Kate Middleton Wore an Off-the-Shoulder Tweed Dress by Erdem to the Victoria and Albert Museum
She wasn't afraid to show some skin.

On Wednesday, Kate Middleton visited the Victoria and Albert Museum (opens in new tab) in London to open a new photography center. To mark her first visit as a royal patron of the museum, Kate wore an Erdem tweed dress (that's now sold out) and pearl earrings from the fashion house. The ensemble featured short sleeves and an off-the-shoulder fit. A burgundy sash ran across her waist and the dress also had floral embellishments on the asymmetrical neckline. The Duchess of Cambridge accessorized with a black Jimmy Choo clutch and velvet pumps. It's been a while since we've seen Kate rock an off-the-shoulder look, but perhaps she took some notes from Meghan Markle (opens in new tab)—who isn't shy about showing off her shoulders.
This was Kate's third public engagement since returning from maternity leave (opens in new tab) earlier this month. Unlike yesterday's lavender-colored number by Emilia Wickstead (opens in new tab), Kate chose a dress with tweed details that added a touch of something special to her look. This look might also be completely new too, though Erdem is one of Kate's go-to designer labels (opens in new tab). While this dress is by no means her Alexander McQueen (opens in new tab) coat dress—what I assume is her favorite piece ever—it does look like something she can pull out for any occasion.
Kate's Erdem choice was definitely different than Meghan Markle's black velvet Givenchy dress (opens in new tab), which she wore to the Royal Academy's Oceania Exhibit last month. The tweed gave Kate's dress a timeless but polished vibe while Meghan's outfit was a little more sleek and modern.
Don't expect Kate to repeat her museum look though at Princess Eugenie's wedding (opens in new tab) this Friday. The Duchess of Cambridge will likely wearing an outfit that's a little more formal, like another designer dress with a matching coat and fascinator.
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Marina Liao is the former fashion news editor at MarieClaire.com, where she covered celebrity style (from Meghan Markle to Katie Holmes), fashion trends, and shopping advice, plus conducted original interviews with industry insiders. She's also had many opportunities to write content in other areas such as beauty, food, tech, and even home. Her previous fashion stints include POPSUGAR and Cosmopolitan.
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