The Princess of Wales and Duchess of Edinburgh might have slightly different signature styles but there are two pieces they rely on in the colder months that deserve a place in everyone’s winter capsule wardrobe. No matter what you wear with them, a longline tailored coat and knee-high boots are two items that transform a layered look into something more elegant.
Both Catherine and Sophie have quite the collection of both, yet when it comes to footwear they tend to stick to black, brown or tan. This makes total sense and when you’re shopping for the best knee-high boots you want something that can be paired with plenty of different items.
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Shop Knee-High Boots
Dune Smoothly Brown Kitten-Heel Boots
These knee-high boots are not only gorgeous, but in the sale. They’re utterly timeless, with the chic pointed toe and low kitten-heel. Crafted from soft chocolate-brown suede, these boots would look gorgeous with a camel or brown coat.
Sam Edelman Sylvia Knee High Boot
If you’re going to invest in a pair of knee-high boots, they need to be timeless and versatile – and these certainly are. They’re made from luxurious suede and have a squared-off toe and sleek heel. They also come in a range of other colours and materials.
Dune Talias Leather Knee High Boots
Made from smooth leather, these black knee-high boots can easily be worn day-to-day as well as for evenings out. They have a low block heel and an almond toe, as well as an elasticated insert. They’re also currently discounted for Black Friday, which is always a bonus.
Shop Longline Coats
Zara Black Coat With Shoulder Pads
This sleek black coat is longline and has a classic V-neckline with a lapel collar. It’s single-breasted and fastens at the front with two neat buttons. The best bit about this design is the amount of structure thanks to the shoulder pads – this is the coat equivalent of a power suit.
Mango Double-Breasted Coat
This Mango coat is made from a wool-blend fabric, and has a long, straight design with elegant V-neckline. The notched lapels bring a smart edge and the cuffs are buttoned. There are two handy front flap pockets and you can wear it undone, or fastened in a double-breasted style.
Mango Wool-Blend Fluffy Collar Coat
Chocolate brown is one of the season’s trendiest tones and this wool-blend coat is a fabulous way to add it into your winter outfits. The contrasting faux fur collar is so cosy and glamorous. It’s also detachable, which gives you two looks with one piece.
Neutral boots tick this box and the two royals love relatively low block heels as these maximise their wearability too. You can style them for the daytime with a warm jumper dress or dress them up as part of a date night look or, in their case, a royal visit.
The reason they work especially well with long, smart coats is all to do with the way they elongate your silhouette. One flows over the other in an unbroken line and gives your ensemble a sense of sophistication and polish.
The Princess and Duchess typically don’t dress too casually in public and a tailored, longline coat feels smart regardless of what you wear underneath. It adds elegance in a way that a comfy puffer wouldn’t and they often have crisp lapels that enhance the structured shape.
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Paired with knee-high boots, you also have a lot of coverage to keep you warm on a cold winter’s day. We see Catherine and Sophie reaching for this combination regularly this time of year as they attend engagements and events like the Together at Christmas carol service.
The future Queen has some beautiful chocolate brown coats as well as scarlet ones that she wears more in the run-up to Christmas. Sophie’s coats are often paler colours, like ecru, light grey or beige, which is perhaps why she reaches for brown or tan knee-highs most.
Although you can wear black boots with any coat, they are less of a stark contrast against richer shades and this softness adds to the effect. This is why I’d recommend following the Duchess’s approach if you’re styling knee-high boots with a lighter longline coat.
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Catherine also often goes for dark brown knee-high boots unless she’s opting for a red coat like the one she wore last December to her carol service. On this occasion she stepped out in black heeled boots from Ralph Lauren and matched the black bow on her coat to it.
The Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh’s wardrobe staples for winter are a simple and stylish building block for making outfits that bit more elevated. They can be adapted to suit whatever colours and materials work best for you and whichever other items you love wearing.
Taller boots look great with dresses and skirts, though you could also tuck in fitted jeans, trousers or leggings to add to the streamlined look with a long coat.
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