How the Duchess of Cambridge is switching up her royal dress code
Important news; The Duchess of Cambridge has been shopping. In the last few weeks, Kate has debuted a clutch of new items from designers that have scarcely appeared in her wardrobe before - think Prada, Simone Rocha, Oscar de la Renta and more.
It likely all began with her fresh ‘Kob’ haircut - as many women will attest, going for the chop will often prompt a full wardrobe revamp too. Certain silhouettes work better with certain hair lengths, so it makes perfect sense that the Duchess and her stylist Natasha Archer have been experimenting with new colour combinations, new outfit proportions and even a new pair of staple shoes to rival those trusty courts...
The new nude shoes
Kate hasn’t exactly thrown her faithful L.K. Bennett court shoes out, but she has invested in a more modern alternative to wear to evening receptions and on red carpet occasions. She wore Prada’s scalloped suede sandals, which are priced from £550, to three different events in the last two weeks, treating them as a versatile styling tool in exactly the same way that she has always done with her courts. These are just a more exciting, refreshed version.
The cool costume jewellery
The Duchess of course has access to one of the greatest fine jewellery collections on earth, and that makes it all the more interesting when she decides to buy new costume pieces. Simone Rocha’s crystal bead earrings were a fashion-savvy purchase as they have been shown on the runway a couple seasons in a row, making them something of a modern classic for the designer.
The relaxed silhouettes
Formalwear, for the Duchess, had previously been all about stealth suiting or structured, embellished wow-gowns. But when she hit the red carpet for a garden party in Berlin last week, Kate softened up. Her voluminous, shirred cotton dress by Alexander McQueen struck a chord with royal style watchers thanks to its summer holiday-ready silhouette, and gave the Duchess an easy-to-copy, relatable look like none that we’ve seen her in for a while.
