FROM keeping hemlines weighed down to guard against gusts of wind, to ensuring bra straps are never seen, Kate Middleton is the Queen of fashion hacks.
Here, Abby McHale reveals her tips ahead of tomorrow’s Coronation.
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No slip ups
TIGHTS may improve skin tone on the legs, but when worn with a heel they can cause slippages – and the last thing a royal needs is to look off-balance.
Kate avoids such issues with her favourite tights from John Lewis, complete with sticky soles.
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You can catch a glimpse of Kate wearing them in Canada on a 2011 royal tour, in a pair of silver and cream heels by Tabitha Simmons.
Plush pads
KATE is rarely seen without her heels on royal engagements, often tottering in stilettos for several hours at a time.
But luckily the 41-year-old keeps her feet comfortable and avoids painful blisters by wearing leather insoles which allow feet to breathe while providing added support and comfort.
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Her insoles of choice, from Alice Bow, are reusable and come in several colours.
- Leather insoles, £18.95, Alice Bow
No May-hem
IT might have worked for Marilyn Monroe, but knicker-flashing gusts of wind are every princess’s worst nightmare.
Only a few months after marrying William in 2011, Kate’s yellow Jenny Packham dress took with the wind while on tour in Canada, flashing a little more thigh than she bargained for.
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Kate has learnt her lesson and now adds weights into the hems of her skirts and dresses to keep them from blowing up.
- Clothes weights, £4.50, Amazon
Vanish VPL
THERE is nothing more uncouth than visible pant lines.
The princess often wears tight clothing, which can often result in a dreaded VPL.
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However, Catherine avoids this by wearing seamless knickers and smoothing shapewear under her dresses.
This subtle trick means she can stay comfortable and avoid embarrassment, as she does here at the British Design Museum in 2022.
Tucking tip
DURING the pandemic, Kate, like many other royals, engaged in dozens of video appearances for work.
A new trick she’s adapted is to wear bodysuits, this way her top stays perfectly tucked into her trousers when on screen.
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And it’s a hack she’s brought into her post pandemic dressing, too.
In January, on a visit to the Royal Navy Ship’s Company of HMS Glasgow, Kate wore a Holland and Cooper body, £149, with a tailored navy suit.
Banish bra straps
THE first rule of royal dressing is to never show your undies – which is why you’ll never see Kate showing her bra straps.
One way she does this is by having her bras sewn into her outfits.
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A prime example of this is at Ascot in 2019 when Kate wore a sheer blue Ellie Saab dress.
Not a strap in sight, her look was flawless.
- Strapless bra, £26, Pour Moi
Headwear hack
Ever wondered how Kate’s hair stays perfect while wearing a fascinator or hat?
Well it’s all down to the fact they are fitted with combs or elastic bands which sit under her ears out of sight.
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Here, the Princess of Wales is wearing a Philip Treacy fuchsia hat on a fairly blustery day for Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018 and there wasn’t a hair out of place, suggesting she was trying the trick out.
But you can also buy them with combs already attached, like this one.