Some may say, Kate Middleton is the epitome of glamour, and honestly, we have to agree. The Duchess of Cambridge knows how to serve some serious looks. She manages to be tasteful and classy, while still being on-trend and appropriate for every single event she attends. Even when she's wearing bargain dresses from Marks & Spencer, she looks amazing. But her formal looks are the real stunners. Kate often fully embraces the princess look, but occasionally, she also goes for full-on glam. Sometimes, dare we say, she even looks sexy.
From décolletage-baring necklines to floor-length sequins, Kate knows how to do glam. She even manages to look glamorous in some of her less formal outfits. It's impressive! And we can't forget her accessories! She always looks opulent when she wears items from the royal jewels, but still, Kate has a way of pairing just the right pieces together to look chic rather than overdone.
The future queen consort is definitely stunning, and while many of her ultra-glamorous looks do cost an arm and a leg, us regular ladies can still draw tons of inspiration from her wardrobe. So, take a moment to scroll through and swoon – and then come back and scroll through again next time there's an event that requires a bit of glamour and check out these 18 glamorous looks from Kate Middleton for some ideas on what to wear.
A Vision in Emerald
One of our favorite looks on Kate was this sparkly, deep emerald cocktail dress, worn to an event at the Guinness Storehouse during an official tour of Ireland she and Prince William took in March 2020. The dark green color looks fantastic with Kate's deep brown hair and the dress had the perfect amount of shimmer.
BAFTA Beauty
Prince William is the president of BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, so Will and Kate dutifully attend the BAFTA awards every year. This is one of the events that Kate typically goes full-on glam for, and she did not disappoint with this cream and gold confection of a gown in 2020.
Outstanding Off-the-Shoulder
For the 2018 BAFTA awards, Kate donned a stunning gown again in a deep shade of green that complements her coloring perfectly. She was pregnant at the time, and the chic off-the-shoulder neckline definitely detracted from her blooming belly. And the stunning diamond and emerald earrings she wore? Total princess vibes.
Casual Glam
Um, excuse us. That leopard print midi-skirt? The Duchess of Cambridge made a business casual look feel ultra-glam in this pleated animal print skirt. We love that it's a darker hue of leopard print and that she styled the bold, slightly shimmery skirt with a simple black turtleneck and black suede boots.
Sweet & Sassy
Kate showed a lot of fashion flair in this floor-length off-white gown worn to a movie premiere a couple of years ago. The lace bodice and high neck looked sweet and delicate, but the surprise high slit and blood-red accessories she paired with the gown were super sassy. Her shiny chestnut hair completed the glamorous look.
Elsa Vibes
Kate seemed to channel Princess Elsa of Arendelle (and let's be honest, Elsa's wardrobe is everything) in this pale blue Jenny Packham gown in 2017. When she stepped out in the gorgeous crystal-encrusted dress for the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium theater, people couldn't help but draw comparisons between the Disney princess and the member of the British royal family.
Glowing in Gucci
Once again completely embracing her royal status, Kate wore the dreamiest pale pink Gucci gown to the 100 Women in Finance gala in London in 2019. The dress was accessorized with a luxe maroon velvet belt and clutch and glittery white pointy-toe pumps. Her neck was bare, highlighting the stunning neckline of the dress.
Petite Peplum
In 2017, Kate Middleton wore the chicest Alexander McQueen white peplum coat while visiting Poland with William and their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The stunning wool and silk blend coat featured a slight V-neck and just a tiny peplum that gave the look some visual interest. Kate wore the coat with understated nude pumps, but she was absolutely dripping in jewels.
Velvet Stunner
Throwing it way back to Kate's pre-motherhood days, in 2011 she wore the most stunning shoulder-baring black velvet gown to The Sun's Military Awards. The dress had a tiny sheer ruffle along the neckline and beautiful mermaid-style hemline. She wore a glitzy diamond and ruby necklace and diamond earrings with the Alexander McQueen gown and William was absolutely beaming when he looked at her.
Graceful in Garnet
In January 2020, Kate and Will hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace in honor of the UK-Africa Investment Summit, and she stole the show in a glittering garnet-hued cocktail dress. The mid-length dress featured a sheer crystal-covered overlay and she paired it with pumps that matched the rich shade of red precisely.
Movie Star Looks
As we said, Kate always steps it up for the BAFTAs. One year, she wore this super-glamorous all-white gown that literally made her look like a straight-up movie star. From the draping to the monochromatic floral burst on the shoulder, everything about the look screamed Hollywood. Oh, and those perfect pearl earrings. Gorgeous!
A Glamorous Favorite
The duchess is a huge fan of designer Jenny Packham and this cobalt blue gown in particular. She's worn the sleek, embroidered dress a number of times between 2016 and now. She is the picture of elegance in the gown, which has a flowy skirt and sheer, beaded bodice. The fabric looks so luxe.
Blushing Beauty
One of our all-time favorite looks from Kate Middleton is this glitzy blush pink Jenny Packham gown. It's youthful and stylish, but still timeless. Kate has worn this glamorous gown twice, an entire five years apart, proving our point. She wore it to a gala in 2011 and again at a charity dinner in 2016.
Regal Glam
A couple of years ago, Kate wore yet another Jenny Packham gown when she attended the Tusk Conservation Awards with William. She absolutely blew us away in this shimmery chiffon and lace dress. It featured a belted waistline embellished with Swarovski crystals, a lace back, and a plunging neckline.
Winter White
Kate looked more socialite than senior royal in this winter white off-the-shoulder sweater dress. The sexy ribbed dress is actually a lightweight number by designer Barbara Casasola that she's worn a number of times in the spring and summer, but the shade of white screams winter to us. We have to say she looks every bit the wealthy, glamorous lady in this ensemble, which she usually pairs with some sort of sparkly clutch.
Christmas Chic
If there's anyone who can manage to look like a glamour queen wearing a winter coat, it's Kate. She stepped out to listen to Christmas carols on the Royal Train Tour in December 2020 and wore an elegant hunter green wool coat with a furry collar and gilded buttons. She looked festive, but also totally glam.
Back in Blue
Kate's complexion lends itself to a wide range of colors, but she must know she looks amazing in blue because she wears it often. In yet another Jenny Packham gown, she just exuded glamor at a black tie gala in Paris. The icy blue dress tapered at the ankle and helped Kate look even longer and leaner than usual, but the jewel and sequin-adorned gown itself was ultra glamorous and eye-catching.
Fit for a Princess
Of course, before we even really knew what Kate had in store for us, she gave us a preview at her 2011 wedding. Kate wore the most jaw-dropping wedding gown with a gorgeous deep V-neck and lace sleeves. Her choice to wear the ultra-sparkly Cartier Halo tiara let us all know that she was ready to serve the glamor as Duchess of Cambridge.
