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Kate Middleton's 22 Most Controversial Outfits
The Duchess does what the Duchess wants
Mixing Up Countries
While visiting the Solomon Islands in 2012, Kate wore a dress by a designer from the Cook Islands, a different country that's about 3,000 miles away. It was a lovely dress but it prompted quite a lot of negative press.
Standing Out in Red
At the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, there was a lot of speculation from the tabloids that Kate had missed the memo from her in-laws about wearing a neutral outfit. Calling her red suit "as striking as it was inappropriate," the Daily Mail's headline for the event said: "Did Kate really have to steal the show in her scarlet dress?" Typical Daily Mail 🙄
Repeating Outfits
We actually LOVE the fact that Kate likes to repeat outfits. It makes a nice statement about not treating fashion as totally disposable. She wore this particular Roksanda Ilinic dress to at least four major functions and it did start to get tongues wagging.
Forgoing Weighted Skirts
While in Australia, Kate had another skirt blow up in front of photographers, prompting the New York Post to say, "Mooning the world is the most interesting thing Kate Middleton has done."
Showing Major Skin
Kate wore this transparent lace dress at a charity fashion show while she was at University in St Andrews, and legend has it that the frock is responsible for catching Prince Will's eye for the first time. Designer Charlotte Todd has called it "a piece of fashion history."
Wearing Short Shorts
During their separation in 2008, Kate attended a charity event at a disco clad in tiny shorts, a sequined halter top and roller skates. The Daily Mail called the look "inelegant" and reported that royal sources were "appalled" by "a most unladylike display." We think it's totally fun and why shouldn't a single girl on the town have a good time?
Sticking with Skinny Jeans
Her tendency to wear jeggings was cited as one reason British researchers now caution women to be careful about the circulatory complications that come with these pants.
Inspiring a Wikipedia Page
Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen wedding dress was a real fashion moment and the gown earned its own Wikipedia page — prompting some royal haters to demand the company take it down. "The sheer presence of this article is one of the lowest points ever reached by Wikipedia!" complained one commenter, as discussed at a conference.
Showing Too Much Thigh
After yet another short skirt flapped up in the breeze, the Queen reportedly demanded a makeover for Kate in 2014, prior to her tour in Australia and New Zealand.
Rocking Too Many Wedges
Along with her shorter hemlines, the Queen rung the death knell for Kate's ubiquitous wedges, her shoe of choice for many casual public appearances.
The Loud Erdem
Kate wearing Erdem is now a staple vision to be honest and as the designer is known for prints, it follows that Kate would have showed a few of them off over the years. Royals fans were divided this particular Erdem dress though. One fashion blogger said it was "hideous," "horrible," and that "the sight of it gives me heart palpitations and makes me want to cry." You win some, you lose some...
Wearing Red to Wimbledon
Wimbledon has a notoriously strict dress code — all white, down to women's bra straps — but those rules typically don't extend to spectators. That said, Kate only wore white dresses until the last tournament, when she turned heads in red.
Playing a Role in a Lawsuit
Years after her wedding, Kate's Alexander McQueen gown made headlines when designer Christine Kendall sued the fashion house for breach of copyright. She claimed McQueen stole her initial sketches for the dress, and the case is still pending.
Being Too Buttoned Up
The Daily Mail officially declared Kate the "Duchess of Drab" following the Queen's style makeover, calling out this coat dress in particular for being too stiff.
Wearing Fur Gloves
Shortly after releasing fun-filled photos of a family skiing vacation, Kate was criticized by PETA for wearing fur-lined gloves on the slopes.
Skewing Too Conservative
"Why Does Kate Middleton Dress Like She's 50?" asked the Daily Beast after she wore a conservative suit to daughter Charlotte's christening.
Staying Too "Drab"
Fans anticipated that the Cambridges' tour of India and Bhutan would be a nonstop parade of brilliant southeastern style, but the Independent called Kate's subdued choices "embarrassing" "dowdy," dreary" and "lacking pizzazz."
Going Marilyn Monroe
In her most painful wardrobe malfunction to date, Kate's cream dress flew up while she was placing a wreath at a war memorial in Delhi, India.
Being Barefoot
The same day, Kate slipped off her shoes at the Gandhi Smiriti museum as a basic sign of respect — and was met with nervous breakdowns across the U.K. over her unpolished toes. "Corns, clawed toes, bunions AND fallen arches" cried the Daily Mail.
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