I’m a double dress shopper like Kate

BRING on the “buy now” button, I ask myself the usual question: “Do I really need this?”

It was a sale in January and I fell in love with this chocolate brown leather pencil skirt from Sosandar.

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It’s a great buy, a timeless wardrobe that’s versatile enough for both work and play. And it’s already 30% off, at £101.30. So what are you waiting for? I already have one.

A few weeks before that, when another great discount code was sent to my inbox, I bought the dress in my room. And I love it.

People may think it’s odd or superfluous to buy clothes in multiple colors. But I am in good company.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore a stunning red Catherine Walker gown to the ceremony at West-minster Abbey in December.

Royal watchers recognized her wearing a similar outfit in sombre black to Prince Philip’s funeral last April.

This isn’t the first time she’s doubled down. During her 2016 tour of Canada with Prince William, she wore a £1,000 red Preen dress to a reception. Two months later, she rocked a match in London in a black version.

She has another Catherine Walker coat in red and cobalt blue, along with a custom briefcase with a green and magenta velvet collar and cuffs.

Kate also has identical £1,350 Emilia Wickstead camisole gowns in mauve and green; a custom Alexander McQueen dress for £2,500 in both fuchsia and baby pink; and the custom cream McQueen coat dress she wore for Harry and Meghan’s 2018 dress, which she wore in ice blue to an RAF event shortly after.

It’s an economical way to buy clothes. . . especially if you are a lazy shopper, like me.

I’d rather spend Saturday afternoons in the pub with my partner, not shop around.

We are encouraged to go green with our shopping habits. A recent report by the British Fashion Council found that long-term wearability and “buy less but better” have become the most important factors for two-thirds of shoppers.

I am a high street girl. Brands I like are Marks & Spencer, New Look and H&M. I found out about River Island, Oasis, Warehouse and, if I was annoyed, French Connection and Hobbs (they have great sales).

If I find an item I love, buying it in a variety of colors means I won’t wear the same item over and over again until I run out.

I know my size, and if I find a shirt or pants I like in multiple colors, I put one in the basket.

I have the same M&S ribbed polo t-shirt in SIX color. At £17.50 each, they are a steal. They mix and match with everything.

Partly I blame my mom, who has a four-color M&S fleece jacket, for starting my habit.

Lazy shopper

My birthday was just before Christmas and a year I had my eye on a £40 red bodycon dress by Dorothy Perkins.

So Mother treated me. I loved it so much that she went to the stores last minute and bought me the green version for Christmas.

As January sales roll around, I can’t resist. I bought it with purple color. I’ve had those dresses for over ten years and still get rave reviews about them.

Another win was a £80 off French Connection dress I got in both white and khaki blue. I was thinking older when buying them.

I ended up explaining it like this: I would wear green in the summer and winter, while white would be great for the holidays and flatter the tan.

They are still two of my favorites, so I made the right call. I recently purchased a pair of faux leather jeggings from H&M in brown and green.

For years, I’ve been on the hunt for a nice pair of leather pants. So buying these is a no-brainer.

I have a River Island blouse in yellow, purple, and orange; plus an emerald and gold satin top.

From Zara, I have a black and gold jumpsuit; from Topshop (RIP!) a black and terracotta blouse; and from New Look, a khaki blue and leopard print jumpsuit.

I also have a pair of black and nude River Island heels, which I keep in my office drawer and replace throughout the week at work.

When Topshop closed, people rushed to buy its jeans. Whether or not M&S ​​will go bankrupt one day (thoughts aside) I can rest easy knowing I’ve stocked up on those vintage polo shirts.

I still regret not buying myself a white blouse from Topshop. . . but learned from my mistake.

In the end, I bought a chocolate leather dress by Sosandar.

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