According to a fashion expert, Kate Middleton’s ‘wholesome yet sexy’ pre-royal style is a great example of 2023’s ‘it-girl look’ with many of Kate’s previous everyday staples making a comeback.

There are so many new and exciting fashion trends for 2023, from trending colors to popular shoes. But as well as new trends, there are some that we have definitely seen before that are now making a comeback.

One such trend labeled ‘it-girl style’ for 2023, is the look that Kate Middleton often spotted during her university days at St Andrews where she met her future husband Prince William.

The style, which was very popular during the 2000s, has been described as the ‘girl next door’ look, with low-rise jeans, preppy knitted jumpers layered over shirts, and strappy tops being staples of outfits at the time.

While Kate’s style has evolved as Prince William and her children have moved up the royal line of succession, items like her staple 1940s-inspired dress and her stunning pastel-blue Zara blazer are taking center stage, it seems that, for others at least, her early 00s fashion staples are making a comeback.

Speaking to The Express about Kate’s university days style, fashion expert Susie Nelson highlighted how the Princess tended to favor a more casual attitude that appeared rooted in her upbringing country.

She explained, “Kate’s outfits at St Andrew’s were very much ‘public school girls at Marlborough College’ – I think it’s fair to say, quite Sloane Ranger [preppy yet casual] styles.”

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“She’s always been sporty with fabulous legs, so her thigh-skimming skirts from that time had a wholesome yet sexy look. Her country lifestyle shows in her equestrian-style wax coats and classic shooting jackets.”

While her style may have matured, there are some pieces that Kate still steps out of from her university days. Most notably, when she isn’t wearing her incredibly comfortable Lululemon sneakers, she has been spotted re-wearing the Long Tassel Boots from the brand Penelope Chilvers on multiple occasions – a boot she was first seen wearing back in 2005 for the Festival of British Eventing in Gatcombe Park.

In 2005, Kate dressed in boots with a pair of blue denim jeans, a low-cut sweater worn over a white shirt, and a laid-back suede jacket that nipped in at her waist. For accessories, the Princess opted for a stunning cowboy-style hat with braided detail, a subtle pair of drop-down earrings, and a chunky gemstone necklace.

Long Tassel Boot in Conker, $595.79 (£475) Penelope Chilvers

Recreate Kate’s look with the Long Tassel Boots made using sustainably sourced Spanish leather. Designed with a feminine fit that features a scallop detail on the zip panel and a leather tassel on the zip pull, the boots give a sleek leg lengthening and elegant look.

In 2018, for her first appearance after giving birth to Prince Louis, she again wore boots but styled them very differently. Keeping her outfit neutral, the Princess opted for a pair of riding leggings in a dark brown shade, pairing the trousers with a green knitted jumper and relaxed khaki jacket.

In 2021, she is again seen in the boots during an engagement at a family-run farm in County Durham. This time she opted for a patterned jumper and referenced her old style with a sweet collar that was just visible above the jumper’s neckline. Again she chose a khaki jacket to fend off the cold and finished the look with a pair of dark denim jeans.