The Duchess of Cambridge shows how her new £119 buy could be the next unsung hero of your wardrobe

From the power trouser to the statement dress, some fashion items steal all the limelight. But it’s often the more understated pieces in our wardrobes that are the true sartorial workhorses.

Take the Duchess of Cambridge’s latest look. Kate joined her husband on a video call last Friday with two clinically vulnerable women as part of a string of royal engagements focused on the vaccine campaign.

Her olive green Smythe blazer, one we first saw her wear in Canada back in 2016, was the most obvious piece to talk about: it was a colour that looked strong on screen, yet appropriately serious given the issue at hand. And the £60 Mejuri organic pearl stacked hoop earrings were understated, yet perfect for Zoom as pearls have a flattering effect on the skin.

But there was a hero piece beneath it too - a £119 white shirt bodysuit by British equestrian brand Holland Cooper that has become a new favourite for Kate’s video engagements.

First spotted in January on a call with nurses at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, the narrow lapels and deep V-neckline make it perfect for layering with a fitted blazer - on both occasions, Kate wore the shirt collar over the lapels of her jacket for a more polished look.

It’s the bodysuit element of the shirt that is the real revelation though, as it avoids the often messy creases of a traditional shirt when tucked into a slim-fitting pair of trousers, plus there’s no chance of it becoming un-tucked or unevenly tucked either.

For someone like Kate, who knows she could be photographed from every angle during a normal engagement, it’s the kind of piece that makes dressing for these occasions much easier.

Nor should the bodysuit be dismissed as a ‘boring’ basic. The Holland Cooper website shows that it has military-inspired gold buttons at the shoulders and cuffs, making it a statement piece in its own right. We may well see Kate wear it for engagements in the summer, without a blazer, teamed with a pair of tailored trousers or culottes instead.

In fact, on a cost-per-wear basis (the calculation many fashion lovers - myself included - will use to justify a purchase) it’s got the potential to work out at around the same figure as her Penelope Chilvers boots or Zara skinny jeans.

Of course, Kate is a pro when it comes to timeless investment fashion. Her approach is to buy once and buy well, steering clear of fads so that she can re-wear her favourite buys year after year. It’s a style strategy that has served the Queen and Princess Anne well over the years, so she is following in a royal tradition.

But you don’t need to be a member of The Firm for a shirt bodysuit to be useful in your wardrobe too. As many of us prepare for a return to the workplace, an item that has the potential to make you look smart and pulled-together - not to mention comfortable - is worth every penny.

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