I'll be Having a Princess Kate Summer in These 5 Royally-Inspired Dresses
From polka dots to florals, dressing like a princess doesn't need to come with a royal price tag.
It might be more common for royal fans to see Princess Kate in a trouser suit these days, but when it comes to summer dressing, no one does it like the Princess of Wales. From breezy shirt dresses and floral midis to crisp, tailored pencil dresses, Kate’s polished but approachable look continues to make her outfits instant sellouts.
The good news? Recreating her signature summer style—or repliKating, if you will—doesn’t have to come with a royal price tag. As a royal editor, I’ve been shopping like Kate for more than a decade, and some of her most memorable fashion moments can be easily recreated in a more practical way.
From to a Fourth of July BBQ to bridal showers, here’s how to channel the Princess of Wales all summer long.
The Princess of Wales wears Rodarte on June 2.
The Princess of Wales debuted a vintage-inspired Rodarte dress at a Cancer Research UK reception on June 2, and although her red heart-print dress was absolutely stunning, it's not the most wearable for everyday events. A shorter hemline, tie waist and patch pockets tone the formality down, but the retro collar gives the same feel as Kate's dress. Add a flower brooch and you'll be all set to celebrate the Fourth.
Princess Kate holds Princess Charlotte outside the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in 2015.
This floaty dress from Bloomingdales's AQUA line has the same energy as the bespoke Jenny Packham dress Kate wore to introduce Princess Charlotte to the world, but its more relaxed silhouette makes this ideal for baby showers, brunches and other summer get-togethers.
The Princess of Wales debuted a Faithfull the Brand dress in 2020.
The purple floral Faithfull the Brand dress that Princess Kate wore for a June 2020 engagement with East Anglia Children's Hospices remains one of my all-time favorites, and I've been regretting not buying this dress for the past six years. Luckily, Faithfull offers a similar version right now—and it's half off.
The Princess of Wales attends Royal Ascot 2022 in an Alessandra Rich dress.
I'll be attending Royal Ascot again this year, but trust me, my everyday life does not involve enormous hats and sipping champagne trackside. For a more relatable white polka dot moment like Kate's, I'm loving this maxi dress at Revolve, and it also comes in brown for a very Pretty Woman moment.
Princess Kate and Prince William are pictured in Prince Edward Island, Canada, in 2011.
This one is an extreme royal throwback, but I've always adored the Alexander McQueen sweater dress the princess wore during her first royal tour in 2011. While visiting Canada, Princess Kate wore this drop-waisted cream dress, and it's another one that falls into the "not so wearable" department. But hear me out: Boden's short-sleeved, ribbed dress has the same darker piping and ribbed knit look, but less of a sailor suit aesthetic.
