Duchess Sophie’s Summer Style Formula Makes Late Summer Dressing a No Brainer - EUROPE SAYS
Labor Day is nearly a month away, and here on the East Coast it doesn’t feel like we’ll be getting a break from the hot and humid weather anytime soon. Dressing for the office(or quite frankly, anywhere) these. . .
Labor Day is nearly a month away, and here on the East Coast it doesn’t feel like we’ll be getting a break from the hot and humid weather anytime soon. Dressing for the office(or quite frankly, anywhere) these days can be a challenge, but there’s one member of the Royal Family I look to when it comes to effortlesssummer style—and it’s notPrincess Kate. Duchess Sophiemight not have started out as the most stylish royal when she marriedPrince Edwardin 1999, but over the past decade, she’s steadily become one of the best-dressed members of the Royal Family. I’ve been introduced to brands likeAspiga, Sophie Habsburg andLexy Londonbecause of the Duchess of Edinburgh, and her easy, breezy summer style formula has never failed me once. Her uniform for hot days? A printed midi or maxi dress andcomfortable espadrille wedges. Duchess Sophie wears a Lexy London dress and Jimmy Choo wedges during a visit to Jersey. (Image credit: Alamy)Duchess Sophie wears a Beulah dress and Penelope Chilvers wedges to record her cameo performance in BBC Radio’s “The Archers. ”(Image credit: Alamy)Kristin Contino wears Sophie’s Penelope Chilvers wedges and a Vineyard Vines dress at Lucknam Park in Wiltshire, England. (Image credit: Kristin Contino)Penelope ChilversMary Jane Suede EspadrilleDuchess Sophie has worn the combination to everything from official visits abroad to a recording session for BBC Radio’s “The Archers” this summer. The royal is partial to British heritage brandPenelope Chilvers, but she’s also wornespadrillesfrom labels like Jimmy Choo and TOMS in recent months. I stopped by one of Penelope Chilvers’s London boutiques when I was in town forTrooping the Colourthis June, and of course, I had to pick up the same tan suede pair of low wedges frequently worn by the duchess. You may likeSophie wears Penelope Chilvers wedges with a Zimmerman dress to the Gold Award celebrations for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. (Image credit: Getty Images)The Duchess of Edinburgh enjoys an ice cream cone in a Me+Em dress and Penelope Chilvers wedges last summer. (Image credit: Getty Images)Duchess Sophie wears an Aspiga dress with Penelope Chilvers wedges in Windsor. (Image credit: Getty Images)There’s something about an espadrille that just screams summer, and for me, wedges are so much more comfortable—and dare I say more stable—than thekitten-heeled flip flopseveryone is wearing at the moment. Another tip I took from theDuchess of Edinburghis wearing organic cotton dresses by sustainably-focused brand Aspiga, and the label’s super-soft styles have quickly become a favorite. I wore a patriotic white dress with a blue and red pattern to Trooping the Colour this year and it kept me cool in the sun while bringing in lots of compliments—and as a bonus, it has pockets. What more could you want in an outfit?Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Shop like Duchess SophieAspigaTabitha Organic Cotton DressPenelope ChilversCatalina Dali Espadrille WedgeME+EMFeminine Sleeve Maxi DressJimmy ChooDree 100 Espadrille Wedge Sandals