While she didn’t take as many risks as her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton is still undeniably a fashion icon who has influenced people around the world with the “Kate Effect.” Every time she wears something, it sells out online, and millions of cheaper dupes are replicated. But while she has access to the top designers, she must follow a strict royal dress code. In an attempt to forge her own royal path, she’s taken some risqué choices, but they’ve paid off.
1. Full-length opera gloves
Fans have celebrated Middleton’s commitment to reducing her carbon footprint by re-wearing her outfits nearly 100 times. In 2019, she did exactly this but made a surprising move when she added full-length black opera gloves to contrast with her white Alexander McQueen gown at the 2023 BAFTA Awards. Some people hated it, while others called it “transformative” and made the dress a “statement.”
2. A Gucci blouse worn backward
Wearing your shirt backwards might be seen as sloppy by some, but in 2019, it worked for Middleton, who wore a Gucci purple bow blouse backward to the Henry Fawcett Children’s Centre in London. Although the buttons were meant to be worn on the back of the shirt, we’ll never know whether this faux pas was intentional or not. A fashion journalist said she will often adjust a look to fit trends, and she re-wore the look the same way in 2020 for an IG Q&A.
3. Wearing wedges
The late Queen Elizabeth II believed in comfortable shoes and even hired someone else to break them in for her. She also didn’t love wedged shoes, but Catherine defied the rules by wearing wedges instead of heels since they are more stable and protective of the ankles. We love a sensible but chic shoe and don’t think a wedge is that scandalous!
4. Going against the BAFTA color scheme
Kate Middleton’s life is defined by rules, but she broke one big one when she appeared at the 2018 BAFTA Awards, where she was instructed to wear black in solidarity with the Time’s Up movement. Most celebs adhered, but Catherine showed up in a forest-green dress and was criticized for it. However, many accepted her decision, as royals typically maintain political neutrality and refrain from wearing black unless in mourning.
5. Standing out with a red dress
Marie Claire magazine confirmed that the princess doesn’t like wearing orange, but she’ll wear a bright red on occasion, as she did with this Alexander McQueen dress at Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. The tabloids called it a risky move, as many of the other royals wore a more subdued look in the queen’s company, but the color happened to work well with her grandmother-in-law’s white look.
6. A white dress at the Royal Ascot
In 2016, Princess Catherine made her Royal Ascot debut. At the event, ladies are expected to wear a headpiece or hat with “a solid base of 4 inches in diameter in the royal enclosure,” according to their guidelines. Instead, she wore a white lace dress with a saucer-style hat. The dress’s length was apparently not modest enough (too short and too sheer), which led to some negative feedback.
7. A divisive floral number
Erdem is one of Kate’s favorite designers, and she chose a floral look by them in October 2015 to embrace her love of bold block colors. However, it didn’t go down well. Despite being modest and full-length, social media critics said it was frumpy and “too old,” but Kate ignored the backlash and continued to wear the brand.
8. Another backwards moment with a dress
Kate’s earned a reputation for wearing clothes backward, and the rumors were at it again at the 2019 Addiction Awareness Week gala in London. Her Barbara Casasola dress, which she had worn a few years previously, drew attention for the zipper in the middle and front of her chest rather than at the back, but internet sleuths soon found this was part of the unusual, very intentional design, making it a calculated fashion risk.
9. That time she rocked a menswear look
While there are some looks Kate Middleton won’t wear, she’s known to often experiment with looks, including more masculine styles. On a 2022 trip to Boston for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize initiative, she wore a black turtleneck and an Alexander McQueen pantsuit, as well as a burgundy Roland Mouret pantsuit, channeling serious girl boss energy.
