Kate Middletonhas a new style motto: Eat, sleep, pantsuit, repeat!
“I think it marks a new era in her royal life,” Bethan Holt, fashion director at theDaily Telegraphtells PEOPLE. “It shows her confidence is growing and that she’s willing to take more risks and do something that might not have come naturally to her.”
Kate Middleton in Marseille, France on September 9, 2023.Getty
Getty
While Princess Kate’s love of a fit and flare dress and beige heels was once her go-to fashion formula, in recent months, she has been more daring in her fashion choices and many of her smart outfits now include pants. In fact, out of eight days of engagements in September so far, Kate opted for a pantsuit on five occasions and a combination of pants and a blazer two times.
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Kate Middleton wearing a beige Roland Mouret pantsuit at Streets of Growth on September 19, 2023.Peter Nicholls - WPA Pool/Getty
Peter Nicholls - WPA Pool/Getty
Whether it’s a suit or separates, there is a definite trend emerging when it comes to her work uniform.
“She’s transforming before our eyes. She might not be able to say to us, ‘Look, my life is now completely different, me and my husband are one step closer to the biggest job of his life,’ but she is saying that through her fashion choices,” says Holt, who authoredThe Duchess of Cambridge, A Decade of Modern Royal Style.
Kate Middleton at the Orchards Centre in Kent on September 27, 2023.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
The Princess of Wales is not the only royal who had a style shift at a critical time in her royal life — so did her late mother-in-law,Princess Diana.
“Diana had her own trouser suit moment in the late 1980s at a time when she wanted to be taken more seriously,” recalls Holt. “She said to designers, ‘I’m sick of the frothy ball gowns — I want to wear menswear.’ She had these fabulous power suit moments!”
From film premieres to polo matches, Princess Diana loved to wear a sharp blazer, often double-breasted and with shoulder pads, as was the trend in the 1980s.
Like Kate, Diana also had a penchant for pussy bow blouses and polka dots — although recently, Princess Kate has pared down the feminine touches and opted for a plain white or tan t-shirt style top under her blazers.
“I think what’s really interesting is how it’s taken quite a serious slant,” Holt says. “There’s a lot of very polished tailoring — it’s a very sleek silhouette and quite a controlled look.”
source: people.com
