Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton) stepped out yesterday for a charitable engagement, and wore one of her *best* outfits yet (if we do say so ourselves). She and her husband, Prince William, visited Clitheroe Community Hospital to meet the staff members (and one very cute therapy dog).
The look in question is classic Kate: elegant, demure, understated. But this one gets a style boost from a certain fail-safe outfit hack. We're talking tonal dressing, aka wearing all different shades of the same colour. If you want to look expensive, try this formula. Meghan Markle is a fan of the trick, and remember J-Lo's famous all-white outfit in Maid in Manhattan? Yep, same idea.
Let's start at the top. Underneath one of her famous bouncy blowouts, she went for a warm camel coat. She paired it with a slinky brown knitwear set from Iris & Ink, which promptly sold out. (The Kate Effect strikes again.) The roll neck jumper and matching midi skirt looked perfect with brown suede knee high boots to finish it all off. Here's the look:
Chatting with COVID front line workers about their experiences during the pandemic, we get a closer look at the knitwear set:
Later in the day, she met an *adorable* therapy puppy. Some fans thought Kate's outfit matched his chocolate-y brown fur. What do you think? So. Cute!
If you're wanting to start the new year with a clothing clear out, and try out the "capsule wardrobe" idea, (aka having higher-quality, timeless pieces, as opposed to trendy pieces you'll tire of) tonal dressing is a great way to approach it. Once you know what colours look great on you, you can reach for pieces in those hues and easily mix and match. Iris & Ink, The Outnet's own label, is a great place to start for investment pieces (think leather and cashmere with splurge-y price tags). But the high street makes great classics as well. Try TK Maxx, M&S, & Other Stories, COS, Weekday, and H&M for staples you'll reach for again and again.
Maddy Alford is the Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan UK and Women's Health UK, covering fashion content online and in print. Maddy specialises in shopping galleries and first-person reviews of the best fashion buys, from jeans and jewellery to wedding dresses, gymwear, and winter coats. She also writes op-eds on on pop culture, viral fashion moments, travel journalism, fitness, and the LGBTQ+ community's relationship with style. Maddy is also a fashion stylist who has worked on over 100 photoshoots at Hearst, including those starring Raye, Niall Horan, and Lena Dunham. Previously, she has worked in fashion PR and e-commerce, including stints at ELLE US and UK, Net-a-Porter, InStyle, and Time Out New York. Maddy has ten years of experience in the fashion industry in both London and New York City, after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She is passionate about second-hand shopping, inclusive fashion, running on Regent's Canal, and finding London's cosiest pubs.
