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The Duchess of Cambridge's casual wardrobe updates for summer 2021

The Duchess of Cambridge - Getty Images
The Duchess of Cambridge - Getty Images

When the Duchess of Cambridge arrived at London’s Natural History Museum to tour its wildlife gardens and learn about its Urban Nature Project with local school children on Tuesday, she wasn’t wearing a black Alexander McQueen suit, as she did for one of her last visits to the Museum, in October 2020. Nor did she choose a dress by Alessandra Rich, a favourite designer, as she did for a recent tour of the Victoria & Albert Museum, right next door – nor any lavish jewellery, nor even high heels.

Instead, she wore jeans. & Other Stories Favourite Cut cropped jeans in a light blue wash, to be exact, with a white puff-sleeve Ralph Lauren top, Chloe jacket, gold jewellery and Veja trainers.

With the exception of the coral cargo-pocket Chloe blazer (originally £1,795 but currently on sale for £1,077) and the Daniella Draper gold pendant necklace (£1,070), Kate’s outfit was noteworthy for its accessibility. Those jeans cost £65 from a widely shopped high-street store; her trainers were £90 – not insignificant, but not a Gucci-level purchase, either.

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What’s most striking about the look is how closely it hews to the unofficial British-mum uniform, right down to those gleaming Veja trainers.

In fact, relatability has been the theme of many of Kate’s outfits of late. In recent weeks, she’s used public appearances to show her more casual side – the duchess next door. She’s made a number of updates to her casual summer style formula lately, many of which are more relevant – and affordable – to regular women.

The Duchess of Cambridge veja - Getty Images
The Duchess of Cambridge veja - Getty Images

Take the trainers. The Veja Esplars with metallic trims are an exclusive style offered through Net-a-porter.com’s Net Sustain initiative, which promotes sustainable brands. She first wore them to revisit St Andrew’s on her trip to Scotland with Prince William last month and they have since sold out – no doubt more than a few pairs went to women who already swear by Veja trainers with floral midi dresses and jeans for the school run.

The Scotland trip also saw Kate appear in new knitwear (from Campbells of Beauly and Erdem), a polka-dotted Jigsaw blouse that would look just as good with jeans, a number of utility or quilted jackets, and another pair of white trainers – favourite Supergas.

And sure, her outfits represent practical choices to suit the demands of her agenda. Tuesday’s jeans and trainers were a better fit to the activities planned for Kate’s visit than any more elegant look. She couldn’t have sat cross-legged on the ground for woodland crafts with the school kids in stiletto heels and a narrow silk dress.

The Duchess of Cambridge - Getty Images
The Duchess of Cambridge - Getty Images

But I’d venture that there’s another message in her outfit: While sash-and-tiara Kate is regal, impressive and the stuff of princess dreams, Casual Kate is relatable. Accessible. And believable as a woman with similar concerns and priorities to those of any other mother of three young children. Which I also happen to be, and yes, I do wear Veja trainers – and yes, I do kind of wish I’d snapped up a pair of those metallic Vejas before they sold out.

It’s surprising to admit, but I like Relate-a-Kate. Turns out that royals really are just like us – at least when it comes to their trainer preferences.

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