You’d be hard-pressed to find a more elegantly dressed woman in her 40s than Kate Middleton. I dare you to try. So if classic elegance is your goal, it’s always a safe bet to look to what she’s wearing. She’s routinely appropriately dressed for any occasion in timeless yet trend-forward styles. Yesterday she wore an outfit that was the perfect example of this. While attending a charity polo match to cheer on Prince William, Middleton wore a trend that well-dressed women in their 40s know to choose when they want to look elegant: an A-line midi dress. With it, she wore the classic heels that complement it perfectly: slingback pumps.
Specifically, Middleton’s dress was a gingham-print one with a square neckline. The flattering silhouette combined with the timeless print is as perfect as elegant summer dresses get. Her shoes were nude leather kitten-heel pumps, and owners of similar shoes can undoubtedly vouch for how often they wear them year after year. No matter your age, this is the perfect outfit combination for summer and can also work in any season with a few key tweaks.
Keep scrolling to see the dress-and-heel pairing on Kate Middleton and to shop elegant A-line midi dresses and classic slingback pumps for yourself.
As Seen on Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images for DMMI Royal Charity Polo Cup)
On Kate Middleton: Temperley London dress; Camilla Elphick shoes; Sézane earrings

