Whilst the
Duchess of Cambridge has a wardrobe many would kill for, with dresses and outfits covering all weathers and social scenarios, there are a few things she will and won’t wear. For example, Kate Middleton never wears orange, preferring, instead, to opt for blue. (In fact, you’ll find that near enough every iconic Kate Middleton dress moment involves the duchess wearing blue.)
As recently as this month, Catherine attended Wimbledon in a navy polka dot Alessandra Rich skirt and matching blazer, and last month she donned a powder blue dress to attend the launch of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood at Kensington Palace (main picture).
That’s of course not counting the years of red carpet and official events, as well as Christmas and birthday photos, in which she often wears various shades of blue.
According to experts, there may be a reason behind this choice. There is of course the fact that blue is generally a calm and neutral colour, which would help emphasise the Duchess’ calm personality.
There are also historical ties between the colour blue and royalty, hence the terms ‘blue blood’ and ‘Royal blue’. The origins of those expressions vary, but it was thought royalty and nobility had blue blood, and it was desirable to have pale complexions and noticeable blue veins.
As for Royal blue, it is said to have been created in Somerset by someone making a dress for Queen Charlotte after she married King George III in 1761.
Or, and this is probably the most likely explanation, Kate simple like the colour, as it’s flattering and goes with most things.
A blue dress is a Kate Middleton staple
Kate Middleton has marked some of her most important milestones in a blue dress – from the royal blue Issa wrap dress she wore for her official engagement photocall in 2010, to the custom blue-and-white polka-dot Jenny Packham dress she wore on the steps of the Lindo Wing following the birth of Prince George in 2013.
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While near enough every high-street buy Kate is pictured in sells out within hours, and the one-of-a-kind Jenny Packham dress is not available to buy despite enthusiastic shoppers causing the website to crash immediately after its debut, Kate’s enviable sense of style always has a knock-on effect on the high street, with plenty of dupes to help us steal her style. (And of course, there’s the fact that some of Kate Middleton’s favourite fashion brands are products of the Great British high-street – meaning that they’re also affordable for us non-royals.)
Unlike Meghan Markle’s favourite fashion brands, many of which are based in her home country of the US, Kate tends to favour British designers (namely, Jenny Packham and Emilia Wickstead) and high-street favourites (she’s a firm fan of LK Bennett, Whistles and Zara) alike.
Her love of blue doesn’t just extend to dresses, though. From her engagement ring to the go-to coats she wears time and time again for royal engagements, a true blue is likely to be a mainstay in her wardrobe for many years to come.