Kate Middleton Changes Up Her Shoe Game at the Royal Opera House

After a thoroughly casual outing (opens in new tab) yesterday that including a stylish and affordable J. Crew sweater (opens in new tab), Kate Middleton is back to looking glam and colorful today as she visits the Royal Opera House's costume department. The duchess and mom of three wore a vivid fuchsia Oscar de la Renta dress—a good choice to pair with the fun costumes she's going to see and the dancers she's going to meet—and new shoes that add a little flair to her regular wardrobe!

Kate's known for wearing nude and plain black shoes that perfectly complement her outfits and blend seamlessly into the background. But these Rupert Sanderson pumps (a brand that Kate has worn before) give just the right amount of sparkle to stand out. Plus, they're sky-high patent stilettos, a bit of a changeup from Kate's regular suede. It looks like the pair itself might be a year or two old, but a similar style is currently available on their website (update: it sounds like the shoe is available... but exclusive to stores and not online right now). I love the idea of Kate stealthily purchasing shoes and saving them for JUST the right occasion.

The pumps were first IDed by Dress Like a Duchess (opens in new tab). The dress itself is a repeat; Kate last wore it in 2017 at the Guild of Health Writers Conference in London. The lovely black bag is by Aspinal of London, per the Daily Mail (opens in new tab). 

Here's the full outfit in motion:

And a closer look at the new shoes:

I know I say this all the time, but maybe Meghan Markle is having an effect on Kate's wardrobe! Meghan loves her high-end shoes, and always adds a little something special to her otherwise chic and classic styles: mostly recently, with her PVC cow-print heels (opens in new tab).

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