Walk in the fresh air for Kate Middleton. The Princess of Wales visited single-parent families on November 1, 2023. An outing for which the Briton chose an appropriate outfit.
Kate Middleton had a busy schedule on Wednesday 1er November 2023. The Princess of Wales met fathers and their children, north of London. To spend time with these families, she opted for an outfit that was as chic as it was comfortable.
It’s a indigo skinny jeans from the Mother label which Kate Middleton chose to pair with a black and white cashmere sailor top by Erdem. A piece worth 645 euros and which she seems to particularly appreciate, since she has already worn it several times in recent years. This time, she paired her sweater with a waxed cotton jacket resulting from the collaboration Barbour x Alexa Chung. Ganni, Maison Kitsuné, Balzac Paris… Lately, the British brand has been increasing its collaborations with the trendiest names and making its creations more desirable than ever.
A fashion figure, Kate Middleton ? This is what the study of her looks since her early days within the British royal family suggests. A look back at two decades of style very british And very chic.
Before moving to Kensington Palace, Kate Middleton was a young girl almost like any other. This child of entrepreneurs, who studied at the University of St Andrews, has always favored a simple and elegant look. Skirts that hit just above the knee, pastel cardigans, low-heeled pumps, low rise jeans (very fashionable in the 00’s) and riding boots made up almost all of his wardrobe. These casual looks however, did not prevent Kate Middleton from parading in panties and a bra in a transparent dress during a charity show organized by her university in March 2002.
April 29, 2011. The whole world, or at least 2 billion spectators, has their eyes fixed on Westminster Abbey. Kate Middleton appears at the altar dressed ina long-sleeved wedding dress covered in Caudry lace and matched with a 2.7 meter train. Signed Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton, this exceptional piece was validated by Queen Elizabeth II and would have cost some 380,000 euros according to media estimates. Placed on Kate Middleton’s head, a veil topped with a Cartier tiara set with 1,000 diamonds, property of the sovereign of the United Kingdom.
Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton has a busy schedule of official events. These trips and visits are accompanied by protocol looks. Flesh-colored tightsdresses and skirts that flirt with the knee, wise pumpscolorful suits (a fashion tip tested and approved by Queen Elizabeth II to always stand out without anyone having any doubt about your identity), and matching hats (a virtual obligation at weddings and baptisms) fill Kate Middleton’s wardrobe. When she travels abroad, the mother of George, Charlotte and Louis also takes great care to pay homage to the countries it visits by adopting their colors and honoring national creators. In France in 2017, Kate Middleton opted for a total Chanel look, tweed suit, logo belt and quilted bag. Last imperative for the Princess of Wales: avoid materials likely to crease. Rather than silk and linen, she prefers wool or tweedrenowned for their good behavior.
When she is not on an official visit to a foreign country or attending a formal event, Kate Middleton does not hesitate to wear the same clothes as everyone else, namely jeans and sneakers. Among his favorite brands, Superga and Veja. Above, a white top and a suit jacket to stay elegant in all circumstances. Other favorite accessories: wedge shoes. Especially since Queen Elizabeth couldn’t stand the sight of these thick-soled shoes. Kate Middleton therefore reserves them for her outings far from Buckingham Palace. And as an informed consumer, she does not hesitate to wear your outfits again and again. A responsible way of approaching fashion, to imitate without moderation.
When she doesn’t have the chance to wear cutting-edge English designers or tailor-made creations – Alice Temperley, Jenny Packham, Erdem, Roksanda or Burberry in the lead – Kate Middleton turns to brands that everyone can afford . It is not uncommon to see her wearing cheap looks : a Zara dress or blazer, Gap pants, a Boden or Topshop dress. Pieces which, once adopted by the Princess of Wales, were quickly sold out. This is also what we call the Kate effect. And fans of Kate Middleton style, who do not hesitate to copy her look from head to toeeven have a nickname: the “Replicates“. One of them, Mallory Bowling, testified in the Daily Mail in September 2019: “As soon as Kate is photographed in an outfit, a real race against time begins to find it, because that piece will undoubtedly go out of stock quickly. The Replikates pool their strength and buy as many copies as possible in order to resell them to those who have not managed to find any.“.
THE outfits by Kate Middleton are so commented on on social networks and in magazines, maintaining a very fascination old fashioned for the British crown and the princess mythology, that some brands do not hesitate to offer these looks at low prices in their new collections. Thus, Kate Middleton’s engagement outfit in November 2010, a sapphire blue wrap dress from the Issa brand, a label which has since gone bankrupt before being bought by House of Fraser, was offered by its new owner for 80 euros (i.e. 7.5 times cheaper than its initial price) in 2017. One year later, it is H&M takes on the princess’s wardrobe and creates a very similar wedding dress to the one worn by Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011. Its price? 199 euros, a pittance compared to the tailor-made version designed by Alexander McQueen for the royal wedding.
How much does Kate Middleton’s wardrobe cost?
In 2022, Kate Middleton broke her clothing purchasing record. At least that’s what the British media reports DailyMailwho calculated Kate Middleton’s clothing expenses at 176,664 pounds (or 200,723 euros) of new clothes and jewelry in 2022. An astronomical number which has skyrocketed since the health crisis. The Princess of Wales even exceeds the performance she achieved in 2017, which then amounted to 119,000 pounds (or 135,191 euros today). Her most expensive outfit? The one she wore during the London premiere of the second part of Top Gun on May 19, 2022. To admire Tom Cruise’s stunts on the big screen, Kate Middleton wore a black and white dress by Roland Mouret, worth £2,700 and earrings by jeweler Robinson Pelham amounting to £10,560. Amounts that make one’s head spin… But then, who pays for the Princess of Wales’s clothes? THE DailyMail affirm that : “the king is supposed to cover the costs of Kate’s wardrobe for her related commitments [à sa fonction] via her current budget, but it is difficult to know if the princess always pays full price for her clothes or if she is entitled to discounts“. What is certain is that despite this high amount, Kate Middleton has often recycled her favorite outfits during the year and even had recourse, for the first time, to clothing rental during an eco-responsible event in the United States in December 2022. A new habit to keep in 2023!
