Duchess Sophie’s unexpected purple outfit has us looking at paisley dresses for Christmas – and suede boots too

Duchess Sophie was a vision arriving at Kate Middleton's Together At Christmas Carol Concert and stepped out in an unexpectedly un-festive look - but her paisley maxi dress, suede boots and white accessories created a luxe and sophisticated outfit we adore.

While we might prioritise reds, golds and glitters when putting together a Christmas party outfit, Duchess Sophie's take on the festive dress code includes purple paisley - it's not your traditional Christmas pattern but, after seeing the royal in the luxe print, we might just follow suit.

Arriving at Westminister Abbey for Kate Middleton's Together At Christmas Carol Concert, which will air on Christmas Eve, Sophie stunned in a floating paisley maxi dress, with the busy boho pattern boasting a variety of purple, burnt-orange and light pink tones that created a statement and eye-catching look. To break up the heavy and bold print, and keep warm in the cool London night, Sophie wore the Off-White Loyana Blazer by Isabel Marant and finished off the outfit with a striking canvas handbag and her trusty Glen boots by Gianvito Rossi.

Get Duchess Sophie's Look

Sophie's look is proof that we don't need to leave our favourite summer pieces out of our winter capsule wardrobes completely, with her beach-ready paisley maxi dress working perfectly for the festive affair, largely thanks to the deeper rich and jewel tones making up the pattern. It's refreshing to see a bold and boho print in these colder months, and perhaps Sophie knew that everyone else attending the Carol Concert would be in reds, tartans and checked prints, so opted for the purple piece to compliment those other more traditional winter shades.

With a straight-falling skirt made out of a light, crepe-type fabric, the dress moved beautifully as Sophie walked, though she altered the floating silhouette by adding a white, textured blazer over the bodice and buttoned it up to cover the top of the dress completely. The blazer is a stunning piece, though it's a completely different style than the longline, relaxed fit blazers we usually see Sophie in. With a shorter hemline and more fitted style, we love how the Isabel Marant blazer carves out Sophie's figure and we're sure that the wool-blend bouclé fabric kept her oh-so cosy in the cool weather.

Finishing off her elegant look, Sophie stepped out in her trusty brown suede Glen Boots from Gianvito Rossi. We've seen her style this footwear in many ways over the years and she's relied on the boots plenty of times to add texture to her power suit looks, to bring a warm, neutral shade into her bolder outfits, and, more recently, she used the soft suede style to compliment her stunning leather midi dress look that we instantly fell in love with.

Tying in the brown of her boots and the white of her blazer, Sophie accessorised with a large white canvas handbag that boasted a thick and practical brown leather strap. She kept her jewellery minimal, opting for a simple pair of small gold hooped earrings and nothing else, which really made the focus of her look the bold paisley pattern.

We have to mention Sophie's beautiful makeup look, with a super dewy foundation adding tonnes of glow to her skin while a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, and a light dusting of blusher atop her cheekbones, brought some sun-kissed dimension to her face that felt incredibly put-together and still so natural - it's for sure a makeup look we'll be recreating this party season.