How Kate Middleton's Love for Plaid Grew Over a Decade

Kate Middleton's latest outfit this week in an engagement with William—the to-die-for Emily Wickstead tartan midi skirt and perfectly tailored Brora black button up cardigan—was perfect for the holidays. But as it turns out, Princess Kate's love affair with tartan is actually long and well-documented.

By Katherine J. Igoe

published 7 December 2018

in News

Kate Middleton's latest outfit this week for an engagement with William—the to-die-for Emily Wickstead plaid midi skirt and perfectly tailored Brora black button up cardigan—was perfect for the holidays. But, as it turns out, Princess Kate's love affair with plaid is actually long and well-documented.

Per People, Kate actually wore a similar red skirt with a black blazer and boots a decade ago, styled in almost exactly the same way. Kate loves plaid and has been steadily ramping up her strategic use of the classic, yet stylish pattern since then. Just take a look at some of her plaid outfits over the years (and shop similar pieces below).

MSGM Pleated Tartan Midi Skirt

Tommy Jeans Long Plaid Coat

Isabel Marant Ebra Wool Coat

Halogen Plaid Tweed Pencil Skirt

As seen from the snap above, where Kate's in a plaid skirt and on her phone (before she married William), the Duchess of Cambridge has come into her own style. From the way she holds her bag, to her posture, to the improvement of the fit and style of her outfits, she's really evolved. (I'm sure having a royal clothes budget helps.)

In 2012, Kate showed off this green and blue number at St. Andrew's Day at St. Andrew's School, which she actually attended as a child.

Sport venue, Games, Design, Stick and Ball Games, Recreation, Golf, Leg, Grass, Golf club, Sports equipment,

Kate loves a coat-dress—in this case, a navy and beige one she wore in 2013 to tour the Emirates Arena with William.

Plaid, Clothing, Tartan, Street fashion, Pattern, Fashion, Outerwear, Textile, Design, Coat,

Polished in navy and pink, Kate tours the National Football Stadium in Manchester in 2016.

Plaid, Clothing, Street fashion, Fashion, Pattern, Tartan, Outerwear, Fashion model, Design, Textile,

For Christmas 2017, Kate was full of holiday cheer (look at that hat!) for Christmas Day Church service at St. Mary Magdalene in red and green.

Plaid, Tartan, Clothing, Pattern, Textile, Design, Kilt, Street fashion, Plant, Sleeve,

Finally, last week's outfit

Plaid, Tartan, Clothing, Pattern, Fashion, Street fashion, Kilt, Textile, Fashion show, Design,

Now that's a plaid style evolution.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.