Kate Middleton's off-shoulder maxi dress was a dazzling example of why sapphire blue should be in every elegant wardrobe

Kate’s off-shoulder maxi dress was a dazzling example of why sapphire blue should be in every elegant wardrobe.

The Princess of Wales isn’t afraid to add a range of bright tones into her wardrobe and there’s one particularly gorgeous maxi dress of hers from 2016 that’s got us convinced that sapphire blue needs to make its way into ours. Blue is a go-to outfit colour for the Royal Family and Kate has often wowed in powder blue or navy pieces, but a jewel-toned blue is so beautiful for summer. She attended SportsAid’s 40th anniversary dinner ahead of the Rio Olympics wearing a stunning cold-shoulder dress by Roland Mouret that would make one of the best wedding guest dresses , especially for an evening reception.

Held at Kensington Palace, this event was prestigious and so it’s no surprise that as SportsAid’s Patron, Kate went all-out with this look. The dress had a swooping v-neckline, with a fitted bodice and a maxi skirt that flowed elegantly downwards with an ever-so slight flare to it.

Shop Our Sapphire Blue Favourites

Hobbs Priscilla Jumpsuit

This beautiful blue jumpsuit is now £60 off and it would make the perfect wedding guest or party outfit, styled with metallic heels and a clutch bag. It has a wide-leg silhouette, a V-neckline and a crossover waist detail.

Phase Eight Wrap Dress

Also available in bright green and black, this bright blue wrap dress is an elegant option to have in your wardrobe ready for any occasion. It can be dressed up with heels and a clutch, or made slightly more casual with white plimsoll trainers or flat espadrilles.

Roman Blue Wrap Dress

Not every occasion calls for a maxi dress and this is a fabulous knee-length option with a fun frill detail and wrap-over bodice. It's crafted from lightweight stretch crepe fabric in this statement blue hue and on cooler days you could easily layer a tailored white or navy blazer over the top.

Shop Accessories Like Kate Middleton's

KG Kurt Geiger Fleur Sandals

If you don't already have a pair of black heeled sandals in your collection then these are well worth considering. They're incredibly pared-back in their design, with the block heel, open-toe detail and minimal branding. This makes them so easy to style and they'd look amazing with a bright blue outfit.

John Lewis Stella Clutch Bag

This bag also comes in ivory, silver and gold and it's such a handy accessory for events or evenings out. The combination of the black and gold is so chic and you can easily fit all your essentials inside. It fastens with a clasp at the top and you can pop the chain inside to change the look too.

Oliver Bonas Heart Earrings

These golden-toned drop earrings have a cut-out heart design and a textured finish to them. They will add a touch of sparkle to any look and make a real statement worn with both neutral and vibrant colours. Keep them ready for special occasions or go bold with your jewellery day-to-day.

The intricacy of this design lay in the sleeve cut-outs which created an off-shoulder effect. This wasn’t too much or overly revealing, but gave Kate’s off-shoulder maxi dress a more contemporary feel and this was echoed in the seam detailing that ran across the bodice and around the waist. Seen up close, you can just make out delicate panelling in asymmetric lines which draws the eye and accentuates the gorgeous neckline and cut-outs.

Had the dress been in red or white, which we also see Kate wear a lot of for events, it would also have been sensational, but we are still entranced with this rich sapphire blue hue eight years later. It’s very similar to the electric blue colour her mum Carole wore to King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation in 2023, but slightly more cool-toned, and it’s so stunning.

Blue is a colour that many of us might overlook in our summer capsule wardrobe compared to very versatile neutral tones but the Princess of Wales’s off-shoulder dress is a brilliant example of why we shouldn’t. A deep blue like this is surprisingly wearable and looks fabulous with neutral shades like white and black, as well as with metallics. This makes a blue dress, jumpsuit or co-ord the perfect elegant choice for an event like a wedding as you can mix and match accessories with them really easily and the blue makes a real impact.

For the dinner, which was attended by SportsAid ambassadors and athletes who were set to compete in the Rio Olympics, Kate went for black accessories. Her shoes were open-toe black heels by Gianvito Rossi and she coordinated them with a sleek black clutch bag.

Matching your shoes and bag helps to give an outfit an enhanced sense of cohesion, as does having a minimal colour palette that celebrates just a few key shades. Keeping an outfit to just one colour is Kate’s “quick” fashion formula and here she only adjusted it slightly. Peep-toe shoes are great for summer and for special events and are something a little different to the often-seen court shoe heels.

The Princess of Wales finished off her outfit with some sparkling hoop earrings and softly curled her brunette tresses. Leaving her hair loose with her full-length dress made her look seem slightly less formal whilst still being very sophisticated. We can’t help being inspired by Kate’s dress all these years later and it’s likely that the devoted SportsAid Patron is excitedly following the events at the 2024 Paris Olympics during the royals’ summer break.