I have to admit that as an American, I wasn’t swept up in the makings of the royal wedding. I wasn’t about to wake up early to watch the future monarch wed his beautiful girl next door. But, as a fashion blogger, I was intensely interested in what she would be wearing for the ceremony.

It doesn’t take a lot of investigative journalism to know that wedding dresses have become less and less flattering over the years. Now, it is nearly impossible to find one with straps. The majority of them are one quick move away from a wardrobe malfunction. And it is likely wedding photographers have developed a new talent for not shooting pictures of the bride constantly trying to subtly, and not so subtly, adjust her dress throughout the day. As a friend put it, “they are a hot mess.”

So would Kate Middleton, the future queen of England don a similarly unflattering ensemble? Looking at her pictures from the last couple months, it was clear that Kate is a classic fashion personality. She wears knee-length dresses and matching suit sets. She’s got an elegance about her that not many women her age have.

I saw the tweets about the dress before I saw it. Knowing that it was an Alexander McQueen dress I had a cringe moment. The designer, who passed away last year, was known for his envelope-pushing designs and bold statements. Then I saw the picture and had a momentary vision of Grace Kelly. Elegance, Grace. Refinement. She was stunning and all covered up!

Knowing how quickly her other gowns sold-out upon being photographed, I was thrilled to see her wedding gown. Here’s hoping she long-lace-sleeved dress starts a huge world-wide trend of brides looking to accent their natural beauty while looking demure and regal. Enough of the ill-fitting, fat-squeezing strapless numbers. Bring back the grace of years gone by.

Thank you Kate Middelton! May you start a trend that brides everywhere emulate.