With 10 years of being a member of the royal family under her belt, our dear Kate Middleton has seen (and worn) it all. Over the years, the Duchess of Cambridge has sealed her position as one of the most fashionable royal women in history, but after Meghan Markle appeared on the scene, we noticed that Kate Middleton stepped things up a bit.
The Duchess of Sussex entered the royal world with all of her California A-lister airs and trendy ensembles, and some have said that Kate needed to amp things to keep her name in the fashion game. While we don't think there's actually any fashion competition going on between these two, there has been a noticeable change in Kate in recent years.
Now, we don't mean to say that Kate has completely abandoned her signature style. In fact, we think she's maintained her classic looks, just spiced them up a bit. The Duchess of Cambridge is the queen of wearing traditional coatdresses, elegant evening wear, and heels that no one but her can sport. But now, she's also mixing a few new pieces into her amazing wardrobe. The duchess is wearing more pants, more trendy styles, and even working in some completely new items.
We aren't quite sure what inspired this wardrobe update — for all we know, it really could have been caused by our other favorite duchess — but whatever it was, we are loving it! Kate has never looked this comfortable in her own skin — and her own clothes! So, no matter what inspired Kate's fashion frenzy, we just hope she keeps it up. And while we're waiting to see what she wears next, here are 40 outfits proving that the princess is seriously stepping up her style game.
Amping Up Her Coats
Kate is famous for rewearing her coats three (or even four) times, but sometimes she steps out in a look that's completely fresh. The duchess definitely loves forest green ensembles more than anyone, but we are loving how she paired this coat with a lighter handbag. Mixing shades now, duchess?
A New Look for Ascot
Now where did this come from? In past years, Kate's Royal Ascot looks have always been supremely elegant, but maybe just a little bland. Not with this one. This time, Kate showed us what she can really do with a baby blue number with its sheer sleeves and decadent fabric pattern.
Getting Christmas-y
Kate has never been afraid to dress on-theme with whatever holiday is going on at the moment, but she really stepped it up for Christmas a couple of years ago in this look. We mean — a tartan maxi skirt? We never thought we would see the day, but we are so glad we did. It's an iconic look.
Donning a Cape
Not all heroes wear capes, but this duchess certainly does! Kate is a big fan of pastel outfits, and we have to say that this baby blue coat with a cape detail might just be one of our favorite Kate looks of all time. This is going to be one that the duchess wears several times, for sure. At least we hope so.
Sticking to What She Loves
See, Kate can still stick to what she loves, all while wearing something different. The duchess has sported so many dark green ensembles over the years, but it looks like she's figured out how to keep this shade fresh. Adding a belt keeps the silhouette modern.
Showing Up Meghan at Christmas
OK, we love our duchesses equally, but even we have to admit that Kate's Christmas outfit in 2018 trumped Meghan's. In Meghan's defense, she was pregnant and probably wasn't in the mood to wear something flashy, but we just love Kate's monochromatic burgundy ensemble.
The Return of Corporate Kate
We love corporate Kate! The duchess has recently started wearing pants more often and leaving her famous dresses behind. And we have to say, we absolutely can't get enough of it. Bring on those business pants and blazers, Kate! Any time she looks like she's about to walk into a boardroom, we love it.
Setting Sail
Our dear duchess has definitely worn a lot of nautical-inspired outfits over the years, but never has she fully committed to the look quite like this. The high-waisted pants? The striped sweater? And then she tops it off with a pop of red in her clutch. Perfection!
Breaking the Rules
Not only was Kate wearing a super flowy (and casual, if we might say) dress, she was also sporting some "illegal" footwear here. Queen Elizabeth reportedly isn't a huge fan of clunky wedges, but the Duchess of Cambridge was really just going for it all with this outfit. What the Queen doesn't know won't hurt her, right?
Flowing Goddess
OK, now this just proves that Kate has been amping up her royal wardrobe. Where did this come from, Kate? The contrasting shades of blue and green are sheer perfection, and don't even get us started on Kate's new fascination with flowy dresses. So chic and comfortable at the same time.
Suited Up
So this is definitely reminiscent of a classic Kate Middleton look, but there's still just something about it that makes it seem fresh and new. Maybe it's just Kate herself giving off this new glow! We definitely wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. We also love her fascinator choice, because it's tilted way forward on her head — not a look Kate usually opts for.
Dressing Like a Garden
There's nothing we love more than Kate in florals. The duchess always looks like she should be surrounded by nature when she wears ensembles like this blue and pink gown. As soon as she wore it, we hoped she'd bring it back again. Fortunately, she did in 2020 for an outing with William.
Not Shying Away From Yellow
The Duchess of Cambridge has never shied away from colors that are typically hard for others to pull off. For example, at the Trooping the Colour ceremony, the duchess went for a fresh pastel yellow look. She certainly was the star of the show that year, if we do say so ourselves.
Updated Gowns
Evening wear is probably the hardest thing for Kate to put on the royal credit card (because they do pay for all their own clothes), so she has a habit of re-wearing formal dresses multiple times. But that doesn't mean the duchess can't break out a new one every once in a while. We love the asymmetrical neckline.
Keeping Up With the Times
Wide-leg pants are all the rage right now, and it looks like Kate isn't behind on what's trendy. She's been sporting a lot of non-skinny jeans lately, and these linen pants are just one more piece of evidence that this duchess is seriously amping up her style.
A Vintage Take
We all know Kate loves to wear vintage-inspired outfits and dresses, which would perhaps have some claiming that this makes her wardrobe feel dated. We strongly disagree. Kate can wear vintage looks and still feel modern and fresh through her hairstyle, accessories, and how she carries herself while wearing the outfit.
The Perfect Fall Outfit
Clearly Kate is the teacher on how to create the most perfect autumn outfit, and we're all her students. Who would have ever thought that our Duchess of Cambridge would pair deep plum with moss green wide-leg pants? Her wardrobe sure has gone through an upgrade of late.
A Wimbledon Look
Now this is a tennis outfit if we've ever seen one. Kate definitely followed the "wear white to Wimbledon" rule, and who knew following the rules could look so stylish? We love our dear duchess Meghan Markle, but maybe she should be taking some notes from this fashion queen!
First Day of School Ensemble
Everyone has to look their best on the first day of school, right? Even the parents. This was the look that sparked some pesky pregnancy rumors, because the duchess stepped out in a new flowy dress and a new lighter hair color. Kate looked absolutely stunning.
Shorts!
We know Kate is amping up her wardrobe when she starts wearing shorts. We never thought we'd see the day. This was the first time she wore shorts in public since she joined the royal family in 2011, and now that the ice is broken, we don't think this will be the last time she dons the look.
Pop of Purple
Kate has worn this bright purple dress a couple of times, and it just makes such a splash each time. Purple isn't a color that the duchess often reaches for, especially in such a vivid hue, but the unexpected look is so stunning on her. She literally brightens up the space around her.
Bold Pants
Because black and blue pants go with everything, those tend to be Kate's go-tos. But she mixed things up for a volunteer event with some maroon-colored slacks. She played the rest of the look fairly safe color-palette wise, which really allowed the pants to shine. A bold look, and it paid off.
New Neckline
Kate usually wears extremely modest outfits, but she went with a deeper neckline on this breezy wrap dress. Don't get us wrong, it's still tasteful, but it's fun to see Kate experimenting with her options a bit. Not every dress needs a collar up to her neck. She can modernize things a bit.
'70s Chic
Bow front blouses have made a comeback of late, and Kate embraced the trend in a bold orchid color, no less. She paired the breezy top with some equally breezy pants, giving the whole thing a put-together, but also casual vibe. She looks so '70s here, but also modern at the same time.
If the Shoe Fits...
Not only is this off-the-shoulder gown a pretty daring move from modest Kate, but she went bold with her shoe choice, too. Kate is basically wearing the white diamond version of Dorothy's ruby slippers, and they're stunning. She looks like a modern day Cinderella with these shiny shoes.
Textured Pants
Kate's pants in this outfit have some fun detailing on them. The motorcycle pant style pleating on the knees of the pants is trending. It helps give the outfit some texture without overwhelming the whole look. And it was perfect for the outdoorsy day the Duchess of Cambridge had planned.
Summer Dress
Kate has never met a coatdress she didn't like, but she changed things up with a loose summer dress to watch Prince William play polo. Good thing she did, because she spent most of the match running after Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
We can relate, Kate.
Ombré Outfit
For a trip to Pakistan, Kate wore this gorgeous blue ombré gown. It looks like it was a really comfortable choice for the long plane ride — which her usual tailored coatdresses are probably not. Plus, the color choice was out of this world. We love to see her changing things up like this.
Cozy Turtleneck
The all-black ensemble paired with the bright red jacket is a classic choice, and it's always fun to see Kate switch things up with separates like this turtleneck and what even appears to be leggings! Paired with chic boots, this is a fall/winter look that will never go out of style.
Stylish Hat
Usually when Kate wears something on her head, it's designer millinery or a fascinator of some type. But for a cozy day in Sweden, she went with a full-coverage hat that had a cute little pom-pom on top. It kept her warm and stylish.
Winter hat goals, TBH.
Trying Animal Print
It's rare for Kate to wear such a trendy print as leopard, but she gave the look a try when she visited a children's center. The skirt is from Zara, so it was super affordable and easy for fans to replicate the look as well — although it's since sold out, as most of Kate's clothes do.
Bold Pattern
We're noticing a trend here: Kate tends to opt for more fun patterns when going to events focused on children. She wore this bright blue and teal chevron blouse to the Birmingham Science Museum to check out their "child-sized world" exhibit. Now she just needs to start adding these kinds of prints into her everyday wardrobe to really amp things up.
Literally Glittering
Kate loves a sturdy fabric like wool, but she mixed things up for a Buckingham Palace event with a slinky, glittery, sequin gown. She's literally shining, and she looks so good. We love seeing her try out evening wear every once in a while instead of just seeing her in more practical coatdresses.
Chic Headband
Channeling her inner Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, Kate's been wearing headbands more recently instead of fascinators. It still gives her a fun hairstyle, but it's also a little more trendy. She's really leaning into fashion fads more and more these days.
Pink Power Suit
The Queen reportedly prefers royal women to wear dresses, but the duchess has been integrating pants more into her wardrobe of late. She went all out with this dusty pink pantsuit she wore in early March to meet with frontline workers. It's professional and fashionable at the same time.
Adding a Collar
Another trend the duchess has been a fan of lately is adding a white collar to her dresses. Vogue complimented Kate for the style choice, saying it helped make her outfits pop and look "on the right side of posh." It's even a trend with the TikTok crowd, so that's how we know it's fashionable.
An Oversized Coat
The Duchess of Cambridge often opts for fitted pieces, and we can't blame her. With a body like hers, it's hard not to want to show it off. But oversized styles are trending right now, with many people opting to thrift old coats and blazers. This jacket of Kate's achieves that look perfectly.
Pretty in Pink
This bubblegum pink color looks so good on Kate, and we love how she used it here. Instead of going with a really feminine item like a dress or a skirt, she wore the color in a strong jacket and matching sweater and paired the pieces with a belt and flowy pants. She's mixing a more masculine silhouette with a feminine hue.
Copying a Celeb
Nearly three years before Kate wore this stunning green dress in Ireland, the gown made an appearance in Hollywood. Handmaid's Tale star Elisabeth Moss wore the same dress to the 2017 Television Critics Association Awards. The fact that Kate brought it back shows she may be paying attention to what the A-listers are wearing. Perhaps she's interested in stepping up her own fashion game to match.
Showing Some Cleavage
Usually the duchess keeps things pretty buttoned up — literally. But she went with a more daring neckline for the BAFTAs in early 2020. Hey, if she can't show some skin at a fancy red carpet event, when can she? She looks absolutely gorgeous here, and we love to see her turning protocol on its head.
