Carole Middleton's white and black polka dot dress was an occasionwear dream
We love Carole Middleton's white and black polka dot dress that she sported to Derby Day over a decade ago

We're in love with Carole Middleton's white and black polka dot dress that she sported to Derby Day over a decade ago.
As we are all well aware by this point, Carole Middleton is just as fashionable as her daughters, Princess Catherine and Pippa Middleton - great style starts at home, after all! From Carole's floral maxi dress that's perfect for that awkward summer-to-fall transition, to her floral print Boden jumpsuit, we're always looking to her for fashion inspiration, and she always delivers.
We recently unearthed a photo of Carole from Derby Day in 2011, and we're obsessed with the look she sported - and it's surprisingly on trend, even 12 years later.
On June 4, 2011, Carole wore this super chic black and white polka dot dress to Derby Day - the annual races tournament at which she is quite the avid attendee - so of course, she had to look fashionable for the occasion.
Her black and white dress featured a dainty polka dot pattern, as well as some ruching at the waist that helped to complement her figure - and with the ruching at the waist was a floral appliqué, adding a feminine touch to the dress.
To pair with the chic dress, she wore a peachy-pink jacket that hit at her waist, further accentuating the ruching in her dress. The pink blazer featured a sharp collar, as well as 3/4 length sleeves that helped keep the look summery.
For accessories, Carole kept it fairly simple, but let her beige sunhat be the star of the show - a practical and chic accessory that Princess Catherine's mother often sports, especially at Derby Day while the sun blazes down on the onlookers.
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Jewellery-wise, Carole's simplicity shone through as she opted for a dainty gold bracelet, as well as some simple gold rings so as to not distract from the rest of her look. She also grabbed a straw, beige clutch purse which perfectly matched the beige in her hat. For makeup, she kept it simple as usual, and brushed her nails with a coat of link pink polish, tying the whole ensemble together perfectly.
Get Carole Middleton's Derby Day look
Textured Fitted Cropped Jacket, $180 (£143) | Boden
This chic cropped jacket is beautifully textured and fully lined. It also boasts a revere collar, functional pockets and subtle stitch detail.
Dotty Jersey Dress, £40 ($52) | Bonprix
Want to replicate Kate's bold polka dot look at Wimbledon? The Bonprix Dotty Jersey dress is an affordable option with a flattering fit that's perfect for any summer frock collection.
Madeline Merinuk is woman&home's US lifestyle news writer, covering celebrity, entertainment, fashion, and beauty news.
She graduated in 2021 with a B.A. in Journalism from Hofstra University, winning multiple student journalism awards, including a National Hearst Award, during her time there. After graduating, she worked at today.com, the digital site for the Today Show, where she wrote pop culture news and interviewed big-name personalities like Emily Ratajkowski, Haley Lu Richardson, Emma Corrin, and more.
Her personal interests, in no particular order, are: cheese, Joni Mitchell, reading, hot yoga, traveling, having multiple chapsticks in every handbag at all times, and dancing to ABBA songs as if she were in the Mamma Mia movies.
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