Kate Middleton Returns to Her Natural Brown Hair for Latest Royal Engagement

Kate Middleton returned to her chestnut brown natural hair and set a new standard for the wide collar look in her Alessandra Rich dress during a visit to the National Federation of Women’s Institute alongside Prince William on Monday in Sunningdale, England.

For the special occasion, which commemorated the three-year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the Princess of Wales wore a wide collar dress in black and gray tartan check with hints of pink by the eponymous designer.

The midi dress included such feminine details as silver buttons running down the front placket of the dress’ bodice. The look was designed with short sleeves with cinched cuffs just above Middleton’s elbows. The silver buttons at the cuffs and down the bodice of Middleton’s frock were accentuated by the British royal’s Kiki McDonough white topaz diamond stud earrings.

A statement element of the dress was the wide collar, which added texture to the dress, thanks to the ruffles at the hemline that extended near the Princess of Wales’ shoulders. For the finishing touch, Middleton wore leather pointed to pumps by Boss.

Apart from her sartorial statement, one newly added element of the Princess of Wales’ look went amiss. Although she debuted her newly minted blonde hair style on Thursday, Middleton seemingly reverted back to her natural chocolate brunette hair for Monday’s outing with Prince William.

The aforementioned hairstyle featured the Princess of Wales’ blond highlights from root to ends, styled in cascading curls past her shoulders. The look debuted as part of her joint engagement with Prince William, where the two toured the Natural History Museum’s newly renovated gardens.

The momentary look may have been an experiment on forthcoming fall trends, as described by stylist Jacob Rozenberg in conversation with WWD in August. “I have seen a big shift from more high contrast colors to more tonal, warmer tones,” he told WWD. “I just feel like natural colors and keeping within a close range of your own natural color is just more what we’re going to see this fall.”