TL;DR:
- Kate Middleton wore an ivory Alexander McQueen gown to the coronation
- Her outfit disappointed a royal fashion expert who has called it “quite plain.”
- Another member of the royal family had a “standout” coronation outfit.
Despite being named the most stylish British royal, coronation day wasn’t necessarily a banner example of Kate Middleton’s style chops. A royal fashion expert says the Princess of Wales’ overall look proved to be a letdown. Ahead, their theory on why Kate’s coronation dress was “quite plain.” Plus, their pick for which royal wore a “standout” coronation dress.
Kate Middleton’s coronation outfit featured an Alexander McQueen gown, ceremonial robes, and a flower crown
First, the details on Kate’s coronation outfit. She arrived at Westminster Abbey on May 6 wearing an ivory-colored embroidered dress by Alexander McQueen. By far her fanciest ensemble of coronation weekend, the 41-year-old only offered a glimpse of it.
The reason? Kate wore a ceremonial robe featuring red, white, and blue, the colors of the Union Jack flag over her coronation dress.
She accessorized with a Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen silver flower crown instead of a tiara. Kate also made a nod to Princess Diana, wearing pearl drop earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law.
To top off her look, Kate wore the George VI Festoon necklace, which Queen Elizabeth II’s father had made for her in 1950.
Although Kate debuted her coronation dress at the ceremony, it wasn’t until May 8, when Buckingham Palace released the coronation portraits, that Kate offered a look at her dress sans ceremonial robe.
A royal fashion expert called Kate’s coronation outfit ‘quite plain’
Celebrity stylist and royal fashion expert Miranda Holder shared her thoughts on Kate’s coronation outfit in a TikTok video.
“You’ve got embroidery around a very pretty neckline, the cuffs, and at the bottom,” Holder said of Kate’s McQueen gown. “It’s cut beautifully, but I don’t think it’s that great.”
She continued, saying a possible reason for the “quite plain” coronation outfit might’ve been not to take away from King Charles and Queen Camilla.
“It’s by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, who, of course, designed Kate’s wedding gown, so I really was expecting great things,” Holder said. “The only thing I can think of is that they were keeping it deliberately pared back so as to not outshine the king and the queen.”
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Holder also described Kate’s coronation gown as something of a blank canvas for the other elements of her outfit, such as her ceremonial robe, silver flower crown, and jewelry.
Kate’s coronation gown seemed to be “acting as a sartorial vehicle” for the rest of her look. As a result, it was “not the main focal point.”
Holder also pointed out the similarities between Kate’s coronation gown and the black McQueen dress she wore to a 2019 Buckingham Palace reception.
“It’s actually exactly the same silhouette, which I also think is a little bit severe for Kate. It’s very classic and very beautiful, but I don’t think it does her any favors.”
“Despite all this, we all agree that Kate looked absolutely beautiful, and I think the most beautiful she ever looked,” Holder added. She “looks beautiful, she would look beautiful in a bin bag.”
Princess Beatrice’s coronation outfit ranked high as a ‘stand-out’
As for one of the fashion expert’s favorite coronation outfits, Holder looked to Princess Beatrice. Her “outfit was a standout for me,” Holder said (via Mail Online).
Beatrice, 34, looked “radiant in a figure-hugging magenta dress,” she said. It paired “perfectly” with her “titian hair which positively glowed from her halo of a golden headband.”
“I really loved this look,” the expert said. “After a rocky start in her younger years, the princess’s fashion sense is growing and she is becoming ever more sophisticated. She proved herself to be the epitome of chic.”
Per WWD, Beatrice’s royal fashion expert-approved look is a Beulah London design. Retailing for $877, it’s called the Sienna, which is also the name of her 1-year-old daughter, Sienna Mapelli Mozzi.
Kate’s coronation outfit proved to be one of many during the days-long celebration. She wore a red McQueen pantsuit to the coronation concert at Windsor Castle, followed by jeans for volunteering and a blue dress at a garden party.
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