On Sunday, when the Princess of Wales appeared on a Whitehall balcony to watch the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph, she was dressed, of course, in somber black, with a net hat and her hair in a bun.
The coat she was wearing was from Catherine Walker, a favorite of recycled military style (in fashion terms, altering something you already have) with the addition of different buttons and a velvet bow at the collar. The Princess has worn this coat three times, the first time being on Remembrance Sunday four years ago.
Hollywood star shoulder detail. First worn: Baftas 2019 (left). Then: Bafta Awards 2023 (right). The first time this white Alexander McQueen dress featured a corsage on the shoulder (left). Four years later, Kate replaced the floral detail with a soft bow and off-the-shoulder drop. That and the addition of black opera gloves and statement earrings made the effect less Greek goddess and more Golden Age Hollywood star.
Velvet bow and buttons. First used: Remembrance Day 2020 (left). Then: Remembrance Day 2024 (right). Originally, this Catherine Walker coat had a high collar, shoulder tassels, and shiny metal buttons (left); All military-inspired details have now been removed. The coat she wore on Sunday (above right) still has epaulets but with a closed collar covered by a velvet bow and matching buttons. It is less theatrical and allows for an extravagant hat with a veil.
We haven’t had much opportunity to observe Kate’s clothing choices over the past year; This is the first major event she has attended since finishing her chemotherapy treatment. But on this occasion it was notable (as it was at Trooping the Color this summer) that she chose to wear something she already had in her wardrobe, with a clear Winter 2024 feel.
A velvet bow at the collar is an embellishment that is in keeping with this season’s elegant and feminine style (hat and elegant top-handle bag optional), and that, plus the change of buttons, was enough to make the coat look fresh off the catwalk. We’re talking about the simplest adjustment anyone with a needle and thread could make. And that’s a powerful message from a woman who can choose from the world’s designers.
An adult neckline. First worn: Bafta 2017. Then: National Portrait Gallery 2019. In 2017, this black floral maxi dress by Alexander McQueen was a bold off-the-shoulder dress that flattered Kate’s neckline. But the reworking (changing the neckline for a square one with Japanese sleeves) draws attention in a very different way. It’s only been two years, but Kate seems less feminine and more relaxed.
Disappearing saree detail. First worn: Pakistan 2019. Then: Royal Variety Performance 2021. The second outing of Jenny Packham’s sequin maxi dress involved the simplest adjustment: removing the draped detail from the shoulders, which made the dress instantly lighter and youthful.
Frugality isn’t new to the Royal Family (Princess Anne is probably the royal best known for rewearing her clothes), but upcycling or upcycling, dressing in vintage and used clothing and repurposing old clothes in new ways , it’s something Kate’s generation does automatically.
She and the Prince of Wales are sending the message that they are the sustainable and environmentally conscious King and Queen in waiting, as aware of their personal footprint as they are of rising global temperatures.
Youthful hem length. First worn: Cheltenham 2006. Then: RNLI ceremony 2011. This Katherine Hooker tweed coat began life as a conservative midi for the Cheltenham Gold Cup (left). Five years later, it has been revamped as a new take on country style.
‘My Fair Lady’ arc. First worn: Coronation 2023. Then: Trooping the Color 2024. Kate’s Jenny Packham dress was transformed for this year’s Trooping the Color (right) with a striped grosgrain bow and belt, exuding the glamor of ‘My Fair Lady at the races’.
Last week in South Africa, while promoting his Earthshot Prize, Prince William followed his wife’s lead by wearing a “used” jacket and ties made from recycled bottle caps. When you’re on the world stage advocating for environmental change, it pays to practice what you preach.
Kate has been a fashion recycler for almost as long as she has been on the job. The reworking of vintage costumes is driven by the desire to be seen making prudent decisions in a rapidly changing world, and the couple’s ambition to become royals with a small ‘r’, as William described them last week , begins with the presentation of an identifiable face.
Kate may wear priceless jewels from the late queen and her husband’s mother, Diana, but she also dresses in high-street brands and strives to give endless wear to her most extravagant designer pieces. That is the new normal.
But this is more than a little diplomacy in action: if you find something you like and that really suits you, then you won’t want to look for something new just because; that’s just common sense for Kate and for all women.
This type of makeover is the modern shortcut to dressing to feel good.
Additional research: Camilla Ridley-Day