Kenya Hunt

Ugg boots, Jigsaw dresses and bootleg jeans. From the looks of her conservative, unfussy style up to date, Kate Middleton, henceforth known as the future queen of England, doesn’t seem to have the chops to make her a legend — yet. Princess Diana didn’t become the powerful fashion force we like to remember her as until much later in her marriage to Prince Charles. Now, a ring connects the two women. Comparisons will be plentiful. Will Kate be a quick study, and transition into the big leagues of impeccably turned out ladies, joining Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni as modern-day international icons? We measure her odds.

The Kindergarten teacher years: Only Lady Diana could look like the young, ethereal ingénue in a frumpy sweater vest and skirt. Natural beauty aside, the v-necks that were her trademark during her single days were pretty dowdy.

School days: Ugg boots, a seashell necklace and blazer do not a fashion-plate make. This see-through “Project Runway” reject dress helped Kate land Prince William, but makes the rest of us cringe.

The road to the ring: In a sign of better dressed days to come, Lady Diana paired a flouncy blouse with her statement coat at the races during her courtship with Prince Charles. After he popped the question, she began to move away from the sweaters, but kept the plunging v-neckline.

The road to the ring: Her best looking pair of boots yet! Kate stepped it up a notch with a Russian fur hat and tailored coat during her first official visit to Wales. A year later, her look evolved to an even more conventionally polished place.

The verdict: Don’t dismiss Kate just yet. She might not have Michellle Obama’s knack for pushing the envelope or Carla Bruni’s innate and effortless sense of style, but she already reveals a certain sophistication that Princess Diana didn’t have at the same stage of her royal transformation. Will Kate ever be as complex or interesting a public figure as her soon-to-be husband’s late mother? Probably not. But with enough exposure to the right designers, she could be just a makeover (or two or three) away from becoming one of Great Britain’s iconic ladies.