Queen Letizia's ultra bold clashing colours outfit proves burning the fashion rule book is a great idea

Clashing colours, when worn right, can create a bright, bold outfit that is certain to stand out from the crowd. Queen Letizia has proved once again why she is one of our favourite sources of royal fashion inspiration, after she wore a bold red dress contrasted with a vibrant pink coat. 

The Spanish Queen sported the striking look for a royal state visit to the Netherlands on 18th April to meet with fellow European royal, Queen Maxima. The pair visited LAB6, a cultural centre that supports young people with their mental health in Amsterdam. This event happened on the third day of her royal visit with King Felipe VI of Spain. 

Queen Letizia has never been afraid of adopting a bold shade for state events, such as stepping out in this fierce red Hugo Boss suit last year. But a colour palette of hot pink against a stark red is set to be an especially popular 2024 spring/summer fashion trend - despite being hailed as a fashion faux pas for years. 

The Queen of Spain pieced this outfit together using pieces from her existing staple wardrobe, opting for one of her most worn brands, Carolina Herrera. She chose a structured red knee-length dress with balloon sleeves, which she paired with a Carolina Herrera Pink Oversized Wool and Cashmere-Blend Coat that was draped over her shoulders. 

After Barbiecore’s resurgence last summer, pink has remained a must-have in our capsule wardrobes, as it’s a warm, vibrant addition to any outfit, especially when paired with a bold shade of red for a complementary contrast. 

By draping the coat over her shoulders, Queen Letizia was also able to showcase the stunning sleeves of her dress, all while shaping out an a-line silhouette in-keeping with her skirt’s classic cut. 

Letizia accessorised the contemporary elegant look with an Olivia Mareque Pantone Bag, which added another shade of fuchsia pink to the ensemble. The mini bag, which isn’t as small as some of the micro-bags that are on trend at the moment, is an ideal clutch for the everyday essentials.

This small vegan leather accessory can be worn as a shoulder bag or crossbody, and is an affordable investment for a high-end designer bag at £153 - perfect if you're always on the hunt for the best designer bags under £1000. 

To finish the outfit, Queen Letizia wore her staple slingback shoes, Magrit Shoes Marian pumps, this time in a bright shade of Fuchsia. Letizia has worn this style of shoe at various royal events, including her recent visit to the National Innovation and Design Awards in Las Palmas on 11th April. 

Queen Letizia perfectly colour coordinated the look to match her oversized coat with her delicate 6-inch heels and bag, to tie the entire ensemble together. Rather than wearing nude accessories to highlight a statement piece within the outfit, she’s brought together vibrant colours to make an even brighter, bolder statement with this look. 

The summery-tones also worked well against Queen Maxima of The Netherland’s classic outfit which was subdued nude accessories to accentuate her knee-length, belted dress.