Kate Middleton's Outdated Polka Dot Dress & Accessories Clash Is Rare Miss

Catherine, Princess of Wales, doesn't usually flop when it comes to her outfits. However, in a rare moment of discord, she wore mismatched accessories to VE Day, the celebration of the end of World War II, in London in May 2025. Catherine arrived at Westminster Abbey in a black and white polka dot dress by Alessandra Rich with a black fascinator by Juliette Botterill. She paired the ensemble with Celia calfskin pumps in RL Gold by Ralph Lauren and carried a Nano Montreal bag in Toffee Smooth. In one touching moment, however, Catherine wore pearl drop earrings that were owned by her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. While it's not the worst fashion blunder we've ever seen, mixing black and brown accessories with a black-and-white dress seemed like a rare miss for the princess, who's usually so fastidious about her outfits.

While the princess' fashion aesthetic is obviously classical, she's also on the pulse of changing styles. For instance, Catherine jumped on the butter yellow trend at a royal garden party and looked stunning. That said, she's always been open to change, as evidenced by Catherine's stunning style transformation, so we're chalking up this accessory blunder as a rare misstep. 

It would be easy to blame Catherine's fashion misstep on her dress, but the truth is, the garment itself was perfectly acceptable.
After all, the princess previously wore the same Alessandra Rich number in June 2023 to the Order of the Garter Service, where she did a much better job accessorizing it. For that occasion, she carried a tonal, cream clutch and wore black-and-white shoes with a coordinating fascinator. The whole ensemble went together. 

However, in May 2025, Catherine's accessorizing was off. "Don't actually like the black hat with brown shoes and bag? Just doesn't go!!" someone commented on Instagram. "Always flawless but I really don't like the brown bag and shoes!" another added. "The shoes and bag are a both a no-no," a third wrote.

While the shoes and bag were off, it's worth noting that Catherine has historically received more negative feedback when she wears Alessandra Rich. The fashion house is known for its very distinct style, with cuts that call back to '80s references and feature unconventional silhouettes. A fan account on Instagram compiled Catherine's polka dot dresses by the brand, including the black and white dress, to mixed reviews. "Some of those dresses are so matronly and unflattering," someone commented. So even the dress itself wasn't a universal win.