The Royals are some of the leading influences when it comes to fashion. Often the first fashion figures that come to mind are the British royal family — the ever-polished Kate Middleton, the elegant trendsetter Lady Diana, and the edgy yet sophisticated newbie Meghan Markle. Although this group of fashionistas is always dressed well and in noteworthy fashions, there is another royal fashionista that deserves just as much attention — Queen Letizia of Spain! She sets standards of her own when it comes to fashion and proves that being a royal doesn’t mean always dressing modestly and in outdated pieces. Her style is fresh, on trend and totally elegant, which also means breaking a few royal fashion standards or two. Follow along for 12 of Queen Letizia’s most noteworthy fashion moments:
12. Skinny Pants
Previously it was expected for royal women to make public appearances wearing a skirt or dress. Clearly, times have changed and more often women have opted to wear trousers, but they’re typically a loose fit. Queen Letizia has set her own standard when it comes to pants and has opted for skinny fit trousers on multiple occasions for public engagements. The style is obviously casual, but if the event suits skinny trousers, we’re all for it since she still looks totally professional and polished.
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11. Capes Over Coats
Typically royals opt for a smart-looking tweed coat or a wool peacoat of some sort while making public appearances during the cooler months. Queen Letizia, however, totally shook up this standard when she stepped out wearing a coordinating cape and dress combination. The olive cape draped gracefully over her shoulders and she accessorized with eccentric snakeskin shoes and a matching clutch.
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10. Paper Bag Trousers
One of the biggest trouser trends in the last few years is the “paper bag” trouser which features a chunky belt that ties at the waist. We rarely see Royals following these fleeting trends, yet Queen Letizia proved that she is all for it when she stepped out wearing these camel-colored paper bag trousers. She managed to make the trend look timeless by pairing it with such a classic and sophisticated satin top.
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9. Oversized Tailoring
Lady Diana was a huge fan of oversized tailoring, and with her willowy, slender frame, it still looked sophisticated. Queen Letizia is quite petite in comparison, yet she has found a way to pull off oversized tailoring that works in her favor. To pull off the oversized look, the Queen opts to wear a monochrome color palette in a soft shade of lavender. Since there is only one color, the look doesn’t drown her and appears more streamlined.
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8. Super Short Hemlines
Typically the British family shies away from super short hemlines in an attempt to keep their fashion as modest as possible. This practice has been advised by Queen Elizabeth, but there have been a few slip-ups by both Kate Middleton and Lady Diana where they’ve opted for something a little shorter and trendier. Queen Letizia seems to also have a liking for spunky, short dresses and has worn them on multiple occasions. One of our personal favorites is this 1920’s inspired flapper dress featuring black trim and layers of wispy fringe.
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7. Eccentric Footwear
One of the easiest ways to freshen up a simple or classic piece is with the choice of footwear! Clearly, Queen Letizia understands this notion and often opts for statement choices of footwear rather than the simple pointed-toe pumps that Kate Middleton seems to rotate between. She loves patterned footwear, especially snakeskin, and anything with bold laces or an eccentric cut.
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6. All Black
Typically it’s expected that Royals wear bright colors when making a public appearance so that they are highly visible and standout among the crowds. Despite this, Queen Letizia often opts for neutrals, black being one of them! Black has always been viewed as one of the most flattering and chic fashion colors, which is why we totally understand her decision to dismiss this particular royal style standard. To keep her look trendy and fashion-forward, Queen Letizia spiced up the all-black with a dove grey shoe, snakeskin clutch and magenta-pink lip.
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5. Side Slit Pants
Typically royals opt for traditional, straight cuts when it comes to their clothing, especially when it comes to tailored pieces like blazers and trousers. Queen Letizia, however, has proven that this doesn’t always have to be the case, even as a royal figure! She recently wore a cherry red monochrome suit that in itself was quite daring, but even more so with the trendy side slit detailing along the hemline.
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4. Trouser Pants
On significant holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, it’s typical for Royal figures to wear a formal dress. This past Easter, Queen Letizia strayed from the conventional and instead wore a pair of trendy culotte-style pants. They’re still totally sophisticated and professional looking for the formal occasion but feature trendy details such as the side snap buttons that have been all the rage with celebrities in 2018. She paired the look with a chic polka dot top and added a pop of color with a petal pink crossbody bag slung over her shoulder.
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3. Monochrome Dressing
Queen Letizia has seriously mastered the art of monochrome dressing! Wearing strictly one color is definitely a tricky look to pull off, but this fashionable Royal has a few tricks up her sleeve to make it look chic and professional. Her go-to way to style monochrome is by mixing textures and patterns. Her boots are suede and her skirt is printed, which breaks up the red and makes the entire look more visually interesting.
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2. Cheetah Print
Queen Letizia is definitely not afraid of pattern, but typically we expect to see Royals in prints that are quite modest such as a soft floral or preppy stripe. Her style involves bold animal prints such as her go-to snakeskin pumps and this statement cool tone cheetah print coat. This look is totally chic and professional when paired with tailored trousers but the cheetah print definitely elevates the look and makes it unique.
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1. Velvet Gowns
Of all her bold fashion moments, this velvet gown was undeniably one of her most notable! Typically Royals opt for flowy chiffon or tweed power suits when it comes to formal engagements, but Queen Letizia has broken boundaries and opted for a midnight blue velvet gown for the special occasion. Her look featured details such as a chunky belt, balloon sleeves, an embroidered skirt and buttons up the bodice. The look was definitely different than anything we’ve seen from the British royals, but we can appreciate her fashion risk and trendy style.
