Kate Middleton Rewore her Alexander McQueen dress for the BAFTAS: Outfit Repeating is Officially Cool
by Josie Sharp
As a royal, Kate Middleton’s lifestyle is full of luxury, but her recent debut as Princess of Wales at the BAFTAS showed us that she isn’t above recycling old outfits. The royal chose to wear a Sarah Burton designed Alexander McQueen gown which she had worn to the same event four years prior.
However, changes were made to the dress, adding a delicate bow on her shoulder, and opting for an opera-style black glove on one arm which created a completely new outfit which complimented the soon-to-be queen perfectly.
Other touches including hair and makeup were also altered. Something as subtle as Kate’s hair being let loose, paired with the wispy material of the additional bow, made the whole outfit appear more flowing and dainty.
Kate opting to re-wear her old looks is not something new to the Royal. And King Charles III’s passion for fighting climate change, demonstrated mostly recently through his presence at the COP26 convention, shows that being environmentally conscious is going mainstream.
Small changes like jewellery, hair and other accessories have so many variations and combinations that can so easily alter the appearance of a garment - something to consider next time you buy a new item just for one event. Kate’s intention rewear highlights the importance of shopping within your own wardrobe and making your pieces work with current trends to avoid your own personal over consumption.
In summary, outfit repeating is not just for Lizzie McGuire and sustainability can be easy through clever styling.
Edited by Emily Duff