Perfect in pink or too prim? Kate's £428 silk frock splits Britain: Two of the Mail's fashion experts give their opinions

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In London to speak about mental health yesterday, the Duchess of Cambridge turned heads in a £428 pink silk Kate Spade dress that left fashion fans firmly divided. 

Here two of the Mail’s style experts slug it out over whether Kate’s dress was a master stroke...or mistake.

I LOVE IT! by Dinah Van Tulleken, Style Editor 

This is the dress that little girls playing princesses dream about — and one to make every grown woman’s heart soar, too.

Following season after season of dour, dark masculine fashions such as culottes and trouser suits, this dress finally heralds the welcome return of femininity.

This is the dress that little girls playing princesses dream about — and one to make every grown woman’s heart soar, too, writes Dinah Van Tulleken 

Kate mingles with guests to discuss the topic of 'mental health first aid' and hear how they've been helped by friends and family

The Duchess glances up at The London Eye, which will later be lit up in purple to mark World Mental Health Day

Keep it chic in a pussy bow dress by Kate Spade

$498

Kate Spade 'Encore Rose' tie neck pleat chiffon dress

Buy it at Nordstrom!

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With the Royal tour of Canada at an end we weren't sure when we'd get to do a bit of fashion spotting on the Duchess of Cambridge again, but lo and behold she's out and about today and it's like she's never been away.

In Canada Kate tried some new labels like See by Chloé and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi and it seems like she's sticking to the trend by wearing a dress by Kate Spade. This stateside label is a favorite of her sister Pippa Middleton and Kim Murray who both have a similar aesthetic to the Duchess, so we're just surprised she hasn't worn it before.

In a pretty shade of pink with a dusky rose print it's ultra feminine as you'd expect, a feel that is only accentuated by the retro pussy bow neck tie and the pleated skirt. The good news for all you Kate obsessives out there is it's available to buy so click (right) to snap it up at Nordstrom before the Kate effect takes hold.

Then wear with a pair of classic blush courts to complete the look. Or you can, of course, shop our edit of similar blooming lovely frocks below.

* PRICES MAY NOT BE AS ADVERTISED

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• $119.99

  

  Mango floral print dress

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• $380

  

  Topshop Unique pussy bow dress at Net-a-Porter

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• $358

  

  Komarov dress at Nordstrom

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• $90

  

  Topshop floral blush dress at Nordstrom

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It made Kate look beautiful and confident – and proves that no woman should shy away from wearing pink.

The colour brings out the sparkle in her eyes and the blush in her cheeks, and makes her seem all the more powerful for rejecting the notion that a woman should ape a man in her style of dressing in order to be taken seriously.

The knee length is appropriate,while the blowsy rose print, pleats and oh-so-trendy pussybow neckline keep the look the right side of fashion forward – they’re all huge trends this season, after Miu Miu and Prada both showed similar prim dresses on the catwalk.

Fun-loving Prince Harry grinned as he arrived at County Hall with his sister-in-law Kate this morning

The Duchess of Cambridge listens to ambulance man Dan Farnworth speak of his mental ordeal following witnessing a traumatic situation during a reception at County Hall for World Mental Health Day 

Are you home Granny? Prince Harry was eager to see if he could figure out if his grandmother was in situ at Buckingham Palace as he took a trip on The London Eye 

They royals spent around 30 minutes in a pod enjoying spectacular views of the capital which increased as they travelled upwards, giving them a bird's eye view of landmarks such as Buckingham Palace 

Wave to the Queen! Harry was eager to see if he could spot the royal standard flying over Buckingham Palace 

The royals travelled on The London Eye, which later will be lit up in purple along with other landmarks as part of the global Light Up Purple drive in support of mental health awareness 

Designer Kate Spade, a sensation in the US where she has more than 140 shops, is known for her flattering, preppy styles that are worn by power women such as pop star Taylor Swift, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The blush Gianvito Rossi courts elongate her legs and the simple box clutch works so well with the rest of the outfit. Her bouncy blow-dry completes the look.

And she hasn’t destroyed the delicate line of the dress by teaming it with an unsightly overcoat. 

There may be a chill in the air but a jacket would have ruined this delicate look – and when you have a driver one is completely unnecessary.

No doubt some will wince at how unashamedly girly it is, but then this dress has already sold out, so what do they know!

I HATE IT! by Emily Monckton, Assistant Fashion Editor  

So prim. So saccharine. So totally ageing and inappropriate for a 34-year-old woman. 

Even Margaret Thatcher, the queen of pussy-bow necklines, would have turned her nose up at Kate’s fussy confection.

This is the dress that little girls playing princesses dream about — and one to make every grown woman’s heart soar, too, writes Emily Monckton

Kate listens during a conversation about 'mental health first aid' at a reception at County Hall 

The royals admire the view as they take a spin on The London Eye while promoting their Heads Together mental health campaign 

Kate enjoying the view from The London Eye on a visit to London's Southbank 

The dress should work, as it ticks off all of next season’s trends – but in Kate’s hands, it simply looks frumpy.

It would look wonderfully insouciant and mischievous worn with flair: you can imagine Alexa Chung styling it with a little Chanel jacket and a pair of brogues or Sarah Jessica Parker pairing it with statement earrings and a colourful heel.

But here it’s worn with so little imagination the effect is just ‘blah’.

The dress should work, as it ticks off all of next season’s trends – but in Kate’s hands, it simply looks frumpy

The nude heels, the dated blow-dry, the sheer tights and the matching clutch bag leech the life from it, and turn Kate into another identical Sloane off to a garden party.

The pussy-bow neckline is a nod to the Eighties, which are firmly back in fashion, but teamed with her big, Dallas-style flicky blowdry, she looks like she’s heading to a fancy dress party.

Meanwhile the dress’s print looks like the last bargain bin apron in the Cath Kidston outlet.

And is there a woman in Britain who doesn’t despair at the sight of those nude heels again?

Whereas Diana was a fashion icon, most young women wouldn’t dream of dressing like Kate. 

While of course she must be appropriately clothed for her station, she lacks the confidence to dress creatively – the clever accessory or striking shoe that turns an outfit from bland to brilliant.

So I implore you, Kate, be brave. It would be such a pleasure to see you wear something just a little daring for once. 

And while you’re at it, could you please throw out those nude shoes? 

Kate flashes her pearly whites as she greets the crowd with a warm smile 

Kate receives a posy from Joanne Sibley, a student from Livability’s Victoria Education Centre in Poole, Dorset, who was also dressed in pink for the special occasion