Duchess Sophie Follows ‘Rule of Thirds’ on Weekend Outing (& Models the Perfect Fall Uniform)

TBH, we’d expect nothing less from the Duchess of Edinburgh. Her style, for years at this point, has been reliably chic, not to mention totally enviable. (Whether Sophie is wearing a playful shirtdress or a pretty coat, it’s hard not to want to emulate her low-maintenance looks.) But this outfit in particular gives us something more: It serves as a recipe for a fall uniform while giving us an easy blueprint for how to style it, too.

How so? For this particular royal outing, Sophie leans on the “rule of thirds,” a method for dressing where you break the body into thirds rather than halves as a way to make the overall aesthetic more visually appealing than cutting your body in half. In fact, for many of us, the very middle of our bodies is our widest point, so dividing your outfit evenly between top and bottom doesn’t exactly do us any favors. If you look at Sophie, her weekend ensemble nails this idea with her belt sitting a touch higher at her natural waist, which overall creates a more flattering silhouette.

Add to that her natural combination of core fall neutrals—a crisp white button-down and blazer is truly our autumn go-to—while her maxi skirt feels elegant without overwhelming. Brava.

Now, we don’t all have horse trials to attend (womp), but this is an ensemble that works just as well for a weekend brunch or work meeting, too. Here, how to mirror Sophie’s look.