Kate Middleton was fulfilling her duties as Patron of the National Portrait Gallery yesterday when she attended the gallery's re-opening ceremony following a three-year refurbishment programme. Naturally, all eyes were on Kate's outfit when she arrived at the venue, and it's safe to say she did not disappoint.
The Princess of Wales (who is herself a keen portrait photographer) kept things monochrome in a white blazer dress from British brand, Self-Portrait. Consisting of a pleated skirt flowing from beneath a bouclé tweed jacket, the top half of the design featured a thin waist belt in the same white hue, with a black thread and diamante trim surrounding the neckline, cuffs, four breast pockets, and along the fastening that was further decorated with jewelled buttons all down the centre.
And while there's no doubt Kate looked as elegantly polished as ever, it was her accessories that actually captured our attention on this occasion.
As ever, there is always more to Kate's outfits than meets the eye. The Princess is known to make reference to both events and people through her attire, something she did at the Trooping the Colour over the weekend and also at King Charles' coronation.
In this case, it was her new Chanel quilted handbag that gave a subtle nod to the French fashion house which has partnered with the National Portrait Gallery for its grand re-opening. The Wallet on Chain bag is crafted from lambskin and features silver hardware including a chain handle that Kate tucked inside the bag to style it as a clutch. It also coordinated with the rest of her look by sticking to the monochrome colour palette.
As for her shoes, Kate finished her 'fit with a pair of black Aquazzura Bow Tie 105 pumps. Named for the bow detail at the back of each ankle, the suede heels feature cut-outs on either side of each heel, pointed toes, and a 105mm heel height. And while many of the things Kate wears seem to sell out instantly, we've got good news as her heels are still in stock.
Shop Kate's Aquazzura black heels:
This is the second time Kate has worn the shoes, stepping out in them earlier this year at a luncheon on the eve of the coronation.
But if you think they look familiar, you probably recognise them from Meghan Markle's wardrobe as the Duchess has worn them on *many* previous occasions, including on a Royal trip to Ireland and to The Royal Academy of Arts, both in 2018.
And it's not just Kate's sister-in-law who loves her shoes.
Sharing photos from Kate's visit to the National Portrait Gallery on the Prince and Princess' Instagram account, fans were quick to take to the comments and share their love writing:
Her heels are the greatest thing I’ve ever seen! 🔥❤️
Dying for those black shoes!!! 🤩
Those shoes!!!! 🔥😍🔥
Those doors are amazing! As are Catherine’s shoes……
Those heels 👏👏👏
Look at her shoes ❤️
Can we take a moment for the shoes! 🙌🔥
We couldn't agree more.
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Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
