How Princess Beatrice Has Transformed Her Once-Mocked Style While Staying True to Her "Whimsical Nature"

Princess Beatrice will turn 37 on Friday, August 8, and over the years, she's faced her fair share of criticism when it comes to style. Her headline-making hat at Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2011 wedding might have made Beatrice and her younger sister, Princess Eugenie, into memes, but Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's eldest daughter continued to experiment with bold prints and quirky accessories throughout the early 2000s. In recent years, there's been a shift in Beatrice's wardrobe toward more sophisticated styles, and although she's now praised as one of the best-dressed royals, the princess hasn't lost her sense of "whimsy."

Speaking on behalf of Fruity King, fashion writer Lauren Bulla pointed out that "a big part of the criticism" that Beatrice received for her outfits "was purely to do with the fact that she was growing up in the public eye." The royal's "experimentation" with fashion also fit into the trends in the early aughts, with Bulla calling some of her more mocked outfits "very of their time."

But the fashion tides began to change in 2018, when she became the second member of the Royal Family to ever attend the Met Gala. Her purple Alberta Ferretti gown won praise on the red carpet, and throughout the 2020s, she's continued to up her fashion game.

“I think a big part of her style as it's grown over the years, was this kind of whimsy that is imbued throughout her styling, regardless of what phase of life she's in," Bulla continued. Details like fun bags, fanciful hats and exaggerated puffed sleeves are still part of her wardrobe, but the mom of two now tones it down a bit more.

"I do think a big shift in the way she's presented her wardrobe comes with working with her stylist, Olivia Buckingham," Bulla added. "We see a leaning away from these more polarizing patterns and colorways and towards more neutral colorways and refined silhouettes."

Perhaps her biggest fashion hit came during her 2020 wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, when Beatrice borrowed one of grandmother Queen Elizabeth's vintage evening dresses and modified it into a stunning wedding gown.

This polished aesthetic has been on display at events like Royal Ascot and Wimbledon, with Beatrice stepping out in pretty, summery florals, striped skirt sets and more restrained hats. Off duty, she goes for a more casual look, often stepping out in laid-back sweaters, sneakers and no makeup, like she did in a beachy fifth wedding anniversary photo with her husband.

“I think this inching toward a more subdued wardrobe, the reining in of hemlines and necklines, being more modest, the reduction of overly campy patterns and bright colors, is very understandable, but I love that she has stayed true to her passion for experimentation," Bulla added.

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