The Most Powerful Thing You Could Own Right Now Is A Polo Neck Jumper

Last night the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the inaugural Earthshot Prize awards. On the night Kate Middleton revisited her own archive for inspiration, giving a lavender Alexander McQueen dress she last wore to the 2011 BAFTAs another spin. Prince William, however, seemed to be taking style notes from elsewhere. In his black polo neck, eagle eyed viewers were left posing the question: is he auditioning for the (now vacant) role of 007?

Perhaps. There was certainly a James Bond-worthy swarthiness to the ensemble. But the polo neck is quickly becoming this season’s unexpected hero making possible inspirations as varied as they are ubiquitous.

So, possibly, he was inspired by his sister-in-law Meghan Markle who recently wore two turtlenecks – both in black – for her back-to-business trip to New York. Or maybe he too is anticipating the return to the spotlight of a dysfunctional and powerful family (ahem) with the arrival of season three of Succession; Shiv Roy arguably has more affection for polo necksthan she does for her husband, Tom. Or has he also been emotionally destroyed by Adele’s new singleEasy On Me and as a result decided to put his own spin on the Lanvin top she wears in the video? Might he even have thought ‘well the Mrs. looks damn good in a suit and polo neck… I want in’ (the Duchess of Cambridge wore a navy one with a purple Emilia Wickstead suit in Northern Ireland last month). All unconfirmed scenarios but, we like to think, likely ones.

Whatever the thinking behind the Prince’s polo neck, he’s onto something. They are Having A Moment. But why now? Let’s get the obvious out of the way: autumn has arrived and layering season has officially been given the green light. A fine knit is the perfect way to ease you in. This autumn also brings with it a back-to-school blank slate like never before, where we’re navigating the return to office polish but aren’t willing to relinquish the comfort dressing we’ve learned to love when working from home. Teaming one with tailoring – as is the Windsors’ preferred way to wear right now – is an on-point hybrid look. It feels smart, sorted, sleek but, crucially, not as stuffy as a traditional 9-5 get-up.

As dapper as the Duke looked, your ultimate polo power muse is Victoria Beckham. A longtime devotee, she traditionally likes them fitted and teamed with a fluid midi skirt or tailored trousers for a look that’s undeniably chic and quietly sexy (side note: of you're feeling intimidated by autumn's high hemlines, a roll neck - and tights - are your allies now. It's all about balance). She was spotted in New York just last week, in fact, wearing a rust-coloured polo under a floral print midi, showcasing the perfect autumn outfit.

If, however, you are hankering after something more obviously sexy, VB has you covered (or _un_covered) too. She could be seen on her Instagram stories wearing a relaxed fit cashmere version from her AW21 collection with a keyhole cut out at the front. With sizes already selling out on her website, this might just be the official uniform of Hot Girl Autumn.

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