I also completely agree. I left this in a comment on your Instagram story, too, but not only are the trouser ensembles boring, this particular one doesn’t even seem properly tailored. The jacket is too short, and paired with the cropped-length pants, it looks too small/like it was tailored for a much shorter person. Additionally, her hair is too full and bouncy in contrast with the tailoring of this suit, so she looks off balance. (Never did I ever think I’d utter any sort of complaint about her glorious tresses!) This look isn’t just disappointing, it’s downright unflattering.
That’s what I think. Not only are the suits ultra boring, they aren’t the most flattering thing on her. Maybe they emphasize her slenderness without showing any curves? Maybe they emphasize her long torso? I’m not sure what it is, but she’s losing me as a follower because I just can’t care about her clothes.
Me too. I look to Kate to stand out, not fit in. As an American, there are literally hundreds of female politicians in state and federal government wearing the same old pantsuits. Even the most youthful and fashionable of them are just more of the same. Not what I looked to Kate for.
I quite agree. The fact she keeps showing up in new trouser suits tells us she’s not “one of us” and we don’t need her to be. As I commented elsewhere about her faux jewels for the Variety Show - we emulate her diamonds with our High Street bling because we can’t afford the real thing, she can and shouldn’t try to be like us. We want her as someone to aspire to be, in both philanthropic actions and fashion style.
The King seems to understand - Camilla has been rapidly appearing in different tiaras and jewels from the vault to match her gowns. The Waleses would be wrong to become too ordinary.
It’s so hard to tell where the King is coming from. First he’s like, slimmed down monarchy, no jewels & tiaras to be worn to coronation, and then, oh wait, now the Queen will be pulling out a different tiara a week… It all seems a bit confusing.
He doesn’t want the public to pay for superfluous people, but he’s not averse to showing us jewels already bought years ago and hardly seen.
The Coronation was an anomaly; there was the Harry situation to consider - they couldn’t let Meghan be a front row tiara wearer after all she’d said, but the optics of her in a hat and them in tiaras would have fuelled the flamers. She didn’t pull out until it was too late to change things.
Also, although nothing was officially said, I believe Charles was truly unsure about how full on to go in times of austerity when he wasn’t certain of his and Camilla’s popularity.
For the record, the slimmed down monarchy comment from the palace was made at least ten years ago, but has been repeated endlessly since. At the time it was uttered, Andrew,
Harry, and Harry's future wife were understood to be part of the future "slimmed down monarchy." Things change over time, and wise monarchs adapt.
FYI the slimmed down monarchy for the future dates back over 25 years ago . You can find it in Kitty Kelley’s book The Royals, which was published in 1997 before Diana died.
I find her figure too perfect for trousers. Skirts are more forgiving; one can at least imagine wearing a version of Catherine’s ensemble. But very few of us have the Princess of Wales’s perfect legs and trousers show every flaw.
It reminds me of Ingrid Bergman’s haircut in For Whom the Bell Tolls.
The movie aired during WWII (1943) and women rushed to their hairdressers for “Maria’s haircut,” thinking it would be easy to manage. (Today, with styling tools/gels and YouTube videos, it probably would be). Alas, during the film, Ingrid was constantly attended by a hairdresser with a mirror and comb so every shot was perfect. Without this aid, the cut was a mess.
As a woman who works in IT and business, the suits have me in heaven. Catherine was born to rock a suit. In another life, she was definitely in the C-suite. A boss like her mummy.
I appreciate how William is viewing the future of the monarchy. As work, as business. That really is going to be the survival of it all. At the end of the day, The Firm is a business that needs to be sustained.
With the exception of that ugly green suit (which breaks my heart as my favorite color is green) with the trousers dragging (Pants like that should be illegal) all her suits have been perfectly tailored without one wrinkle. Perfection.
I appreciate your point of view as one totally different from my own. My thought is, I’m an ordinary American mom and I rock a dress every day of my life. To work, on errands, in the carpool lane. The idea that ordinary work and activity somehow precludes dresses is so foreign and confusing to me. I don’t even own a pair of pants, aside from running tights.
Why? It was a conscious choice I made, based on what I think suits me and what I feel comfortable wearing. I made the shift over a period of several years.
I spent so much of my life being “required” to wear dresses. Now that I am retired I can’t remember the last time I wore one. Nice slacks and a nice top is my go to outfit. As part of “women’s lib” I feel we won the right to expand our serious wardrobe to slacks/trousers.
As a bit younger woman, I feel like the right we have actually won is to choose what suits us best! Several of these ensembles Kate has trotted out (dragging trousers, too short jackets) do not suit her at all! Back to the drawing board is what I’d be saying!
Chacun a son gout. Isn't it great that no one is telling us what we HAVE to wear anymore and we aren't chained to fashion houses that required girdles, bras and intense dieting.
Part of a business is to advertise your products. Princess of Wales always advanced British fashion. Although, more professional this doesn’t support designers. Hugh miss step her part. Although Dior is a major brand, I wished Meghan would have worn more British brands. Especially to the wedding
Couldn’t agree more. The direction is coming from the top—Charles—and he’s trying to make the monarchy unassuming. As you mentioned, therein it becomes irrelevant.
I wear almost exclusively skirts and dresses, and I loved how you expressed it in your instastory - women should not feel like they have to wear suits all the time even if they work in a male world. Choosing to wear fashionable clothes that celebrate femininity is not only valid but powerful in its own way. Totally agree with your points here, I hope they realize in time that such a plan would be a mistake.
I couldn’t agree more! I don’t even known a pair of pants, aside from running tights. It’s not required in order to communicate “business”. And on Kate, it’s a total yawn.
I hope this message gets to them, as I completely agree. Remember Kate sweeping in to meet Mila from HOLD STILL in that gorgeous pink-for-princess Me & Em dress? If that isn’t the code for a modern princess, I don’t know what is. I will lose interest in the whole thing if Kate keeps the suits up and the community visits go down. Thanks for taking a stand!
As long as Kate keeps reaching into that vault and pulling out tiaras, I think this shift is fine. We got a whole week of good HRH drag (and a day dress) during the S. Korea state visit. This trouser trend is Kate and William tinkering around the edges. That's fine. They've been doing this for centuries. I'm guessing it's how they stay relevant. Her coats are indeed missed, however. They will make an appearance at all the Xmas events surely.
Amen! She needs to mix it up with skirts and dresses again because she is the standard bearer for the British fashion industry. Think about this: royal watchers often say something along the lines of "remember when (insert name of royal) wore that wonderful (insert garment description)?" Very seldom is the garment being discussed a pants suit. It's a strategic miss to want royals to look like us, because why watch them then. Kate seems to be following the direction of Queen Letizia of Spain, who has to be very cognizant of the message her clothes send as the Spanish monarchy is not as secure as the British. Commenters on other sites have referred to Letizia's pant suits as "upscale bank manager" but she is wise enough to throw in the occasional dress for less corporate engagements.
She looks great! I like the pant suits, something different. She has been wearing dresses for years, I think it is a more modern shift. If this is what she is comfortable in when carrying out some of her engagements, then so be it. Let's give her some grace.
Your idea of what "beautifully fashionable" means is very close-minded and restrictive. Women can be fashionable in suits just as much as in dresses. I understand that you don't like suits or you don't find them to be attractive/fashionable but that's your view on fashion. You shouldn't project them as if they are universal truths.
And yet women do wear skirts and dresses in myriad settings with comfort and style. It seems just as closed-minded to say certain activities preclude the wearing of dresses as though hundreds of millions of ordinary women don’t do those same activities in dresses.
Read what Reshen said. You don't appear--from your other comments--to be actually reading what people are saying, i.e., that people oughtn't to be precluded from wearing what THEY want to wear. Say you prefer dresses, that's fine. But saying that someone should go back to the drawing board, that's judgmental.
Kate is a public figure and EVERYONE has thoughts and opinions on what she wears. I’m entitled to one as much as anyone and I thought the fit on this suit was poor. That’s why I said “back to the drawing board.” Yes, I prefer dresses and that’s why I disagree with the argument that she MUST be wearing trousers to be more like regular people who also MUST be wearing pants. I’m using myself as the example why that’s not necessarily a universal truth.
I am the only moderator on this forum. I don’t have a problem with Grace voicing her opinion on the fashion and saying “back to the drawing board.” Making judgments is exactly what we do every time we say, I like that, that looks nice, I don’t like that, I don’t think that’s flattering, and so forth.
I agree! I actually am not a fan of such skinny pants with those very high heels and jackets that look almost too small. Definitely miss the dresses and skirts and overall princess vibe.
Kate trouser suit obsession is very strange indeed. Why would she pretend to be corporate and if so, any trip to a corporate environment would show her that we wear all sorts and being smart in the office does not mean women have to emulate men. We mix it up. A skirt suit, dress, trouser suit, etc, etc.. That she is not even wearing the same trouser suits is odder still (IMO). This new habit has become an excuse for shopping although no exec would have the time and energy to buy as many suits as Kate has recently. I would prefer some rewears to show imagination and less profligacy. It’s a strange idea to only wear one thing and emphasises that she is nothing like the rest of us.
Just could not agree more!! Have been following the BRF for decades, since Diana came on the scene. Fashion is big business and is very compelling art form to a lot of women (and men). Kate is nicely positioned to tap into that world, as she has the resources and as she so memorably did on the night she wore that epic caped glittery gold gown to a film premier. WOW!! Why step away from the instincts that she obviously had then. I agree that they need to do more than show up at ribbon cuttings but they already are both doing important work. The pants suits are great to meet with her boards and conduct business at Windsor, Kensington or Buckingham Palace but to meet the public, PLEASE, Kate, go back to the gorgeous clothes you were wearing before. Following you then gave me SO much pleasure.
I 100% agree! I think they are trying to be more professional but stepping away from public engagements is a huge mistake.
I also completely agree. I left this in a comment on your Instagram story, too, but not only are the trouser ensembles boring, this particular one doesn’t even seem properly tailored. The jacket is too short, and paired with the cropped-length pants, it looks too small/like it was tailored for a much shorter person. Additionally, her hair is too full and bouncy in contrast with the tailoring of this suit, so she looks off balance. (Never did I ever think I’d utter any sort of complaint about her glorious tresses!) This look isn’t just disappointing, it’s downright unflattering.
That’s what I think. Not only are the suits ultra boring, they aren’t the most flattering thing on her. Maybe they emphasize her slenderness without showing any curves? Maybe they emphasize her long torso? I’m not sure what it is, but she’s losing me as a follower because I just can’t care about her clothes.
Me too. I look to Kate to stand out, not fit in. As an American, there are literally hundreds of female politicians in state and federal government wearing the same old pantsuits. Even the most youthful and fashionable of them are just more of the same. Not what I looked to Kate for.
I quite agree. The fact she keeps showing up in new trouser suits tells us she’s not “one of us” and we don’t need her to be. As I commented elsewhere about her faux jewels for the Variety Show - we emulate her diamonds with our High Street bling because we can’t afford the real thing, she can and shouldn’t try to be like us. We want her as someone to aspire to be, in both philanthropic actions and fashion style.
The King seems to understand - Camilla has been rapidly appearing in different tiaras and jewels from the vault to match her gowns. The Waleses would be wrong to become too ordinary.
It’s so hard to tell where the King is coming from. First he’s like, slimmed down monarchy, no jewels & tiaras to be worn to coronation, and then, oh wait, now the Queen will be pulling out a different tiara a week… It all seems a bit confusing.
To your first paragraph, I wholeheartedly agree!
He doesn’t want the public to pay for superfluous people, but he’s not averse to showing us jewels already bought years ago and hardly seen.
The Coronation was an anomaly; there was the Harry situation to consider - they couldn’t let Meghan be a front row tiara wearer after all she’d said, but the optics of her in a hat and them in tiaras would have fuelled the flamers. She didn’t pull out until it was too late to change things.
Also, although nothing was officially said, I believe Charles was truly unsure about how full on to go in times of austerity when he wasn’t certain of his and Camilla’s popularity.
For the record, the slimmed down monarchy comment from the palace was made at least ten years ago, but has been repeated endlessly since. At the time it was uttered, Andrew,
Harry, and Harry's future wife were understood to be part of the future "slimmed down monarchy." Things change over time, and wise monarchs adapt.
FYI the slimmed down monarchy for the future dates back over 25 years ago . You can find it in Kitty Kelley’s book The Royals, which was published in 1997 before Diana died.
I find her figure too perfect for trousers. Skirts are more forgiving; one can at least imagine wearing a version of Catherine’s ensemble. But very few of us have the Princess of Wales’s perfect legs and trousers show every flaw.
It reminds me of Ingrid Bergman’s haircut in For Whom the Bell Tolls.
https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/film-star-ingrid-bergman-plays-the-part-of-maria-in-news-photo/3170796
The movie aired during WWII (1943) and women rushed to their hairdressers for “Maria’s haircut,” thinking it would be easy to manage. (Today, with styling tools/gels and YouTube videos, it probably would be). Alas, during the film, Ingrid was constantly attended by a hairdresser with a mirror and comb so every shot was perfect. Without this aid, the cut was a mess.
As a woman who works in IT and business, the suits have me in heaven. Catherine was born to rock a suit. In another life, she was definitely in the C-suite. A boss like her mummy.
I appreciate how William is viewing the future of the monarchy. As work, as business. That really is going to be the survival of it all. At the end of the day, The Firm is a business that needs to be sustained.
Love it.
Absolutely agree. If they only represent tradition then they are going to be ossified. But if they represent what the UK is and is becoming, bravo.
With the exception of that ugly green suit (which breaks my heart as my favorite color is green) with the trousers dragging (Pants like that should be illegal) all her suits have been perfectly tailored without one wrinkle. Perfection.
I appreciate your point of view as one totally different from my own. My thought is, I’m an ordinary American mom and I rock a dress every day of my life. To work, on errands, in the carpool lane. The idea that ordinary work and activity somehow precludes dresses is so foreign and confusing to me. I don’t even own a pair of pants, aside from running tights.
I envy you. ☺️
Why? It was a conscious choice I made, based on what I think suits me and what I feel comfortable wearing. I made the shift over a period of several years.
I spent so much of my life being “required” to wear dresses. Now that I am retired I can’t remember the last time I wore one. Nice slacks and a nice top is my go to outfit. As part of “women’s lib” I feel we won the right to expand our serious wardrobe to slacks/trousers.
As a bit younger woman, I feel like the right we have actually won is to choose what suits us best! Several of these ensembles Kate has trotted out (dragging trousers, too short jackets) do not suit her at all! Back to the drawing board is what I’d be saying!
Chacun a son gout. Isn't it great that no one is telling us what we HAVE to wear anymore and we aren't chained to fashion houses that required girdles, bras and intense dieting.
Part of a business is to advertise your products. Princess of Wales always advanced British fashion. Although, more professional this doesn’t support designers. Hugh miss step her part. Although Dior is a major brand, I wished Meghan would have worn more British brands. Especially to the wedding
Couldn’t agree more. The direction is coming from the top—Charles—and he’s trying to make the monarchy unassuming. As you mentioned, therein it becomes irrelevant.
I wear almost exclusively skirts and dresses, and I loved how you expressed it in your instastory - women should not feel like they have to wear suits all the time even if they work in a male world. Choosing to wear fashionable clothes that celebrate femininity is not only valid but powerful in its own way. Totally agree with your points here, I hope they realize in time that such a plan would be a mistake.
I couldn’t agree more! I don’t even known a pair of pants, aside from running tights. It’s not required in order to communicate “business”. And on Kate, it’s a total yawn.
I hope this message gets to them, as I completely agree. Remember Kate sweeping in to meet Mila from HOLD STILL in that gorgeous pink-for-princess Me & Em dress? If that isn’t the code for a modern princess, I don’t know what is. I will lose interest in the whole thing if Kate keeps the suits up and the community visits go down. Thanks for taking a stand!
I am hoping as time goes on that she finds a balance. She rocks a pantsuit but I’d like to see her in more dresses too
As long as Kate keeps reaching into that vault and pulling out tiaras, I think this shift is fine. We got a whole week of good HRH drag (and a day dress) during the S. Korea state visit. This trouser trend is Kate and William tinkering around the edges. That's fine. They've been doing this for centuries. I'm guessing it's how they stay relevant. Her coats are indeed missed, however. They will make an appearance at all the Xmas events surely.
Amen! She needs to mix it up with skirts and dresses again because she is the standard bearer for the British fashion industry. Think about this: royal watchers often say something along the lines of "remember when (insert name of royal) wore that wonderful (insert garment description)?" Very seldom is the garment being discussed a pants suit. It's a strategic miss to want royals to look like us, because why watch them then. Kate seems to be following the direction of Queen Letizia of Spain, who has to be very cognizant of the message her clothes send as the Spanish monarchy is not as secure as the British. Commenters on other sites have referred to Letizia's pant suits as "upscale bank manager" but she is wise enough to throw in the occasional dress for less corporate engagements.
She looks great! I like the pant suits, something different. She has been wearing dresses for years, I think it is a more modern shift. If this is what she is comfortable in when carrying out some of her engagements, then so be it. Let's give her some grace.
Your idea of what "beautifully fashionable" means is very close-minded and restrictive. Women can be fashionable in suits just as much as in dresses. I understand that you don't like suits or you don't find them to be attractive/fashionable but that's your view on fashion. You shouldn't project them as if they are universal truths.
And yet women do wear skirts and dresses in myriad settings with comfort and style. It seems just as closed-minded to say certain activities preclude the wearing of dresses as though hundreds of millions of ordinary women don’t do those same activities in dresses.
Read what Reshen said. You don't appear--from your other comments--to be actually reading what people are saying, i.e., that people oughtn't to be precluded from wearing what THEY want to wear. Say you prefer dresses, that's fine. But saying that someone should go back to the drawing board, that's judgmental.
Kate is a public figure and EVERYONE has thoughts and opinions on what she wears. I’m entitled to one as much as anyone and I thought the fit on this suit was poor. That’s why I said “back to the drawing board.” Yes, I prefer dresses and that’s why I disagree with the argument that she MUST be wearing trousers to be more like regular people who also MUST be wearing pants. I’m using myself as the example why that’s not necessarily a universal truth.
I am the only moderator on this forum. I don’t have a problem with Grace voicing her opinion on the fashion and saying “back to the drawing board.” Making judgments is exactly what we do every time we say, I like that, that looks nice, I don’t like that, I don’t think that’s flattering, and so forth.
I agree! I actually am not a fan of such skinny pants with those very high heels and jackets that look almost too small. Definitely miss the dresses and skirts and overall princess vibe.
Yes, the jacket does look too small. It seems to pull when she bends forward (like cutting the ribbon). It’s a miss in my book.
Kate trouser suit obsession is very strange indeed. Why would she pretend to be corporate and if so, any trip to a corporate environment would show her that we wear all sorts and being smart in the office does not mean women have to emulate men. We mix it up. A skirt suit, dress, trouser suit, etc, etc.. That she is not even wearing the same trouser suits is odder still (IMO). This new habit has become an excuse for shopping although no exec would have the time and energy to buy as many suits as Kate has recently. I would prefer some rewears to show imagination and less profligacy. It’s a strange idea to only wear one thing and emphasises that she is nothing like the rest of us.
I agree.
Just could not agree more!! Have been following the BRF for decades, since Diana came on the scene. Fashion is big business and is very compelling art form to a lot of women (and men). Kate is nicely positioned to tap into that world, as she has the resources and as she so memorably did on the night she wore that epic caped glittery gold gown to a film premier. WOW!! Why step away from the instincts that she obviously had then. I agree that they need to do more than show up at ribbon cuttings but they already are both doing important work. The pants suits are great to meet with her boards and conduct business at Windsor, Kensington or Buckingham Palace but to meet the public, PLEASE, Kate, go back to the gorgeous clothes you were wearing before. Following you then gave me SO much pleasure.