Duchess Sophie joins Kate on the power-suit trend for winter - with sumptuous suede boots and a bold maroon clutch

I never thought I’d say it, but I’m starting to think that a tailored suit might be edging dresses as a new wish-list item for my winter capsule wardrobe. The Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess of Wales are both big fans of a co-ord and Sophie just followed in Catherine’s trendy footsteps with a chic power-suit that oozes confidence.

Just a week after we admired the Princess’s dove-grey suit at a summit in London, Duchess Sophie stepped out for several engagements in Oxford wearing a grey checked blazer and matching wide-leg trousers. The jacket was double-breasted, with contrasting tortoiseshell buttons and crisp, notched lapels.

Recreate Sophie's Outfit

We’ve seen the Duchess of Edinburgh in this blazer before and although she loves shopping at British brands, this piece is by the American designer Vince. The heritage check pattern gives both the jacket and the matching trousers a traditional edge and more dimension, as it breaks up the grey with darker and lighter tones.

You could easily wear a blazer like this with jeans if you wanted a more relaxed date night outfit, though Sophie and Catherine have shown so many times how elegant a full suit can be. A matching set instantly makes your ensemble look very cohesive and put-together.

They’re also very easy to style as you know the items work together and you can mix and match different tops depending on how smart you want to be. Whilst the Princess of Wales recently wore a white blouse with her grey suit, her aunt-in-law went cosier.

Whether you love affordable knitwear, or investing in the best cashmere jumpers, sweaters are a must for the winter months. Sophie wore a deep claret-red one with her suit and matched her clutch to it, though her heeled ankle boots were a grey-taupe that tied in with her co-ord.

Sticking to just one or two colours is a trick the royals often use to bring a level of sophistication to their looks and it also makes things easier. The neutral soft grey of the Duchess’s blazer and trousers makes this set very versatile and it balanced the bold maroon jumper and bag.

She could’ve gone for burgundy boots too, but her choice of a paler tone softened her outfit. These elements were a contrast against the structured suit and Sophie’s boots had pointed toes and block heels that gave a subtle amount of elevation. I also love that she didn’t go for black or brown boots either, as this grey-taupe colour was something a little different.

The Duchess of Edinburgh wore this look for visits to Windale Community Hub and Europe’s largest social enterprise, RAW Workshop. It was a smart outfit and a power suit naturally feels formal and purposeful, though you could swap the jumper for a sleek shirt or cami to make a co-ord party-ready instead.

Sophie was clearly comfortable wearing it all day, as she helped out at the RAW Workshop with some drilling and chatted with people over a hot drink at the hub. The hub delivers in-house services as well as hosting community-run projects, creating a space that brings people together.

These engagements in Oxford were the Duchess’s first since she recently returned from a ten-day solo visit to Central and South America.