Kate’s Silhouette Tricks

Fact: Kate always looks amazing. But it’s not just by chance. She’s got a number of tried-and-true tricks up her couture sleeve (and probably a pretty great stylist, too). For those of us without the benefit of a stylist, there’s still hope! Kate sticks to a surprisingly consistent silhouette and type of outfit, because she knows what works and what’s flattering on her. Learn some of Kate’s silhouette tricks to upgrade your Duchess-inspired style even more.

Accentuate Your Best Feature

While Kate hardly has an unflattering feature to speak of, she definitely favors showing off her tiny waist—and who wouldn’t?! Almost everything she wears, whether it’s a casual, full-skirted dress, an evening gown, or a winter coat, has a fitted waist. She may just have great luck in finding the perfect pieces, but we have a hunch that she also has the perfect tailor, as well as an extensive knowledge of what shapes flatter her the best. Hint: belts are a girls’ best friend. Kate even wore one with her second wedding dress, proving there’s no occasion too dressy for a figure-flattering belt.

To show off (and minimize) your waist like Kate:

• Look for silhouettes that nip in at the waist
• When in doubt, add a belt
• Don’t forget that these rules apply when wearing coats and layers, too (because you still want to look awesome in a thick winter coat)
• Peplum highlights a small waist
• Visit a tailor to perfect your clothing so it hugs you in at all the right places
• Most importantly, if you don’t love your waist or stomach, choose a feature that you do love! Everyone’s got something great to show off.

 

Go Sky High

The Duchess isn’t lacking in the height department, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to look even taller. She can rock a sky-high pair of heels or wedges with the best of them, often sticking to a few favorite pairs. We have a hunch that these favorites have been repeated over and over because they’re both comfortable and stylish.

For the rest of us, tall and short alike, we can learn some tips from Kate for looking tall (and slimmer—bonus!), too.

• Heels make you look taller and slimmer (and there’s nothing wrong with that)
• Don’t force your yourself into every pair you see. Find a few pairs that work with the outfits you have, are flattering, fit well, and are comfortable and stick to them. The Duchess taught us that there’s nothing wrong with repeating favorites
• Heels that match your skin tone if you have bare legs or that match your pants will lengthen your overall look

Hem & Her

At 5’9’’, Kate can wear all different lengths of skirts, but she doesn’t often stray from her favorite—a skirt that hits just above the knee. After all, once you find what works on you, why mess with it? It’s time to discover your best skirt length and stock up on pieces that fit the bill.

To find your own perfect length:

• Try on as many dresses and skirts as you can and ask for honest opinions. Also, rummage through your closet and through pictures and see if your favorite looks share a common length. If so, you might have found your ideal hemline.
• If you are shorter, lucky you! You can usually wear a shorter skirt. If you love your legs, go even shorter to show them off.
• Taller girls tend to look better in longer skirts and dresses. What exact length depends on your height, shoes, and overall outfit. Play around with your look to see what looks best on you. And don’t be afraid to go shorter if that’s what looks best!

We hope these tips & tricks can help you showcase your best look!