From traditional dress to hints of Diana: Everything Kate wore in Pakistan
The Duchess of Cambridge paid homage to the country by wearing a shalwar kameez and a kurta.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have just completed their latest royal trip together, travelling to Pakistan where they discussed climate change and met with various political and cultural leaders.
The level of preparation that goes into these royal tours is almost unimaginable. Kate and her team recognise the power of fashion: it can be used to pay tribute to the country they’re visiting, but it has to be employed wisely. On top of this, the duchess has to ensure she’s dressed modestly and that her outfits are comfortable enough to last a jam-packed day of events and meetings.
It seems Kate pulled this off with aplomb in Pakistan, and has garnered widespread praise on social media for her fashion choices.
As the royal tour wraps up and the duke and duchess head back home, here’s a look at everything Kate wore during the trip and the significance behind it…
Kate arrives in Pakistan wearing Catherine Walker
She started the trip in a modern spin on a shalwar kameez, the national dress of Pakistan which is made up of a trousers with a long shirt or tunic over the top. She wore a turquoise ombre custom-made Catherine Walker dress and trousers, along with her signature nude heels by Rupert Sanderson.
Diana cradles a sick child during a visit to Pakistan in 1996
This was her first outfit in Pakistan, and already people were drawing comparisons to Diana, who visited the country multiple times in the 1990s. The colour and draped scarf neckline of Kate’s outfit reminded people of what Diana wore during a visit to a hospital in 1996.
Kate wears a jewel-tone kurta
On day two, Kate wore a more traditional outfit to visit the Islamabad Model College for Girls. She wore a bright blue kurta; a loose, collarless, unisex shirt which normally falls just below the knee. She wore the embroidered shirt with matching trousers and scarf by the Pakistani designer Maheen Khan.
Kate goes for more bright colours in Catherine Walker and Maheen Khan
Here, Kate again wears Catherine Walker – a British designer Diana also wore regularly. She wore a bright green coat by Walker, paired with cream trousers again by Khan. Paying even more tribute to the country, Kate accessorised with Pakistani designers: a green scarf by Satrangi and delicate drop earrings by Zeen. These earrings cost only $8 (£6) and are still available to buy online.
Diana visits Pakistan in 1991
The combination of a light green coat with a darker hued scarf is reminiscent of what Diana wore during a visit to Lahore in 1991.
Kate in Jenny Packham
Sticking to green tones, for an evening event Kate opted for a sequinned emerald gown with long sleeves and a high neck. The dress is somewhat unsurprisingly by Jenny Packham, Kate’s go-to designer when it comes to formalwear.
Diana wears a traditional hat and jacket in 1991 and Kate does the same in 2019
During a visit to the remote Chitral Valley, Kate was given a traditional beret and jacket to wear. Back in 1991, Diana was also presented with the same garments as she was made an honorary Chitrali Scout.
Kate kept things simple in various shades of brown to visit the Chitral Valley
Underneath the jacket, Kate wore different colours of brown with a shirt, skirt and leather vest, pairing these with flat knee-high boots to help her navigate the rocky terrain.
The duchess wore all-white to play cricket
Kate got into the spirit of cricket by donning an all-white outfit to play a match. She wore a traditional shalwar kameez by Pakistani designer Gul Ahmed, pairing it with simple plimsolls – probably the most affordable shoes in her wardrobe, the Hampton Canvas Plum shoes cost £38. The Kate-effect is very much still alive and well, with many sizes of the shoes selling out online.
Kate wore green again to visit a mosque in Lahore
It appears Kate had a preferred colour palette for this tour, but it may no be coincidence that she’s worn so much green on the trip – it’s the national colour of Pakistan.
On the fourth day she wore an emerald green shalwar kameez by Maheen Khan with a matching headscarf to visit the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore – a visit Diana also made in 1991.
Kate wore a Pakistani brand at Lahore airport
The duchess opted for a monochromatic embroidered kurta by Pakistani brand Elan on the fifth day of the tour, when a storm forced the royals to reschedule their last day of the tour.
Sticking to the monochromatic theme, Kate rounded off the tour in a black coat by Beulah London and white trousers to visit the Army Canine Centre – a visit which wouldn’t have been complete without playing with a few puppies. Her shoe choice was sensible but stylish: Black flats from Russell and Bromley, which retail at £195.
Which is your favourite outfit?
The Press Association
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