17 Times Kate Middleton Took a Fashion Risk

Listen, Meghan Markle might be able to hold her own when it comes to royal fashion, but we're fairly certain that no one does it quite like Kate Middleton. Why? Because she's not afraid to take risks!

Ever since she stepped into her role as the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate has shown us what it truly means to be royally fashionable. Being a royal may be about tradition, but it's also about being bold and taking risks. Kate applies this daring attitude in all aspects of her life — including fashion. Don't believe us? We'll prove it.

It's not all about gowns and crowns for this duchess — sometimes it's about a fun hat or a wild pattern. We all know Kate loves florals, but there are so many cuts and shapes of the dresses she wears that we can't even count them all. Her style is so fun and varied that we think it's about time that our duchess starts her own fashion line. (We're honestly surprised she hasn't yet.)

We know that husband Prince William would agree too. Birds of a feather usually flock together, and he himself is a pretty dapper dresser. Fashion just comes naturally to the royal family — things that normally wouldn't work do, and outfits that no one would normally think of work. We guarantee, though, it has nothing to do with the crown. Kate is just a naturally gifted fashionista!

Going for Gold

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It's bold to go gold! The boring thing about modern-day fashion is that everything seems to be toned down — colors just don't pop anymore. That's why we're glad Kate isn't afraid to be true royalty and wear a ballgown. Given how fab this one is, we're not surprised she's opted to wear it more than once.

Walking Art

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Now there's something eye-catching! Kate has never been afraid to see fashion for what it is: art. It takes a lot of moxie to wear something with this much pattern and color, knowing that people would definitely have their opinions about it — plus, look at those platform heels. We see you, Kate!

Sequin Queen

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We can't get enough of this dress. Most of the time, royalty = sparkly things. However, it's not often that we see a royal wearing anything fully covered in sequins. Kate's ready for all kinds of red carpets with this gorgeous green look. It really is an amazing color on her. Then again, what color doesn't look fab on the Duchess of Cambridge?

Blooming Smile

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Kate's happiness is simply contagious. It's no secret that she looks amazing in florals — this dress just happens to feature a mix of them all the way down, making it different from a lot of the other pieces in her closet. We're loving how this gown is layered. (It's almost like a cake!)

Sky Aesthetic

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We love all the colors of the sky — including the ones on Kate's dress. The simple light-to-dark blue fade does wonders for this look. We wish we saw more color fades like this one. Gown designers, make this a trend! And how chic are the pants she paired with the dress? She wore this look in Pakistan, and she was totally on point.

Miss Matched

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Green and purple? Who would have guessed Kate would be able to pull off this combo? Well, we did — plus, we love seeing a royal in pants. It's got that pseudo high-waisted thing we love (whatever happened to the high-waisted trend anyway?), and those chunky heels really set off the whole look.

Pretty Pattern

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The RHS Chelsea Flower Show would have been nothing without the appearance of Kate and William. She looks as pretty as any flower — and just as colorful! She's able to rock almost any pattern. And we love William's simple, understated look here. His tie complements Kate's dress perfectly.

Mum Mom

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We're gonna keep it real: Kate looks like a sexy mime here. Don't read us wrong, though — we're currently stealing her look as we speak. Here's to the Duchess of Cambridge for serving us some Paris realness! Between the striped shirt, those buttons on the high-waisted pants, and the bright red clutch? Yup, we're dreaming in French.

Suave Silk

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Is that a silk dress we see? It certainly is! Not only that, but the ruffles create a fun texture that only the Duchess of Cambridge could pull off. If we made it into a drinking game and took a shot every time Kate wore a floral pattern, we'd be wasted already!

Plaid Perfection

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Most people aren't rocking red and green plaid anymore — the Scottish kilt just isn't a look people are trying to re-create. However, Kate did an amazing job with this long skirt. It's modern, fun, and holiday-themed! The boots and sweet cardigan really made the whole look for her.

Zig Zag

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Who said gray had to be a boring color? Kate sure knows how to spice up an outfit! This fun pattern is enough to add flair to any outfit. Even dressing in gray can be enough to create a sunny day. Plus, how can anyone go wrong with a bold fascinator like the one Kate is wearing?

Mrs. Claus

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Ho ho ho, Merry Katemas! Most people usually just go with a boring sweater dress for the holiday season. Not to knock sweater dresses or anything, but Kate is definitely trying to bring more color (and pattern) to the party! We are loving that nosegay too. Florals belong in real life, not just on patterned dresses.

Flower Girl

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We're getting all kinds of spring vibes with this one. Winter can be a long slog of nearly endless gray days, so let's follow Kate's lead and break out an outfit featuring decorative flowers to liven up the season. It's not clear when we'll see her in short sleeves. We'll have to consult the London weather.

Lady in Red

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Red has always been Kate's color, and the cut of that dress perfectly accentuates this fact. This is one wild pattern on such an elegant outfit — but all the twists and turns of it wind up balancing each other out. Plus, her solid red clutch and pumps really set off the pattern. It totally works!

Retro Vibes

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We're feeling the puffy sleeves, and that geometric-print skirt has us thinking about The Brady Bunch! We can even hear it when we look at this photo of Kate — Here's the story of a lovely lady … who was bringing up three lovely little royals! Is this reference lost on y'all? Man, we're getting old.

Gone Wild

During an outing in Notting Hill in early 2022, Kate pulled a pattern from her style book that doesn't come out to play too often: animal print. As usual, she totally nailed it, but then again, it's hard to find an outfit — no matter how wild — that Kate doesn't kill it in.

A Menswear Moment

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Rather than going fully girly, Kate chose to wear her take on a menswear look. For her, that meant a bold-colored coat and some wide-leg pants, even though she typically goes for a skinnier cut. It was out of the norm, but it still worked on her.