Catherine, Princess of Wales has such a powerful influence on fashion trends that this force has a name.
The “Kate effect” began in 2010 when Catherine wore a navy blue wrap dress by Issa.
The dress gained so much popularity instantly that designer Daniella Helayel later told theDaily Mailthat it destroyed the brand.
“From the day of the royal engagement our sales doubled,” Helayel said.
“I didn’t have the money to finance production on that scale.
The bank refused to give me credit and the factory was screaming for me to pay its bills.
I needed an investor.”
It seems that anything the royal wears becomes global news.
One such staple that she loves is the midi-length pleated skirt with a fitted turtleneck.
The original design also came with a crystal fringe on the waistband, but Catherine went without this embellishment.
In 2021, Catherine wore another monochromatic look while in Scotland with Prince William.
This time, she wore a royal blue blazer with a blue, pleated midi-length skirt.
Her blazer was from Zara, while the skirt was byHope.
Naturally, the skirt sold out right away.
), complete with the cut of the blazer and hue of blue.
Catherine has used her pleated skirt look many other times too.
Old habits die hard.
When she visited Wales in March 2022, Catherine wore Frame Le One high-rise skinny jeans (viaHello!)
See, Gen Zs?
Skinny jeans can do everything.
“She’s got this amazing influence none of us could ever predict to market.
That’s what we’ve had from her just wearing them.”
So Catherine and the skinny jean aren’t going down without a fight.
They also usually have some kind of lapel or collar.
For Diana, the coat dress made dressing and outfit-planning easier.
There’s another reason why Catherine, and other royal women, have favored the coat dress.
It makes sense that Catherine can’t live without this perfect, royal item.
Judging by how many times we’ve seen this cut on her, it’s obviously becoming a favorite.
People are loving Catherine in these trousers because it’s the perfect workwear look.
The trousers have movement but also look sharp.
She paired the slacks with a black turtleneck and a fitted, wool coat in a teal color.
Hmm, we’re beginning to see a pattern here.
The wide-leg trousers are somewhat newer in Catherine’s repertoire of staple clothing pieces.
For example, we weren’t seeing her in this cut of pants early on in her royal life.
Both times, she’s worn the blouse with the buttons closed in the front.
However, asMarie Clairepoints out, Gucci has the garment advertised with the buttons closed on the back.
We love this staple top in Catherine’s closet.
She wore a pale pink and blue plaid coat by Erdem when she visited Manchester in October 2016.
In December 2017, she wore a plaid Miu Miu coat while pregnant with her son, Prince Louis.
She paired it with a large, black hat.
They arrived in a green Land Rover that had belonged to the late Prince Philip.
So the look was pretty glitzy for a drive-in movie!
Catherine’s gowns make headlines for days and it’s easy to see why.
When she and Prince William attended the 2023 BAFTAs, she recycled a white, one-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown.
She paired the look with black opera gloves, a black clutch, and large gold earrings.
The dress was tied at the one shoulder with a flowing, white bow.
People were less dazzled by the rented green dress she wore in Boston for the second annual Earthshot Prize.
Even that nostalgic tidbit couldn’t quite save the look.
It was a green screen in a dress.
It’s a drop waist cut, marking a notable departure from her typical fitted or A-line cut silhouettes.
She wore a red and black houndstooth dress by Alessandra Rich with black pumps and a black face mask.
The dress was navy with white polka dots and white cuffs and collar.
It retails for over $2,000.
She’s rewore the navy dress several times, so it’s obviously a favorite of hers.
Catherine is obviously a huge fan of the designer.
She paired the look with a black hat with white flowers and black pumps.
She paired the blazer with wide-leg, dark trousers and black heels.
But Catherine doesn’t always break the bank when she wears blazers.
It was double-breasted and featured gold buttons, and cost $90.
When she and Prince William visited Boston in 2022, Catherine wore several versions of the power outfit.
Again, William matched her by wearing a red tie with his navy suit.
Catherine paired her look with bold, Art Deco earrings.
Shortly after her wedding to Prince Harry, Meghan stepped out twice in 2018 in different black pantsuits.
The short hem seemed fitting at the time, regardless of the queen’s opinion on the subject.
She was a newlywed figuring out her place in the royal family and didn’t have kids yet.
But as time passed and Catherine ascended in power, her hemlines lengthened.
Now, her go-to style is a midi-dress, with the hem falling well below her knees.
Sometimes, the hem falls closer to her ankles.
The lowering hem shows a maturing in her fashion choices.
She no longer dresses like a young duchess.
She’s dressing as the future queen.
