailer down.
‘A lot of the girls are very creative. Some even make their own clothes and we all help each other out. For example, if something isn’t available to buy in the country one of us lives in, we’ll ask if someone else can try and get it where they are instead.
‘I see pictures of Kate online and, if I like the look, will try my best to find where it’s all from,’ Mallory explained.
Mallory wearing summery checked Hobbs dress with a white belt, inspired by Kate (left). The Duchess on a visit to Bacon’s College in Greenwich, London (right)
Mallory in an outfit worn by Kate to meet Team Heads Together ahead of the 2017 London Marathon (left). Kate rocks casual chic in the striped jumper by Luisa Spagnoli (right)
‘Sometimes it works the other way around, though. I saw a picture of her in Germany in a Breton striped top, which I actually already owned.
‘I’ve never paid full price for a Kate item, though.’
Now, Mallory – who even said she would consider giving her future babies the middle names George and Charlotte, after Kate and William’s children – has also turned her attention to Pippa Middleton and Meghan Markle.
She continued: ‘I’ve loved Meghan ever since she was in Suits, which I used to watch at law school. I love the more casual style she has, and how much she does for the UN, so I was very excited when she and Harry got together.’