The Duchess of Edinburgh looked nothing short of 'red hot' on Friday, December 5th, as she was pictured at The Rifles Bulford Camp, in Wiltshire, as part of her role as Royal Colonel, 5th Battalion.
The blonde mother-of-two decided to recycle a gorgeous dress from her high fashion archive - a red, knee-length, textured dress by designer Alaia. The gorgeous frock boasted mid-length sleeves, a flared silhouette, a rounded neckline, and an ultra-feminine lace exterior. It's known as the 'Lace Overlay Flared Dress' and is a timeless piece that King Charles's in-law has worn on many occasions.
As a fashion editor who has been writing about royal style for over eight years, I really loved witnessing the return of this festive style. There is just something ultra joyous about wearing scarlet shades in December, and this regal look really does cut the mustard.
The royal styled the dress perfectly for the frosty weather - pairing it with tights, black boots, a chic black coat by Chloe, and a sumptuous plum scarf.
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How to style a skater dress
When it comes to styling a dress like Sophie's, I think the Duchess has it spot on. The hip-hugging shape actually balances out the frame with its skater cut - it lightly skims the body, flaring over the hip area, streamlining the torso. Because the frock has great shape, not much is really needed to elevate it; perhaps high heels, or a sleek blazer for good measure. It's the kind of cut that is a statement in itself.
Duchess Sophie wore the same dress on Christmas Day in 2016
On Christmas Day 2016, when Sophie was in her early 50s (51 to be exact), she famously delighted royal fans when she was pictured rocking the skater-style frock by Alaia as she headed to church. Accessorising to perfection, she teamed the striking number with a beautiful statement hat by Jane Taylor and carried a matching clutch bag.
I can totally see why Sophie would invest in a dress by Alaia. The label was fronted by high-end designer Azzedine Alaïa, who was known for creating mostly bodycon dresses, which were specifically made to hug the figure. In fact, he introduced the world to the bandage dress, long before Hervé Léger re-coined the look in the 90s.
The designer also had a foray of supermodels wearing his threads, including Naomi Campbell. But for me, my favourite memory of the brand is when Alicia Silverstone played Cher in Clueless. The character was robbed at gunpoint in the famous film, and refuses to get on the floor as she is wearing an Alaia dress she doesnt want to get ruined. Epic!
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Duchess Sophie looked incredible for a joint outing with her husband, Prince Edward, at the Coral Gold Cup Meeting at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday, 29 November
