We rarely see Kate Middleton wearing strapless designs and her velvet dress was a sensational winter look

The Princess of Wales rarely wears anything strapless anymore, but her black velvet dress from 2011 was a sensational winter look.

The Princess of Wales’s signature style has always championed the best British clothing brands, timeless designs and tonal dressing, but it has shifted ever so slightly over the years. Tailored pieces are now staples in her wardrobe and she has moved away from wearing headbands in favour of hats and from knee-length hemlines. Another design detail we rarely see Kate embrace anymore are strapless tops and dresses, although she does occasionally dabble in wearing one-shoulder items.

However, Kate’s velvet strapless dress from December 2011 was so spectacular that we can’t help hoping she makes an exception and re-wears it one day soon. It would make the perfect formal Christmas party outfit and it showcased how black velvet dresses can be an unbeatable special occasion item.

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The Princess of Wales wore the floor-length Alexander McQueen dress to The Sun Military Awards at the Imperial War Museum on 19th December with a matching velvet bag and sparkling jewellery. The dress had a feminine frill running along the top of the sweetheart neckline and this accentuated its beautiful, curved shape. The fitted bodice flared out into a trumpet shaped skirt which had plenty of volume and movement to it that worked well for such a special occasion.

This sleek, streamlined silhouette was so elegant and made it very evening-appropriate without being too ballgown-esque. It would have been magnificent in any colour and material but Kate’s dress was made even more eye-catching thanks to the black velvet. Velvet comes into its own in the winter months and always brings added glamour to an outfit with its sheen.

If you haven’t got any velvet items in your winter capsule wardrobe already, they are such an easy way to elevate an outfit. You don’t have to go all-out with a dress either as velvet bags, shoes and trousers are also equally stunning and can be worn with your familiar favourites.

Jewel-toned velvet dresses are a popular choice for festive gatherings and the Princess of Wales has often been spotted wearing emerald green, sapphire blue and ruby red gowns to events but the black velvet was a masterful choice. The neutral tone increases the wearability of what is quite a stand-out piece of clothing as it could be paired effortlessly with so many different hues when it comes to shoes, bags and jewellery.

For The Sun Military Awards, Kate kept things simple accessorise-wise and matched her velvet Pretty Ballerinas clutch bag and shoes to her black dress. Keeping her outfit a single colour is something the future Queen does a lot and it’s a clever trick to use if you want to give a look a sense of cohesion and polish.

The only pop of colour in her outfit came from her jewellery which included a diamond and ruby necklace, matching bracelet and drop earrings that are said to have been given to her as a wedding present. They complemented Kate’s black velvet dress and finished off her outfit to perfection. Whether or not she ever wears this strapless design again, it was a sensational winter look and one that’s convinced us to wear more velvet.

She attended The Sun Military Awards with Prince William and Prince Harry and the ceremony is held annually. The awards recognise and honour inspiring individual and collective achievements from within the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.