Kate Middleton is a fashion icon for many women, largely because of her willingness to take fashion risks. Whether it’s her jewelry, hairstyles or formal outfits, several women look to her for fashion inspiration.
Over the years, Princess Catherine has looked stunning in designer wear from Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham, to name a few. She has reportedly contributed about £1 billion to the U.K.’s fashion industry.
She has also taken fashion risks that have paid off most of the time. Even when following strict royal or formal dress codes, she manages to look polished. Kate Middleton is also known for repeating outfits, reflecting an effort to be environmentally conscious.
She wore a white Alexander McQueen gown in 2023 after previously wearing it in 2019. However, she styled it differently with black full-length gloves. This was considered a risky fashion move, and it turned heads. While some critics were divided on the look, many praised her style choices, including when she opted for menswear-inspired outfits
This dress what The Princess of Wales wore to the BAFTAS, is just gorgeous 🤍🖤 #PrincessCatherine #PrincessofWales #KateMiddleton #KateTheGreat #TeamWales pic.twitter.com/mpPlB1YPNg
— Lee Patriot Hood (@Mofoman360) December 30, 2023
She was seen in a formal burgundy pantsuit that she paired with a pink top. This look was a fresh style for Kate, who is most often seen in feminine dresses. In addition, Kate also favors floral dresses, especially those made from silky fabrics.
She wore a full-length gown and a bold floral-print dress to the 100 Women in Hedge Funds gala. Most of her fans appreciated the look, though some had differing opinions. One user on X posted, “Not my favorite floral dress on Kate today. Too old for her! A bit frumpy — reminds me of the purple floral she wore when expecting Charlotte.”
Needless to say, Kate does not pay attention to such criticism and wears what she likes. She went off-theme at the 2018 BAFTA Awards by wearing an emerald-colored gown.
BAFTA Awards 2018: Here’s why Kate Middleton chose to wear a green dress at the ceremony pic.twitter.com/EebcgcgRvS
— ( #Googleads #BingAds) (@GoogleadsNinja) February 19, 2018
On the other hand, everyone decided to wear black to show support for the Time’s Up movement. There was a black detail on the gown, but it wasn’t quite on theme. Then comes the Gucci blouse in 2019, a visit to the Henry Fawcett Children’s Centre. She wore the blouse backwards, but made it work with the high-waisted pants.
Middleton can definitely defy fashion rules, as long as it looks good. Other fashion risks that she has taken include wearing wedges despite being a royal and wearing super short shorts during a charity sailing race.
The Princess of Wales visiting Henry Fawcett Children’s Centre in March 2019. 💜 pic.twitter.com/7cMEBNSf8W
— Princess Kate News (Fan Page) (@duchesskatenews) March 12, 2025
So everyone’s focus went to her long legs. One user on X posted, “No one freaks out, but Kate Middleton wore shorts? Yassss queeeeeennnnnn.” Another fashion moment that everyone talked about is the sheer white dress that she wore with a saucer-style hat at the Royal Ascot. The copies of her dress from Alexander McQueen went viral as everyone wanted to look like Kate.
