Other than being the Duchess of Cambridge and mother to a three seriously adorable kids, Kate Middleton is also known for her iconic and timeless style. She has a knack for picking out the most fashionable winter coats, has access to the best jewelry box in the world (Queen Elizabeth's, duh), and really knows how to work a gorgeous evening gown. Another thing Kate definitely deserves credit for? Her shoes. From jet-setting to casually watching a sports game to attending a fancy royal event, Kate always chooses the perfect footwear to pair with her usually stunning outfit, and she always looks graceful and elegant.
Though Kate has proven she has an incredible eye for jewelry and pairing her outfits with just the right accessories, she's especially good at completing her looks with what she wears on her feet. Living in chilly and rainy London, England, she's also mastered how to style all kinds of boots and heels with her large collection of fall and winter coats — and when it's sunny out, she's prepared for that, too.
We're picked out 40 times Kate's shoes were absolutely on point. Warning: Major shoe envy ahead!
Tassel Tale
If these Penelope Chilvers boots look familiar to you, it's probably because they're one of the pairs that Kate wears most. To be totally fair, these tall boots go with just about anything, and are perfect for those days that take Kate out on rough terrain while she's on royal engagements. Plus, the tassel really adds a little something extra!
Steel Heels
At a charity function, Kate wore this light blue dress with steel gray pumps, showing off her baby bump at the same time. She looks absolutely ravishing — and she definitely gets extra credit for wearing heels while pregnant. Nothing stops this duchess from having the style moment she wants!
Just Do It
Kate looks as sporty as ever in this tracksuit, teamed with white Nike running shoes. It's an appropriate outfit for a visit to the Lawn Tennis Association, especially since Kate usually likes to get active during these kinds of outings. Of course, she looks like a total natural — Kate's been an athlete her entire life.
Heeled Loafers
Kate went to the 1851 Roadshow at the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre while wearing the most adorable plaid pointy-heeled loafers. This is a very classic look that not just anyone in their 30s could pull off without looking dated, but since this is Kate we're talking about, of course she looked fab.
All Drama
No surprise here that Kate is killing it in a dressier evening look. She looks gorgeous in this deep red gown and matching accessories, including those gorgeous shoes. We love how she didn't end the drama with her gown, and even chose to extend the color to her suede pumps.
Green in the Grass
This photo was taken in 2012 — just a year after Kate and Prince William tied the knot. She was watching him and Prince Harry compete in a polo match, accompanied by the couple's late dog, Lupo. And since it was a casual occasion, Kate dressed down, wearing these green wellies with her skinny jeans.
Preppy Pumps
During a trip to Canada, Kate wore these chunky brown loafer-style pumps. They look comfy yet still stylish, which is probably key when Kate is deciding what shoes to wear when she knows her royal obligations will have her on her feet all day. The buckle and kiltie details give these pumps a fun retro vibe.
Sandy Sandals
Another fashion moment where Kate did not get proper credit: The fact that she dared to walk on the sand in heels and managed to do it without falling on her face. If we could, we would rock these tan-colored wedges on a beach, too, Kate. We love how she pairs them with her white dress to look super summery!
Mixing Neutrals
During an event at the Natural History Museum in London, Kate wore a cream-colored off-the-shoulder dress and strappy peach-colored strappy high-heel sandals. It's a perfect outfit for a July event — even one in the evening that called for a bit more of a dramatic look. Those heels were sky high, but as always, Kate was steady on her feet.
Strolling in Espadrilles
While in India, Kate wore a pair of dark wedge espadrilles as part of a more casual look. We love how the hue of her shoes matched the details in her otherwise brightly colored dress, pushing this look to the next level. Once again, she killed it.
Back in Black
This is a major throwback — this pic of Kate getting out of a car was taken in 2011, her first year as an official member of the royal family — but it just goes to show how timeless so many of the shoes in her collection really are. A pair of tall black boots is always a fashion staple.
Blue & Tan
We're used to seeing Kate in some kind of pumps, but here, she decided to change things up a bit with her heels. We love how this pair has a more casual cork bottom. It's a fun twist on the classic pump, especially for a daytime look like this.
Black & White
Here's Kate showing off another pair of black boots — and this time, the contrast between her boots and her off-white coat creates such a fashion-forward look. In this picture, Kate was visiting a children's center in 2017, and as always, she was the lucky recipient of a bouquet of flowers along the way.
Post-Baby
We will never stop being impressed with Kate appearing in full hair and makeup this soon after delivering Princess Charlotte — and she did this with her other two kids, too — but what might be most astonishing to us is the fact that even here, hours after giving birth, she's wearing heels. Let's hope she had a comfy pair of slippers waiting for her at home.
Baby Blue
Speaking of Kate's post-baby appearances, here she is (with a newborn Prince George), acting like it's totally no big deal to be all dressed up like this so soon after birthing a child (and future king). She looks incredible — and in pumps, no less. Kate never fails to impress us!
Timeless Black Heels
Every year, Kate wears all green in honor of St. Patrick's Day, and in 2015, she celebrated as she was just two months away from giving birth to Princess Charlotte. She looked adorable in her green coat and matching hat, and those black heels really pulled the whole look together.
Safari Days
During a wildlife safari at the Kaziranga National Park in India, Kate wore skinny pants and a white blouse, paired with Sebago moccasins — a comfy choice for a day spent outside in nature. We certainly can't blame her for going with flats this time around. It looks like she did a lot of walking that day!
Red Hot Heels
Kate knew what she was doing when she put this look together — it's impossible not to take notice of how good she looks! And how romantic is this red-themed outfit? Especially those bright red heels that perfectly match the clutch she's carrying. There's no style that matches Kate's.
All in Cream
While visiting a military cemetery in Belgium in 2014, Kate went with a more understated look. Here, she's rocking a head-to-toe cream outfit, a theme that extends to her nude heels. The look gives her an air of elegance, and that pop of color in the flowers on her hat is all she needs to punch it up a bit.
Navy Wedges
While visiting Scotland for the Commonwealth Games in 2014, Kate traded in her reliable pumps for a pair of navy blue wedges, and we have to admit we're loving this look on her. Along with her blue dress and coordinating blazer, the wedges dress down the look a little bit, making it just right for a sporty event.
Nude Wedges
Kate doesn't just have navy wedges, of course — her collection extends to other colors to go with any other look she might need to complete. You can't go wrong with nude-colored espadrille wedges. Kate wore hers while visiting Mumbai, India. And look, she can even play sports in them! So versatile.
Gardening Heels
Never let it be said that Kate isn't willing to get her hands dirty — literally! Here, William and Kate were planting a tree during their 2011 visit to Canada, and even in heels, Kate made sure to take part in shoveling the dirt. (And this isn't the first time she's done this!)
Up in the Air
When most of us are traveling, we're wearing our comfiest shoes and sweats, but Kate doesn't always have that option — when she's going somewhere in a plane, she has to be "on." Here, she's navigating the tarmac in a pair of spiky heels and wrangling her children, all at the same time.
Down Under
During a 2014 tour of Australia and New Zealand with William, Kate wore these blue heels on multiple occasions. Obviously, they coordinate with her ensemble perfectly, even though she obviously brought them because they function with several different outfits. We need her packing tips!
Sporty Spice
For anyone wondering what to wear for a game of cricket (which took place during that same tour of Australia and New Zealand) how about some black heels? We'd also pair such cute pumps with an all-red outfit, too — though we don't know how she avoided getting her heels stuck in the grass!
Maroon Five
If there's one thing this royal understands, it's how to make colors work for her, and here, we can see a pregnant Kate stepping out in a red houndstooth coat and matching maroon accessories. Look how adorable that little purse is! Wouldn't want to carry a bag bigger than the Queen's.
Winter Cozy
It can get cold in London in the winter, but it looks like Kate is doing a good job of staying warm in her tall black boots that match her furry hat and gloves. The real star of the show, though, is that sweeping emerald green coat. It's so regal!
Ice Princess
Here's another example of a time when Kate made winter gear pure fashion — even while wearing snow boots. Here, she is in a pair of black Sorel boots while out on the ice in Sweden — another opportunity to get active during a royal tour that she just couldn't turn down. A great choice for a game of hockey, Kate!
Pointy Toes
What's more fashionable: Kate's bright coat or her pointy-toe black kitten heels? It's hard to say, but we're leaning toward those shoes. We've seen the duchess wear a lot of round-toe pumps, but it's nice to see her switching it up a bit. It definitely keeps her fashion fans on their toes.
Flower Girl
Kate rarely wears heels of this color, but she should more often, because she looks gorgeous in them. They make her look like a total flower child, especially when paired with a dress like this that's giving us a bit of a boho vibe — at least, as boho as it gets for a member of the royal family.
Sneak Attack
Kate looks like she belongs as she hung out on a soccer field in a pair of red and black New Balance kicks, which are a surprisingly down-to-earth footwear choice for a member of the royal family. They perfectly match her outfit, but are we surprised? Of course not — and in sneakers like that, she's ready to jump into the game herself.
Springtime
Not even a rainy day could bring Kate down — or make her lose out on an opportunity to wear heels. Although this photo was taken in August, the outfit is giving us some serious springtime vibes. And Kate made a smart choice by wearing neutral-colored shoes to let the gorgeous floral print on her dress be the star.
Nude Sandals
It's not often that we get to see the Duchess of Cambridge in a dress like this (she rarely goes for bold reds), but when we do, it's totally worth the wait. Here, Kate is wearing a flowy red dress and the cutest nude sandals we have ever laid eyes on. Just look at the zig-zag strap design!
Casual Sneakers
Though we've seen Kate wearing tall heels in grass plenty of times, it's good to note that for once, she wore something a bit more comfortable. In Germany, Kate took part in a boat race while wearing affordable white Superga sneakers (a long-time favorite of hers). We'd rock this outfit any weekend day.
Strappy Nude Heels
While wearing a dress like this, it's important to keep the accessories you choose low-key to avoid a look that is too busy, and as always, Kate fully understood the assignment here. Her strappy nude heels work perfectly with this intricately designed dress, and they also make her legs look super long.
Party Shoes
Who's ready for an evening event? This lady is! Kate attended a party with William by her side and decided to skip her usual pumps in favor of these strappy black heels — a welcome sight, since we're never going to turn down a little variety in Kate's wardrobe. We love that her shoes and clutch complement the striking black accents on her dress.
Patent Blue
These blue patent leather heels are so adorable, especially when paired with her red clutch. She looks like she stepped right out of the '60s. This is an outfit we could definitely see Christina Hendricks wearing on an episode of Mad Men, and we mean that as a huge compliment.
Emerald City
In case anyone wasn't already convinced that Kate looks amazing in emerald green, this look should probably do it for you. The Wizard of Oz would be jealous of Kate's emerald ensemble and matching shoes that might as well have been custom made for this exact outfit. It just screams "fall."
Ruby Red
We would definitely rock this ruby skirt and jacket set on its own, but even more so with these tall black boots. They're the perfect length for the skirt, especially on a chilly day. If you're looking for some real-life style inspiration from Kate, this look is a great place to start.
Cowgirl Kate
Here's a rare look! Kate channels her inner cowgirl with these western-style boots. It's a super casual look, especially when paired with her wrap sweater. We haven't seen her sport these boots often, but she should definitely pull them out of her closet again if the occasion calls for it. They're so cute!
