Getty Images
Last week, when Kate Middleton re-wore a blouse first spotted in her engagement pictures, we immediately had questions. None, however, as adorable as the one asked by the little girl, Mila, who appears in the
Hold Still book of pandemic photography, with whom she was chatting over the phone. “Do you have a princess costume?” Mila asked. Intriguingly, the Duchess replied that she was not wearing a princess costume “right now.”
What Kate
was wearing was a Whistles top circa 2009, and we wondered where exactly it had been in the 12 years since its brief moment in the spotlight? Does this mean Kate keeps everything she’s ever worn in a pristine vault at Anmer Hall, ready to be hauled out whenever the right sentimental occasion pops up like, say, the week of her 10th wedding anniversary or does she wedge things from her entire adult life three deep on buckling hangers like the rest of us? (Another theory: Pippa has also been spotted wearing this exact blouse,
Why you ll spot the rich and famous at English country house hotels this summer
For the wealthy, there s nothing more calming than being surrounded by your tribe - and they re coming out of hiding to these rural hotspots
Monkey Island Estate in Bray, Berkshire
In just over a week, many of the UK’s best loved country house hotels will reopen for the first time since December. While for some, this news will be eclipsed by the lifting of travel restrictions to a handful of foreign countries deemed worthy of ‘green light’ status, I think many others will be more excited about packing their bags for their first UK hotel stay, me included.
The Duchess of Cambridge adds two new British classics to her wardrobe
Kate launched her new book Hold Still, wearing a striking new coat
7 May 2021 • 2:52pm
The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Eponine
Whenever the Duchess of Cambridge adds something new to her public wardrobe, she takes a considered approach.
As this week’s rewearing of the £125 Whistles blouse which she first wore for her engagement photographs in 2010 demonstrates, Kate is looking for pieces with serious longevity when she shops. How might this item fare over the next decade?
On Friday, Kate wore two new pieces in public for the first time; a coat by Eponine and a bag by DeMellier, styled with Ralph Lauren shoes that she has owned since September 2020.
It s thought that Kate bought the blouse in 2009
6 May 2021 • 5:00pm
Kate and William in their engagement portraits in 2010 and the Duchess of Cambridge wearing the same blouse in a video released on Thursday
How many items in your wardrobe are over a decade-old? Even if you consider yourself to be a conscious consumer who gets plenty of wear from everything you buy, ten years is a long time to keep a piece of clothing.
For the Duchess of Cambridge, who has built up a vast wardrobe since she joined the Royal family in 2011, it might seem even more far-fetched to think of her dusting off a blouse which dates back the late 2000s.
The Duchess of Cambridge’s 50 best fashion moments
Kate s most stylish looks from a decade of royal life
3 May 2021 • 5:00am
The Duchess of Cambridge navigates sartorial minefields effortlessly
There is more to being a royal than wearing pretty frocks, but it s a harder part of the job than many people realise. Just ask the Duchess of Cambridge, who has just celebrated her tenth wedding anniversary - and a decade of life as a working royal.
Not only are there all kinds of dress codes to master, there are tributes to be paid and political pitfalls to avoid. The Duchess has learnt the art of sartorial diplomacy and become adept at sending all kinds of messages through her clothing. And with hundreds of engagements under her belt, Kate, along with her assistant and stylist Natasha Archer, deserves praise for navigating this minefield so smoothly.