Kate Middleton doesn't have an unlimited style budget, even though she goes to a ton of royal events all the time. It's just not financially feasible to keep buying that many brand new clothing items. After all, the British taxpayers shell out for her working wardrobe. That's why she rewears a lot of her favorite dresses, suits, and coats to multiple events. She's gotta get her money's worth! But in addition to recycling full outfits, the Princess of Wales has also developed a system of style staples that she can rely on no matter the time of year, weather, or royal occasion.
From her go-to jeans brand to her favorite add-on accessories, here are the 20 style items that Kate always has in her closet. Everything else she wears is just a bonus on top of a carefully-laid fashion foundation.
Skinny Pants
Kate doesn't wear pants that often, but she's been changing up her style game of late. Occasionally, she'll wear wide-leg trousers, but Kate's usual go-to is a pair of skinny jeans. J Brand is her preferred choice, but she's also donned colorful Zara and Gap skinny pants over the years.
Coatdresses
Royal fashion protocol suggests that women should not remove their coats in public — hence the prevalence of the coatdress. Kate often combines formal attire, style, and warmth into one with her woolen coatdresses. She has several favorite designers for these looks, but one that stands out is Catherine Walker, who also frequently created outfits for Princess Diana.
Wrap Dresses
On days when Kate wants to look chic and dressed up — but doesn't want to sweat to death in a wool coatdress — she can go with a trusty wrap dress. She has these in so many patterns from an array of designers, and they always perfectly accentuate her trim figure. She recently wore one in her 10th wedding anniversary photos.
Sharp Blazers
Sometimes an occasion doesn't call for a formal coatdress, but Kate still needs to look sharp. That's where her blazer collection comes in. She usually pairs them with a dress or her favorite skinny jeans and a chic blouse for a put-together, business-y look. Although Kate doesn't have any one set brand she loves for blazers, she tends to gravitate toward Smythe, which actually named one of its styles after Kate — the Duchess Blazer.
Nude Pumps
No matter what event she's going to (even if she'll be running and jumping around), Kate usually wears heels. And while she does often match the color of her shoes to her outfit, she also frequently opts for nude pumps — those go with everything. Her favorite brand for heels tends to be L.K. Bennett, which is also one of her fashion go-tos for bags, dresses, and coats.
Warm-Weather Wedges
If Kate is feeling a little edgy, she may opt for a pair of wedges instead of her traditional heels. She's been spotted in the shoe style while on tour in Australia (pictured here), at a polo match, and just generally while enjoying summery weather.
Breton Shirts
On more casual occasions (like picnics while watching William play polo), Kate will opt for a Breton shirt. The style ensures she's still well covered up and modest, per protocol rules. She loves the traditional Breton shirt style perhaps because it gives off a nautical vibe, and she loves the water.
Superga Sneakers
What's a casual outfit without a casual shoe? When she's not wearing her signature nude pumps or a wedge heel, Kate keeps things low-key in her favorite Superga sneakers. She's been wearing the brand for a while, and they're a really thrifty choice. You can pick up your own pair for just $65.
Black Boots
When it gets chilly out, and pumps or wedges just won't cut it, Kate has her trusty knee-high black boots. These ensure that she can still wear skirts and dresses without her legs getting too cold, and they look chic enough for most events. Her go-to boot brands are Stuart Weitzman, Aquatalia, and Ralph Lauren.
Black Tights
Where would Kate be in the wintertime without her trusty black tights? She can pair them with her knee-high boots or her pumps, and they give her enough protection from the elements that she can still wear all her chic dresses. Plus, they help her stick to the royal protocol that the women in the family wear pantyhose.
Barbour Jackets
When Kate is going to an outdoor event and needs a little extra warmth, she usually opts for a Barbour brand jacket. The company has branched out from its traditional waxed jackets into ton of different styles, all of which keep you so cozy. Kate's worn them on several occasions, like when she filmed this outdoor PSA about Children's Mental Health Week.
Tartan Scarves
For even more warmth, Kate will sometimes add a woolen scarf to her outfit. When she does, she tends to go for a tartan or plaid pattern — especially if she's visiting Scotland, where tartans have special significance. Kate has several different colors in her closet — we've seen red tartan, yellow, green, and more.
Fur Hat
Nearly everyone in Kate's family has one of these alpaca fur hats for chilly weather. Sister Pippa Middleton and their mother, Carole, have also been spotted in the headwear. You can pick up your own for about $300. And rest assured that alpaca fur can be harvested without harming the animal, so it's considered ethical.
Fascinators
People in the UK consider hats essential items for formal gatherings, so Kate wears a lot of them. For some occasions, she opts for fascinators, which are smaller than hats and are easy to mix and match with her outfits. Sometimes, by simply swapping out a fascinator, she can make one of her recycled looks seem totally new.
Padded Headbands
When she doesn't want to wear a fascinator, Kate often opts for a padded headband. They keep her hair out of her eyes, add some detail to her outfit, and technically count as a headpiece for formal occasions. (Just ask Princess Beatrice — she wore a headband to Meghan Markle's wedding.)
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Clutches
Princess Diana was always a big fan of carrying clutch purses because she could use them to shield her cleavage from prying cameras when she got in and out of cars. Kate also loves a small clutch so she can avoid having to shake people's hands during her many royal outings. Plus, the bags just make a whole outfit come together.
Cornelia James Gloves
When Kate does a lot of hand-shaking with the public, she better hope she's wearing her Cornelia James gloves. Kate owns these in several styles, and she's in good company. Princess Anne and Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice use the same brand. Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana favored them, too.
Ray-Ban Sunglasses
For sunny days, Kate likes to keep it chic and classic in her Ray-Bans. She owns several pairs of shades from the brand, mostly in black or brown to complement her brunette hair. Wearing an everyday brand of sunglasses is very Kate. She could wear designer — like Gucci or something — but she keeps it low-key with her pretty affordable pairs.
Belts
Although Kate doesn't necessarily have a go-to brand for belts, she wears belts quite often. Not only do belts add detail and give definition to her waist, but adding one to an old outfit can make it look brand new again. It's one of Kate's many style hacks for recycling clothing — just throw on a belt.
Dangly Earrings
Kate has quite an array of jewelry at her disposal, from gems passed down from Princess Diana to the royal tiaras for special occasions. But though she does wear necklaces and bracelets on occasion, Kate is rarely seen without earrings. She tends to go for dangly gems that complement the color of her outfit. She even has sapphire ones to match her engagement ring.
