Kate’salsoexperimentingwithher
handbags,givinga nodtothis
year’strendswitha wickerboxbag
byAlexanderMcQueentowatch
theearlyactionat Wimbledon.
Noris sheafraidtoaddsparkle
toa formalengagementwithher
choiceofclutch,sportinga Wilbur
&GussieCharliesilkbag,featuring
a glitteringstatementbeebrooch,
fora galadinner.It’sa brandthat
hasalsobeenseenonthe armof
hersisterPippaMiddleton,aswell
asfellowelegantroyals the Duchess
ofSussexandPrincessBeatrice.
“It’sanenormoushonourto
havesupportfrommembersofthe
royalfamily,”BrettTyne,co-founder
ofWilbur&Gussie,tellshello!.
“It’swonderfultheycontinue to
supportBritishbrands.”WEARING THETROUSERS
It’snotonlyKate’saccessoriesthat
havetakena moredaringturn.The
lastfewmonthshaveshownshe
isn’t afraidtoshowa moremodern
side toherwardrobe, oftenwearing
trouserstoofficialengagements.
Heron-trendappearanceatthe
RHSChelseaFlowerShowinMay–
inMassimoDuttitanculottes,witha
MihJeanswhiteeyeletblouseand
whitetrainersfromSuperga– won
praisefromfashionistas,asdidher
eye-catchingwide-legtrousersand
Breton-stripetopfromLKBennett,
worninLondon tolaunch the
King’s Cupregatta.
“It’sa hugehonourtoseeKate
wear Superga trainers,” Jason
Fairclough, thebrand’s marketing
director,tells us.“Wealways noticea
peakinsales,instoreandonline,
for bothus and ourwholesale
partnerswhenKate wears
Superga. She’s made some‘ h‘She seems confidfident
in what she wears,
which is inspiring’
SusanE Kelley–
founderand
editorof What
KateWore
Kate’s style has
become more
sophisticatedasher
responsibilitieshave
grown, but she
continuestoexudean
easyelegancethatmanywomenare
eagertoemulate.
Shealsocontinuestoexperiment
withdesignsthatmayincludea bitof
risk-taking.TheStellaMcCartney
dressatArchie’schristeningis
quintessentialKate,butwitha
twist.It is a frockshehas
worninthepast,but
re-createdinanew
fabric,showinga
nuanced but
significant
step – the
Duchessgoing
her own way and
havinganolddesign
updatedtomeether
newspecifications.
HerSandroParisdressatthe HamptonCourtGardenFestival
alsoshowsKate’s expanding style
horizons.It is anon-trendbrand, worn
bythelikesofmodelGigiHadid, and
while the mididressstays truetoKate's
fondnessforsoftsummerlooks,ithas
upgradeddesignerdetails, suchasthe
ruchedbodiceandbatwingsleeves.
SteppingoutinanElie Saabensemble
atRoyalAscotepitomisedthe change.
Thiswas not the Duchess wearing
anotherAlexanderMcQueenorJenny
Packhamdesign.Themoveshowsher
confidenceinmakingstylestatements
usingnewnamesandresources.
Thereis nobetterdemonstrationof
thesubtlechangestoKate’sworking
wardrobethanherensembleat theRHS
ChelseaFlowerShow.TheMihshirt
highlightsa favouritefabricthatthe
Duchesshasbeenwearingsinceherpre-
marriagedays, whiletheMassimoDutti
culotteswerea strongerstylestatement
thanwesawoneortwoyearsago.
We areseeingchoicesmadeby a
confidentwomanwhorecognisesthat
herstyleis a keycomponentofherrole.
Butit is notwhattheDuchesswantsto
defineher.Shewantsherworktomake
thatstatementnowandinthefuture.V
CChoosinganoutfit
witha vintagevibe,
Katestepsout
iinAlessandraRichto
meetSecondWorld
Warcodebreakersat
Bletchley ParkApair of
Castañer
espadrille
wwedgesare
theperfect
shoetogo
withKate’s
edgyboho
Erdem
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