Kate Middleton made a bold shift in her fashion after King Charles promoted her as the new Princess of Wales. It was evident when she joined Prince William at the 2023 BAFTA awards Sunday.
Kate Middleton Wore Black Opera Gloves At The 2023 BAFTAs
The Princess of Wales looked gorgeous in a recycled white one-shoulder Alexander McQueen dress when she walked the BAFTAs red carpet with her husband, Prince William. She completed her look with gold jewelry, a black clutch, gold pumps and a dramatic pair of full-length black velvet opera gloves.
The black velvet opera gloves matched Prince William's black velvet tuxedo. However, the netizens seemingly disapproved of her gloves.
Many didn't like seeing it being paired with her white gown. For them, she would look better sans the gloves.
"That dress and gloves did nothing for Kate Middleton recycled or not. I appreciate reuse but that did not flatter her," one wrote. Another added, "I know there's some bizarre embargo on s--t talking Kate Middleton since she became Princess of Wales. Fine. Beautiful dress. The styling on this is horrendous.
I love a good recycle, but the shoulder with the length of the gloves is SO bad. The bag blends with her hand. Just no."
"I'll admit, I'm not the biggest Kate Middleton fan, but damn girl, those gloves, earrings and purse have got to go. The dress is so pretty to be destroyed by all the extras. Joan Rivers would have had a Field Day!!" a third user claimed.
Experts Praise Kate Middleton's Opera Gloves
While the netizens disapproved of Middleton's black velvet gloves, fashion experts had a different take on the accessory.
Royal fashion expert and celebrity stylist Miranda Holder said the addition of the gloves contrasted Middleton's "soft and feminine look." However, the addition reportedly solidified Middleton being a "fashion icon."
"They not only elevated what could have been a very soft and feminine look into something far more sultry, the monochrome effect perfectly complementing the all-black outfit of Prince William as they walked past the rows of paparazzi," Holder said, Newsweek reported.
"The decision to employ one of the more avant-garde trends from the fashion world (opera gloves, despite being all over the runways, have not really filtered down to the mainstream) firmly reinforces Kate’s status as an enduring international fashion icon."
Genevieve James, creative director at royal glove supplier Cornelia James, echoed the same sentiment, saying "opera gloves are transformative."
"They turn any event into an occasion and a dress into a statement," James told People about Middleton's much-talked accessory.
She added that it reminded her of the old Hollywood glamour because, in the past, celebrities like Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth rarely attended red-carpet events without fitted gloves.
"Imagine Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' without the gloves — it's just another little black dress. With the gloves, it becomes iconic and emblematic of our age — always relevant, always contemporary," James told the outlet.
How do you find Kate Middleton's black opera gloves at the 2023 BAFTAs? Do you approve of it?
Stay tuned for more news and updates about Kate Middleton.