Kate Middleton and her family had some well-deserved days off over the summer. In fact, the future queen even made some appearances at the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London, where she handed out the trophy to both the men’s and women’s tournament winners.
Although Kate has been praised for her excellent work as the Princess of Wales, slowly becoming one of the most popular royals, there have been some controversial opinions about what she’s done over the past few months. It’s all been about her outfits, with some experts stating that she hasn’t been the best role model.
But while her wardrobe may be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, some of those outfits send a very special message to the public. That is, according to the fashion experts – but the question is, can you spot it?
The fascination surrounding the royal family’s outfits – both in the UK and other royal houses worldwide – has always been a hot topic. In the last few decades, the internet has allowed people across the globe to see, pretty much in real time, the different dresses, jackets, shoes, and necklaces that decorated the royals in all sorts of engagements – from weddings and funerals to more laidback outings or sporting events.
Kate Middleton’s fashion – what is the “Kate effect”?
Princess Diana became the “People’s Princess” and a fashion icon of her era. Now, that title seems to have been handed over to Kate Middleton, as her outfits for all occasions always spark interest.
Not only has Kate Middleton turned out to have an exquisite style, the public also always seems to want to emulate her fashionable wardrobe, which has sometimes sparked somewhat of a frenzy. Over the last decade, it has even been known as the “Kate effect,” a term used to describe the wide-reaching fascination about her outfits. As a result, this effect has had the power to significantly boost the sales of high-end fashion brands and change the lives of many smaller fashion businesses.
The “Kate effect” began in 2010 after she and Prince William announced their engagement, when the then-duchess wore a sapphire blue dress from the brand Issa. As reported by Vanity Fair, within 24 hours, the dress had sold out online.
“Would any dress have had the same effect? No,” Bethan Holt, fashion news and features director at The Telegraph, wrote in her book, The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style. “There was something about the Issa. It made Kate look glamorous yet respectful; she wasn’t trying to seem more mature than she was, but nor did the dress depict her as a slave to fashion.”
Since, Kate has been keen to – through her taste and interest – promote designers such as Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham, as well as more affordable brands like Zara and LK Bennett. According to Newsweek, and as reported by the Express, the “Kate effect” could “be worth £1billion to the UK fashion industry”.
When Kate Middleton wore the blue Issa dress at her and William’s engagement announcement, as mentioned, it became a frenzy online. Everyone wanted the dress that instantly sold out, and the brand suddenly became hugely popular.
Celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Kiera Knightley, and Scarlett Johansson began endorsing the brand. Issa’s clothes were worn at celebrity events and red carpets all over.
“When Kate wore that dress, everything changed”
Daniella Hayel, the founder of Issa, recalled it being a life-changing moment, and it all started with Kate Middleton setting the bar.
“We didn’t have a TV at the studio and this was pre-Instagram, but we soon knew Kate was wearing Issa because at four o’clock the phones began ringing and didn’t stop. It was bonkers,” Hayel told Elle.
However, the significant demand turned into somewhat of another troublesome situation, which, surprisingly, ended on a negative note.
“ISSA was a niche brand; we had a loyal following, but in 2008 and 2009, we were in serious financial trouble. When Kate wore that dress, everything changed. From the day of the royal engagement, our sales doubled. I didn’t have the money to finance production on that scale,” Hayel said.
Eventually, Daniella Hayel decided to leave the brand. Shortly after, they closed the shop.
“I left because I couldn’t take any more. I felt so stressed that my hair went white and started falling out. I was broken by the end of it,” Hayel told Elle. “I had a great business, which I’d built up on my own over a decade. To watch it evaporate was heartbreaking.”
According to Bethan Holt, Kate Middleton’s style is defined by a mix of casual and formal, youthful yet serious, and down-to-earth and glamorous. The fashion editor stated in an interview that one of the main reasons for Kate’s everlasting style and fashion is how she took time to talk to designers and found a “circle of people” that she “really trusts.”
How Kate Middleton has changed her style over the years
“Diana was often telling a story with her clothes, and she had a big evolution of her own personal life. Whereas the queen, the whole point of her is to remain basically the same,” Holt said. “The public mood now is much less towards wanting royals that are very distant in their palaces. People want to be able to relate, and I think the royals realize that clothing is a way that they can do it.”
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Bethan Holt described how Kate’s style has changed over the last decade. She believes that the effortlessness in style, which the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana partly also symbolized, always has had a great impact on the public. It makes her relatable to the public, just like her last name.
“Part of the appeal of Kate—and the royal family was obviously very conscious of this—is that she’s not a blue-blooded princess. I just love that her surname is Middleton—you know, like middle class. It couldn’t be more perfect,” Holt said.
“Her wearing high-street is a way for her to consistently remind people of that, and to show that she is one of us,” she added.
“There’s no better way than saying, hey, you can buy the same Zara jeans I’m wearing right now for £30. She’s had a lot of those [relatable] experiences. She went on a gap year, and she was a girl about town just after university. We saw those pictures of her having a job, and I think lots of women can relate to those things. She’s talked about mum guilt as well, and about the box sets they watch and what takeaway they get.”
As mentioned, Kate Middleton isn’t only seen in glamorous dresses and crowns that are worth hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of dollars.
The mother-of-three has a laidback style that certainly applies to the public, and several times, her outfits have been studied by fashion experts. Not necessarily because of how they fit or which shoes match what pants. But, rather, how some outfits send a special message to a specific group.
Hidden messages in Kate’s outfits
Over the last decade, that has happened many, many times. Of course, all clothes Kate wears have some sort of specific meaning or fit the purpose of the day. But there have been some moments in which the clothes have contained hidden, secret messages. Let’s look at some examples.
In 2021, Harry and Meghan decided to leave the royal family for good. The couple moved to Canada and later settled in Montecito, California, and since then, Kate has only seen the two a handful of times. The rumors state that her and Meghan’s relationship is entirely down the drain, and the fact that Harry and William’s relationship is nowhere near to being good, everything points towards Harry and Kate’s relationship to being just as bad.
However, something happened with Kate’s outfit when Harry and Meghan revealed that they were leaving royal life. The now-Princess of Wales, along with Meghan and the Queen, attended all her public engagements wearing beige clothing, which hadn’t been seen before. Kate had pretty much only worn colorful outfits – and even though the now-late Queen Elizabeth had stated she never liked wearing beige, she wore it anyway.
Was it a coincidence? According to the royal expert Elizabeth Holmes, it was not.
Holmes stated it was considered to be a display of togetherness, despite the troublesome time for the monarchy with two of their senior members saying goodbye.
“To have them in the same shade, I took very much to be a sign of unity,” Holmes said. “And then of course, [The Queen] issued her statement of support to the Sussexes on January 13. Kate in brown on Monday morning was interesting, too, after she had been roped into the coverage.”
“Kate wore two pieces of brown: a khaki coat and a brown turtleneck—both of which were very visible in the shoulders-up shot of her driving the kids to school. It could be a coincidence but I think perhaps not!”
Kate Middleton shows support through her clothing
Another time, when Kate visited medical colleges working in maternal healthcare alongside Princess Anne, the Princess of Wales wore a cream dress with a particular detail. Laces in the shape of pineapples could be seen on the pockets of the clothing, and it had a symbolic meaning.
According to The New York Times, “Pineapples have become a powerful symbol for women struggling with infertility. The fruit appears in the profile photos and Facebook feeds of women in online infertility communities.”
The US newspaper continued, “They are most widely known as a symbol of hospitality and welcoming. But on social media, pineapples are inextricably tied to infertility. On Instagram, the hashtag #PineappleTribe aims to connect women going through IVF.”
The Royal Insta Blog also wrote about the princess’ choice of wearing a pineapple: “Displaying or wearing the pineapple can represent a non-verbal communication of an enormous life event in common or be an active out loud shout of support to raise awareness and funding for the issue of infertility,” it read, as quoted by Hello.
It was clear that Kate wanted to send a message to women who struggled with conceiving and that she stood with them. Through many patronages, Kate has made sure to try and help those struggling with many different things, including mental health.
Her husband, Prince William, has made it his cause to end homelessness in the UK. But while he launched his campaign, Kate was heavily criticised because of – you guessed it – an outfit she wore.
The real reason why Kate Middleton is wearing pink outfits
As of late, a new trend and message has been seen through Kate’s outfits. On several occasions – including when she opened the Young V&A at V&A Museum Of Childhood in London in late June, visited the Foundling Museum in May, and just days earlier attended the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show – the Princess of Wales has appeared in a pink outfit. It’s been a while since that has happened.
Even though many might think it has something to do with the monumental success of the latest Barbie film, there is another theory.
Just as with any other color, pink has a meaning. For example, red is associated with courage and confidence, and pink with love, kindness, and femininity.
Fashion expert Samantha Harman expressed her thoughts on Kate’s pink outfits, saying it could result from “a bit of unwanted publicity.” However, according to the expert, it also sends the public a secret message.
“According to color psychology, which the royals do pay attention to, pink is fun, feminine, flirty and romantic,” Harman said. “Kate wants the public to know that she’s fun and kind, and while some might already think that about her, the pink outfits are showing that she’s letting loose a little bit.”
Royal fashion expert Miranda Holder states that the choice to wear pink might be because Kate perhaps wants to appear kind.
“Every style decision, especially what it comes to Kate’s wardrobe, is absolutely considered and deliberate down to the color she wears,” Holder said and added that Kate wants to appear “softer and gentler”.
“[She is] just embracing this color, being fashionable at the moment and enjoying herself.”
What do you think of Princess Kate’s outfits? Do you have a favorite one? Please, give us your opinion and share this article on Facebook if you also enjoy reading about the royals!
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