Every so often, Kate Middleton will take a fashion risk — and surprise us all with a daring outfit.
When the Princess breaks away from her signature style, she gives off serious icon energy.
Kate will generate headlines by swapping her modest hemlines, long sleeves and classic cuts for bold looks that feel fresh, fearless and unexpected.
From neon gowns to sharp power suits and dramatic red-carpet reinventions, here are eight bold fashion risks that Kate took which paid off:
1) Green With Envy
Let’s kick things off with Kate’s boldest and bravest look to date—the blindingly bold green off-the-shoulder gown she wore to The Earthshot Awards in Boston, USA, in 2022:
The neon number, by Solace London, featured a sleek, figure-hugging silhouette and a dramatic slit at the back. It felt daringly modern—a real break from her usual royal staples.
She finished the look with a dazzling emerald-and-diamond choker from the Royal Collection, famously worn by Princess Diana, and a pair of coordinating earrings.
The look earned rave reviews, with one fashion writer calling the Princess “a vision in neon green.”
Kate hired the dress from HURR London in a nod to the Earthshot Awards’ sustainable theme—and a departure from the norm. To our knowledge, it’s the first time Kate has used the platform. Though I wouldn’t be surprised to learn she is a regular.
It’s my view that Kate chose this look to create a high-impact moment for The Earthshot Awards—knowing it would grab newspaper column inches for William’s project. The Earthshot Awards was still in its infancy in 2022. It also showed that she isn’t afraid to take style risks when the moment calls for it.
2) Lady in Red
A year after turning heads in neon for William’s Earthshot Awards, Kate employed a similar tactic for the launch of Shaping Us—her own project said to be a culmination of her “life’s work”.
The Princess ditched her usual dresses and turned up the heat in a red-hot Alexander McQueen suit that couldn’t be ignored.
The Princess didn’t choose this vibrant outfit by accident — again, she must have known it’d grab headlines for the launch of her project.
It was a sleek and powerful look—just what you need when you’re in full boss mode as the figurehead of a centre launching its very first campaign. A total power dressing moment!
The scarlet blazer wrapped across the front in a plunging V, while flared trousers added a touch of ’70s sass. And that all-red colour palette? Unapologetically bold from top to toe. A pair of statement earrings finished the look.
Kate looked more like a campaign trailblazer than a traditional royal. And she pulled it off.
Fashion insiders took note with Harper’s Bazaar praising the Princess for “upping the sartorial ante”.
3) Sheer Confidence
Let’s look at one of Kate’s earliest fashion risks now, a blue maxi dress that featured a sheer panel down the front, creating the illusion of a plunging neckline:
It was a bold choice for the then-Duchess, known at the time for her modest eveningwear. The piece, by Indian-born designer Saloni Lodha, gave royal watchers something to talk about!
She wore the cobalt blue garment to a pre-tour reception for the 2016 visit to India and Bhutan. It featured semi-sheer tulle dotted with soft velvet polka dots and featured a ruffled collar for added drama. A matching belt cinched the waist to keep the silhouette sleek.
The look caused a stir — and for good reason. It was an unexpected look for the Princess. Vanity Fair praised Kate for looking “rightfully splendid” while India Today noted the gown’s playful neckline and Victorian drama.”
4) Serving Looks
Kate’s Wimbledon wardrobe is usually all about feminine frocks — but in 2023, she showed up ready to serve a style statement:
On Day 2 of the Championships, the Princess stepped into the Royal Box in a bold mint green blazer by Balmain.
The head-turning blazer featured sharp tailoring, oversized ivory lapels, and exaggerated shoulders. The whole look had serious 1980s energy.
Kate paired the blazer with a crisp white pleated midi skirt and elegant white accessories.
Choosing Balmain — a French fashion house rarely seen in Kate’s public-facing wardrobe — was a notable shift in itself. Never mind the fact that the outfit was a clear departure from her usual ultra-feminine Wimbledon looks. It’s safe to say the risk more than paid off.
5) Luck of the Stylish
Touching down in Dublin for the 2020 royal tour, Kate didn’t just wear green in Ireland — she owned it.
The then-Duchess made it clear from the start: this wasn’t going to be a safe coatdress kind of trip! Instead, she stepped off the plane in head-to-toe green, featuring a bold and retro Alessandra Rich dress brimming with personality.
The silk dress had a high neckline, long sleeves, pin-tucked bodice and peplum waist—details straight out of an ‘80s style playbook—and featured an abstract rose pattern.
And then came the pièce de résistance, a black velvet padded headband that echoed the retro feel.
This look was a style risk, certainly. The silhouette was stronger, the print busier, the accessories bolder than the Princess’s usual streamlined tour outfits. But the fashion press loved it. Vogue praised the refined ‘80s influence and the “unexpected” headband choice. HELLO! called the look “gorgeous” and applauded her commitment to the all-green palette. The result was a memorable fashion moment.
6) Old Hollywood, New Rules
At the 2023 BAFTA Awards, Kate proved that sometimes the most powerful style statement comes from reimagining what you already own.
The Princess walked the red carpet in a white one-shouldered gown, a dress we’d seen before at the same event four years prior. She gave the elegant dress a dramatic new energy with a bold accessory: a pair of black opera gloves. Long, dramatic, and slightly unexpected, the velvet gloves gave the ethereal gown an edge we hadn’t seen from Kate on the red carpet before. They also provided a striking visual contrast.
She finished the look with statement gold floral earrings from Zara and a black clutch.
Fashion publications noted the departure from Kate’s usual look. Harper’s Bazaar praised the Princess for her “daring accessories,” while Glamour declared the look full of “Old Hollywood glamour”.
The Princess could have played it safe — but instead, she took a risk with the gloves (once considered out of step for contemporary royals) and turned the red carpet walk into a headline-grabbing style moment.
7) Cape Ceremony
For the South Korean State Visit welcome ceremony in November 2023, Kate stepped out in what might just be her most dramatic daytime look to date.
The Princess was cloaked in a head-to-toe candy-apple red ensemble that delivered pure fashion theatre.
The impossible-to-miss outfit featured a flowing cape layered over a coat and dress, finished with an oversized bow detail at the neckline. The outfit made an immediate statement.
The monochromatic styling continued throughout. Kate topped the look with a wide-brimmed hat by Philip Treacy, a petite bow-accented clutch by Miu Miu and her crimson heels by Gianvito Rossi. The result? A cohesive, high-impact look.
The sweeping cape, dramatic bow, and all-red palette marked a departure from Kate’s usual tailored, understated daytime coats. It was a serious style risk for the Princess. It could have overwhelmed. But instead, it wowed.
The fashion press responded with enthusiasm. Harper’s Bazaar noted how Kate “revived royal glamour” with the look, while Town & Country applauded the stunning look.
Ultimately, this was Kate leaning fully into statement dressing.
8) Purple Reign
In November 2023, the Princess delivered another knockout power suit moment for her Shaping Us Symposium, proving that her red-hot tailoring phase was no one-off.
She went even bolder this time — stepping out in a royal purple suit. The statement suit turned the serious event into a serious style moment.
The rich purple Emilia Wickstead suit — a rewear from 2021 — comprised a sharply tailored blazer and slim-cut trousers. Saturated, punchy, and impossible to ignore, this was colour-drenched power dressing at its finest.
She finished the look with navy suede pumps and a pair of sapphire and diamond double drop earrings.
Harper’s Bazaar called this “one of her most bold looks to date,” while Marie Claire praised the Princess for “masterfully embracing dopamine dressing” — and frankly declared “it’s working for her.”
