Never mind the Devil wearing Prada, the 2024 version of that tale might be something more like the Duchess Wears Prada.
This has nothing to do with navigating the whims of a nightmare boss, and everything to do with Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, dusting off a 10-year-old Prada coat to join the King and Queen at the Easter matins service in Windsor on Sunday morning.
The 1960s-inspired design won her plenty of style points, and not just for the label stitched into the collar. That particular shade of Quality Street purple is making a comeback – as seen on the catwalks at Valentino, Ralph Lauren and Giambattista Valli.
Sophie also deserves some praise for fishing it out from the back of her wardrobe and styling it in a fresh way. The white beret, a structured design by Jane Taylor, is unexpected, yet playful, and demonstrates a confidence and elegance that we didn’t see in her 30s and 40s.
In fact, at 59, Sophie has enjoyed something of a fashion renaissance over the past decade. She looks far more elegant and au courant now than she has before. She’s ditched the beige tights and sensible court shoes; traded the “newsreader haircut” for a sleek shoulder-length do. But most importantly, she’s assembled a wardrobe that really suits and flatters her.
The Duchess is more fashionable than many give her credit for. In fact, the more you track her outfits, the more you can see her giving the Princess of Wales a run for her money.
This effort has stepped up somewhat since becoming the Duchess of Edinburgh in March 2023. Over the past year she’s debuted new dresses by Erdem, Alexander McQueen and Emilia Wickstead, a suit by Gabriela Hearst, a skirt by Jil Sander and a new coat by Claire Mischevani. She’s also invested in a lot of Me+Em, a go-to label for stylish professional women everywhere, royal or not.
Most of these are big ticket items that require some real faith to purchase, so the Duchess may well rely on the guidance of a stylist to help her identify what to buy. It would be surprising if she didn’t; as a working royal, being photographed is a part of the job, so she’s under pressure to get her outfit right every time she steps out.
“There’s nothing matronly here,” says the personal stylist Annabel Hodin. “She has transformed her look by wearing flattering tailoring and coordinated outfits, and this empowers and invigorates. She is building a youthful-yet-appropriate capsule wardrobe that works for her proportions and life.”
It couldn’t have come soon enough. With both the King and the Princess of Wales undergoing cancer treatment, Sophie, along with the Queen, Princess Anne and the Duke of Edinburgh, has had to step up more significantly this year than anticipated.
While our own wardrobes are not so high stakes, there are lessons from Sophie’s stealth makeover that we can inject into the way we dress for our own lives – no designer budget or personal stylist required…
Find the silhouette that suits you
Prada coats aside, Sophie tends to stick to fuller, ankle-length skirts, which suit her well. She balances this silhouette with a belted or nipped-in waist; the exposed ankle and a heeled shoe do the rest.
We’ve also seen her embrace more tailoring in the form of suits by Gabriela Hearst and Max Mara. She sometimes wears a heel with wide-legged trousers; for more informal engagements she will go for a slimmer fit by the likes of Me+Em, teamed with boots or trainers.
‘Shop’ the back of your wardrobe
Of course, it’s easy to raid the back of your wardrobe when there are Prada coats in there. It’s a timeless piece, says Hodin: “The collar creates the effect of a long neck, and the slightly raised waist seams and flared skirt mean it moves well and shows off her legs.” A decade-old Primark coat is unlikely to have the same appeal.
The challenge here is in making an old piece feel current, and Sophie has achieved this with the Jane Taylor beret and Prada heels. The use of ivory as an accent, rather than black, is softer and more flattering on fair skin.
Be a quiet risk taker
Sophie pushes the fashion envelope more than many people realise. She was the first member of the Royal family to wear a jumpsuit at Royal Ascot in 2018, the first year it was permitted.
She owns a very un-royal black leather dress by Loewe, and she’s also bucked the expectation that working royals only wear closed-toe shoes.
Invest in quality
This is easier said than done, because quality doesn’t come cheap, but it also doesn’t always have to be expensive. Once you’ve established which brands suit you, and which size fits you best, you can buy Prada, Emilia Wickstead and the like second-hand for a fraction of the original retail price.
This also applies to more accessible brands: Me+Em, Cefinn, Jigsaw and Sezane all punch above their weight when it comes to quality for the price. You can get some brilliant bargains in the sales, as well as on Vinted, Vestiaire Collective and eBay.
Ask for help
A stylist offers an objective opinion, and can ensure that you look good from every angle – but so too can a relative or good friend.
As a general rule, never buy anything that doesn’t fit you well – especially not anything you need to diet to wear – and remember that if you’re on the fence about a purchase, it’s probably not a good buy.
Don’t get stuck in a hair rut
In the early 2000s, Sophie had a shorter haircut which flicked out at the ends, in a slightly darker blonde than we see today. It was of its time, but looks rather dated now.
Her hair today is shoulder-length, long enough to appear youthful, but not so long that it loses movement or looks unhealthy. Getting this right can involve some trial and error – and a stylist you trust – but it’s worth the effort.
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