5 Ways Kate Middleton Can Improve Her Style

Derick Chetty | April 29th, 2016

There is one group of people Kate Middleton hasn’t exactly won over: the fashion crowd.

Kate Middleton has much to celebrate: She has produced two beautiful children—a boy and a girl— and has avoided major scandals or undue embarrassment to the royal family. And she not only has the stamp of approval from the Queen but she also has the devotion of most of her subjects who view her as the perfect Duchess with impeccable manners and friendly demeanor and applaud her hands-on approach to motherhood and approve of her attempts at trying to live a normal as possible life despite the glare of media attention.

But there is one group she hasn’t exactly won over: the fashion crowd. Kate is no fashionista.

Her sense of style borders on the banal. She dresses in a matronly manner, her fashion choices are always safe, demure and practically blends into the background. It’s as if she is nervous about rocking the royal boat or not wanting to bring any more attention to herself. Even the 90-year-old Queen dresses in a much more colourful and stylish manner.

The British press has taken her to task for it and calls her Duchess of Dull.

Quite simply, Kate needs to step up her fashion game. She is missing out on a golden opportunity where she can truly have an economical impact, single-handedly, on several industries.

She is a beautiful woman and her svelte figure practically begs to be draped in stylish clothes. She could take a page out of Michelle Obama’s book and wear young designers – which would be a boon to struggling British designers.

She shops at many high street stores – and that’s fine, no one is suggesting she only wear designer garb – but she needs to keep an eye out for quality. Some of those fast fashion chains she favours tends to look cheap with their flimsy fabrics and there are numerous pictures of Kate struggling to keep her hems down in the wind.

It might be argued she is adhering to the many protocols issued by the palace on appropriate public attire for royals – like always wearing flesh-coloured panty hose. But yet other young European royals manage to abide by these rules and still look fashionable. It’s in the monarchy’s best interest to keep her from looking bland. Keep that up and her audience worldwide will not be engaged forever. And the monarchy plays a huge role in tourism to the UK.

Kate needs to remember that these pictures live on forever. Many years from now, when history looks back on her, she will be seen as the blandest of royals.

And if ever she needed a reason for stepping up to the fashion plate, she should be reminded that she is married to a future king. Better start looking regal.

So as she celebrates her fifth wedding anniversary, click through for five ways she could improve her style sense.

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends an evening reception to celebrate the work of The Art Room charity at The National Portrait Gallery on April 24, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Granted she was pregnant here at the time with Prince George, as pretty as this pale blue colour is, this maternity dress sums up Kate’s style: unimaginative, boring and matronly. We are living in an era where it is perfectly acceptable for a woman to show off her baby bump in public. If Kate does not feel comfortable in a form-fitting maternity outfit, she could at least go for a length that doesn’t end at the knees which makes her look dowdy. Aim for above the knee or several inches below the knee which has an elegant lady like look.

Yes, Kate wears bright colours at times. But is there anything more bland than this cement-coloured frock coat? It makes her look older. She should take some style advice from the Queen, who always wears bright sunny colours for public appearances.

CALGARY, AB - JULY 07: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge arrive at the Calgary International Airport on July 7, 2011 in Calgary, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)

Can you imagine the Queen wearing a dress that blows up in the wind? Even when she was younger, it is said the Queen had tiny chains or coins sewn in her hems to keep them from flapping in the wind. Kate is known to favour high street or chain stores. Nothing wrong with mixing lower priced items into your designer wardrobe. But you run the risk of flimsy and cheap fabrics and there are pictures from numerous occasions where Kate is struggling to keep her skirts down. This chiffon dress, as pretty and girlish as it was, was probably not the thing to wear on a tarmac with gusty winds.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends the Action on Addiction Autumn Gala Evening at L'Anima on October 23, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Danny Martindale/WireImage)

Was this an attempt at trying to be edgy in a sexy black cocktail dress? Unfortunately Kate kept to her usual office-looking black pumps and hair down. Perhaps she might have cut a slightly more daring image if she had opted for a sexier pair of evening heels and put her hair up in a more sophisticated style instead of casually down and loose.

ANGLESEY, WALES - FEBRUARY 18: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends a reception following the ceremony marking the end of RAF Search and Rescue (SAR) Force operations during a visit to RAF Valley on February 18, 2016 in Anglesey, Wales. (Photo by Peter Byrne - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Are you a royal or a flight attendant working with British Airways? It might be a perfectly acceptable outfit for mere mortals but on Kate it looks too demure. Add a little pill box hat and it all says mumsy. All those people came out to see a royal. Give them some drama and mystique. A hat with an interesting architectural shape, maybe with some netting or floral appliqués, might have been more intriguing.