We can only imagine what a royal closet must look like! Access to just about every designer, every gown, and every accessory imaginable is quite a perk. Despite having countless ensemble options, we admire Kate Middleton's ability to be more frugal than we might imagine.
Sure, the Duchess of Cambridge could have a different outfit for every single royal engagement she needs to attend, but that would get a little outrageous, no? Ever since she joined the royal family in 2011, Kate Middleton has not been shy about re-wearing some of her clothes.
Whether it's a casual dress, a coat, or even a fancy evening gown, Kate isn't afraid to rock it more than once. Sometimes she even wears something three, or dare we say it, four times. If she only wore a piece of clothing once, then her closet would be the size of Buckingham Palace itself. We can imagine Queen Elizabeth might not be too happy about that fashion budget.
Here are 24 times Kate re-wore an outfit perfectly. If anyone needs styling tips on how to keep a single piece of clothing fresh, look no further than our favorite Duchess of Cambridge.
The Teal Dress — 2014
The duchess first stepped out in this dress in 2014 during her trip with Prince William to New Zealand. Everything here was perfectly coordinated, and the colors of her dress and her hat were identical. Considering how put together she looked, it's no surprise she pulled this outfit out again at a later date …
The Teal Dress — 2018
Kate stepped out with Prince William in the same teal dress in 2018, four years later. Some things never go out of style, and this dress most definitely fits into that category. It's so vibrant that it's definitely memorable, but Kate's never minded that people recognize that she's worn something more than once.
L.K. Bennet Dress — 2014
Kate has always been a fan of patterns, even when they include bright colors like the florals in this pretty dress. She looked unbelievably classy and elegant in this blue and white dress that she wore in 2014, and she definitely kept it near the front of her closet so she could re-wear it at a later date.
L.K. Bennet Dress — 2016
In 2016, Kate wore the dress again. Does this woman even age? Comparing her wearing this dress twice over a two-year time period definitely illustrates how the Duchess of Cambridge is barely aging! We're seriously impressed, because yet again, she looked good.
Bright Yellow — 2014
It's not too often that Kate and Prince William get to go Down Under and tour Australia and New Zealand, so of course, she had to make her mark when she did! Kate was radiant in New Zealand in this bright yellow dress when the couple made it out there for a visit in 2014.
Bright Yellow — 2016
And here we have the same dress two years later at Wimbledon! We think it was an appropriate choice. Though her visit out to New Zealand might have been a bit more exciting, watching one of the biggest sporting events in the world is a pretty big deal, too.
The Teal Gown — 2012
This will forever be one of Kate's most memorable formal looks, and it happened pretty early in her royal career! Kate wowed the crowd in this beautiful gown back when she was still a new member of The Firm in 2012, and just a year after she and William tied the knot. This is such a stunning look!
The Teal Gown — 2018
This was six years after Kate originally wore the gown, and she looks exactly the same. How? Not only did she (once again) avoid aging, but she also made the gown look brand new. Guess this is one of the perks of being in the royal family — her wardrobe is impeccably cared for.
Classic Skirt Suit — 2011
Over the years, Kate has pulled quite a few suits like this one out of her closet, though this is certainly one of her brightest — and one that she also chose to recycle! Kate and Will visited their alma mater, St. Andrews, all the way back in 2011, and the soon-to-be duchess was glowing in her bright red suit.
Classic Skirt Suit — 2014
Flash forward three years, and the Duchess of Cambridge wore the same outfit, and still looked amazing. It's crazy to think that this was still only three years into Kate and Will's marriage — and thereby three years into Kate's term as the Duchess of Cambridge. At this point, she already looked so poised.
Classic Skirt Suit — 2017
Kate must really love this outfit because she wore it for a Third time in 2017. Though we've seen Kate wear a lot of the options in her closet more than once, three is definitely up there, especially for so many public appearances. We have a feeling we'll be seeing this one for a fourth time.
Black Lace Gown — 2012
This black lace dress was a favorite for Kate for about a year, which makes sense — she looks good in it, and a dress like this is definitely a classic, especially for someone who attends as many formal events as Kate does.
Black Lace Gown — 2013
Here's Kate, wearing the same black lace dress again later that year. Though Kate tends to put a lot of distance between her most recycled outfits, this time around, she didn't hold back in wearing it again. And honestly, we get why she wore it so often. It looks amazing on her! We haven't seen it since 2013, but who knows, maybe she'll pull it out again!
Floral Gray — 2012
Though Kate usually wears a lot of patterns and bright colors, once in a while she'll go for darker, more muted tones like this. This sweet dress is perfect for Kate's royal engagements, so we can see why she would want to re-wear it. Function and fashion!
Floral Gray — 2015
Three years later, Kate tried the dress again with an updo, and yup, it looked just as good! Wearing a different hairstyle the second time she wore her gray dress gave it a bit of a different look, almost making it seem new. Can she please give us lessons on how to do this kind of thing so well?
Sweater Dress — 2011
Now this is a throwback, and it's also the perfect piece to illustrate exactly how much Kate's style has changed and evolved over the years. We don't see her in outfits like this much anymore, but she wore this adorable sweater dress in Canada back when she and Will were first married.
Sweater Dress — 2012
The next year, Kate brought the sweater dress back out of the closet, and she looked just as adorable as she did the first time. OK, we know that she has moved past pieces like this in her wardrobe, but we're still hoping Kate brings this one back again. It's just too cute.
St. Patrick's Day — 2012
We are loving this dark green coat Kate broke out for St. Patrick's Day. Every year, when the holiday rolls around (or when she visits Ireland), Kate never holds back in busting out her favorite green pieces from her closet, and this is among them. It's easy to see why — it looks so great on her!
St. Patrick's Day — 2013
And because it doesn't make any sense to buy something new for the same holiday, she wore it the next year, too. That's just smart budgeting! We're sure the Queen was proud that Kate knows how to wear the same piece over and over again and continue making it look so fresh.
Blue Dress — 2012
It's no surprise Kate looks adorable in this shade of blue. Whenever she wears this color, it makes her and her sapphire engagement ring look even better than it already did! Loving this look? Don't worry, we're going to see this dress several times over Kate's royal career.
Blue Dress — 2014
Kate definitely knows she looks amazing in this dress, which must be why she decided to wear it so much! Here, in the sun, it's looking even more vibrant than it did before, and Kate's wearing the heck out of it. With two years between wears, it almost looks like a brand new piece.
Blue Dress — 2014
Yep, she chose to wear this dress again later in 2014, and just like we said before, it just makes sense when something looks this good! We haven't seen this dress much in the years since, but who knows. Obviously it was a favorite, so maybe we'll see it make a comeback.
Lilac Frock — 2017
Kate looks amazing in this light purple dress, worn in Germany. The look definitely signals that she should be wearing pastel shades more often! Between her shorter-than-usual hairstyle and this pretty dress, Kate looked perfectly ready for springtime. So adorable!
Lilac Frock — 2018
She looks so amazing in this lilac dress that she broke it out again for a royal engagement with Prince William just a year after she'd worn it the first time. And again, we can't say we blame her. It's a super cute look, especially after she accessorized with that bag.
Emerald Evening Dress — 2014
A duchess can only have so many evening gowns, so it makes sense that Kate would re-use this one a few times! For as many formal events as Kate goes to, it would also be pretty impractical for her (and for her wardrobe budget) to buy a new one each time. But, it makes sense that she made this one of her mainstays.
Emerald Evening Dress — 2014
Kate wore this dress twice in the same year, and she looked amazing both times! We don't see this from most celebrities, so we've definitely gotta give Kate props where props are due. Plus, this silhouette looks so pretty on her. She should wear this one again in 2021!
Vintage Blue Dress — 2014
We have always been fond of the more vintage-style pieces in Kate's closet, including this one. Kate sure does love belted dress, and she definitely got her use out of this! It reminds us of something we might have seen in the '50s and '60s, and Kate's classic look really helps her pull it off.
Vintage Blue Dress — 2014
Kate wore this dress twice in one year, and we're sure we'll see it again — it's that good! This time, she changed things up again, opting for a ponytail instead of wearing her hair down with a hat like she did the first time this dress made an appearance. Such a good look for her!
Green Coatdress — 2014
Kate is a huge advocate of the coatdress. We've seen so many like this one in her wardrobe, but this definitely stands out among the rest because of how striking it is. Not everyone could pull off this bright green color, and apparently, Kate knew it because this wouldn't be the only time she wore this dress.
Green Coatdress — 2016
Since that coatdress was so bright and cheery, we had a feeling we'd be seeing it again, and here it is, two years later. And like we said, not everyone could pull off that bright green color, but somehow, Kate pulled it off twice. This duchess has magical powers, we're certain of it.
Yellow Lace — 2012
When the weather is warm, Kate still pulls out all the stops like she did when she wore this adorable yellow lace sundress at a royal engagement in 2012. We also have to admit that this is the perfect summer dress. Any chance Kate can let us borrow it when she's done with it?
Yellow Lace — 2014
Looks like that answer might be no … Kate may never be done with it! Here, she's wearing that dress all over again two years later while she was in mom mode with Prince George. Hey, the official mom uniform might be leggings, but Kate tends to class it up a bit more than most!
Bright Pink Coat — 2014
There's one thing we know for sure, Kate Middleton is not afraid of color. We've seen her in a few different shades of pink in her day, but this has to be one of the most eye-catching. Even on a rainy day in 2014, Kate wasn't afraid to bring the sunshine with this coat.
Bright Pink Coat — 2015
The following year, this coat came out of retirement on a day that was less rainy — and as it turns out, it also happened to be a perfect maternity look without appearing too frumpy. Kate wore the coat again when she was pregnant with the adorable Princess Charlotte.
Dark Green Coat — 2014
Kate may be a duchess, but she's queen of the perfect winter coat. Here, she's looking gorgeous in green as she poses with Prince William in 2014. If she was freezing when this photo was taken, she didn't let anyone know!
Dark Green Coat — 2014
Clearly, this dark green coat was her outerwear of choice during 2014 because she was spotted wearing it again later that year. Then again, this shouldn't sound strange to most of us non-royals, who typically only have one or two winter coats that we rotate all season long!
Dark Green Separates — 2012
Kate was still a fresh royal when she wore this ensemble, but we have a good feeling the Queen approved. After all, the monarch is a fan of coordinating combos! These two ladies look perfectly happy to be out on a royal engagement together, and the cut of Kate's outfit is perfect for her.
Dark Green Separates — 2015
Three years later, Kate broke out the same outfit, but she switched up the belt. She keeps things fresh, that's for sure! This time, the Queen wasn't tagging along. We can't get over how different she made it look after three years. She should write a book on recycling outfits.
Tweed Dress — 2014
We love this classic look on Kate, and it's hard to imagine that this photo was taken so long ago because she hasn't aged a bit since then. For her more business fashion moments, she typically goes for grays and blacks, making this tweed suit fit in perfectly with her style.
Tweed Dress — 2016
Kate wore the same gray dress for a royal engagement in 2016, and once again, she looked awesome. We wouldn't be surprised if this one ends up reemerging in the near future if she held onto it. Not only does she look good, but it's also such a functional piece.
The Red Coat — 2018
Kate wore this red Catherine Walker coat on Christmas 2018 when she greeted onlookers who gathered to watch her (along with the Queen, William, Meghan, Harry, and the rest of the royal family) attend Christmas Day services at Sandringham. The red coat couldn't have been more perfect for the occasion!
The Red Coat — 2020
Kate gave this coat a repeat performance at Commonwealth Day in March 2020 — a day that would end up being a key moment in the alleged ongoing feud between the Cambridges and the Sussexes, as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry returned to the UK to perform the last of their royal obligations before stepping down from their duties with The Firm.
The Cream Coatdress — 2015
When Princess Charlotte was christened in 2015, Kate wore this off-white Alexander McQueen coatdress, along with a hat that matched perfectly, for the occasion. There aren't too many opportunities to wear a cream-colored outfit like this, but fortunately, Kate found another one …
The Cream Coatdress — 2018
Though wearing white to a wedding is against the rules in the US, things work a little differently at royal weddings in the UK, and this is technically off-white. Being a wedding guest presented Kate with the perfect opportunity to wear this coatdress again. In 2018, Princess Charlotte was yet again by her side when she put this coatdress back on for Meghan and Harry's royal wedding.
The Gold & White Dress — 2012
Kate first stunned in this gold and white Alexander McQueen gown in 2012 when she wore it during a royal engagement in Malaysia. She and Will were traveling through South East Asia in honor of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. But this isn't the only time we'd see this dress.
The Gold & White Dress — 2020
A full eight years later, Kate made an appearance in her gown for a pretty special occasion: Walking the red carpet at the BAFTAs in February 2020. Given that the theme of the British Academy Film Awards that year was sustainability, it made sense that Kate would choose to wear something that was already in her closet.
The Pink Suit — March 2020
Just before the first lockdown of 2020, Kate and Will went to visit National Health Service workers to find out how they were planning to handle the growing health crisis. For the engagement, Kate wore this pretty pink pantsuit, and apparently, she liked it so much she was excited to wear it again pretty soon afterward.
The Pink Suit — September 2020
Just months later, Kate's pink suit would show up again — this time, just the pants, though. She wore them again when she met with parents to find out how they support one another in raising their children at Battersea Park in London (and she was having an exceptionally good hair day at the time, too).
The Floral Dress — 2019
In September 2019, Kate wore this pretty floral Emilia Wickstead dress to the Back to Nature Festival in Woking, England. It easily became one of her most unforgettable looks. Though Kate's always been partial to floral patterns, this was definitely one of her best.
The Floral Dress — 2020
Almost a full year later, Kate's floral dress was seen again in August 2020 when she and Will paid a visit to businesses in Wales that had been negatively affected by the drop in tourism that year. She looked just as adorable as she did the first time she wore it, especially while playing those arcade games.
