The Duchess of Edinburgh made a low-key visit on 12th August amid her annual summer break and she looked as stylish as ever. Although the royals don’t tend to undertake engagements this month, she made an exception ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day on 15th.
Duchess Sophie met 105-year-old Royal Marines veteran, James ‘Jim’ Wren, at his care home in Salisbury and together they looked through photographs, talked about his experiences and posed for photographs. The Duchess is Patron of The Java Far East Prisoner of War Club 1942 and Jim was a Prisoner of War for three and a half years.
This visit ahead of the VJ anniversary was incredibly moving and Sophie made a nod to the occasion with what could arguably be one of her boldest summer dresses. Designed by Lexy London, her version of the Nancy dress had a bunting print.
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The Elena dress is a striking option for hot summer days as it's made from breathable cotton and has a tiered skirt and a vibrant floral pattern. There are handy pockets on the sides and the puffed sleeves bring an extra feminine edge.
This calf-length dress is made from woven fabric with a collared neckline, buttons down the front and short raglan sleeves. The waist features elastication at the back, and there are also gathers at the front and back and a detachable tie belt.
Made from 100% cotton and available in regular and petite lengths, this dress is a gorgeous option for summer and you can currently get 15% off the price with the code T3D7. It has a fit-and-flare shape and is covered with a bold floral print on a neutral background.
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Wedges like these are a timeless addition to any summer outfit as they seamlessly blend style and comfort. They're finished with a delicate tie detail at the ankle and are perfect for evenings out or adding a luxurious touch to casual looks.
Made with a cotton canvas upper and an espadrille-inspired jute-wrapped platform wedge, these shoes are such an easy staple to wear on sunny days. The platform means that you get a lovely amount of elevation without resorting to heels.
You can adjust the straps on these wedge sandals using the handy buckles and they're crafted with suede uppers and jute-wrapped midsoles. The soles are rubber and they come in tan and blue tones too.
Although the pattern looks abstract at first glance, when you look closely, it becomes clear. The green stripes running up the sleeves and down the bodice and skirt are the string from which the triangular pink, red and green "bunting" is attached.
More of these triangles decorate the button placket of the Nancy shirt dress and if that wasn’t bold enough, there are also tile motifs that look like square flags. Given how much thought goes into each and every royal outfit, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Duchess Sophie’s bunting dress was chosen for this poignant visit because of this.
After all, people often put up bunting for VE and VJ Day. Either way, it was stunning, with its mix of raspberry pink, red and emerald green tones on the white base colour. Sophie often goes for items with a neutral background when she wears a pattern and this is a clever tip.
It keeps a design more in balance and ensures that it’s striking, but not overpoweringly so. I would also recommend going for a classic silhouette like she did with this, as that also makes it easier to style more statement pieces.
The Duchess of Edinburgh’s Nancy frock was a collared shirt dress, with slightly puffed sleeves which were elasticated for comfort. It fell to midi length and she paired it with her simple white Penelope Chilvers peep toe espadrille wedges and gold drop earrings.
Their simplicity complemented the printed dress and for a more casual take on this combination you could swap wedges for white trainers instead. They would bring a relaxed feel to a flowy midi dress that works more day-to-day.
Duchess Sophie went for a smarter but still summery approach with her wedges, as going for stiletto court shoes would have been a bit too formal here. She looked comfortable and chic for her meeting with Jim and in one photo, appeared to have shed a tear, perhaps after hearing more about what the remarkable veteran went through.
Mr Wren survived the sinking of HMS Repulse in 1941 and was later a Prisoner of War for three and a half years, after being captured whilst escaping from Singapore in February 1942. On VJ Day this year, King Charles will address the nation and he and Queen Camilla will also attend several engagements to mark the 80th anniversary.
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