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The Princess of Wales spent much of last summer in white stilettos, the shoe that accompanied her everywhere from Centre Court at Wimbledon to the Caribbean. But those versatile courts are far from the only secret wardrobe weapon at Kate’s disposal.
The Princess appears to be similarly enamoured with ladylike Mary Jane heels, a style she wore on 19 June to join Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, at the Order of the Garter Service at Windsor Castle. Kate teamed her girlish white shoes, by the London-based designer Jennifer Chamandi, with a similarly demure polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich, and a coordinating hat by the Irish milliner Philip Treacy.
Back in May, Kate teamed the Mary Janes—which have a mid-height heel, a dainty strap, and a black cap-toe detail—with a green ’40s-inspired dress by Suzannah London for a visit to the Anna Freud Centre in London during Mental Health Week, and she’s previously worn Rich’s Fab pumps to take in a tennis match and to attend a memorial service for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Kate was long ago won over by Alessandra Rich’s vintage-inspired tea dresses and playful polka dots – she has worn the designer’s prints for countless public engagements – and it seems that her retro footwear – and that of Jennifer Chamandi – has now earned a permanent spot in the Princess’s affections, too.
The Mary Jane was easily the breakout shoe of last year, with everyone from Kendall Jenner to Zoë Kravitz to Michelle Williams snapped wearing the style. The cool girls style their flat pairs with jeans or dresses and ankle socks—an approach we’re unlikely to see Kate experimenting with any time soon. But the princess—who has been making subtle tweaks to her wardrobe as queen-in-waiting—has successfully found a way to nod to the trend that works for Windsor Castle.
