Duchess Sophie’s scarlet dress was a glam take on the bow trend that Kate Middleton loves

Duchess Sophie once wore a scarlet dress with bow-covered sleeves that reminds us why the bow trend is never really going anywhere.

There are some trends that will always come back into fashion and although bows were big in 2024 we can’t help feeling that they will continue to play their part as we move towards spring. Whilst some people might find them a little twee, bows are a fun addition that can be as low-key or as statement as you like and actually very elegant. We’ve seen Claudia Winkleman and the Princess of Wales using bows to jazz up their outfits recently, but Duchess Sophie was ahead of the trend with her bow-sleeved dress at a Buckingham Palace reception in 2018. If you thought bows couldn’t be classy or subtle then think again!

The Duchess of Edinburgh’s dress was by Roksanda and was a gorgeous contemporary take on a classic cocktail dress. Although pale pink is one of her favourite colours to wear (and is one of the spring/summer fashion trends of 2025) she opted for this cherry red tone instead.

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We’re more used to seeing the Princess of Wales step out for official engagements and royal events in bright red, so this outfit from Duchess Sophie still stands out for us to this day. It had a modest round neckline and fell to just below the knee, which was just the right level of formal elegance for this reception to celebrate the extraordinary work of frontline nurses in the UK.

The colour was bold but we firmly believe that bright red is far easier to style than you might imagine. The Duchess proved it with this dress alone as she’s worn it multiple times to different occasions over the years, including to a concert at the Palladium theatre in 2017. Red looks wonderful as a contrast against neutral colours like black, white and camel as well as with metallics and other primary colours.

However, as much as the stunning shade caught our attention it was the bow detailing which made Duchess Sophie’s scarlet dress so glamorous. Just above the elbow on each of the flared sleeves was a single matching red bow. These adornments gave the dress a playfulness that balanced out the very classic A-line silhouette.

We also love the structure of them, with the piping running along the edge of each bow and up the sleeves towards the shoulders. Duchess Sophie’s dress was everything we love about the recent resurgence of the bow trend and her style was a masterclass in making bows look sophisticated. The senior royal wore her blonde hair up and had minimal jewellery on to make the most of the bow sleeves on her dress.

If you want to test out the bow trend and aren’t sure how, then we’d recommend starting out small. Some brands currently have chic bow-patterned pieces that are a lovely way to nod to the bow trend without having them decorating an item itself. Alternatively, there are so many shirts, jumpers or day dresses on the high street that have bows on them in some way or another that are neutral or classic enough in shape to work as part of your winter capsule wardrobe.

You could even follow the Princess of Wales’s example and attach a bow decoration to an existing piece. Like Duchess Sophie, she’s a fan of this trend and after wearing a bow-adorned black and white outfit to Trooping the Colour 2024, Kate went on to add a bow hairclip from Jigsaw to her Alexander McQueen coat.