Over the past few years the Princess of Wales has built up a beautiful collection of tailored pieces - and her latest co-ord is everything I love about her outfits.
Kate put her best fashion foot forward on 13th May as she presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. The last time she attended she wore an emerald green frock and although she went for green again, it was a shade I wasn’t expecting.
Olive might not have reached the level of popularity of pistachio green this season, but it’s still a very on-trend tone. The senior royal rarely wears it, though, so I loved seeing her stepping outside her colour comfort zone here.
Shop Olive Green
With the appearance of a jacket, this shirt is so stunning and smart. It's also selling fast so it's best to move now if you want to snap this up. It looks great with the matching green trousers, but with white trousers or jeans it would be very chic too.
Kate's trousers are flared, but these wide leg ones are another stylish option and it's a silhouette that I personally find so comfortable to wear. They have an elasticated waistband, a concealed fastening and pleats at the front for a smart feel.
If you want to wear olive green, but in a subtle way, then these earrings could be just what you've been looking for. They're delicate hoops made from 14k gold plated brass and feature cat's eye stones. These would be lovely as part of an everyday look to add some extra glamour.
If you're looking for something to wear to a wedding, this olive green midi dress is a gorgeous choice. The broderie anglaise material is such a popular style for summer and the three quarter length sleeves and waist belt are lovely details.
This handbag from Arket is an investment piece but totally beautiful if you love a pop of olive green. It's made from leather and has a detachable belt with a gold-plated buckle. The shoulder strap is also removable, meaning you can wear it as a clutch or a shoulder bag.
You can't go wrong with a linen shirt at this time of year and this one from Zara is affordable and classic, with it's lapel collar and button-up front. I'd wear this tucked into white jeans and linen trousers, as well as with a satin or denim skirt.
Kate wore the Victoria Beckham Alina trousers in ‘willow’ with the matching patch pocket jacket. This was the exact same design combination that made up Duchess Sophie’s powder blue suit from two months ago and the green was warm and spring-like.
Olive is one of those colours that makes a statement but is very close to being a neutral, making it remarkably versatile. It works with brown, tan, white and black and the Princess of Wales balanced out the boldness with her white ruffled blouse.
One of the reasons I feel this outfit really works is because she stayed true to her personal style, but experimented with the colour. Rivkie Baum, Digital Fashion Editor at woman&home believes that the blouse lifted her look, which had a 70s edge.
"Flying the flag for British clothing brands, Victoria Beckham has become a firm favourite of the Princess of Wales, and it's easy to see why. The slightly longer line jacket, with feature patch pockets, paired with a gently flared trouser suits her so well and delivers a delightfully 70s retro feel," she says.
Rivkie added, "Pairing the suit with a ruffle fronted blouse in a bright white helps to lift the whole look and gives the sharp tailoring a softer finish."
Kate loves tailoring when she’s putting together smart-casual outfits and she also often wears slightly flared trousers and, of course, items from British brands. If you want to add more olive to your own wardrobe, I would advise going for pieces that fit in with your style.
Jeans-lovers could consider picking up a green shirt or blouse to tuck into them, or if you generally prefer a more neutral outfit, green accessories are a subtle way to introduce this colour without investing in olive clothing.
Olive green trousers or a blazer like Kate’s are also a good choice as you can mix and match each piece as well as wearing them together. This means you can get a lot of wear out of them and have so many outfit possibilities open to you.
I particularly love wearing brighter trousers with a white shirt and my best white trainers when I want to be comfortable but feel fabulous.
The Princess of Wales will likely re-wear her Victoria Beckham suit as separates or as a co-ord in the months and years to come, like she does with other tailored sets like her pink Alexander McQueen one.
At the event in London Kate presented the award to Patrick McDowell and looked so stylish herself for such a fashion-focused event.
The award was started to recognise the fashion industry’s role in society and to highlight designers who are leading the way with community engagement and sustainable practices.
