Zara Tindall's Unofficial Australian Tourdrobe: Decoding Her Style

“The Season” may be months away in the UK (Royal Ascot-goers still have plenty of time to get millinery dyed to match dresses) but over in Australia it’s already in full swing. For Mike and Zara Tindall, regulars at both, it must feel like quite an abrupt shift from the formality of Christmas at Sandringham to high summer on the Gold Coast, where they spend much of January. It’s a transition the couple has been navigating for years. The Tindalls are long-time ambassadors of Magic Millions, the company behind Australia’s biggest horse racing events, and have been attending a string of high-profile sporting gatherings, including the Ashes and the polo. Of course, there’s not just the weather and time difference to contend with. Dress codes at racing events in Australia, while still formal, are not quite as rigid as their British equivalents, and thus require a different sartorial approach. While not a working royal, Zara remains a member of the Royal family, and from a style perspective, must strike a delicate balance between propriety and not looking overly stuffy outside of that royal context. That, and the fact that sartorial diplomacy is practically hard-wired for her – a dress is never just a dress, much as for her grandmother, the late Queen, a brooch was never just a brooch. This begins with wearing lots of Australian designers – an easy brief for Zara’s London-based Australian-born stylist, Annie Miall. Zimmermann and Rebecca Vallance have long been part of Zara’s formalwear repertoire on both hemispheres, but this month we’ve also seen her add pieces by the more accessibly priced Aje, Alemais and Leo Lin to her wardrobe. She teams these dresses with British heritage staples, like the Aspinal camera bag she packed in two colourways, plus jewellery by cult British labels Shrimps and Tilly Sveaas. And then there’s a nod to the British high street in her silver courts from Dune – a versatile choice which she’s worn in two different outfits. The messaging is much like that of the Princess of Wales’s wardrobe on an official state visit. Zara’s support for Australian brands pays homage to her host country, and an appreciation of Australian fashion talent from the UK (even if she is, actually, wearing them in Australia). Then there’s the fact that the marriage of Australian and British brands in a single outfit represents collaboration and amity between the two nations, which share a head of state in Zara’s uncle, King Charles. It’s a style strategy that’s working well for her, according to personal stylist Bella Hignett, who counts Lady Amelia Windsor among her clients. “[Zara] clearly loves it there, and loves Australian brands,” she says. “The fabrics just seem lighter, less structured, and with brighter prints.” It helps that summer colours suit Zara well. “I think she looks very good in pastels. And you can’t say that about lots of people, but she does.” While some of these looks – like the pink lace Rebecca Vallance midi dress – would work just as well in the UK, we’ve also seen Zara sport some higher hemlines to great effect. A navy Rebecca Vallance jewelled mini dress, and a pale blue Alemais shirt dress for the Ashes are cases in point. Perhaps, then, she recognises that she has a bit of sartorial freedom in Australia – but this is also reflected in the ease of the styling. “It’s more relaxed,” says Hignett. “She’s got a couple of really nice sun hats. There are lots of sandals. You never really see her in sandals at home, or cool sunglasses, but she’s got quite a good look on.” It’s all distinctly different from the way she dresses back home. While Zara is not a working royal, she does attend a lot of royal-adjacent events, which come with certain etiquette. “[In the UK, Zara’s wardrobe is] much more structured and formal,” Hignett observes. “You never see a lot of leg. She’s always buttoned up to the neck. A lot of coats and boots and lots of very formal hats.” Just spare a thought for the poor soul who had to plot out and pack the Tindalls’ suitcases though. For a trip this long, with this many events, it will have been quite an undertaking. “For every look, there’s always a spare, so just in case,” says Hignett. “Also you’ve got to be choosing fabrics that are going to just drape well and look well when you’re sitting down.” Luckily, Zara is her mother’s daughter through and through. Princess Anne loves a re-wear, and to a lesser extent, Zara does too. Beyond those silver Dune heels, she’s packed a number of previously seen accessories including a Jimmy Choo clutch and Tommy Hilfiger sandals. “She’s really good at rewearing and reusing pieces,” Hignett says. “I think that makes total sense. You don’t need a whole wardrobe. She needs new dresses, but with accessories, you can take what you’ve got at home.”