Move over floral dresses, Duchess Sophie's comfy trainers and icy blue maxi skirt is the casual summer style we're copying

Duchess Sophie’s comfy trainers and ice blue maxi skirt from 2021 are a casual summer style combination we’re copying.

Sometimes it can feel like we often end up compromising on comfort for style - especially when it comes to shoes. Heeled sandals and espadrille wedges add instant glamour to a summer outfit, but we shouldn’t feel like our best white trainers are out of bounds in the warmer months. Depending on how you style them, trainers are comfy and chic in equal measure if you’re looking for outfit inspiration look no further than the Duchess of Edinburgh. No one knows how to style trainers in an elegant way better than the royals and in 2021 Duchess Sophie wore a gorgeous maxi skirt with soft grey trainers to the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

The senior royal is a regular at the annual horse show held near Windsor Castle and she struck the perfect balance between smart and casual with this look. If there isn’t already a maxi skirt in your summer capsule wardrobe you might want to consider adding one like Duchess Sophie’s.

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Her ME+EM skirt was high waisted, with gorgeous ribbed detailing to the fabric that meant it draped beautifully and had plenty of movement to it. As the Royal Family are known for wearing a lot of blue it’s perhaps no surprise that Duchess Sophie incorporated several shades of blue into her outfit, starting with the soft icy blue colour of her skirt.

This fresh pastel hue is perfect for summer and is a great option for anyone who usually sticks to neutral pieces as it’s not too bold and works wonderfully with beige, white, black and navy. The Duchess of Edinburgh proved this at the Royal Windsor Horse Show as she paired it with a simple white T-shirt which had a contrasting navy pocket on the front.

Duchess Sophie could’ve easily tucked her top into her maxi skirt, but instead she leant into the more relaxed, boxy fit of it by leaving it loose. This is a useful tip for styling maxi skirts if you don’t want them to look overly dressy and her trainers helped to add a casual feel to her outfit too. 

They had a white sole and very pale grey uppers with a similar streamlined style to her beloved Puma Carina Trainers. The cool tones of this grey colour worked well with the icy blue skirt, though her favourite white trainers would have looked equally as stunning. For a long day at the Royal Windsor Horse Show trainers were also a very practical choice as Duchess Sophie could walk around in complete comfort and enjoy her time there, whilst still looking very stylish.

She coordinated the navy on her T-shirt to her tailored dark navy blazer, which she alternatively wore as a layer and carried in the changeable weather. The Duchess of Edinburgh also added a navy fedora hat at certain points throughout the day for a fashion-forward edge and protected her eyes from the sun with sunglasses.

With her golden hair left loose and parted to the side, Duchess Sophie exuded casual elegance in this summer outfit. Even three years later her trainer and maxi skirt combination is still one we love to wear and it’s easy to layer up if the British weather isn’t on our side. At this year’s show the Duchess wore another long blue skirt, this time styled with knee high boots and a suede jacket on a cooler May day.