The Princess’s October Style Over the Years

Hello, and welcome to a post covering styles worn in previous Octobers by the Princess of Wales. There were no engagements for the Duchess of Cambridge in October 2011, so we begin with October 2012, when the Duchess brought back a familiar coat while doing solo visits to Newcastle and Stockton. Here, you see her at Elswick Park in Newcastle.

You also see the Duchess’s former private secretary, Rebecca Priestley (née Deacon), on the left in this photo.

The Duchess making a new friend.

Many will have recognized the coat immediately, a design Kensington Palace said was created by an independent dressmaker that was initially worn on Christmas Day 2011. It featured a fitted silhouette with a funnel neckline and hidden front closure.   

Beneath the coat, it looked like the Duchess wore a dress by Whistles, the brand’s ‘Sofie Rae’ style in 100% silk. It was first noted at a November 2011 UNICEF engagement in Denmark.

The Duchess accessorized with an Alexander McQueen belt and her Aquatalia Rhumba boots.

The Duchess also wore her Kiki McDonough Citrine Drops (£695, roughly $903 at today’s exchange rates) earrings, shown below as worn on another occasion. 

In mid-October 2013, the Duchess took part in her first solo engagement since the birth of Prince George. The event was a SportsAid Athlete Workshop at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

In this image, you see her in a workshop session with athletes. 

The Duchess famously played volleyball.

I say ‘famously’ because many marveled at her ability to do so in her Stuart Weitzman Corkswoon wedges. 

She also sported her Smythe One-Button Blazer ($725), Breton stripe ‘Tori’ top from Ralph Lauren, and J Brand jeans. 

The Duchess wore her Kiki McDonough Grace White Topaz Earrings (£895, about $1165).

Our October 2014 look is by Alexander McQueen, worn when the Duke and Duchess welcomed the President of Singapore and his wife, Mrs. Tony Tan Keng Yam, to the United Kingdom. This was the Duchess’s return to public engagements after a two-month absence; she was expecting Princess Charlotte and dealing with the effects of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. 

The design was from the upcoming Spring 2015 collection. It showcased the fit-and-flare silhouette favored by the Duchess.

This photo offers a look at the back of the garment. 

The official style name was the Box Pleat A-Line coat. Some minor modifications were made to the Duchess’s coat, most notably the shortening of the lapels. 

The Duchess accessorized with a Jane Taylor hat, the ‘Lupin’ style, described by the designer as a teardrop beret in grey velour felt. It was previously worn on Easter 2014 during the Australia tour. She carried Jenny Packham’s ‘Roxy’ clutch and wore black suede Prada Heels. 

The Duchess’s jewelry included her Kiki McDonough Gold and Diamond Hoops (£700, about $910), the Annoushka Baroque Pearl Drops ($535), and her Mappin and Webb Empress necklace. 

I picked this October 2015 ensemble because it features a brand I remain fond of, Orla Kiely. The company offers almost no apparel (they did a capsule collection with Regatta) but continues selling handbags, gifts, and home goods.

This engagement focused on a children’s mentoring program in Islington, London.

The Grey Floral Appliqué Pleated Dress was embellished with daisies on the bodice.

It also featured three-quarter-length sleeves, a self-belt at the waist, and a back zipper. 

The dress was first noted at an engagement with Prince Charles at an art gallery in March 2012.

The Duchess accessorized with her Mulberry ‘Bayswater’ clutch in black suede, her ‘Power’ pumps by Stuart Weitzman, and her Kiki McDonough/Annoushka earrings.

Next, a look at the ensemble worn by the Duchess of Cambridge in October 2016 for a day of engagements in The Hague and Rotterdam, her first solo overseas trip.

Here, you see her being greeted by King Willem-Alexander at Villa Eikenhorst, the royal family’s official residence.

After lunch with the King, she visited the Mauritshuis Gallery/Museum, where she viewed an exhibition featuring works from The Royal Collection.

This photo shows her viewing The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. 

The Duchess chose a cornflower blue skirt suit by Catherine Walker for the day. Made of wool crepe, the suit features a jacket with a fitted bodice, a wide collar, large self-covered buttons, a peplum waist, notched sleeves that flared at the cuff, and a wide belt. The matching knee-length skirt was a straight cut with a center-back kick vent.

The most notable accessory for the day was a pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings on loan from the Queen. They were worn by the Queen during her Silver Jubilee and are often referred to as the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Pearl and Diamond earrings. 

We also saw the Gianvito 105 Praline Pumps ($795) and the ‘Nina’ Clutch (£150, about $195) by LK Bennett. The fact the original brands still stock these items speaks to the selling power of the Princess of Wales.

We now move to October 2017, and a Temperley London design worn for a World Mental Health Day reception at Buckingham Palace. 

The Duchess of Cambridge was expecting Prince Louis at the time and dealing with Hyperemesis Gravidarum again.

She chose a lacy blue design for the event, Temperley’s Eclipse Lace Collar Dress in a color called ‘Iris.’

It was a style from the A/W ’17 collection, made in a cotton and rayon blend with an A-line silhouette, cotton voile skirt panels, sheer sleeves and shoulders, and black velvet trim. 

Here you have a better view of the lace. 

The Duchess accessorized with her Gianvito 105 Black Suede Pumps ($795) and her Mulberry ‘Bayswater’ clutch, also in black suede. 

She also wore her Kiki McDonough ‘Eden’ earrings with blue topaz stones surrounded by diamonds.

The Duchess’s first engagement after Prince Louis’s birth was an outdoor event in mid-October 2018. 

She visited a forest school in Paddington, London, and met students from a local primary school. (I always loved this expression on her face.)

As I wrote in the original post, “Everyone was a royal today as the Duchess helped the children make leaf crowns.”

She was in pieces by Fjällräven, a Swedish brand specializing in outdoor clothing. Her jacket was the label’s Stina style ($200), and beneath it, she wore the Fjällräven Övik Re-Wool sweater.

Beneath the sweater, the Duchess had on the ‘Rainer’ Bud Print Blouse by Joseph, her Zara ‘Biker’ jeans seen, and Penelope Chilvers Long Tassel Boots (£475). 

We also saw the return of the Siren Green Onyx Earrings ($178) by Monica Vinader.

In October 2019, the Duchess engaged in some sartorial diplomacy at an engagement ahead of the couple’s Pakistan tour.

The Duke and Duchess attended an event at the Aga Khan Centre that was organized in cooperation with the High Commission of Pakistan and the Aga Khan Development Network, a large private charity. Their tour of Pakistan started ten days after this function. At the event, the couple met a variety of people, including business and community leaders.

The Duchess likely selected this color because the primary color of Pakistan’s flag is green.

The Duchess chose a dress that was part of a collaborative collection from Aross Girl and Soler London.

The ‘Amanda’ dress was a maxi-length design made of silk georgette and fully lined. It had a round neckline with gathers, an elasticated waist, a self-belt, sheer sleeves, and cuffs with tie fasteners that created a blouson effect.

The Duchess’s accessories included her Emmy London ‘Rebecca’ pumps ($595, $476 on sale) and Natasha clutch ($495, $396 on sale). I am showing sale prices because Emmy is offering 20% off merchandise when you spend $200; no promo code is needed.

The Duchess wore earrings by Zeen, a brand launched in 2014 by Cambridge, a Pakistan-based retailer. The style was called ‘Dazzling Ceramic Drops.’

The Duchess chose a vibrant red Alexander McQueen coat for October 2020 engagements tied to the launch of her Hold Still book project done in tandem with the National Portrait Gallery. 

The Duke and Duchess visited Waterloo in south London to mark the launch of community exhibits tied to the book’s release.

The couple visited St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, where they met with frontline healthcare workers.

The Duchess’s coat was a double-breasted style with peak lapels, front flap pockets, and contrasting black buttons on the front and at the cuff.

The Duchess paired a new handbag, the Grace Han Love Letter Top-Handle style ($3075), with her Gianvito Rossi Piper 85 pumps ($795). 

She also wore a mask by Amaia Kids, and a new pair of earrings by Daniella Draper, the Gold/Diamond Luxury Maxi Cupid Hoop Earrings ($3300). 

In October 2021, the Duchess brought back a Zara dress for a visit to University College London.

She was there for an engagement at the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, where researchers were working on a study focused on “The Children of the 2020s.”

The Duchess’s dress featured an oversized houndstooth print.

The dress buttoned up the front and showcased a pleated skirt, v-neck with attached bow, elastic on the inside of the waistband, button cuffs, and a wide self-belt. 

It was first worn in January 2020 when the Duke and Duchess visited Bradford in West Yorkshire. 

The Duchess brought back a pair of Hugo Boss heels in embossed leather with a pointed toe and 3.4″ heel.

She also wore her Mappin and Webb ‘Empress’ earrings (£1750, about $2300).

In October 2022, the Princess of Wales debuted a new British brand for a visit to Royal Surrey Hospital. 

She was at the hospital for a visit to the hospital’s maternity unit.

The Princess chose a dress by Karen Millen, the brand’s Structured Crepe Forever Pleat Belted Midi Dress ($246, available in limited sizes).

The dress features a notched neckline, elbow-length sleeves, pressed pleats, and a matching fabric belt.

The Princess carried Emmy London’s Natasha in Midnight Navy ($495, $396 on sale) and wore her Gianvito 105 Navy Suede Pumps ($618 on sale at FarFetch). 

The Princess debuted a new pair of earrings by another British designer, Emily Mortimer, the brand’s Hera White Gold and Diamond Earrings ($1093).

We saw a mix of brands in October 2023 when the Princess visited a community hub supporting those impacted by the war in Ukraine.

She helped pack boxes to be shipped to Ukraine and added her handprint to a tree of peace.

And she spent time with children doing arts and crafts activities offered at the hub.

Her ensemble included pieces Cefinn by Samantha Cameron and Sézane.

Here is a look at the product photos of Cefinn’s ‘Janie’ Sleeveless Funnel Neck Jumper in Mid-Grey (£140, available in most sizes), done in a blend of cashmere Merino wool. On the right, Sézane’s Martin Trousers ($170, available in all sizes) made of 100% virgin wool in a high-waisted style.

The Princess brought back her J. Crew ‘Avery’ Block Heel Pumps in Tweed, a style first worn in October 2016 during the Canada tour.

And she repeated her Shyla London ‘Rosalia’ Earrings (£70, about $90), shown below when worn on a previous occasion.