Catherine, the Princess of Wales has secured the goods (the goods being another of this season’s most-coveted handbags, of course.)
On a visit to London’s Anna Freud centre on November 27, she chose to dress up a houndstooth Emilia Wickstead pencil dress with DeMellier’s Hudson bag, in its smaller and mocha-coloured suede style.
The top-handle mini-tote is definitive of what’s trending in handbags now. Not only is this particular iteration in the shade-of-the-moment, a decadently delicious chocolate brown, but the suede fabrication also speaks to the current obsession with the more tactile option. Plus, the silhouette of DeMellier’s bag makes it a modern classic, as comfortable in 2025 as it’ll likely be in 2035. An investment that becomes all the more alluring when you consider its current seasonal reduction.
Yet, keen observers (read: me) will also notice that with this ensemble, Catherine did away with a rule that has long been observed by the royal family: matching your bag and shoe colour. Instead, Catherine opted to clash by carrying a brown bag and wearing a grey pointed heel. The styling choice moves her look into more contemporary territory as the out-dated adage for shoes and bags has by and large fallen out of daily favour and finds itself primarily reserved for mothers of the bride.
Consciously deciding to not match is a quick, sure-fire way to bring about a sense of modernity versus the sometimes fusty results being overly cautious in matching your accessories can yield.
It also proves that as the Princess of Wales (and future Queen), Catherine is growing in confidence within her high-profile role. While the break from tradition is hardly startling, a change such as this in an institution like the British royal family is note-worthy. And the same can be said of her choice to not wear hosiery, despite the November weather.
When assembled together, these sartorial takeaways prove that The Princess of Wales is writing her own fashion rules, and for that we’re grateful.
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