The style trick the Cambridges and Kardashians have in common

Take Kate and Kim’s family portrait fashion cues
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Marissa Desantis25 June 2020

If you thought the Cambridge family’s sartorial choices were polar-opposite from the Kardashian family, take a closer look.

Kate Middleton’s penchant for tailored dresses in classic cuts presents a more polished front to Kim Kardashian’s curve-enhancing looks, which helped build her career (and inspired her shapewear line, Skims).

But turn to Kate and Kim’s family portraits, and you’ll find both families prefer to suit up in tonal ensembles for their group pictures.

It’s no surprise that the Royal Family has perfected the art of the coordinated family photo.

Clarence House via Getty Images

For the official portrait celebrating Prince Charles’ 70th birthday in 2018, the family shared a photo of Charles and Camilla with the Cambridges and Sussexes wearing shades of blue, cream and white.

The Kardashians set the tone

While Princess Charlotte and Princes George and Louis wore light blue colors and patterned prints, the grown-ups stuck to more muted navy and cream colors (minus Kate and Charles who added their own polka dot and pinstripe patterns).

Kensington Palace

The Kardashian family has adopted a similar style of releasing family portraits for milestone events like holidays and business collaborations.

But in true Kardashian style, the portraits almost always feature the family in over-the-top designs, like beaded gowns, fur coats and thigh-high slits.

Getty Images

Most notably, Kim has kept the tradition going with her own family. The reality TV star has had decades of practice when it comes to matchy-matchy family portraits, as Kardashian matriarch, Kris Jenner, has been dressing up the family for portraits since the early ‘90s (take the Kardashian-Jenner denim-on-denim portrait of 1991 as all the evidence you need).

Kim, who has already made monochromatic looks her signature style, has really taken the tonal family portraits to the next level.

Mimicking her own taste for bold looks by designers like Thierry Mugler, Balmain and Versace, Kim’s tonal family ensembles often feature various styles and textures (see the West family 2019 Chrismtas Eve combo of snakeskin and velvet).

When posing with her sisters especially, Kim amps up the sex appeal with bodycon dresses, thigh-high sheer stockings or a blazer worn sans bra.

The family at Prince Louis' christening at St James's Palace
Getty Images

Kate, meanwhile, takes a more subtle approach to the tonal family portraits, going a more coordinated route as opposed to full-on matching.

For more formal occasions like Prince Louis’ 2018 christening, Kate wore an off-white Alexander McQueen dress to match Louis’ christening gown, while William, George and Charlotte mixed in a pop of white with their blue ensembles.

Even when opting for a more casual look, Kim makes matching a priority. The West family Christmas card in 2019 featured Kim, Kanye and their four children in slightly different styles of the same gray sweatsuit, with Kanye in a cream-colored hoodie.

The Cambridges know how to keep it casual, too. For Prince William’s 38th birthday, Kate snapped a picture of William, George, Charlotte and Louis posing on a swing.

The relaxed family photo featured the Cambridges in varying looks of denim and polos - all in muted navy and hunter green shades.

Consider the Cambridges and the Kardashians as all the style inspo you need for your next family photo - whether you're playing it casual or taking a formal approach.

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