Kate Middleton's elegant leopard print dress was such an unusual look for her - and it deserves a comeback

Catherine, Princess of Wales might not wear a lot of animal print now but her leopard print dress from 2008 was fabulous.

Over the years the Princess of Wales has definitely honed her signature style and her tailored co-ords, stunning midi dresses and tonal dressing is something that never fails to look oh-so-elegant. The future Queen loves a timeless outfit but that doesn’t mean she’s never embraced trend pieces and colours and it seems that even Kate has dabbled with wearing leopard print. Leopard print has had a resurgence in popularity this year and many of us will have something in this pattern in our winter capsule wardrobe, but it was in January 2008 that Kate stepped out in a leopard print mini dress.

The future Princess attended the spectacular show Afrika Afrika at London’s O2 Arena and went to the afterparty in this eye-catching yet elegant outfit. Unlike traditional leopard print, her dress was monochrome, giving a suitably wintry snow-leopard feel to the pattern.

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If you’ve been wondering how to style leopard print, opting for black and white like Kate did helps to make this bold motif easier to wear with your neutral staples. We also find a more cool-toned tan and brown leopard print or a micro leopard print have a similar effect and balance out the statement pattern, compared to a very warm-toned amber and black combination.

The Princess of Wales’s dress was on the subtle side for leopard print which gave it a very sophisticated and elegant feel. This was echoed in the sweeping V-neckline and feminine puffed sleeves and empire silhouette. The fitted bodice of Kate’s dress flared out ever so slightly into the skirt which fell above the knee.

We rarely see the Princess of Wales wearing mini or even knee length pieces anymore as she now prefers midi skirts and dresses. In her pre-royal days, though, she was a big fan of shorter hemlines and Kate’s snow leopard print dress was still very modest thanks to the long flowing sleeves.

She elevated it even more with a long black trench coat that fell just below her dress and had a delicate abstract pattern. This was hardly visible but it brought another dimension to Her Royal Highness’s look nevertheless and the smart lapels and fitted long sleeves gave it a formal edge. Kate wore her coat open and styled her dress with sheer black tights and simple black Jimmy Choo pumps.

Court shoes like these are one of the Princess’s favourite footwear styles to this day and a pair of black heels will always be a useful item to have in your collection to complete any evening out look or Christmas party outfit. Kate also carried an LK Bennett patent bag for her night at the O2 which was roomy enough for all her essentials.

Whilst we can still imagine the Princess of Wales wearing her accessories and coat to this day, sadly, we’ve not seen her wear this leopard print dress in recent years. Several other members of the Royal Family, including Queen Camilla, do enjoy wearing animal prints and so we can’t help hoping Kate might wear a similar pattern again one day.

If, like us, you’ve been inspired by Kate’s 2008 outfit then you might be tempted to add a leopard print dress to your collection. They work seamlessly with neutral and metallic accessories, as well as with red, and are a brilliant alternative to festive tones for party season too.