Kate Middleton has been among the most popular royal family members for many years. The Princess of Wales has not only proven herself to be a royal family member of change, becoming increasingly more “one of the people,” but also, her down-to-earth sense of style has earned her legions of fans worldwide.
Kate has been a trendsetter throughout her entire time within the royal family, and it has even been given a name, “the Kate effect.” Meanwhile, even though she has been setting trends, the princess has also gone her own way, not falling for what is hot right now.
One of those pieces of clothing sure is her jeans, with Kate often being seen wearing a skinny style. Why is that? And what is the secret behind her skinny jeans style? Let’s take a closer look at her fashionable choices.
Not only has Kate Middleton turned out to have an exquisite style, but the public always seems to want to emulate her fashionable wardrobe, which has sometimes sparked a frenzy.
KATE MIDDLETON & FASHION – THE “KATE EFFECT”
Over the last decade, it has even been known as the “Kate effect,” a term that describes the wide-reaching fascination with 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. 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 then, Kate has been keen to promote designers such as Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham and more affordable brands like Zara and LK Bennett through her taste and interest. According to Newsweek and as reported by the Express, the “Kate effect” could “be worth £ 1 billion 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 became hugely popular.
According to fashion expert Bethan Holt, Kate Middleton’s style is casual and formal, youthful yet serious, 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.”
KATE MIDDLETON SENDS SPECIAL MESSAGES WITH HER CHOICE OF CLOTHING
“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 told Vanity Fair. “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.”
“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.”
For many years, Kate Middleton has had a laidback style that certainly applies to the public. Her outfits have often been studied by fashion experts, not necessarily because of how they fit or which shoes match which pants, but because some outfits send a special message to a specific group.
For example, 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.”
WHY KATE MIDDLETON CHOSE TO SPORT PINK OUTFITS
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 tried to help those struggling with many different things, including mental health.
Last year, a new trend and message were 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 appeared in a pink outfit. It’s been a while since that has happened.
Just as with any other color, pink has a meaning. For example, red is associated with courage and confidence, and pink is associated with love, kindness, and femininity.