In many places across the country, winter is really only just beginning. The cold months can last until April in many states, which means we all need some good winter fashion inspiration — this time courtesy of Kate Middleton's impeccable style. The Princess of Wales is great at dressing for any season (and she has a stylist who definitely deserves some of the credit), but Kate really shines during the colder months.
She's one who loves a coatdress year-round, so she must be stoked when winter comes and she can basically wear a coat every day. But she doesn't just throw on a jacket and call it a day. Kate's winter fashion is a mix of chic coats, dresses, skirts, hats, and boots, and she always keeps us guessing with what look she's going to put together next.
We've rounded up some of her best cold weather outfits of all time, and just looking at them makes us feel instantly cozy.
Stylish Sweater Dress
Remember in 2011 when sweater dresses were all the rage? So does Kate, who donned one for one of her first winter events as an official royal. She paired the olive number with black tights, boots, and a big black belt — also very trendy back then. Although this outfit is a bit dated, she still looks so chic. And it just goes to show that Kate's winter style has been on point for years.
Christmas Cutie
We always look forward to seeing what the Princess of Wales will wear for Christmas Mass, and she didn't disappoint in 2013. Her Alexander McQueen tartan coatdress was actually a repeat wear — having first been seen on Kate in 2012. She dressed it up for the formal occasion with black heeled boots and a chic green hat.
Winter Wonder
Kate looked like a character right out of Frozen in this glittery pale blue dress. It's a Jenny Packham design, one of Kate's go-to designers for formal events. If they ever need a live-action Elsa for a movie, might we recommend they put her in this gown? It's as winter princess as one can get.
Pretty in Pink
For a December trip to New York, Kate bucked the typical New Yorker trend of wearing all black in the wintertime (and all the time). She brightened up the rainy, gray day with a vibrant pink coatdress. The Mulberry design retailed for about $2,600 at the time, because it's not always cheap to stand out.
Giving the Cold Shoulder
This off-the-shoulder dress that Kate wore to an event in December 2014 gives a whole new meaning to the term "cold shoulder." She might have literally been a bit chilly, but her event was inside, so she just had to brave the cold weather from the car to the front door. She looks so pretty in this formal dress that we don't blame her for not wanting to cover it up with a coat.
Cozy Turtleneck
We know that Kate is thrifty when it comes to her wardrobe, often rewearing the same pieces in different ways. One easy way she can make any of her outfits winter appropriate is by adding a turtleneck. She'd previously worn this red skirt suit without the turtleneck in 2012, but we almost prefer it with the extra layer. She looks so cozy!
Fit To Be Queen
Every once in a while, we get to see Kate don a tiara for a formal event. On this occasion in December 2016, she paired her crown with a regal red gown, giving off extreme Christmas vibes. The headpiece she wore that night was one of Princess Diana's personal favorites, called the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara.
Visiting Sweden
A few years ago, Kate and Prince William traveled to Sweden in the frigid month of January to meet with Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. To stay warm for the occasion, the Princess of Wales wore a green coatdress trimmed in a faux fur collar and sleeves. She matched that with a black hat, gloves, and boots. January in Sweden tends to hover around temperatures of 26 to 33 degrees, so all that warmth was very necessary.
Dressed To Play
On the same trip to Sweden, Kate checked out the winter sport of bandy, which is a lot like hockey. She even hit the rink herself, dressed in a warm black jacket, scarf, and cute pom-pom hat. And although we can't see it here, she's also wearing a traditional Swedish sweater, because the princess loves picking local fashions to wear on her various travels.
Casual Christmas
Kate does casual just as well as she does formal, as evidenced by this fun Christmassy combo. Ahead of the holiday season, she took part in an event where families picked out trees, and she came dressed for the occasion. She wore a green sweater and a red puffer coat, which kept her warm and also perfectly on theme.
Staying Warm & Chic
Kate doesn't just throw on a coat to stay warm in the winter months. She throws on an outfit. In this case, a woolen miniskirt, tights, and a turtleneck topped off with a light blue mohair coat. It's just enough statement pieces (the skirt, the coat) mixed with basics to keep this look grounded while also being so chic.
All Navy Everything
It's rare for Kate to dress completely in one color. Usually she breaks up a monochromatic look with a bright bag or a pair of shoes. But in this instance, everything, and we do mean everything, she wore was navy — from the hat and coat to the gloves and tights. She was really going for a theme here.
Wearing White After Labor Day
As the fashion saying goes, people aren't supposed to wear white after Labor Day. But the princess wore this statement white dress to a November movie premiere, a full two months after Labor Day. She gets a couple of passes because one, the UK doesn't celebrate Labor Day in September, and two, she looks flawless.
Snowy Day
Technically, the snow in this photo is fake snow for a holiday party at Kensington Palace, but it still sets the scene so well for this outfit. The red tartan skirt was the perfect choice for a Christmas event, and the button top stands out while also letting the skirt be the real statement piece.
Christmas Red
Kate committed to this all-red look for Christmas in 2018. Her stylish coat has velvet accents on the pockets, collar, cuffs, and buttons. That paired nicely with her red "hatband," a variation of both a headband and a hat that Kate was really into for a while — and for good reason, because the style looked great on her.
Caped Coat
A trip to Ireland in February 2020 called for a cozy coat, and Kate picked one with some serious style vibes. The blue coat would have already stood out thanks to its color, but what really makes the look sing is the capelet giving her shoulders some extra warmth — and style. Staying cozy while being chic? We love it.
Burning Up
If Kate's fuzzy, fur-trimmed Catherine Walker coat looked warm for Christmas 2019, that's because it was. Reportedly, the princess told one of the fans outside the church that she regretted her outfit choice, because it was a little too warm. "Kate was talking about clothes and how she was feeling too hot. She said, 'I really shouldn't have worn this,'" the observer claimed.
Trendy Leopard Print
In early 2020, Kate hopped on a big fashion trend — leopard print. She wore a long, pleated, printed skirt with a black turtleneck and boots. The skirt is one example of how her fashion sense has evolved over time, becoming a little less stuffy and more trendy as the years have passed.
'Tis the Season
The Princess of Wales is great at dressing for the season. As Christmas nears, her wardrobe adds more green or red pieces, like this chic red coat and tartan scarf for a December event. She's basically the human version of an advent calendar as her fashion paves the way for the holidays ahead.
Outfit Repeat
During a year that was truly like no other, Kate still pulled out all the stops when it came to her winter fashion. She previously wore this Catherine Walker coat on a tour of Ireland. But when she wore it again here in 2020, she did update the piece a little, with a fur collar to keep her extra warm as she thanked frontline workers with the rest of the royal family.
Leaning Into Trends
In January 2022, Kate started the year with a rather trendy move — at least, for this lady who typically sticks to the more timeless pieces. She wore wide-leg pants with a blue coat (and yes, this has always been her color). She looked fab!
Radiant in Red
Speaking of Kate's holiday style, she didn't let royal watchers down in December 2021, either. She wore this red Catherine Walker dress as she hosted the royal Christmas concert that year, complete with a bow that basically made her look like a human present in the most stylish way possible.
Coat Queen
We've long known that Kate is queen of the coat, and this outfit is a perfect example of why. During a visit to Copenhagen in February 2022, Kate once again wore a Catherine Walker coat that was practically an outfit in itself.
