I’m glad the British media is trying to get back to regularly-scheduled programming when it comes to the Princess of Wales. Back in the day, they would run a dozen “fashion/style” stories for every one appearance by Kate. It’s the royalist-media equivalent of trying to make fetch happen, only they kind of stopped for the better part of a year. There’s been precious little analysis of Kate’s “comeback style” and I’m still waiting for someone to talk about how weird it is that Kate has been wearing turtlenecks constantly this year. Well, the Daily Mail gave us two funny style stories this week. One is about how Princess Kate is obviously copying Queen Elizabeth II by… wearing one color at a time. “She wore a green coat, she’s just like the queen!” Basically. But nothing beats this story, about Kate’s big style hack: shoulder pads.
She’s back, and she means business. After months away from the spotlight, the Princess of Wales has made her triumphant return to public life with a striking new look, and one thing is clear – she has embraced the power of the shoulder pad.
From her first reappearance in Southport last October to her recent engagement at the St Patrick’s Day parade, the future Queen has ditched her flowing midi dresses in favour of a sharper, more structured silhouette.
The message is unmistakable – Kate is stronger than ever – and her wardrobe is the proof. In place of floaty skirts and delicate detailing, we are seeing a new, more commanding princess. With every appearance, she steps out in expertly tailored blazers, impeccably cut coats, and structured dresses, all featuring one common element – shoulder pads.
Adding structure without overwhelming her frame, Kate’s power dressing has become more pronounced with defined shoulders creating an unmistakable nod to authority as she stands tall and exudes confidence and control.
Kate’s new penchant for power dressing is no accident. In times of transition, a change in wardrobe can be a deliberate and powerful statement. The strong silhouette created by shoulder pads conveys a sense of authority, stability and resilience – qualities essential for the Princess of Wales’ increasingly prominent royal role. After all, history has shown us time and time again that women in power turn to sharp tailoring as their sartorial weapon of choice.
Just my opinion, but Kate doesn’t really need shoulder pads, she has strong-looking shoulders without the pads. And I think her not-so-secret style hack is that most of her coats and blazers already come with built-in shoulder pads anyway, although Kate could obviously “bespoke” the sh-t out of her coats to remove the pads. Something else I’ve noticed – which apparently the Mail has not noticed – is that Kate looks like she’s been experimenting with corsets or some kind of heavy-duty shapewear so that her waist looks especially “snatched.” You can see it especially in the St. Patrick’s Day photos. It’s not just the shoulder pads – she’s been trying to give herself a more pronounced “V” shape.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
