Ever since her relationship with William, now Prince of Wales, was unveiled in April 2004, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has been under intense scrutiny. Her fashion choices have sparked both admiration and criticism, dividing opinions. Love it or hate it, one thing remains undeniable: Kate has a knack for occasionally undermining a stunning outfit with a surprising fashion faux pas.

Kate’s wardrobe choices often result in a significant financial boon for designers, a phenomenon known as the “Kate effect.” Bethan Holt, author of “The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Style,” highlighted in a 2021 piece for The Telegraph that Kate is credited with boosting the British fashion sector by up to £1 billion in a single year.

Despite her status as a style icon, Kate occasionally steps out in less-than-perfect outfits, much like the rest of us, albeit on a grander scale and with enviable elegance. Yet, even her impeccable legs couldn’t rescue the maritime-themed disaster she donned for a ship’s naming ceremony in May 2025. Priced at €2,425 ($2,848), it’s doubtful many rushed to purchase the Suzannah London coat dress. Then, there are her occasional mismatched styles, clashing colors, peculiar hats, and debatable accessories that she appears to favor. Here, we explore some outfits that were overshadowed by a single glaring mistake.

In January 2016, Catherine and William exuded romance during their ski retreat in the French Alps. Their relationship appeared solid, with no hint of turbulence or divorce rumors on the horizon.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, and William, Prince of Wales, were the picture of love’s young dream during a January 2016 ski getaway in the French Alps. There were no dark clouds on the relationship horizon, nor any divorce chatter for William and Kate to battle.

Still, it wasn’t all sunshine and laughter. The spouses were hit with an avalanche of criticism over Kate’s Restelli Guanti possum fur-lined mittens.

Given the royal family’s love of hunting and slaughtering animals, it was likely no biggie for them. But it was for animal welfare organization PETA, which released a statement detailing the horrors of possums being caught in “bone-crushing steel-jaw traps.”

When Catherine, Princess of Wales, played editor in February 2016, she shunned Prada in favor of a Dolce & Gabbana skirt and a Reiss shirt. Both were gorgeous on their own, but made for an unholy mismatch together.

Herringbone tweed and vertical stripes don’t particularly make a match — just ask the fashionista queen, former Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

Still, Kate wasn’t gracing the corridors of the esteemed Vogue magazine. Instead, she was guest-editing the Huffington Post UK for the day. Given that she was working from home, you’ve got to give props for at least changing out of her PJs.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, loves herself a hat. Usually, the fancier and more unaffordable (and unappealing) to commoners, the better. However, she looked (almost) down to earth in January 2020 while attending Sunday service on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Instead of favoring her usual UFO style, Kate channeled Frank Sinatra with a jaunty fedora. Still, Old Blue Eyes would have inevitably shunned the Hicks & Brown homburg, given it was electric blue with a feathered crown ribbon.

It totally ruined Kate’s outfit. Which is sad, given that her tri-copper colored Roksanda coat, navy Jaeger clutch, and brown Stuart Weitzman boots were totally snatched.

Catherine, Princess of Wales looked fragrant on the last day of her and William, Prince of Wales’ royal visit to the Bahamas. In March 2022, her pink animal print Rixo dress looked suitably cool and airy for the hot Caribbean sun, and her Emmy London clutch matched perfectly. However, Kate’s faded brown suede rattan wedges looked positively, well, ratty and totally ruined the outfit. 

“She manages to give any outfit soccer mom vibes. Somehow she can frump up any outfit despite being slim and tall,” a Daily Mail fashion police officer opined.

Kate Middleton usually loves to show off her toned arms, and with the hours it inevitably takes her to maintain her sinewy biceps, who can blame her?

However, there wasn’t even an inch of arm on display when she attended the 76th British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in February 2023. 

Instead, Kate completely covered up with armpit-length black silk opera gloves. They definitely looked out of place at a film awards event — the clue to their purpose is in the name, after all. Still, her white silk chiffon Alexander McQueen gown was absolute.

Catherine, Princess of Wales’ UFO hats were back with a vengeance when she attended the annual Trooping the Colour in June 2024. 

Perched precariously on the side of her head, the millinery masterpiece looked like a flying saucer had just landed on her head. And the large pointed probe-like thing protruding from the side looked like it could take somebody’s eye out if she turned too quickly.

It was created by Phillip Treacy, who was also responsible for Princesses Euegenie and Beatrice’s fantastical fascinators, still remains a royal favorite for some reason.

Kate Middleton combined two of her favorite things when she celebrated the 80th anniversary of VE Day in May 2025: a hat and a bow. 

Unfortunately, the outcome was far from stylish, with the oversized back bow resulting in an overall look that was way more twee than trendy.

In fact, the Sean Barrett hat would have been perfectly at home perched on the back of an octogenarian’s head rather than Kate’s. Which was pretty fitting given that she was meeting with the Royal British Legion’s elderly veterans.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, looked suitably somber when she attended the thanksgiving service marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Unfortunately, however, she also looked dowdy and daggy, in an Alessandra Rich high-neck, long-sleeve polka dot dress with “Dynasty”-style ’80s shoulder pads.

Still, the frumpy frock wasn’t the worst part of her ensemble. That prize went to the brown Ralph Lauren “Celia” pumps that she wore, matched with a toffee-colored DeMellier London “Nano Montreal” satchel, both of which had no right to be anywhere in the vicinity of white with black polka dots.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, busted out with a decidedly “bigly” pussy bow to rub shoulders with the Trumps in September 2025. Perhaps she was hoping the bow’s size would prevent Donald Trump from attempting to grab her by it. Either way, the custom-made Stephen Walters silk scarf ruined her outfit, which comprised an olive ME+ME jacket and a brown Ralph Lauren skirt.

Kate was snapped with Melania Trump strolling through Windsor’s Frogmore Gardens to rendezvous with some scouts, who could undoubtedly learn a thing or two about knot tying from HRH. Meanwhile, Melania looked like she was heading off on a safari.