Stylist shares Princess Kate’s ‘least flattering colour’ as it ‘doesn't photograph well’


Kate, Princess of Wales, 41, wore an orange blouse on her royal tour of Jamaica, known as the Ridley London “Alicia” top, which previously retailed for £249.

The Princess additionally chose to carry a Willow Hanson Vintage 1960s style “Raffia beaded wooden handle handbag”. The item previously sold for an outstanding £229.

The choice by Kate to wear orange was quite unusual, as the Princess rarely wears the colour orange.

Style expert Molly Elizabeth Agnew, the founder of Eternal Goddess, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk to explain why the Princess steers away from the colour.

She claimed: “Kate has worn pretty much every single colour imaginable, and yet she has probably worn bright orange the least. She notably wore an orange blouse underneath a white Alexander McQueen suit in Jamaica last year as well as a slightly more subdued orange knit dress earlier this year.

“Much like the late Queen, Kate enjoys wearing bright tones as they ensure she can be seen in crowds, and orange is certainly bright! The most likely answer as to why she tends to steer clear of the colour is personal preference.

“We all have colours we don’t overly enjoy wearing! She has worn deeper rust shades, and tones more in line with an orangey red. Perhaps she prefers these!

“Kate is very lucky in that she can really pull off any colour, however, she has a cooler undertone and tends to shine her brightest in strong blues and jewel tones.”

Megan Watkins, the Head Stylist at online fashion destination SilkFred, shared her thoughts on Kate’s style exclusively for Express.co.uk.

She claimed: “We know Kate for wearing subdued, classic colours like forest green, navy and her favourite, royal blue and is rarely seen in brighter colours such as yellow, orange or pink.

“Kate knows that whatever she wears, it’s going to hit the headlines and that the ensemble will no doubt sell out. This is an enormous pressure to face, so she often opts for colour combinations that she knows work well and suit her personal style.

“Kate’s style is timeless, so she’s wary of fleeting trends – like Barbiecore pink – and tends to stick with hues that are rarely out of fashion. When she wore orange in Jamaica for the Platinum Jubilee Tour, it was to show that she was making a concerted effort with her style and trying something different for a momentous and important occasion.”

Emmeline Stevens, a stylist and owner of The Image Consulting Company, exclusively told Express.co.uk: “One of the things about choosing to wear orange is that it doesn’t photograph that well. Because of that, I think royals are told to steer clear of it at public events.

“Orange is not one of Kate’s most flattering colours. Orange generally suits Mediterranean tones really well and those with dark brunette hair, brown eyes and warm skin tones. With Kate’s blue eyes, it would be a nice contrast on her, but it would drain her skin tone so it’s probably not the best colour choice.”

Stylist Susie Nelson exclusively told Express.co.uk: “There is no royal protocol against the colour orange, the late Queen was rather fond of the colour. I think the reason Kate is rarely seen wearing orange is simply that the colour doesn’t suit her skin tone. It is also a colour that doesn’t photograph well.

“I don’t think Kate should wear more orange, she wants to look her best and it just isn’t a colour that works for her. Individuals should be happy and comfortable wearing whatever colour they choose. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands wears quite a lot of orange but members of the Dutch Royal Family are members of the House of Orange.

“Colours that work for Kate include most shades of blue, red, plum/burgundy, and grey.”

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