In summing up Kate Middleton's style [1], elegant is the word that's always on the tip of my tongue — even when the duchess stepped out in London for the Royal Variety Performance in a sheer (and sexier than we're used to) black gown. While the "naked dress" [2] has long been a fixture on red carpets, it's decidedly newer for the typically conservative royal. Kate's take in this Alexander McQueen design is the perfect version for her, complete with long sleeves and velvet trim that provide more coverage and warm up the design with some holiday flair, respectively.

As for accessories, she kept it classic, complementing — but not upstaging — the dress with dangling pearl-adorned earrings, a slim black clutch, and a pair of understated black pumps. The lesson being with a dress this good, you need little else (maybe just a good blowout) to finish it off. It's also a reminder that even when you're subscribing to trends — like little sheer dresses — they always look best when you make it your own. Herein, see exactly how Kate reinterpreted the "naked dress" in 2019.