Tucked into Kate Middleton's increasingly fabulous wardrobe — ya know, the one with all those show-stopping glittery gowns, bespoke haute couture dresses, and a growing number of stylish wide-leg trousers? — are some seriously stunning suits. Suits that we may not be able to afford on our decidedly non-regal budget, but can emulate with a little ingenuity and a few taps on our computers.
It's no surprise that the Duchess of Cambridge turns to suits when she's at some of her official events. After all, next to pulling on a dress, what could be easier, more appropriate, and more comfortable than a nice suit that lets her bend, twist, and even hide whatever minuscule amount of belly fat or bloating she may have that day?
Nothing.
Here's the great thing about how Kate Middleton wears suits. She apparently does it solely for the sake of having a little variety in her public style from time to time.
Kate doesn't appear to use them strategically to, say, let everyone know that she's in charge, or that she came to a particular meeting to throw her weight around and get everyone to fall in line — or to seem taller and more imposing than people around her. (She stands at a way-above-average height of 5 feet 9 inches, so that's imposing enough!)
Nope, that's not how Kate seems to operate. She's a duchess. She'll one day be the Princess of Wales, and eventually, she'll be Queen. She doesn't need a power suit to declare that. She just wants to look professional in as many different ways as possible, including by wearing a suit, usually with a skirt.
Like many other aspects of her wardrobe, her suit looks have evolved. When Kate first came on the royal scene, they tended to be short, and worn with cute boots. She eventually started collecting some seriously sophisticated matching separates, made by everyone from Chanel, to Alexander McQueen, Oscar de la Renta, and Rebecca Taylor.
With such a lineup of boldface fashion names, ya might be tempted to think that getting Kate's best suit looks is not going to happen, that it's just woefully out of reach. But we're here to show everyone that it's possible, and that we've done it, using some extensive research and a little imagination. Here are 10 of Kate's best suit looks and how to get them for less money than she'd likely spend on a blouse.
Psst: If you choose to purchase an item from this post, CafeMom may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
Blush
As senior members of the royal family fled London for their country castles and estates following Prince Charles' diagnosis, Kate and William made a surprise visit to the London Ambulance Service 111 control room, which was managing emergency calls, on March 19. It was a double surprise (at least to us), because pants! Kate has been incorporating pants into her public outings for just over a year now, and we say it's about dang time. She looked amazing rocking this $280 dusty rose suit by British fashion staple Marks & Spencer.
Blush for Less
This blazer and trousers are similar to Kate's outfit, down to the front seam on the cropped pants and the relaxed blazer. It may not be the same color, but like Kate's, this comes in an unusual and striking terracotta blush shade (and the pants have pockets!). The overall look is elegant and very, very now. Another difference: this blazer has a single button, compared to Kate's double breasted one.
ASOS Design Mix and Match Tailored Suit Blazer and Pants ($88, ASOS)
Black Tweed Suit
Though she wore short skirts a lot more often in the past, Kate still goes with a thigh-grazing look from time to time nowadays — especially when it's part of a suit and paired with dark stockings, as it was when she visited a children's hospital in January. This Dolce & Gabbana bouclé tweed suit toes the line between conservative (double breasted jacket) and flirty circle skirt. They combine to make a chic suit.
Black Tweed Suit for Less
With streamlined tailoring and modern gold buttons, this matching blazer and short pencil skirt combo screams that whoever's wearing it is a professional, but didn't check style at the office door. But an outfit this elegant — without the fussiness that often makes tweed pieces so boring — doesn't have to stay in the boardroom. We'd throw on a bold and banging statement necklace and wear it to a wedding.
Missguided Tweed Blazer ($64, ASOS)
Missguided Tweed Skirt ($40, ASOS)
Purple Suit
Was Kate imitating the Queen's strategy for dressing here? The strategy where she wears something really bright so everyone who came out to see the Queen will see her, even if it's a little glimpse? We wouldn't be surprised, but whatever her reason, we're sure mouths gaped open when she stepped out of her car after arriving for a visit to a hospice in November 2019. This fuchsia Oscar de la Renta is a stunner and manages to look regal (the peplum cut of the jacket, the full skirt, the royal color) and so modern at the same time.
Purple Suit for Less
Surprise! It's a pantsuit! We lifted the most striking aspect of Kate's suit — the wow-factor color that put all eyes squarely on her — and looked for its equal somewhere else. Mango's fuchsia comes really close. It's just a beautiful and unexpected choice, as is the cut of the suit. We particularly love how the cropped palazzo pants emulate Kate's full skirt. This look is all about movement, comfort and elegance.
Love.
Mango Structured Blazer Without Lapels ($100, Mango)
Mango Palazzo Pants ($60, Mango)
Multicolored Suit
Kate's $10,000 Chanel suit is exquisite. There's just no other word for it. The bell sleeves are a beautiful touch, and the box pleats give the skirt movement but protection. Although the suit appears to be mostly grayish-black, on closer inspection, it's clear that an entire rainbow of colors was used to make the harmonious whole. As far as suits go, this tweed one is close to perfect.
Multicolor Suit Look for Less
Look, getting a $10,000 Chanel tweed suit lookalike for cheap is just not going to happen (m'kay?), but that doesn't mean we can't score the overall vibe. We just gotta get creative. This tweed blazer dress is obviously not dark, like Kate's outfit. But its shape is exactly right (it's a blazer after all!): Fitted up top, with an A-line skirt and three-quarter sleeves with a bit of a flare.
Shein Notch Collar Double Breasted Raw Hem Tweed Blazer Dress ($23, Shein)
Navy Suit
Wow, wow, wow. Kate wore this custom Alexander McQueen navy suit to a military medical facility in February. Military uniform-inspired women's wear has been around since there have been armies, and we love this one for its streamlined structuring that's so typical of McQueen tailoring, its unexpectedly high collar, lines of shiny buttons reminiscent of a military jacket, and luxuriously long pleated trumpet skirt.
Kate looks like a stylish general.
Navy Suit for Less
Navy blue is such a classic, and it is brought out beautifully in this suit. The jacket's covered buttons and pleated bottom gives it a structured, formal look like Kate's, but the open neckline allows for a bit more skin. While Kate's long trumpet skirt is lovely, this length of this one, hitting just under the knee, is more wearable throughout the year.
Marycrafts Formal Jacket and Skirt Suit ($50, Amazon)
Red Suit
Red is Kate's color, and judging from this picture — and the fact that she's worn the bright hue many times throughout the years — we think she definitely knows it. She also loves peplum jackets, which give her narrow hips a little help in creating a shapely silhouette. This eye-catching Luisa Spagnoli suit is one of her favorites to rewear for a reason. It's simple and pretty, with black belt and buttons as the only embellishments.
Red Suit Look for Less
Sorry, Kate, but while we're keeping the peplum and the pencil skirt, we're choosing a way sleeker look — switching out the black buttons a more modern covered zipper, going with sexier three-quarter sleeves and skinny belt, and a ditching the curvy jacket hemline for a sharpish one. Oh, and it's actually a dress, so we get the suit look in one practical piece.
Homeyee 3/4 Sleeve Dress with Belt, ($33, Amazon)
Powder Blue Suit
Kate dropped into the Netherlands for one day on her first ever solo trip abroad, and stunned in this lovely powder blue number from longtime royal favorite designer Catherine Walker, once again featuring Kate's go-to suit jacket style of peplum — plus a rounded collar and fabric-covered buttons and belt. Combined with the elegant low bun and neutral shoes and clutch, it was an elegant, grown-up business formal look for the duchess.
Powder Blue Suit for Less
We fly off on business trips, too, of course. But we don't do it in a private jet, and we don't do it in a skirt suit that can't stand up to four hours of air travel. Also, we don't have to dress as conservatively as a future queen. We need something appropriate that says we mean business, but stylish and versatile enough to wear when we're off the clock. Enter Mango once again, slaying the game right now with chic suits like this baby blue one that doesn't age us by 20 years. Just wear it with closed-toe pumps at work.
Mango Crepe Blazer ($80, Mango)
Mango Straight Cut Crop Trousers ($50, Mango)
Blue Tweed Suit
Sapphire blue is Kate's signature color, the one she wears more than any other. So it's no wonder she has several tweed suits in the gorgeous shade that matches her iconic engagement ring. This one, which she wore to visit a Ronald McDonald House at a children's hospital, is by Rebecca Taylor. It has decorative fraying along the hems and sleeves, which make the look a touch more playful, while still being formal enough for a meeting.
Blue Tweed Suit for Less
Colorful tweed suits have been an haute couture staple since Coco Chanel invented them in 1925. Along the way, they became shorthand for old rich lady. But unless they're worn straight up with a string of pearls and brown thick-heeled pumps, they need not be boring and old. Sex these up with some chunky jewelry and combat boots.
Why not?
Yieelacoo Dark Blue Tweed Jacket and Skirt ($67, AliExpress)
Plaid Suit
Kate wore this lovely classic plaid suit by Michael Kors to a World War I memorial. It's a great autumn or winter look that she smartly layered with a turtleneck, boots, and gloves to stay warm but still incredibly stylish. The overall vibe is very 1930s or 1940s old Hollywood, or in her case, old country estate. It feels like she's dressed up, even without major jewelry.
Plaid Suit for Less
This suit, complete with short fitted jacket and full skirt, captures the old-school romance of Kate's outfit, and its plaid pattern is just as subdued, rather than in our faces. And yet, this feels fresh and modern at the same time, probably because of the color. This is what we call being well-dressed. At a time when we tend to use way less fabric, it's a refreshing change.
Liebe Mode-Kenan Blue Plaid Jacket with Midi Skirt ($41, AliExpress)
