Kate Middleton's White Mini Skirt & Other One-Hit Wonder Outfits We Never Saw Again

Back in 2012, Princess Catherine dared to go where few royals have gone before when she wore a mini skirt to the London Olympics. While this move may not sound particularly rebellious at first, it was actually straight-up revolutionary. After all, strict royal protocol dictates what princesses can and cannot wear, and mini skirts have not exactly made the cut. Queen Elizabeth II was known for being particularly opposed to this fashion choice, considering it less than regal. In her own wardrobe, she was careful to keep her legs covered as much as possible. Or, as royal fashion expert Bethan Holt told Us Weekly of the late monarch, "She never went, like, full miniskirt in the 1960s, but I think there was a little glimpse of knee at one point."

Though Catherine has gotten a lot of love for repeating outfits over the years, there are some ensembles that have yet to resurface after their maiden voyage. Considering the amount of eyebrows the look raised, it is perhaps unsurprising that the princess never wore this mini skirt again — at least not in public. And this is just one of several notable outfits she has not worn a second time. Whether due to issues with protocol, the maintenance of a special event, or a shift in personal style, the royal has rocked a number of one-and-done looks.

Back in 2002, before Princess Catherine could even picture herself joining the British royal family, she was just a normal college student. And, like many other people her age, she was interested in trying new things — including modeling. Thus, when the University of St Andrews put on its annual Don't Walk runway event to raise money for charity, Catherine signed up to be a model. She wore a sheer black dress with a turquoise stripe at the top. The outfit also included a pair of black bikini bottoms and a black bandeau to match. Unbeknownst to her at the time, her classmate Prince William would watch her walk down the runway and fall in love on the spot.

A report in Vanity Fair would later reveal that the prince made himself available to Catherine as soon as the show was over. She, however, wasn't on the same page. After all, she was dating someone else and wasn't sure that things with William would go anywhere. The prince's friends, though, could tell that he was interested. "It was clear to us that William was smitten with Kate," one told the outlet. "He actually told her she was a knockout that night, which caused her to blush." While this dress did bring William and Catherine together, it didn't have a place in the future princess' wardrobe. She never wore it in public again.

The sheer black runway dress was not the only arguably inappropriate outfit Kate Middleton wore before joining the British royal family. The future Princess Catherine also donned a sparkly green halter top, sunny yellow shorts, hot pink leg warmers, and a pair of heeled black boots to a Day-Glo Midnight Roller Disco party in 2008. Although this event was meant to raise money for charity, Catherine's outfit definitely deviated from the British definition of "royal." After all, protocol dictates that women in the British royal family avoid exposing too much skin when they are out on the town — and Catherine's outfit paired short shorts with a halter top. On top of that, Catherine's behavior, which included laying down on the rink, was reportedly deemed far too casual. According to the Daily Mail, palace insiders supposedly called it a "most unladylike display."

As her relationship with Prince William became more serious, Catherine underwent a fashion transformation — and yes, she turned up the "ladylike" dial. As royal expert Tom Quinn explained in the documentary "William & Kate: Too Good To Be True?" (via Marie Claire), "Her clothing almost began to reflect what people saw in her character, a kind of restraint, kind of modesty almost. I think that did come about because William and Kate were coming towards the point where they would announce their engagement." Thus, Catherine had to hang up her disco wear for good.

By the time that Prince William and Catherine Middleton announced their engagement in 2010, the future princess had totally reworked her style. Gone were the more revealing modeling outfits and party getups of her past. Instead, the future Princess Catherine began sporting modest silhouettes in darker hues. On the actual day of the couple's engagement announcement, Catherine donned a navy blue Issa dress that fell all the way down to her knees. The piece included long sleeves that provided quite the contrast to Catherine's old halter tops. And, although the dress did include a V-neck cut, it was hardly plunging.

While this look was both iconic and appropriate for the occasion, Catherine chose not to wear it again. Perhaps the dress was too special to wear a second time. Or maybe Catherine simply never felt compelled to recycle this particular piece. Regardless of the reason, Catherine soon moved on to bigger and better looks. The rest of the world, however, remained stuck on this particular dress — which sold out completely. In fact, people loved it so much that Issa had to pause operations due to its failure to keep up with the sheer number of orders. Despite this setback, the brand relaunched again in 2015 and offered the dress in a variety of colors, allowing Catherine's fans to rewear the dress over and over.

Traditionally, a bride only dons her wedding dress once, and this was certainly true for Princess Catherine. For her 2011 wedding, Catherine went with a total showstopper of a piece. The gown, which boasted a dramatic nine-foot train, was created by Alexander McQueen designer and artistic director Sarah Burton. "Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen's work," the palace said in a statement. "The dress epitomises timeless British craftsmanship by drawing together talented and skilled workmanship from across the United Kingdom."

Like the frock that Catherine had previously worn to her engagement announcement, her wedding gown included a V-neck cut that framed Catherine's shoulders without revealing her cleavage. As many pundits noted, the lace sleeves recalled the classic Hollywood dress that Grace Kelly had worn to her own royal wedding decades earlier. 

Of course, this iconic dress came with a mind-blowing price tag. As we all know, royals live insanely lavish lives, and Catherine is no exception. That being said, Catherine's dress was particularly pricey, as it reportedly cost $434,000 at the time (over $600,000 today). Part of the reason why the gown was so expensive was the amount of labor and care that went into its creation. Apparently, the team of embroiderers was instructed to wash their hands every half hour as they worked. While this may sound extreme, the rationale was supposedly to ensure that the dress would maintain its pristine white color on William and Catherine's special day.

On July 22, 2013, Princess Catherine gave birth to Prince George at St. Mary's Hospital in London. The news was met with great joy from well wishers across the globe — many of whom had been fans of the couple since the early days of Prince William and Princess Catherine's romance. As required by royal tradition, Catherine presented George to the world on the hospital steps shortly after his birth. On this occasion, she wore a simple blue frock with white polka dots. The piece looked remarkably stylish with Catherine's sapphire and diamond engagement ring, creating an image that was elegant without seeming fussy. Although she looked absolutely marvelous in this Jenny Packham dress, Catherine never wore it again.

Interestingly, the princess wasn't totally set on wearing that blue and white dress on the day of George's birth. According to royal expert Bethan Holt, Catherine actually went to the hospital with two dresses to choose from. During a book launch event organized for her work titled "Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style," Holt told crowds that Catherine brought a pink outfit to the hospital as well (via Good to Know). Apparently, her plan was to wear a blue dress for a boy and a pink one for a girl. Holt also shared that Catherine's clothes sent "different messages for all three children. She was relaxed for George."

The christening of a new royal is always an exciting moment, and Prince Louis' was no exception. On July 9, 2018, Princess Catherine and Prince William took their youngest child to the Chapel Royal to receive a blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury. This formal event required that Catherine dress her very best, and she did not disappoint in a white Alexander McQueen dress. 

Never one to forget her accessories, Catherine complemented the outfit with a pair of pearl drop earrings and a flowery hat. As she held Louis in her arms, Catherine looked positively radiant. Nevertheless, she has yet to rewear this ensemble — despite having already reworn the white outfits that she had previously donned to Prince George and Princess Charlotte's respective christenings.

While Catherine's outfit from the christening has not yet been recycled, the same cannot be said about Louis' attire. The flowy gown Louis wore was also worn by Prince Archie, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte at their own christenings. The garment is a replica of the very gown that Victoria, Princess Royal, wore at her own christening in the 1800s. While King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, Prince William, and Prince Harry all had the honor of wearing that very gown at their respective christenings, the aforementioned dupe was created in 2004. Evidently, Elizabeth determined it was time to retire the original gown, but still wanted to keep the tradition alive.

Christmas is a special holiday for members of the British royal family, and Princess Catherine has been known to celebrate the festivities in style. In 2019, she appeared on the BBC Christmas special "A Berry Royal Christmas," featuring the iconic British food journalist Mary Berry. On this occasion, Catherine looked as festive as ever in a red frock with a unique white pattern. The piece not only boasted white polka dots but also white florals, creating a fun festive flair. The frock — which was designed by Alessandra Rich — accentuated Catherine's holiday spirit. It even had a pussy-bow neck tie, which called to mind all the ribbons and garland used to decorate at Christmastime.

As cute as this dress was, Catherine has yet to wear it again. And, oddly enough, the princess has been known to buy repeat iterations of strikingly similar Alessandra Rich getups. In 2023, she sparked some outrage by wearing a black and white polka dot Alessandra Rich dress to King Charles III's first Order of the Garter service. The problem? She had worn a similar black and white polka dot Alessandra Rich dress to Ascot the year before. Rather than simply rewearing the first dress, she purchased a new one, which evidently raised questions about her spending habits. All the more reason for Catherine to recycle her "A Berry Royal Christmas" outfit this holiday season.

Among Princess Catherine's best fashion moments is the shimmering gold gown that she wore to the James Bond "No Time To Die" premiere back in 2021. Designed by Jenny Packham, this gorgeous floor-length dress embraced the James Bond feel to the fullest. The sparkling gold shade was apparently inspired by the 1964 "Goldfinger" film in which the late Bond girl Jill Masterson wore gold body paint from head to toe. Covered in sparkles herself, Catherine looked like she was ready to attend any one of the elaborate parties that Bond infiltrates throughout the series.

That was not the only dress that Packham dreamed up with James Bond in mind. The designer not only made dresses that were featured in "Die Another Day" and "Casino Royale," but produced an entire line of gowns that reflected the spirit of the films. Per People, Packham said," ... the fashions of the Bond women are unique and timeless. Creating a collection of Bond inspired gowns in collaboration with EON Productions has been incredible." At the time, a version of the gown Catherine wore was available for purchase at various department stores for under $6,000. Although Catherine has not reworn this iconic piece, she has sported several Jenny Packham looks over the years, including the aforementioned birth announcement dress as well as the dreamy blue floor-length number she selected for the "Spectre" premiere red carpet in 2015.

On October 12, 2018, one of Queen Elizabeth II's favorite granddaughters walked down the aisle with none other than businessman Jack Brooksbank. And among the best-dressed guests at Princess Eugenie's wedding was the stunning Princess Catherine. On the day of the ceremony, Catherine showed her support for the couple in a bright pink Alexander McQueen dress. She matched the piece with a festive hat and a pair of wine colored shoes. And, although she looked absolutely phenomenal in this vibrant ensemble, Catherine apparently has yet to find a reason to wear it again.

Fascinatingly, it seems that Catherine has nothing against showing up to a wedding in a previously worn ensemble. On May 19, 2018 — mere months before Eugenie's nuptials — Catherine attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, in a recycled outfit. Indeed, on Harry and Meghan's special day, the princess donned an Alexander McQueen coat dress that she wore the day of Princess Charlotte's christening. When Charlotte showed up to the Sussexes' wedding in the coat dress, the look did drum up some controversy — and it wasn't because she'd already worn it to another high-profile event. Rather, it was because the dress looked white in some photos. After royal pundits cried foul about Catherine presumably showing up to a wedding ceremony in white — a faux pas in many circles — the coat dress was actually a very pale yellow.

As far as once-in-a-lifetime events goes, the coronation of King Charles III has to be high on the list for the royal family. And as the likely future queen of England, Princess Catherine sure dressed the part for the occasion. Prince William's other half went with an Alexander McQueen dress that was truly regal. The final result was an ivory gown brimming with symbolism. Indeed, it was embroidered with flowers ranging from all corners of the United Kingdom: daffodils from Wales, roses from England, shamrocks from Northern Ireland, and thistles for Scotland.

Catherine's magnificent ensemble did not end there. She also wore the blue robe that identifies her role as the Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. As for jewelry, she accessorized her outfit with a diamond necklace that once belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II. The piece — known as the George VI Festoon Necklace — had been a gift to Elizabeth from her father. In addition to being a lovely nod to Catherine's relationship with the late queen, it stood as a subtle reminder that Catherine will likely become queen consort at the next coronation ceremony, thus becoming the most important woman in the country. Because her coronation outfit was so special, Catherine has not had any reason to wear it again, and it is unlikely that she will ever recycle this look.