It’s business as usual for Duchess Sophie as she epitomises smart-casual style in teal trousers and navy blazer

Duchess Sophie is an expert at smart-casual styling and her teal trousers and navy blazer were so elegant as a daytime look.

As much as we’re always in awe of the royals’ magnificent floor length dresses and formalwear, it’s their everyday smart-casual style that inspires us the most and Duchess Sophie’s recent look features staples worthy of any winter capsule wardrobe. The Duchess of Edinburgh stepped out for two meaningful engagements on 21st January after celebrating her 60th birthday quietly two days before. For her return to royal duties she went for an outfit that was every bit as easy to wear as it was elegant - and it made the most of tailoring.

Like the Princess of Wales, Duchess Sophie regularly rewears her favourite items and this ensemble featured plenty of her go-to pieces, including a navy blazer from one of the best British clothing brands, Alexander McQueen. It was single breasted and had gold-toned buttons on the front and cuffs which gave it a glamorous edge.

Recreate Duchess Sophie's Outfit

Blazers are a brilliant all-rounder in your wardrobe as you can layer big coats over them for extra warmth in winter too. They instantly bring smartness to an outfit with their structured silhouette and so they’re simple to elevate even more with a flowing dress and heels or tailored trousers. However, you can also make a blazer more casual if you throw it on with blue jeans and trainers.

The Duchess of Edinburgh loves wearing navy blue blazers which can feel a little less corporate than a black blazer and she ran with the blue outfit theme for her two important engagements. The senior royal visited Treloar’s School and College, which provides education, care, therapy, medical support and independence training for young people with disabilities. During her time there she started a swimming race and met students taking part in it, as well as those using an iSandBox.

She also visited Dogs for Autism, a charity whose assistance dogs support people with autism by reducing anxiety and providing comfort to help improve their quality of life. For these heart-warming visits a smart-casual outfit was the perfect style choice and Duchess Sophie wore her jacket with a simple white shirt and teal wide leg trousers.

Wide leg trousers are so comfortable and work with a variety of different shoe options underneath thanks to their gorgeous drape. The teal tone contrasted but complemented the blazer and the Duchess’s decision not to wear matching navy trousers helped to make her outfit more relaxed than a suit but still put-together.

This is an easy tip to follow if you’re not quite sure how to wear tailored jackets or trousers day-to-day without looking too office wear-esque. The Duchess of Edinburgh wore her suede ankle boots by Jimmy Choo, a pair of fabulous gold Arizona earrings by Giulia Barela and a sparkling circle necklace to finish off her outfit. The earrings and necklace coordinated with the gold buttons on her blazer and her pale beige boots added brightness to contrast with the teal and navy hues.

She could also have layered over a coat and scarf, or swapped her white shirt for a cosy jumper if the weather had called for it. However, this didn’t seem to be necessary for her recent engagements and her outfit would be perfect for spring just as it is too.