Kate Middleton's comfy autumn shoe style is perfect for in-between weather and looks chic with everything from tailoring to jeans
I wait all year for boot season but the Princess of Wales’s love of loafers has convinced me to wear more comfy flats in early autumn
Boots are my favourite type of footwear so I've been struggling on what shoes to wear in this mild September weather. White trainers are a staple but they're not right for every occasion and so I can't help admiring the Princess of Wales's gorgeous loafers.
They've become a go-to autumn shoe for the future Queen and she's been swapping her court shoes for flats a lot more often in recent years. We first saw her wear the Nya Penny Loafers in February and she just styled them for a visit to The Forward Trust to mark Addiction Awareness Week.
The exact oxblood colour Kate owns isn't still available but we can always rely on this British clothing brand to bring back classic designs and the £119 brown leather versions are very similar. They're flat and have a scalloped detail on the vent.
Shop Kate's Boden Loafers
The exact oxblood colour loafers Kate was wearing aren't available any more but Boden have brought back the Nya design in a very similar brown tone. If anything, I actually think this is more versatile and it's made from smooth, durable leather. The scalloped trim is a feminine flourish.
Affordable and smart, these loafers have a fun tassel detail on the front and a flat block heel for comfort. You can get them in wide and regular fits and in black, though the deep wine colour is very similar to the Princess's shoes. It's an autumnal tone that is still incredibly wearable.
The Boden Nya loafers also come in soft suede and this material with the chocolate brown colour is my favourite combination. The shoes are an easy way to add textural contrast to your autumn outfits, whether you're wearing jeans and a Tee or a jumper dress and tights.
Complete The Look
The Princess of Wales loves checked jackets and this one from Mango is double-breasted and features classic notched lapels. The long sleeves end in smart buttoned cuffs and there are two front welt pockets and a lining too. The check is a mix of neutral tones which helps make it easier to style.
Crafted from Air-Yarn, this jumper is lightweight yet warm too. This makes it a great layering piece and it's designed with a regular fit and a classic crew-neckline. The cuffs and hem are ribbed and there are so many other colours to choose from besides this rich chocolate brown.
Brown trousers make a chic alternative to jeans for autumn/winter and this pair from Roman is very affordable and made from stretchy ponte. They're designed to be full-length and have a straight-leg cut. Style with loafers and a light knit like Kate or boots and a chunky jumper when it get's colder.
Otherwise they're very minimal and this makes them especially versatile. The Princess of Wales tends to wear loafers with tailored trousers and she did that at The Forward Trust, wearing a dark cocoa-brown straight-leg style by Joseph.
She paired them with a matching dark brown knit and added a monochrome houndstooth blazer over the top. The pattern added some contrast and definition to the pared-back ensemble. It was a more relaxed take on her favourite suits and the knitwear and flats softened it even more.
This is exactly what she wanted, as she was outside for a lot of the visit and got stuck in with planting as part of a gardening session. Kate is Patron of The Forward Trust, which supports people as they recover from addiction and helps them rebuild their lives.
Going too formal would've been impractical and looked out of place. The beauty of loafers is that they are naturally quite smart with their structured design but because they're flat they're never going to look too corporate.
The first time we saw the Princess wearing these specific loafers was when she went to Castle Hill Academy to mark Children's Mental Health Week in February when the weather was rather autumnal. She's also worn a different pair of tan suede loafers by Pretty Ballerinas to visit the Natural History Museum in September last year.
Both times, she stepped out in cigarette trousers, a shirt and a neutral blazer. This is a winning style formula, though I think loafers work just as well with dresses or skirts, or with jeans for a smart-casual look.
They can be sleek so they don't stand out too much with feminine, flowy silhouettes but if you want an edgy feel with dresses then go for chunkier styles. Either way they're a flat shoe that works for the daytime or evening and I think Kate's been very clever with her choice of colours.
The loafers we've seen her wear are a very dark oxblood colour that looks brown in a lot of lights, and tan. Chocolate tones are a big autumn/winter fashion colour trend for 2026 and brown shoes are also slightly easier to style with a wider range of items compared to plain black shoes.
Black loafers, especially smooth leather ones, can look quite stark against blue jeans or lighter trousers or skirts. Brown and tan are a bit gentler and not as much of a contrast.
