12 Times Kate Middleton Ignored Designers and Styled Her Outfits Like a True Lady

Kate Middleton often appears in public wearing outfits from famous designers. However, sometimes the models wearing these dresses and suits in fashion shows don’t entirely match the royal protocol, so some adjustments have to be made. Nevertheless, once altered, the designer clothing doesn’t lose its charm but gains a fresh, exquisite look.

The Jenny Packham dress

Kate Middleton chose a full-length dress shimmering with gold sequins and crystals for the premiere of the James Bond film, No Time to Die. A cloak was custom-made for her, and the neckline of the dress was modified to be higher.

The Dolce & Gabbana dress

The princess chose to wear the green midi-length dress from the Italian fashion house without the pocket watch accessory that was meant to go with it.

The Alexander McQueen dress

To create the look for her fortieth birthday photoshoot, Middleton turned to her favorite fashion house, Alexander McQueen. It seems that one of her dresses — which features an asymmetric top and voluminous sleeves — was inspired by their fall/winter collection. While the collection showcases the dress in a floral print, the princess chose a solid red version for the photoshoot.

The Alexander McQueen dress

For another look during her birthday photoshoot, Middleton opted for a lighter and more airy dress with off-the-shoulder sleeves that featured bows. Unlike the collection showcased on the runway, the princess’s dress didn’t feature a corset with teardrop-shaped embellishments.

The Jenny Packham dress

At another James Bond movie premiere (Spectre), Middleton donned yet another dress by Jenny Packham. She accessorized it with a spaghetti-strap top and covered her shoulders with fabric.

The Jenny Packham dress

For a charity gala event, the princess chose a dark blue floor-length dress. Initially, it had an off-the-shoulder design, but Middleton altered it by either raising the top of the dress or completely remaking it.

The Jenny Packham dress

The princess chose a silk printed dress in muted tones for a sports match, which differed from the dress presented on the runway thanks to its short sleeves and trimmed fabric at the waist.

The Markus Lupfer dress

During a royal family visit to Germany, the princess chose a dress by a German designer. She wore a sleeveless midi dress with a bird print and pleats, and she paired it with her own belt.

The Erdem dress suit

For one of her business trips, Middleton chose an outfit from Erdem. While the designer released a collection featuring floral prints on skirts, pants, blouses, and dresses, they created an exclusive suit for Middleton with the same print by adding a top to the existing skirt.

The Edeline Lee dress

In May 2022, the princess attended the Queen Elizabeth II Award event in a flowing green dress by the relatively unknown brand, Edeline Lee. Unlike the designer version, Middleton opted for less flashy accessories, foregoing the chunky earrings in favor of more subdued jewelry. She also replaced the hardware on the belt, choosing yellow metal for a better match with the earrings.

The Erdem dress

In 2018, Middleton attended an official event at the Victoria and Albert Museum in a dress by the brand Erdem. However, as befits a true lady, the princess did not show off the cutout around the stomach, covering it with a contrasting belt.

The Jenny Packham dress

For the Royal Variety Performance event in 2017, the princess chose a dress embellished with fabric flowers and crystals. The dress was originally presented on the runway as part of a wedding collection by the brand Jenny Packham, but Middleton preferred it to be made in shades of blue and altered the length of the sleeves.