STYLE FILE WITH ANNA VLACH

Who wore it better? Kate Middleton or Cruella de Vil? Why K-Middy of course. For starters, unlike the 101 Dalmatians villainess who wears real fur, the Duchess of Cambridge (above) was wearing “spot the fake” animal print.

And mum-to-be Kate wasn’t just being kind to animals – she was also doing her bit to save the planet by recycling.

Royal wardrobe watchers will recall she wore the very same Hobbs dress in 2013 while pregnant with George. Which just goes to show dalmatian print never goes out of style. Not sure how to wear it? Here’s a little guide I like to call Dalmatians 101 – the rules of which apply to any animal print, including snakeskin.

Go at your own pace: Love animal print, but not quite ready for a dress like mum-to-be Kate’s? Take baby steps with animal print shoes. Nine West has pointy-toed stiletto Tatiana in black and white giraffe print for $139.95, while net-a-porter.com has leopard print kitten heels including a pair of Dolce & Gabbana slingbacks with crystals to boot.

Easy tiger: If you are going to go wild and run with an animal print coat or dress (try Zara on your next Melbourne trip), keep the rest of your outfit restrained. Follow Kate’s lead and stick to classic pumps and a clutch in black or nude.

Mane event: If animal print is the hero (i.e. focal point) of your outfit, save yourself the trouble of doing too much with your do. Wear a slicked-back high pony, like Kate’s, rather than big hair – unless you’re going to a fancy dress party as ‘80s soap queen Joan Collins. In which case add a truckload of make-up including tyre-track blusher and red lipstick and make a right royal mess of yourself.