Zara Tindall's snuggly white coat and leopard bag was a Christmas outfit we'll never forget

Zara Tindall's snuggly white coat and leopard print bag was a Christmas Day outfit that will stay with us forever.

Christmas Day might be slightly different for the royals, with their high-profile walk to church, the lavish surroundings of a meticulously decorated Sandringham House and gifts already opened the day before. However, just like so many people they enjoy getting dressed up and have become experts at putting together cosy Christmas Day outfits. Their festive looks tend to be quite formal, but this isn’t always the case and Zara Tindall once pushed her style boundaries with a fun Christmas Day look we’ve never forgotten. In 2003, the King’s niece wore a white knee length coat, with a baker boy hat, knee high boots and a statement animal print handbag.

This outfit was in-keeping with the trends of the time (Love Actually with Keira Knightley’s iconic baker boy hat had been released a month before) and yet these pieces could easily be re-styled today. Zara’s coat was single-breasted and buttoned up the front, with a collar and four utility-esque pockets.

Recreate Zara Tindall's Look 1

Recreate Zara Tindall's Look 2

The shift silhouette which flared out downwards was perfect for Zara, who looked to have worn a skirt or a dress underneath. Although not everyone will be a fan of these specific details, a white coat is a handy piece to have in your winter capsule wardrobe - especially for special occasions. The light tone might leave us fearful of getting marks on a white coat day-to-day, but for an evening out or a party they ooze sophistication.

A tailored or longline white coat always feels especially elegant and more formal. If Zara still has her 2003 white coat in her wardrobe she could easily style it differently to suit her style today, perhaps with a midi dress flowing over knee high boots. At the time the royal tended to opt for shorter hemlines and wore her white coat with sheer tights and statement boots.

These were a bold footwear choice and were knee high length, with studs covering the pointed toes and running along the top. The base fabric was a rich chocolate brown which was a stunning contrast against Zara Tindall’s white coat and also coordinated with her baker boy hat and the strap and back of her Kenzo bag.

This type of neat shoulder bag has been very popular recently, showing that whilst it might be seen as a trend bag, it’s a trend that will keep coming back into fashion. The front of Zara’s bag was what made it really stand out as part of her Christmas Day look as it had a brown and beige faded leopard print design, with a few tiger stripes in there too.

The Royal Family have occasionally dabbled with wearing animal print and this bag gave Zara’s outfit a playful edge. If you’ve been an admirer of the leopard print trend this year but don’t want to invest in patterned clothing, then accessories like bags, boots or even scarves are an easy way to get on board. Animal print bags look so chic with a neutral coat, including a white one like Zara’s, and if you want to really have fun with your style you can pick a vibrant animal print.

Zara Tindall’s Christmas Day outfit from 2003 was so memorable and remains a stand-out festive look for her. She doesn’t typically attend the royals’ festive celebrations every single year, but she was in Norfolk last December so we hope to see her again on Christmas Day 2024.