THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE

FASHION EXPERTS TELL HOW KATE HAS HAD HER MOST STYLISH SUMMER YET

Whether she’s dressed up for a great British event or cutting a casual figure while getting stuck into sporty activities, the Duchess of Cambridge has once again shone in the fashion stakes this summer. A bona fide trendsetter, Kate’s outfits regularly sell out and spark copycat pieces, and the Duchess has put many a brand on the map over the years. But she still knows how to follow the latest trends, too. Kate is confidently embracing this season’s hottest looks, according to fashion and celebrity stylist Gayle Rinkoff, who has styled many famous faces and has worked on shows from The Voice to Dancing On Ice. “This season is all about bright colours, lots of green, puff shoulders and lots of prints – so Kate is ticking a lot of boxes,” Gayle tells hello!. As we take a look at the royal fashion icon’s most sizzling summery looks of the year so far, Gayle offers her expert view on why 2022 has been Kate’s most stylish summer yet, and we also talk to other leading lights from the fashion industry…

‘

I loved Kate’s look at Royal Ascot this year. It was such a hot day and she had a long-sleeved dress on, but she still looked really cool. That’s part of her demure nature – there’s never any fluster. I also love how she tied some florals into the outfit with her hat.

Princess Diana did polka dots, but polka dots are also iconic from the film Pretty Woman and I sometimes feel that Kate is giving a nod to Julia Roberts with her polka-dot looks.

I also love her blue and white polka-dot outfit, another Alessandra Rich dress, which she wore to Wimbledon and over the Platinum Jubilee weekend this summer. Whenever she re-wears anything, Kate makes her outfits look different, which is really clever. I tell people that you don’t have to spend a fortune on a new wardrobe every season, you can update it with a great pair of earrings, a great bag and a great pair of shoes – and that is what Kate does so well.

‘ That’s part of her demure

nature —

there’s never any fluster’

‘I think she’s elevated all of her looks

this summer’

There is so much bright colour around this season, and Kate has embraced this trend. I think she’s elevated all of her looks this summer; she’s gone up a gear in every way.

She’s really grown into herself as a fashion icon. She knows what suits her and she wears everything with a lot of confidence. I think she has come so far in the fashion world. The Duchess looks so effortlessly chic, especially in bright colours, like her red vintage YSL jacket and white trouser look she wore in Belize.

I think that’s what every woman aspires to look like at British events, whether it’s Wimbledon, Royal Ascot, a garden party or a summer wedding. I know Kate has a team behind her, but she manages to make all of her outfits look so pulled together and effortless.

‘ It’s quite a hard colour to wear and Kate wears it

beautifully’

I think Kate used to hide behind what she wore, but now it’s more “look at me” – but not in an ostentatious way. She’s thought: “You know what, I’m going to wear a yellow dress and it’s going to look fabulous.”

I loved her in that yellow dress by Roksanda, which she wore on the Caribbean tour in Jamaica and at Wimbledon. Yellow is one of the hardest colours to wear, especially if you’ve got fair skin.

HOLLYWOOD STYLE

The way she paired the Roksanda dress with the floppy straw hat at the ladies’ final was amazing. Again, I felt there was a real Julia Roberts inspiration going on.

Another favourite of mine is the beautiful mint dress with the buttons she wore to a Buckingham Palace garden party. The shape is stunning and the puff sleeve is gorgeous and so on trend. There has been so much talk of green this season. It’s quite a hard colour to wear and Kate wears it beautifully

– in all the shades.

The printed dresses Kate wore on her tour of the Caribbean were gorgeous. They were in amazing colours, and really playful for her. They felt much younger than her usual looks, especially the necklines. I loved the blue printed Tory Burch summer dress she wore in Belize. Its shape – the square neck, slight puffed shoulder, tiered body – has been everywhere this season.

That was such a playful, summery, on- trend look. We’re seeing lots of print in this summer’s trends. It has started in the last couple of years; we’ve seen lots of amazing African prints coming through, filtering down on to the high street.

INSPIRING TRENDS

The shimmering pink The Vampire’s Wife dress she wore on tour was sensational. There are going to be a million copies of that dress on the high street this Christmas. I’m sure brands like Zara and Warehouse will do a floor-length pink maxi dress with handkerchief-y shoulders. Kate hasn’t shied away from statement sleeves, as we see with the lovely pink Rixo shirt dress she wore in the Caribbean. She’s so petite that she can do a big shoulder. It’s quite a fashion-forward look.

Kate has also added another layer of fun to her summer looks with her accessories. The finishing touches, like the earrings, belts and fun clutch bags are what make the whole outfit and pull it together. Kate’s accessories make her dresses into a real look.

‘The printed dresses are

really playful

for Kate’

Kate does white really beautifully. Whenever she wears white, it’s very classic, very elegant, very timeless. I loved the shape of the white Emilia Wickstead dress with the black piping she wore to the polo in Windsor.

A white suit with a white stiletto is very hard to pull off. It was very brave of her to wear it a few times this summer, but she manages to look great. I think she can do no wrong. There’s not one look where I think: “Oh no, fashion faux pas.” She is such a sensational dresser. That said, as well as she wears white, I do think Kate comes alive when she’s wearing bright colours.

‘Whenever

she wears white, it’s very classic’

KAT FARMER, fashion stylist and author

‘ While we might not all be able to pitch up to every occasion looking the personification of elegance and glamour like the Duchess of Cambridge, there are a few tips and tricks she employs that we could borrow. One of the easiest ways to help you on your way to a more polished you is to pay special attention to your accessories. This is a winning formula that the Duchess uses in pretty much every outfit. Pure perfection is achieved by matching her accessories to her clothes. She can keep the same colour palette running through her whole look by coordinating the exact tones – blue dress, matching fascinator and then splicing in tonal shades for shoes, bag and jewellery. Alternatively, she contrasts her accessories in a different shade. And – top tip here – compile a stash of fabulous neutral numbers from camel to beige or white shoes and bags. These will be your wardrobe staples that you can mix and match with any colours – no need to worry about tonal co-ordinating. Not forgetting your jewellery. While Kate obviously has a gorgeous selection of coloured jewels that she ties in with her outfits, she also favours plain gold jewellery, which finishes off her look perfectly and will work with any style and any colour. Another style tip that we can steal is for one statement piece. Be it a bag, a necklace or a pair of killer heels, Kate often elevates her outfit w i t h a standout ‘ talking point – always giving us something to write about! @doesmybumlook40

Whether she’s on a formal engagement or dressed casually while playing sport, Kate really can do it all and stay chic at the same time.

It’s been great to see her have fun in casualwear this summer. I really love seeing her interact with William on engagements.

The relationship she has with William has given her the confidence to be the

‘ woman she is now. They seem to operate so well as a couple. It feels like she’s really come into her own, but still together with William as a team.

‘It’s been great to see her have fun in casualwear’

‘Pure perfection is achieved by matching her accessories to her clothes’

The Duchess shows her sartorial style is spot on in a navy- blue creation from Alessandra Rich worn at Wimbledon ( left) and a lighter- blue offering from the same designer at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in July (above left)

At Royal Ascot, Kate opts for Alessandra Rich again, pairing the white and brown dress with a hat by Sally-Ann Provan (also above left)

Kate gives a masterclass in wearing shimmering tones; accessorising this Phillipa Lepley satin dress with a matching clutch at a reception in the Bahamas in March and (right) upon touchdown in Belize, wears a rich blue lace Jenny Packham skirt suit and matching accessories, including a sapphire and diamond cluster pendant (right inset)

The Duchess wears an Alexander McQueen coat dress at the Order Of The Garter Service at Windsor’s St George’s Chapel in June

The royal is bright and beautiful in a coral blazer dress by Emilia Wickstead at her first royal garden party of the summer at Buckingham Palace in May (above left) with her vintage Josef handbag (also bottom inset) and (above right) in a coat dress from Eponine at Cardiff Castle in June

Kate in Alessandra Rich puff sleeves in the Bahamas (below) A yellow Roksanda dress while on tour in Jamaica (left) is paired with white and gold Aquazzura heels (below). Kate wore the same frock at Wimbledon (top), accessorising with an LK Bennett hat and earrings by Kiki McDonough (also above right inset)

Resplendent in an Emilia Wickstead creation and Philip Treacy hat during the Platinum Jubilee weekend

Looking mint in a button dress made by a private dressmaker at a Buckingham Palace garden party, and a Philip Treacy hat; and (left) in Emilia Wickstead in Kingston, Jamaica

On her way to present an award at the British Fashion Council in teal Edeline Lee and earrings by Nadia Irena (also below)

Puff sleeves add edge to this Rixo dress in the Bahamas and (left) an LK Bennett frock is worn under a soft blue blazer on a visit to Cambridge

Kate channels Hollywood glamour in this The Vampire’s Wife creation in Belize, paired with a clutch showing off local Mayan embroidery (inset right)

Kate adds a pop of colour to her crisp white Alexander McQueen suit with an orange blouse from Ridley and a Dayne Taylor vintage 1960s beaded bag (right) on a school visit in Jamaica

Looking smart in an Alexander McQueen coat dress and Philip Treacy hat during the royal procession at the Trooping the Colour ceremony for the Jubilee, worn with drop earrings that belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales (also below)

Kate looks spectacular in Jamaica in another Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy combination, this time in head-to-toe white, and (right) attends the Royal Charity Polo Cup in Windsor in an Emilia Wickstead creation with black piping detail

Visiting the Grenfell Tower memorial site in London, Kate opts for a Suzannah dress with Alessandra Rich twotone heels and an Emmy London clutch

The Duchess does sporty chic in Helly Hansen shorts, SailGP jacket and (below) sunglasses to take part in a race at the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Plymouth…

… after arriving at the event displaying nautical style with highwaisted Holland Cooper shorts with an Erdem jumper, Superga trousers and hooped earrings from Orelia (also inset above left)

The Bahamas Platinum Jubilee Sailing Regatta sees Kate wear Gill Marine polo shorts with a Brora belt and her trusty Superga trainers

Dressing practically for the Belizean rainforest, Kate pairs khaki G-Star Raw trousers with a T-shirt and Superga trainers (right), adding a jacket to the outfit to visit an army training facility in the jungle (above)