Kate Middleton's Most Affordable Fashion
:extract_cover():upscale()/2016/06/20/790/n/1922564/28aaabebe1d8081b_16._GettyImages-520897322.jpg)
Alexander McQueen, Jenny Packham, and diamonds borrowed from her majesty are all befitting of a princess, but no member of the royal family has ever been more nifty at blending jaw-dropping designer numbers with budget finds than the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate can wow in hefty price tags, but she is just as likely to break out a bargain on the red carpet. Here we take a look at her most frugal finds.
Kate wore a $56 Topshop dress for the society wedding of Prince George's godfather William Van Cutsem — and for a visit to the Harry Potter studios with William and Harry.
For the official "going away" picture after her wedding, Kate chose a blue Zara dress for $74. The thrifty duchess wore it again for a church service celebrating Prince Philip's 90th birthday and for a trip to Nottingham with the queen.
At the unveiling of her first portrait, Kate selected a deep-red Whistles dress for $133. She had previously worn it for a trip to Copenhagen and later on an engagement to Newcastle.
The soon sold-out $68 Seraphine Jolene dress in fuchsia was chosen for this portrait with Prince George. The duchess also wore the label's Lavender Blossom dress the day after she'd given birth to her son.
For a day at the 2012 Olympics, Kate favored a red $103 jacket from her favorite high street label Zara, along with a Zara blouse and Zara jeans.
On the last day of her Asian tour, Kate chose Azuni earrings for $37.
By the time she wore this Oasis sweater dress, it was long out of stock, but it's likely she would have only splashed out around $45 for it.
Kate chose this ASOS maternity design for $59 when she was pregnant with Princess Charlotte.
On her most recent tour of India, the duchess stepped out in a $74 maxi dress from UK brand Glamorous.
Although she wore an eye-wateringly expensive dress for the premiere of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, she accessorized with a Zara necklace for $30.
For an engagement while she was pregnant with Princess Charlotte, Kate wore an $89 bird-print design from Jonathan Saunders for Debenhams.
Seraphine has become a maternity favorite for the duchess, and she chose its $146 Florrie dress for an engagement in Kensington last year.
Kate has worn her $74 cultivated pearl and zirconia Heavenly Necklaces earrings on many occasions — including here to the Diamond Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving.
Effortlessly combining designer with high street once more, Kate wore a Dolce & Gabbana dress with a $74 Zara cape coat for the queen's 90th birthday horse show.
The duchess wore a $45 Topshop dress to an engagement back in 2013.
These $12 Accessorize earrings had many outings on the Cambridges' recent tour of India.
A teal Zara dress was teamed with a Whistles jacket for a kids' production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
It was revealed that for her first portrait Kate wore a French Connection pussycat-bow blouse costing $84.
On safari in India, Kate paired a pink-and-black Topshop dress for $111 with $89 wedges from Dune.
Back in 2011, Kate chose a black-and-white Zara dress costing $103 for a Princes' Trust concert.
The duchess is a fan of the $111 Cezanne print dress from Great Plains. She wore the berry-colored version to an engagement in Grimsby and the green-and-blue-toned design for the Christmas Day church service in 2015.
Kate wore a pattered Zara blouse for $59 at an engagement in Wales just after the birth of Prince George — she had previously worn it on a trip to Switzerland.
Gap shirts are a staple of Kate's wardrobe, and she has worn various designs in public, as well as this $52 gingham print for a trip to a vineyard in New Zealand.
For a visit to the set of Downton Abbey, Kate chose a $102 coat from JoJo Maman Bebe.
. . . and what list of Kate's most budget-friendly items would be complete without her beloved Zara skinny jeans? They cost $45, and Kate has them in many colors including royal blue, black, and navy.