On Tuesday, during a trip to the University of Derby in England, the Duchess of Cambridge not only re-wore her favourite floral face mask, but she paired it with another print in the form of a plaid coat. There to speak with students about how the pandemic has affected their university experience, as well as their mental health, Middleton went full prep, pairing her fall-appropriate checkered outerwear with a sky blue cashmere sweater, both courtesy of Zara’s luxury sister brand Massimo Dutti, high-waisted black trousers, and a pair of chunky heel pumps. She even carried around a University of Derby tote bag in order to, you know, fit right in.
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Since lockdown, Middleton has been photographed wearing her floral face mask, which was designed by London-based childrenswear brand Amaia, on countless occasions. In August, she first wore it during a visit to Baby Basics, an organization that provides clothing, food, and other necessities to children in need. In September, she donned it again while visiting local businesses — including a bakery where Prince William and she baked bagels — that have struggled financially due to COVID-19. Following its inaugural wear, search for “floral face mask” skyrocketed, so much so that according to Lyst, a fashion search engine, searches in the U.K. for the items surged 185% in less than 24 hours. The masks promptly sold out on Amaia’s website. (The brand has since re-stocked, but warns customers of a three-week shipping delay given the high demand.)
As for her choice of fall outerwear, Middleton opted away from her usual, more high fashion labels, instead choosing a tan, knee-length wool coat from Massimo Dutti, a Spanish brand owned by Inditex. (In addition to Zara, Inditex also owns Zara Home, Bershka, and Pull & Bear, among other fashion retailers.) The coat, which costs US $349, features subtle blue-and-yellow gingham checks and is miraculously still in stock in a size medium. Other sizes are currently unavailable, but the website is allowing shoppers to add themselves to a mailing list to be notified when new stock arrives. Her cashmere crewneck is, sadly, currently sold out in all sizes.