Kate Middleton’s Colorful Vintage Dress Is A Breath Of Fresh Air

Kate Middleton has switched up her wardrobe during the royal trip to Jamaica, opting for a vintage find instead of an off-the-rack look. When she and Prince William touched down in Kingston on Tuesday, the duchess wore a bright yellow midi dress from designer Roksanda. Later, though, she changed into a colorfully striped dress, that was crafted decades before.

Middleton’s second look of the day, designed in the 1950s, was a departure from much of the rest of her royal wardrobe. It was crafted in a cotton weave of yellow, turquoise, and red stripe with a subtle, black overlay print. The day dress boasted a square neck with almost a sailor-style neckline, and a slight gathering at the waist, that separated her fitted bodice from the slim volume of her skirt.

The dress is from Willow Hilson Vintage, a U.K.-based shop, and in its original form, features spaghetti straps, and comes with a matching wrap.

People spoke to the owner of the namesake vintage boutique where Middleton got the dress, who excitedly shared, “I’ve been doing this since I was 21, and all I ever wanted was someone like Kate to wear a dress of mine!”

Wilson also touched on why this dress in particular was so perfect for the occasion. "It's got all the great Caribbean colors, it's such a Reggaeton kind of dress in its color palette,” he said. As for the slight adjustment to the neckline, Hilson added, “Kate doesn’t often wear spaghetti straps, so they used the shawl to widen the straps. I think it’s a great adjustment – it looks amazing on her.”

Hilson also spoke to the publication about the overall trend of sustainability in fashion. “I hope it will be ongoing,” he said. “I think getting someone like Kate on board with that is really good, because it shows people that it’s OK to wear second hand and it’s okay to wear vintage.”

Middleton styled the unexpected dress with a pair of retro-style heels from Russell and Bromley that featured a slingback and a low block heel, crafted in a raffia fabric. She also did some outfit repeating, donning Maria Black pearl hoops that she has worn before.

The striped dress was actually the second time that Middleton chose vintage that day, departing Belize earlier in the morning wearing a vintage, red, Yves Saint Laurent jacket, belted at the waist, styled with a pair of loose-fit white pants.

Could this be a new trend for the duchess? She is typically known for repeating outfits, and at times wearing affordable and shoppable favorites (often compared to the United States’ former First Lady Michelle Obama in that regard). But a trend towards more vintage, though not always shoppable, is a sustainable trend that everyone can certainly get behind.