Why Kate Middleton’s BAFTAs dress was the ultimate fashion statement

There was something different about Kate Middleton at this weekend’s BAFTA awards. The white dress, the black gloves, the air of mischief.

Walking the red carpet at what has been called Britain’s answer to the Oscars on Sunday, the Princess of Wales had the giddy smile of someone who’d won a radio contest to meet their favourite celebrity. (And as the parent of three small children, a fancy night out probably did feel as exciting as a meet-n-greet with Harry Styles.)

Beaming, Kate strutted past the banks of photographers, seeming to luxuriate in their attention, laughing and joking with people around her. At one moment, she held hands with William, looking sleek in a black Tom Ford tux; at another, she was spotted giving him a saucy pat on the bum.

In short, Kate was feeling herself, and this new-found confidence was also clearly expressed with what she was wearing. She felt good in the look, clearly, but there’s more to it than that. That BAFTA dress and its carefully selected accessories read like a manifesto, a statement of purpose that is communicating exactly what Kate wants us to know about her in this moment.

Let’s dissect.

1. Kate’s divisive black gloves

The jury is out on whether Kate’s armpit-grazing black opera gloves landed, sartorially speaking. For every comparison to Audrey Hepburn in the comments sections, we saw a reference to a vet suiting up to deliver a recalcitrant foal.

That she took this risk at all, however, shows a level of playfulness that we haven’t seen much in Kate’s recent era of tailored trousers, matching coats and monochromatic corporate girlie minimalism. The gloves are likely a tribute to the late Queen, who loved an opera glove with her black tie, but they’re also a nod to what’s happening in fashion right now, reminding us that Kate is still, in fact, a young woman who probably pinned Beyoncé’s 2023 Grammys look (complete with elbow-length gloves) to her Pinterest inspo board too.

To analyze it one layer further, nothing says “princess” more than a pair of long, silken gloves. Kate has spent the last little while trying to downplay that aspect of her role — evidenced by the recent move to keep her clothing deliberately functional and not sharing the details of her looks, to direct coverage to focus on her causes — so it’s fascinating to see her embracing it literally at the first formal occasion she gets. Getting the balance right is tricky — too “princess-y” and you’re a caricature; not “princess-y” enough and you don’t deliver the magic dust monarchy thrives off. (Not to mention, in some quarters anything too Ye Olde Monarchy functions as catnip to those with republican sentiments.) For Kate, it’s made doubly difficult because of the fine line of veneration vs competition she has to walk with the legacy of Diana, the last Princess of Wales.

Tossing on a pair of Cinderella-style gloves seems like an act of lightness — which we love to see, given how heavily this role must weigh — but it could be much more considered than you’d think.

2. The recycled dress

If Kate’s BAFTA dress looked familiar, you’re not imagining things: It’s the same Alexander McQueen dress she wore to those very same awards back in 2019, just with a reworked neckline that replaced fluttery fabric flowers with a flowy shoulder tie.

Kate is no stranger to a rewear, but there’s something about the specificity of this choice that begs analysis. That dress — floaty, frilly, girly, a little bridal — embodies Kate’s old style, back before she started experimenting with power-shoulder capes like the Jenny Packham she wore to the State Banquet last year or the severe minimalism of the off-the-shoulder Roland Mouret dress we saw at the Top Gun premiere. It’s also reminiscent of what she wore on that ill-fated Caribbean tour earlier last year, when her extravagant gowns added one more sour note to a symphony of faux pas.

So why’s she bringing the floaty look back now? Perhaps the swerve the other way was an overcorrection, an experiment in the more streamlined “modern” style favoured by Meghan Markle. Maybe Kate tried it out, and she just wasn’t feeling like herself, so she made a statement by bringing back the “old Kate,” with just enough of a modification to show there’s been an evolution along the way. Being a royal has felt like such a serious business lately (and, to be clear, it is) but it feels like Kate’s reminding us and herself of the good bits too.

Also: Rewearing the same dress to the same occasion is an environmental and financial sustainability flex.

3. The dangly Zara earrings

While they’re definitely not sustainable, Kate’s choice of high-street sparklers was another nod to Britain’s current national mood, where the cost of living crisis makes $30 for a new pair of earrings feel like a splurge for many. Not breaking out some gargantuan royal bling was a considered choice here, in line with Camilla’s recent announcement that she will re-wear an old crown for her coronation, and swap out its controversial diamonds while she’s at it.

All of this didn’t stop the earrings from being gloriously OTT, however, which, also seems like a glimpse into a version of Kate we haven’t seen in a while: Joyful, confident enough to maybe get it wrong, and having fun with the very weird life that is being a royal.

Sarah Laing is a Toronto-based freelance contributor for The Kit and the Star, writing about celebrity and culture. Follow her on Twitter: @sarahjanelaing

SHARE: