Kate Middleton's Fail-Safe Dress-and-Boot Combo Comes Fashion Editor Approved

This week, the Duchess of Cambridge visited the offices of a charity called Shout, which is a text service in the UK that provides mental health support 24/7. Her appearance was to mark the milestone of reaching over one million conversations. How impressive is that? For the occasion, Kate Middleton wore a dress by Derek Lam along with suede boots by Ralph Lauren.
Her outfit combo reminds me of Anna Wintour’s (and just about every other fashion editor's) very specific uniform: a printed midi dress and knee-high heeled boots. Wintour has worn countless variations of this combination, switching up details like sleeves, prints, and boot styles, though Middleton is no stranger to this formula either. She has chosen it for countless occasions and engagements in the past.
With the approval of both Middleton and Wintour, it's safe to say this is a foolproof outfit if you want to appear business-like yet stylish. Scroll down for outfit ideas, and shop the combo for yourself.
On Kate Middleton: Derek Lam dress; Ralph Lauren boots
How Anna Wintour Wears Printed Midi Dresses + Knee-High Boots
Shop the Foolproof Outfit Combo
An elevated take on equestrian boots.
Next Up, Spring/Summer 2022 Trends: The Only 17 Looks You Need to Know About

Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern in 2011—back when the site only published a single story per day. (We have since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC and lives in Los Angeles. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2015, where she is now the Associate Director of Fashion News. From the Oscars to the Met Gala, she leads the site's entire red carpet coverage strategy. She specializes in celebrity and fashion news but also enjoys writing travel features and runway reports. She frequently contributes to WWW's social accounts and has a sizable following on her personal TikTok.
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