When it comes to dressing for the season ahead, the Princess of Wales remains one of the most reliable places to look. Catherine has a way of balancing her own settled style with a current trend, and her latest outing did exactly that, offering a fresh take on the shirts-and-blazers combination that returns every autumn.
On the morning of August 24, the Prince and Princess of Wales joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at a Sunday service at Crathie Kirk in Aberdeenshire, alongside Princess Anne. Their three children, George, 13, Charlotte, 11, and Louis, eight, were also there, with the two boys photographed in the back of the car in black suits. The royals were joined by members of the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland.
For the occasion, Catherine reached for a romantic blouse with intricate lace detailing worn over a more traditional collar, a softer, prettier version of the crisp shirt that usually anchors an autumn outfit. It is a small styling shift with a big effect, taking a workwear staple somewhere more delicate and seasonal.
The appeal for everyone else is that it is easy to copy. A romantic, lace-trimmed blouse layers under blazers and knits exactly as a plain shirt would, but reads as more considered. And true to the Princess’s knack for accessible style, there is a high-street equivalent: Marks & Spencer has a similar blouse for £45.
That mix is what keeps people watching what she wears. Catherine takes a classic, adjusts it just enough to feel current, and does it in pieces most people can actually find and afford, which is how a Sunday-service outfit in Aberdeenshire ends up shaping what the rest of us reach for come autumn.
