Kate Middleton & Margie Abbott
Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, waves to members of the crowd as she walks with Margie Abbott, the wife of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, after arriving at the Parliament House in Canberra April 24, 2014. Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate are on a 19-day official visit to New Zealand and Australia with their son George. REUTERS/Phil Noble (AUSTRALIA - Tags: ROYALS POLITICS) Reuters

Kate Middleton is known to dress elegantly for every time she steps out on royal engagements. The Duchess of Cambridge was even once called a British fashion icon. Even now in her second pregnancy, she managed to amaze people with her sense of maternity style. However, critics are saying that her sense of style is waning, including her fashion influence to women. According to a professor at the University of Southern California, the Duchess is not deserving of being called a "style icon." Her fashion influence is said to be equal to reality TV star Snooki and Paris Hilton among others.

A new study conducted by Jeetendr Sehdev, a marketing professor at the University of Southern California, focused on the validity of what Women's Wear Daily called as the "Kate Middleton Effect." The site quoted the professor on his study about Kate Middleton's fashion influence.

Yet "[Middleton's] influence is not what it's being made to be and, in the eyes of the modern woman in both the U.S. and the U.K., she's not heralded in that way," he said.

Jeetendr Sehdev, who is also a celebrity branding expert, claimed Kate Middleton doesn't deserve the title of style icon. The Duchess of Cambridge supposedly "doesn't measure on the criteria of the style icon."

According to Sehdev, a style icon encompasses five attributes: 1) a definitive sense of style, 2) a sense of confidence, 3) a certain timelessness that can keep modern, 4) a fierce independence, and 5) a dose of provocativeness. Kate Middleton reportedly only has timelessness for being likable. Likewise, according to subjects who participated in the study, the Duchess' fashion style choices are said to be on the safe side and less independent. Other participants supposedly also think Kate Middleton doesn't choose her own wardrobe for her royal engagements. The Duchess of Cambridge reportedly looks like she is "being dressed" or dressing for a nation."

Michelle Obama, on the other hand, is thought of to dress independently by fashion critics. According to Sehdev, she fits the perfect style icon definition. He claimed "style icons today have to be enormously sexy." Likewise, they reportedly "have to have a great sense of style and fashion and flair and individuality." A style icon supposedly dresses for themselves and not for others, which is the opposite of how critics see Kate Middleton.

However, according to the International Business Times, Kate Middleton is taking the sexier route in terms of wardrobe choices. The Duchess of Cambridge has reportedly wowed media with her daring and "rebellious" choices of fashion style since her return to public appearances. She was seen wearing a thigh-slit dress on her first royal engagement since her second pregnancy was announced on Sept. 8. On Oct. 23, she turned heads at an evening gala when she walked in wearing a sheer, see-through black dress.