The 1980s has a reputation for being the decade fashion went to die, but the Duchess of Cambridge has breathed new life into it with a head-turning tartan number that’s sure to inspire a few fashionistas to pull out their best ’80s numbers from the back of the wardrobe.
Catherine stepped out solo on Wednesday for a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London to mark the reopening of art galleries and museums across England, following the country’s third Covid-19 lockdown. The duchess, who studied art history in college, became patron of V&A in 2018, and has since attended a number of events at the museum.
For her visit on May 19, the duchess wore a tartan Alessandra Rich midi dress with a drop waist that was reminiscent of style favoured in the ’80s and often worn by the late Princess Diana.
Catherine teamed the elegant-yet-stylish outfit with a pair of black pumps by British designer Jennifer Chamandi and a matching clutch.
The duchess also paid a sweet nod to her family roots with her jewellery of choice. She was pictured wearing a beautiful gold necklace with three pendant charms attached to the end: an acorn, mushroom and oak leaf. Catherine grew up in Bucklebury in Berkshire, where oak trees and their fruit acorns are abundant. The oak leaf and acorn were also included on the Middleton family Coat of Arms, which was created ahead of her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
During her visit, Catherine visited the museum’s Raphael Court, which is home to the Raphael Cartoons, considered to be one of the greatest treasures of the Renaissance. The Raphael Court recently underwent a nine-month refurbishment to mark the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death.
Catherine also visited the new 2021 exhibition, ‘Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser’, an interactive theatrical show exploring 157 years of adaptations, reinventions and storytelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The duchess’s official instagram account Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a video of the exhibition.
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