Duchess Sophie’s gothic floral maxi skirt, fitted blazer and suede boots are our new favourite combination for winter styling.
Putting together smart casual outfits from your winter capsule wardrobe might sound easy, but sometimes it can be tricky when all we want is to get cosy in our best wool jumpers and leggings. Thankfully, we’re never short of inspiration thanks to the Royal Family and Duchess Sophie’s latest look was a masterclass in elegant dressing in the colder months. The senior royal has been the Patron of Guide Dogs since 2021 and she attended the Buddy Dogs Family Event at the Guide Dogs UK centre on 31st October wearing the most beautiful maxi skirt, blazer and boot combination.
Although she regularly champions the best British clothing brands, this particular skirt was a Valentino design and it fell to her ankles in an A-line shape. The silk fabric was floaty which helped to create the skirt’s beautiful drape and the delicate pleats also gave it a lot of movement.
Shop Dark Floral Skirts
This floral print skirt has been designed with a stretchy waist for comfort and is lined too. The contrast between the black background and emerald green flowers is stunning and the pleating makes this even more feminine and pretty.
Featuring some gorgeous autumnal shades in its floral print, this skirt has a very delicate pattern that still has impact. Wear with a fitted black jumper, tights and boots and layer with a cosy coat for a failsafe look that also keeps you warm.
This floral-patterned skirt is made from woven fabric and has a stylish side zip and asymmetric design to add even more interest. The black and white pattern is striking but neutral, making it easy to pair with other shades in your wardrobe.
Shop Black Ankle Boots
Gold-toned hardware adds a touch of extra glamour to these sleek black boots which have rubber soles and textured leather uppers. The square toe is very contemporary and the chunky heel is great for comfort.
With a pointed toe, these block heeled ankle boots are so elegant and help to give a leg-elongating effect. They're crafted from beautiful suede and have M&S's Insolia® technology to redistribute weight from the balls of your feet and make them more comfy.
Not everyone will be drawn to very high heeled boos and these ones have a low kitten heel that is perfect for daytime and evening wear. The square toe is a lovely detail and these have stretch to them and a zip to get them on and off easily.
The background tone of Duchess Sophie’s skirt was black with a pattern of pale pink flowers with a darker centre and olive green leaves all over it. Throughout the warmer months the Duchess of Edinburgh - like so many of her fellow royals - is a big fan of wearing florals so it’s perhaps no surprise that she wants to take her favourite print through to autumn/winter too. This dark floral pattern had a gothic feel to it and it was very sophisticated and easy to style.
This included a black blazer which covered whichever top Duchess Sophie wore underneath. Blazers are a go-to in the royals’ wardrobes and this one was single-breasted and had classic lapels and a sweeping V-neckline. The buttons down the front were covered in the same material as the blazer, creating a seamless finish.
It finished just below Duchess Sophie’s waist and even had handy pockets on either side. The gorgeous fitted shape of her blazer was wonderful and worked well with her skirt, creating a silhouette reminiscent of a dress. A black blazer is such an important piece in so many people’s collections as it is a neutral colour and can instantly give an outfit a more formal edge.
If you don’t yet have one in your wardrobe it’s well worth investing in one to achieve the most elegant smart-casual outfit, styled with everything from a knitted dress to jeans and a jumper. Although the Duchess Edinburgh could easily have worn her skirt with a cosy roll neck jumper, tights and flat boots or black trainers, the blazer - and her Aquazurra Manzoni boots - elevated her look and made it more smart-casual. The boots had pointed toes and were crafted from what appears to be black suede, with a high block heel.
They rose to above her ankles and the suede material added a lovely level of textural contrast into her outfit. With jeans or leather trousers tucked in these would also be spectacular, though they looked so chic with her skirt and blazer too.
She finished off her look with a Lulu Guinness clutch bag, which she put down throughout her visit as she met children who are working to develop their independent living skills through the companionship and support of their buddy dogs. The buddy dogs help children with a vision impairment to build confidence, improve their wellbeing and increase their physical activity and the Duchess of Edinburgh got involved alongside the children in crafting and decorating Halloween biscuits for the dogs.
