The Princess of Wales loves an eyelet skater dress, floral midi or colorful smocked designer dress for warm weather. Often gravitating toward retro styles with modest silhouettes and pretty prints, Kate loves wearing playful and preppy designs (hello striped boatnecks and collared shirtdresses) in the hottest months of the year.
Often a busy season for the royal family to attend special functions like Royal Ascot, Order of the Garter and Wimbledon, the summer is the time of year when the princess can show off her less stuffy and structured outfits in favor of chic and comfortable dresses in lightweight fabrics and airy materials.
Here are 7 of Kate Middleton’s Best Summer Fashion Moments:
1. Pretty at Polo
A contrast lined dress is a modern retelling of the colorblock look but with subtle striping. Princess Kate wore Emilia Wickstead’s Denvella Belted White Dress to a charity polo match in July 2022. The cloqué dress with contrasting black piping gave the classic sleeveless fit and flare a bit of delicate dimension and made for an extra elegant fashion statement.
2. Lovely in Lilac
Proving puff sleeves are always a good idea, Kate wore this pretty purple ‘iris’ colored L.K. Bennett Dee dress in June 2021 at the London School of Economics. Adding a little whimsy to the snug sheath, Kate carried a colorful rainbow umbrella for the launch of her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
3. Glam in Green
In July 2021, the princess paid homage to her role as patron of the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club with a gorgeous green dress by Emilia Wickstead. The mom of three wore the brand’s Denver dress for the Wimbledon Ladies Single Finals at the height of the summer season. For Day 12 of the championship tennis tournament, Kate looked sharp in her luxurious cloqué midi featuring darting through the bodice and waist (Kate’s version had extra darting at the bust) and delicately puffed cap sleeves.
4. Wimbledon Wonder
Debuting a new shirtdress from British designer Suzannah, Kate rocked up to the grandstands of Wimbledon in July 2019 in this Mad Men era Flippy Wiggle dress. The tea-length dress looked sophisticated and smart for the daytime tennis tournament.
5. Preen Queen
Showing off a hint of bronze tan, the princess looked glowy and glamorous at the Natural History Museum in the dead of summer in mid-July 2017. For the reopening of Hintze Hall, Kate wore this pale blue Everly dress by Preen (Thornton Bregazzi). The fashion-forward dress boasts short sleeves, a flattering gathered waist and is constructed from a mid-weight stretchy fabric. Cute but classic, the knee-length dress is perfect for summer cocktail parties or date nights with princely suitors.
6. Poppy Powerhouse
For a summer engagement in August 2016, Kate rocked one of her most iconic dresses — a sheath look by L.K. Bennett. The ‘Lasa’ blue poppy print dress has an air of regal romance and is both chic and charming for the hottest months of the year. Designed with snorkel blue poppies arranged in a fun and flirty floating style, this feminine dress is a must for midsummer royal duty.
7. Off-the-Shoulder Smolder
In July 2016 Kate made a very coquettish statement in this alluring evening dress by Brazilian born and London-based designer Barbara Casasola. The formfitting cream “Tribal” dress hails from the designer’s Spring ’16 runway collection. Constructed from figure-sculpting stretch-jersey and designed with paneled sheer mesh inserts, the off-the-shoulder midi makes a fun and flirty fashion statement.
