Forget oranges and reds, the in vogue colour this autumn is white – and there’s a reason the likes of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are leading the trend.

‘It was already considered the reserve of the very rich, given how readily it shows dirt and how rare decent laundry facilities were,’ says designer and dressmaker Holly Winter. ‘You know someone in a white suit isn’t about to get down to some heavy manual labour.’

Just this week, the Princess of Wales opted for a barely beige matching skirt and jumper combo for a visit to Nottingham Trent, after previously wearing an all-white Alexander McQueen suit to chat with the England Rugby Team in September.

Adding her own take to the look, Meghan Markle opted for an all-white off-the-shoulder top and trousers ‘fit to a summit in New York on Tuesday. Because nothing says wealth like donning white to a capital city or dirty rugby ground.

In a year where neutrals and tailoring have been popular with the masses, A Listers have to take things one step further to stand out from the crowd.

Forget ‘quiet luxury’, this is unapologetic ‘loud luxury’. But apparently, the royal obsession with white in steeped in history.

‘In the UK, we only started wearing white wedding dresses after Queen Victoria chose the colour for her own nuptials, which was pretty mold-breaking at the time,’ says Holly.

‘She was the first British monarch whose wedding was photographed and could be shared around the world.

‘As photography became more available to the masses, women quickly discovered that dress details such as lace were easier to see in sepia photographs on white dresses.

‘The Queen usually dressed publicly in a single, often bright, colour so that she would be easy to see in a crowd. And what’s brighter than white? So it actually can be a practical colour to wear.’

That would certainly make a lot of sense, given the royals get dressed for every public appearance knowing they’ll be in hundreds if not thousands of photographs by the end of the day.

Further to the fact that white used to be a colour for the non-manual-labour-reliant rich, Holly adds: ‘White has to be kept pristine as there’s no concealing a drip from a mug of tea or rub of make-up on a collar (the wise carry baby wipes for emergency spot-cleans and white chalk for quick cover-ups).

‘It has to look squeaky clean, and screams “no-dirt-on-me” innocent. You can read what you like into whether the wearers are trying to signal this.’

Holly also muses whether there could also be a certain ‘vulnerability’ to wearing the colour white, thus inviting trust.

‘You know how tempting it is to jump in a fresh blanket of pristine virgin snow,’ she explains, ‘so wearing it can say, “I’m trusting you not to wreck this for me; you in turn can trust me.”

‘There’s also the suggestion of look but don’t touch.’

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : As Kate Middleton wears Zara again, here are her best looks from the high street favourite

MORE : Fuming GMB viewers drag Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley for defending Thomas Markle

For some royal engagements, Kate Middleton opts for designers: a McQueen suit or Beulah dress, perhaps.

But we really love it when she dons a piece from her high street wardrobe – mainly, because we can afford it.

Today, The Princess of Wales stepped out in a Zara blazer while visiting a SportsAid mental fitness workshop in Marlow, as part of her engagement for World Mental Health Day.

Eagle-eyed fans of the royal will notice it’s not the first time she’s worn the £59.99 jacket (which is now sold out) – fittingly, she opted for the cobalt blue number when touring Scotland with Prince William back in 2021.

And it’s certainly not the first time she’s worn Zara. The Princess will often be seen in pieces from the high street clothing giant – mixing and matching them with more high end picks.

It seems she’s a fan of the Zara blazer, as we’ve seen her in red, white and gingham versions.

And it’s not just her casual tailoring, she’s also worn summer dresses and skirts from the shop.

And, while we’re sure she’s got no shortage of dazzling jewels to wear, she’s been seen sporting Zara accessories too.

So, if your credit card is burning a hole in your pocket, and you’re in need of some Zara inspo, look no further – here at Kate’s best looks from everybody’s favourite store.

Kate Middleton’s best Zara picks

Red Blazer

Just last month, Kate sported a pillar-box red Zara blazer when she joined a family portage session at a specialist centre in Sittingbourne, Kent.

The textured, double breasted blazer, was once available for £59.99, although it’s no longer available to buy.

Kate was first spotted wearing it to watch the Euro 2020 England v Germany game in July 2021, and then wore it again in Copenhagen in February 2022.

Houndstooth skirt

A midi skirt is a staple – whether you’re wearing it in summer, or adding layers to keep you cosy on a chilly day, as the Princess did back in February.

Kate made two appearances in South Wales wearing the striking houndstooth skirt, which she paired with black boots, a cream roll neck, and matching coat.

It was originally available in Zara for £20, but is no longer listed on their website.

Statement earrings

Okay, we’ll admit it, Kate did wear these earrings with an Alexander McQueen gown, which we can only imagine cost an eye-watering amount – but it’s proof that high-street jewellery can still dazzle.

Everyone was surprised when she donned the £18 cascading floral earrings to the BAFTAS – and naturally, they soon sold out.

However, they do still pop on eBay and other reselling sites from time to time, so keep your eyes peeled.

The photographs of the royals enjoying a day at the Maserati Royal Charity Polo trophy back in June 2018 delighted fans at the time, as Kate could be seeing running around and playing with her children, George, then five, and Charlotte, three, as well as other members of the Royal Family.

She looked every inch the laid back mum in her off the shoulder blue and white Zara striped dress, which originally retailed for £39.99.

Gingham blazer

Kate doesn’t wear gingham often, but when she does, she does it well. The fashion world went wild in June 2022, when she wore a £129 Brora pink gingham blouse to bake Platinum Jubilee cakes with her kids.

And in June this year, she opted for the cheery pattern again, on a visit to the Windsor Family Hub.

She wore a blue gingham blazer from Zara’s SS21 collection which came with matching shorts. Again, it’s no longer in stock.

Embellished headband

The Princess went all Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl’s very own royalty) when she wore a sparkly headband to the Festival of Remembrance service back in November 2019.

She pushed back her trademark glossy blow-dried hair with the black bejewelled headband from Zara, which cost just £17.99.

White blazer

Another double-breasted blazer, this time in white, was the chosen look for Kate’s visit to Derby in February this year.

The chic white look looked far more expensive than it actually was, which was listed at the time on Zara for £69.99. She paired the jacket with her white Veja trainers – another favourite of the royal’s.

Leopard print skirt

While the Princess might be known for simple, classic, prints, even she can’t resist a spot of animal print every now and then.

She wore the Zara midi pleated leopard print skirt when visiting a children’s centre in Cardiff in 2020.

This was one of her most budget friendly looks as, at the time of wearing it, the skirt was in the sale for just £9.99. It sold out within hours of her being pictured in it.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : Kate Middleton nails workwear look in on-trend sweater vest in Bracknell

MORE : Kate Middleton gives £549 Holland Cooper pinstripe blazer the royal recycle as she meets schoolchildren in Wales

Hauling three large laundry bags into an Uber in August, I sat in silence as I contemplated whether this was one of my more stupid ideas.

I didn’t know that I was about to take my first steps in developing a lucrative side hustle.

It all started when I realised I’d become unhappy with my style.

Where detailed vintage beading, embellishment and silk once suited me, I now preferred a cleaner, more tailored look.

That meant I had a lot of beautiful clothes, but I just didn’t wear them enough. And despite my best efforts to sell them on Depop and Vinted, they weren’t shifting.

So I decided to change tack and set up a stall at Hackney Flea Market, one of my favourite places to buy vintage.

But as I looked around at everyone’s perfectly curated vintage wares, imposter syndrome set in. Was my stuff actually any good? I wondered whether it would be obvious that I was indeed selling the pre-loved clothes from my own wardrobe and that I was not in the business of clothing resale.

When I was younger and experimenting with my fashion, I had been more inclined to make quick purchases that I later regretted. The impact that fast fashion has on the environment is devastating and also having to store lots of clothes I don’t wear made me feel ashamed of overconsuming.

So I started shopping second hand as a way to find more unique pieces no one else had – and I also found items to be so much cheaper.

I found original 70s pieces like jumpsuits for a tenner at a car boot or a genuine Burberry coat for £40, leather jackets or vintage New Rock boots. In fact, pretty much my whole wardrobe became filled with second hand or vintage items.

But as I got older and my shape changed, my clothes started to fit me less. This was also a turning point in me becoming unhappy with my style. I knew I had to simplify my wardrobe and get rid of items once loved that no longer fitted.

Studies have shown that we need to cut how much we buy by 75% in order to make our wardrobes more sustainable – and that was certainly true in my case.

Like many others, I have been feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis. My rent has gone up by £50 per month, which has meant I’ve been looking for new sources of income to help me keep afloat. I’m constantly seeing people online selling secondhand clothes as a business and it got me questioning whether this would also work for me too.

I had no luck on the traditional resale platforms and it turns out I’m not alone in that area as a study by Samsung proved that 39% of Brits gave up on selling old clothes, with 55% admitting to throwing them in the bin.

In a last ditch attempt, I turned to the brilliant vintage clothing markets near my home in east London.

Clearing more than half my wardrobe into three large laundry bags, like knitted jumpers, leather coats and pretty sheer tops, I photographed all the items I wanted to sell in a professional way and enquired about how I could get my own stall.

A stall at a Hackney Flea market cost me £50 per day and I asked to book two days.

I invested in an £18 clothing rail to display my clothes, spent a further £11.98 on bags and price tags, £8.99 on laundry bags to transport stock and, on top of all that, I also spent £16 on Ubers there and back.

All in all, I was nearly £155 down before I’d even begun.

I was really nervous about not making that money back, let alone any extra on my clothes. That feeling only worsened when I noticed how small my collection looked in comparison to the huge rails other sellers had.

Still I persevered. I hung up my clothes and priced them up – my highest cost item was an embellished leather jacket that was £130 and my cheapest item was £5. I tried to make sure I priced things so that it was accessible to all.

I also had a really small amount of home wear, which I displayed on the tablecloth.

Once the doors opened, my worries eased. There were more people at my stall than I could count and some said it was one of the nicest collections of clothes they have seen.

I realised that, because my wardrobe was so carefully curated, it actually made my stall quite niche.

It was quite overwhelming watching clothes I could remember wearing over 10 years ago go to someone else. But after a couple of hours it was actually really fun and I was happy they’d be loved and worn more than they had been for years.

Of course, there were moments when people would take my clothes off to the bathrooms to try them on, which made me nervous as it was hard to keep track of who had what, but everything came back and there was no trouble.

On the second day, another seller came and asked me if I was ‘mainly selling bric a brac’. I tried not to be oversensitive but it felt like a dig at the quality of my items.

But most people asked when I’d be selling again or what other markets I traded at.

By the end of the two days, I was ecstatic with how much I’d made – £1,423.50 in total.

I didn’t have many clothes left to sell, but it didn’t take long to decide to make this into a side hustle. In my normal creative work, I’d struggle to make this sort of money so quickly.

I re-invested £300 back into the new business and called my stall ‘Three Bags Full’ – mainly because I can’t store any more than three bags in my flat, but it also helps to keep my stock carefully and individually selected.

Now I have been restocking my bags with newly-bought second-hand items that I’ve found with the intention of selling and not wearing.

Getting rid of things from my wardrobe has really helped re-evaluate my relationship to consumerism. For me, the simpler my wardrobe the better now.

For anyone considering whether to start a market stall, my advice would be to do one and see what happens. I didn’t expect so much good to come out of it in terms of financial help and it’s really boosted my confidence.

I haven’t confirmed my next market yet as stalls are so busy over Christmas I can’t get a slot this last minute – but I can’t wait to get back there.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.

MORE : Woman with huge 150-piece vintage bag collection shares how she finds second-hand gems

MORE : Pamela Anderson praised by Jamie Lee Curtis for ‘act of rebellion’ in ditching make-up at Fashion Week

MORE : The search is over: We’ve found a sustainable and refillable antiperspirant that shoppers swear stops you sweating no matter what

Itching to get your skates back on?

After a long and (occasionally) hot summer, the nights are getting longer and there’s even a bit of chill in the air, which can only mean one thing – autumn is here, and Christmassy activities aren’t far behind.

Alright, it’s only October, but it pays to be prepared and some of these ice rinks are wildly popular, so booking now might save you disappointment later.

So without any further ado, here’s a list of some of our favourites you can already secure tickets for.

Glide, Battersea Power Station 

Dates: Friday November 10, 2023 – Sunday January 7, 2024

Price: £8.50 for children (aged 12 and under), £12.50 for adults, £36.00 for family (booking fees may apply)

Glide at Battersea Power Station has three whole interconnecting ice rinks to enjoy this season.

There’s also a Ferris wheel and carousel to take a ride on, and some private igloos you can hire to drink and dine on some artisan pizza (where it’s also a whole lot warmer). These have capacity for up to twelve people, with costs starting at £12.50 per person.

ICE at Kensington Palace

Dates: November 30, 2023–January 7, 2024

Price: Adult tickets from £19 and child tickets (under 14) from £16

Not only does this palace ice rink have room for 750 people, but there’s also a funfair plus a food hall where you can get some mulled wine and festive treats.

Naturally, there’s also going to be shopping to do with brands like Fortnum & Mason and Cecconi around to choose from, as well as a massive Christmas tree in the middle of the rink.

Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink

Dates: 17 November, 2023 – 7 January, 2024

Price: Adults/Teens from £19.00, children (aged between 3 and 12 years old) from £14, family ticket from £53 

Fancy skating with a backdrop of a Tudor Palace? Us too.

Not only does Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink come with historical charm, but it boasts its own café and bar too, where you can treat yourself to mulled wine, mince pies and hot chocolate.

The Queen’s House Ice Rink

Price: Adults from £17, children from £10

Dates: November 23, 2023– 7 January, 2024

This gorge open-air ice rink sits right in the middle of Greenwich’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The place offers great views of iconic architecture, Greenwich Park to the south and the sparkle of Canary Wharf at night to the north.

Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland

Price: Adults from £11.50, children: from £8.50, families: from £34.00

Dates: 17 November, 2023 – 1 January, 2024

No Christmas ice rink list could be complete without Winter Wonderland.

A London staple, the fairground’s rink around the Victorian bandstand is just the tip of the iceberg, with rides and games galore as well as the opportunity for the kids to meet Santa himself.

Be sure to check out other UK Christmas markets here, as well as the best European options.

Skate at Somerset House

Price: Adults £10 – £25, children £8 – £13

Dates: November 15, 2023 – January 14, 2024

The Somerset House ice rink is a yearly favourite in the capital.

Sponsored this year by Switzerland Tourism, expect DJs, a Shelter Boutique pop-up charity shop, and a stunning 40ft Christmas tree.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : Best European Christmas markets you’ll want to book flights for now

MORE : ‘I’ve already cooked my Christmas dinner – I’ll start prepping next year’s on Boxing Day’

Kate Middleton gave us a lesson in workwear style today, as she stepped out in a grey ensemble in Bracknell, Berkshire.

The Princess of Wales wore a stylish grey sweater vest over a white collared shirt, and matching grey trousers.

The vest appears to be the Janie sleeveless funnel neck jumper in mid grey, from one of her favourite designers, Cefinn. It retails at £120.00.

She previously wore the brand back in June, when she wore a leopard print midi dress on a visit to meet health visitors in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Kate’s been leaning into chic tailoring lately, but today’s look is an on-trend departure from her usual steady stream of blazers and suits, such as the Alexander McQueen ensembles worn lately in camel, white and pink.

The Royal is in Bracknell this morning to visit the Vsi Razom Community Hub, a project which supports those who have arrived in the local area from Ukraine.

The visit coincides with the Hub’s one year anniversary, set up by two women who wanted to create a safe, warm space for Ukrainian residents. ‘Vsi Razom’ means ‘all together’ in Ukranian.

During the visit, Kate will help pack donations of essential items such as food and clothes, due to be transported back to Ukraine.

She will also hear from volunteers and families who have benefited from the service, join an arts and crafts session with local children, and speak to the Hub’s psychologist who runs weekly mental health support sessions.

Kate has been busy so far this week. Just yesterday, she donned a pinstripe suit to visit the Grange Pavillion in Cardiff to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month.

The £549 Holland Cooper blazer is another regular staple in her wardrobe, also worn recently at a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss mental health and technology.

The Princess also recently updated her hair for the new season, with on-trend curtain bangs and caramel highlights.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : Kate Middleton gives £549 Holland Cooper pinstripe blazer the royal recycle as she meets schoolchildren in Wales

MORE : Kate Middleton stuns in £60 Zara blazer as she visits families in Kent

Kate Middleton looked effortlessly glamorous as she visited the Grange Pavillion in Cardiff to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month.

In a demure yet chic pinstripe suit, the Princess of Wales has proven her style chops once again, meeting with members from the Windrush Cymru Elders, Black History Cymru 365 and the Ethnic Minority Youth Forum for Wales to mark 75 years since the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush.

Joined by husband Prince William, Kate sported a brand – and a piece – we’ve seen before.

The £549 Holland Cooper blazer is a favourite of the royal, worn recently at a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss mental health and technology.

Kate, 41, paired the jacket with matching navy trousers from the British designer, which specialises in tweed and tailoring inspired by the UK countryside.

The attention to detail in the custom made outfit (Holland Cooper creates all items to order in around 14 to 28 working days) is clear to see, with gold hardware and a sumptuous wool blend fabric providing a flattering fit.

Although the longline blazer has a nipped-in waist and slim arms that give the Princess a streamlined silhouette, the high-waisted flared trousers offer an offbeat touch that nod to the current ’70s trend.

Underneath, mum-of-three, opted for a demure wrap top in muted cream, accessorising with the Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch she’s been spotted in as far back as 2014.

After speaking with community leaders at the Grange Pavillion – a café, employment and training venue, and meeting place – the royal couple then met local young people from the Somali community which forms a large portion of Grangetown. 

They spent time with members of the Ethnic Minority Youth Forum, an advisory panel for Race Council Cymru made up of of young people aged 11-25 who campaign for diversity within Wales.

Ahead of the day’s official engagements, where they heard about people’s lived experiences and outreach work, William and Kate were greeted by crowds of schoolchildren holding flags and waving.

The Princess was seen fist bumping one small boy, as well as high-fiving, shaking hands and chatting with many of the starstruck little ones in attendance.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : Kate Middleton stuns in £60 Zara blazer as she visits families in Kent

MORE : Kate Middleton nails autumnal style in Burberry on trip with special family connection