Plaid always makes us think of fashion across the pond, perhaps because the royal family loves wearing it so much. Generally, plaid isn't even the right name for some of the patterns, since what the royals often wear is actually tartan, which has roots in Scotland. Each specific tartan pattern is connected to an ancient Scottish family. But the style has become more saturated over the years, and now it's everywhere — especially in Kate Middleton's closet.
We already know that the Duchess of Cambridge can rock a skirt suit, a blazer, a maxi dress, and … basically, everything. But when all those different styles have plaid thrown into the mix, it's a whole other ball game. Kate could make any tartan color combo look great in any style — and she has. Here are 25 of her best plaid moments to date.
Throwback Kate
It's pretty rare to see Kate in casual clothes like these. We have no idea what's in that giant overnight bag, but we are 100% sure that we want that plaid jacket and brown riding boots. This outfit may be from long ago, but it still looks great today. And even when she's casual, Kate's perfectly pulled together.
Play Ball
Kate is an inspiration to us all. Who says it's impossible to play sports in a dress? Not her! Whether it's golfing or table tennis, the duchess is able to impress both sports fans and fashionistas alike by bringing her sense of style and her game face at the same time. We're loving this white and gray large check combo so much.
Business Regal
We've all heard of business casual, but Kate's invented a whole new genre of professional wear — business regal. She's wearing the pattern known as the Prince of Wales check — and her father-in-law is the Prince of Wales, so it's fitting. Those burgundy pants with the crisp white top also show off her jacket perfectly.
Green Grandeur
What we wouldn't give for an inexpensive version of Kate's green tartan dresses. Green and blue is an unlikely color combo, but this is traditional Black Watch tartan, also known as a hunting tartan. The Duchess of Cambridge's soft green scarf is the perfect accent piece, along with her signature drop earrings.
Snow Queen
Hot take: Elsa would definitely need to step down as the snow queen if Kate was a candidate for the throne. The duchess of winter and plaid is here! Did she plan that perfect soft snowfall too? It makes her red plaid skirt look even more Christmas-y. If the weather took orders from anyone, it would be from the Duchess of Cambridge.
Coordinating Elegance
Look at how lovely this outfit's complementary colors are. Red-sewn tweed plaid, but with a beautiful belt that matches the shoes. And can we talk about the coordinating clutch? Consider us jealous. Kate always knows exactly how to match her accessories to her outfit without totally going coordination overboard.
Merry Christmas
'Tis the season for plaid! It was actually Christmas when the duchess wore this tartan outfit to holiday Mass. We love the choice of the classic red and green plaid, paired with a black fur (faux, we hope!) hat, black gloves, and black leggings or tights. Kate was really ready for the holiday in this outfit. It's so on theme.
Basic Gray
This gray checkered coat is a look for all occasions. Depending on how it's dressed up or down, the Prince of Wales check pattern can easily stun any crowd. Kate chose to wear it to an engagement where she met a bunch of fans, and they were probably very impressed with her style. We're loving the cinched belt at her waist too — a signature look for the Duchess of Cambridge!
Shoe Envy
Thanks to our image-enhancing technology, we're able to see that Kate is crazy for plaid — from head to toe. Literally! Although the duchess does love a nude heel or a basic black shoe, we love that she switched it up from her usual solid-colored pumps to these plaid beauties for a change. They're elegant and interesting.
Bubblegum Plaid
Did you catch the notes of pale pink hidden in this navy jacket? Kate was dishing out some seriously sweet vibes with this color combo. And of course she looks perfect with that chic ponytail, a pair of heels, and one of her many, many coordinating clutches. We just adore this tweed coatdress. She should bring it back out of her closet some time.
Sweetest Scarf
This has got to be one of Kate's favorite plaid scarves. Thanks to its array of fall-inspired colors, it's an accessory that could go with pretty much any cold-weather outfit. Yellow, red, brown, beige — any color of the season. We love that she set it off with a bright red coat, though — it's definitely the duchess' shade.
Buttoned Beauty
We can't tell if it's just that Kate's outfits are always on point, or if her smile just makes every look fantastic. Probably both. No wait, it's got to be the impossibly perfect hair. OK fine, she's just the total package! And this blue-toned plaid coatdress pushes the whole look over the top into perfection land.
Royally Casual
It's not totally unheard of for Kate to be rocking jeans, but the occasions are pretty few and far between. Seeing her in both denim and a red plaid shirt makes us feel like she's really just one of us! (And she really is.) The duchess wore this chic outfit when she was photographed for Vogue. Just stunning.
Picnic Ready
No shade to Kate, but this woven red-and-white pattern gets us in the mood for a spring picnic. Yes, we know it's almost winter, but still. Those black accessories as accents are totally perfect, too. They match the buttons on the coatdress while also standing out as a pop of color on their own. We know Kate adores a good black pump.
Floral Wave
How is it that Kate makes gray look so colorful? Her charming demeanor and radiant smile must have something to do with it! The pop of pink with her floral bouquet is also making us love this cool gray ensemble. The wrap dress doesn't have a super distinct plaid pattern, but it definitely falls into that check-style realm.
Red-Trimmed
Now this is an outfit that really pops! Nothing like a little bit of vivacious red piping to help offset the textured black and white checkered pattern of an outfit. This look could go either way too in terms of event. Kate could be on her way to another professional royal engagement, or just to a parent-teacher meeting at George and Charlotte's school. Classic and casual at the same time.
Checked Out
Check her out! Kate is all decked out and checked out in this checkered-plaid dress. Black and white outfits are always dependable. They go with everything and look timeless. The only question we have is, why is the duchess looking so totally down when she looks so good? We'll probably never know the truth …
Formally Royal
Nothing says "royal duchess" like an elaborate, fancy hat. And Kate's gray millinery goes perfectly with her silvery Prince of Wales check coatdress. It shows just the right amount of class a duchess should have. We can't help but wonder what she's thinking with that smile, though. It looks like she's up to something.
Day Out
With one foot in front of the other, Kate seemingly goes about her days just like all of us. Except, of course, she does it with way more style — and much better clothes. What we'd give to raid her closet even one time! We love this tweed plaid skirt and blazer set. It feels classy but also a little whimsical. Probably thanks to the fun flare of the skirt, or maybe because it's Chanel.
Hidden Style
We see that plaid, Kate. She may be wearing the checkered pattern under her blue sweater, but there's no hiding style from us. Blue is definitely one of the duchess' signature colors. So that, combined with the little pop of black and white plaid peeking out at the collar, just makes this outfit so chic and stylish.
Cozy for Christmas
While doing some of her pre-holiday royal work at the end of 2020, Kate opted to wear a long red coat that she accessorized with a red and black plaid scarf. The black in the checkered pattern highlighted her matching gloves, purse, and boots, because when is the duchess ever not totally coordinated? We love everything about this look.
Royal in Red
We've seen the Duchess of Cambridge in a red tartan skirt before, but she took the pattern to a whole new level with this allover printed dress. Since she was just in the comfort of her own home, she didn't need any matching accessories like a bag, but she did pair the outfit with a pop of white at the collar and sleeve cuffs.
Oversized Coat
The duchess seemed to lean into the oversized vintage coat trend that's all over TikTok with this checkered jacket. She paired the garment with a basic blue sweater and a pair of black pants to really allow the coat its chance to shine. It's rare to see Kate in an unbuttoned overcoat, but she's nailed the style as usual.
Cool Colors
Although Kate can rock a reddish-yellow plaid any day and she shines in gray, white, or black, we kind of love how she went with the cool color spectrum for this coat. The plaid pattern is comprised of lines of blue, purple, and green, and the whole thing is very soothing to look at. Good thing the duchess looks great in cool or warm tones. She can't do any wrong!
Easy, Breezy
Kate wore this gray plaid maxi dress to an engagement at the University College London in October 2021. And she certainly looked smart! We love the choice of the gunmetal-colored heels to tie in with the checkered pattern on the dress. And the dress details themselves are also great — from the puffed sleeves to the bow-tie front.
