Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Style

    Kate Middleton's underwear trick to avoid wardrobe malfunctions

    Penny Goldstone's avatar
    By Penny Goldstone
    Published 9 May 2022 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    The Duchess of Cambridge has many tricks up her sleeve when it comes to dressing. She has a bra hack for when she wears sheer dresses, packs clothes in a clever way to avoid creases and even has a trick to make old coats seem like new.

    Royal protocol dictates that women often wear skirts, and Kate is no exception, often opting for midi style tailored gowns. To make sure she always looks impeccable in them, she invests in basic underwear that will keep any wardrobe malfunctions at bay. More specifically, any unseemly lines that show her underwear through her skirt.

    According to Myka Meier, a royal etiquette specialist, who was interviewed by Fabulous, 'The Duchess of Cambridge, 38, relies on strapless and seamless underwear to give a polished look.'

    Kate's stylist is also said to bulk buy 'no VPL' knickers, which stands for no visible panty line. This means the underwear will be flush with her body, with no seams or lines standing out.

    3pk No VPL Low Rise Brazilian Knickers - £10 at M&S

    3pk No VPL Low Rise Brazilian Knickers - £10 at M&S
    In an ultra-soft and sleek material, these no-VPL knickers have a cheeky and flattering cut-away back. The stretchy and smooth material has a barely there feel and works well under any outfit.

    View Deal
    No VPL Knickers 3 Pack - £16 at next

    No VPL Knickers 3 Pack - £16 at next
    Designed from a new and improved fabric, these briefs will easily disappear underneath tight-fitting outfits for a perfect VPL-free look.

    View Deal
    Eleplus Seamless Underwear for Women No Show Panties Knickers Comfort Briefs Pack of 5 - £17.99 at Amazon

    Eleplus Seamless Underwear for Women No Show Panties Knickers Comfort Briefs Pack of 5 - £17.99 at Amazon
    Seamless and no show designed,no more embarrassing panty lines under your tight pants or leggings.

    View Deal

    It's a great option if you don't want to go down the shapewear or control knickers route, and many celebrities are fans of the staple. You can shop some of the best styles above.

    You may like
    • Sheer Sheer Clothing Is Trending for Another Summer, But Here's How You Wear It Like a Grownup
    • Julia Restoin Roitfeld Marie Claire'd Anatomy of A Wardrobe 'I Function Better With Less': Julia Restoin-Roitfeld on Timeless Style, Wardrobe Investments and Borrowing From Her Mother’s Closet
    • Wardrobe NYC H&M The Wardrobe.NYC H&M Collaboration Has Arrived—I'd Recommend These 12 Pieces for Your Capsule Work Wardrobe

    Meanwhile, when it comes to wearing bras with sheer dresses, the Duchess has her stylist sew bras into her dress, this way she gets the full support, without having any bra straps on show. Genius.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Penny Goldstone
    Penny Goldstone
    Social Links Navigation
    Contributing Fashion Editor

    Penny Goldstone is the Contributing Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK. She writes about catwalk trends and the latest high street and Instagram sartorial must-haves. She also helms the Women Who Win franchise.

    She has worked in fashion for over 10 years, contributing to publications such as Cosmopolitan, Red, Good Housekeeping, and Stylist.

    Read more
    Sheer
    Shopping Sheer Clothing Is Trending for Another Summer, But Here's How You Wear It Like a Grownup
    Julia Restoin Roitfeld Marie Claire'd Anatomy of A Wardrobe
    Fashion 'I Function Better With Less': Julia Restoin-Roitfeld on Timeless Style, Wardrobe Investments and Borrowing From Her Mother’s Closet
     
     
    Wardrobe NYC H&M
    Shopping The Wardrobe.NYC H&M Collaboration Has Arrived—I'd Recommend These 12 Pieces for Your Capsule Work Wardrobe
    Andy Burnham and Marie-France van Heel entering 10 Downing Street
    Fashion “Are We Just Jealous?” Victoria Moss Unpacks the Sexist, Ageist Commentary Around Marie-France van Heel’s Victoria Beckham Dress
     
     
    Latest in Style
    Kinda Chic Trend
    Shopping Is "Kinda Chic" Kinda Cringe? Everyone's Favourite Fashion Word Just Went Completely Out of Fashion
    @nlmarilyn in transitional autumn outfits
    Fashion Goodbye Summer Dresses, I'm in Autumn Outfit Planning Mode—These 5 Are Fresh
     
     
    voranida outfits
    Fashion Everyone Sophisticated Is Wearing This Lesser-Known, Up-and-Coming Brand Right Now
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Everything Kaia Gerber Wears Is a Masterclass in Minimalism—These Are the Pieces and Brands She Always Goes Back to
     
     
    Latest in News
    Kinda Chic Trend
    Shopping Is "Kinda Chic" Kinda Cringe? Everyone's Favourite Fashion Word Just Went Completely Out of Fashion
    Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: The Foundation Using Exosome Technology, the Treatment That Transformed My Skin Texture—Plus, the Ever-Earlier Advent Calendar Race
     
     
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Everything Kaia Gerber Wears Is a Masterclass in Minimalism—These Are the Pieces and Brands She Always Goes Back to
    Copenhagen Fashion Week street style
    Shopping Kitten-Heel Sandals, Lace Dresses and the Season's New Favourite Shade of Blue— These are the Copenhagen Fashion Week Street Style Trends to Note
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.