K-Mids Just Wore the Polka-Dot Dress Every Fashion Editor Wanted to Buy

We all know that the Duchess of Cambridge is the queen of re-wearing her royal wardrobe, whether her chosen item is a more affordable find from L.K. Bennett or Zara, or a luxe investment piece from Gucci or Alexander McQueen. She knows what she likes and how to subtly tweak any given item to inject a dash of newness. Sure, she's not going to start wild or complex layering, but in a simple switch up of shoes, jewellery, hair and bag choice, a classic (and recognisable) item can feel revitalised.

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Case in point? Today's look from Kate as she stepped out solo to visit the D-Day exhibition at Bletchley Park. She chose to wear a sassy (see that thigh slit?) navy polk-dot 1940s-inspired dress that we saw her debut not so long ago. We're glad she's giving such a statement piece some extra time in the spotlight.

Alessandra Rich is one of fashion's most adored dress designers and has put K-Mids into a very reputable realm when she chose to wear this strong-collared, button-through dress back at the tail-end of last year for Prince Charles's 70th birthday party. However, the pictures the royal family supplied to the public at the time only revealed the top half of the DoC's look. Now we get to see the whole dress in full (and with accessories).

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From the off, we could tell it was a piece from Brit designer Alessandra Rich. We’d recognize her retro-inspired items anywhere. But we knew Kate Middleton wasn’t the only celebrity to fall for this flattering, modest style…

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Then it hit us. Back in June of last year, Sarah Jessica Parker wore it for a swanky soirée in NYC. Pairing it with sleek white courts, it was a look Carrie Bradshaw herself would have been proud to wear. Unlike SJP, who styled hers with a black belt, white pumps and an unbuttoned neckline, Kate chose a more tonal route today, opting for cornflower blue suede courts and a navy clutch. We happened to notice that the entire look beautifully matched her whopper of a sapphire engagement ring—never a bad idea.

Related: See Kate Middleton's Sheer Red Carpet Dress From Every Angle

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It also proved to be a hit in May when Meghan Markle’s former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer chose the very same dress to see Meghan wed Prince Harry in May 2018. Who knows? Maybe she and Kate exchanged style notes post-ceremony.

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As anticipated, the £1750 dress sold out some time ago, but there are still many Alessandra Rich dresses to be had, and one, in particular, that's quite similar. It has shorter sleeves and a navy (rather than a white) collar. Keep scrolling to see and shop our favourite frocks from the designer, which now come with royal style bragging rights as standard…

With a dress this chic, it’s only a matter of time before Kate, the queen of re-wearing clothes, gives it a second outing…

This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.

Maxine Eggenberger
Deputy Editor

Maxine Eggenberger isBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her ownBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.

Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.