Princess Kate just gave the humble cardigan a royal makeover with her styling twist

 Princess Kate and her husband Prince William made a surprise visit to Mallon Farm in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, and I was loving the Princess of Wales' country-core look. The 43-year-old looked the part in a heritage-inspired layered outfit, from the tweed midi skirt to the barn jacket and not forgetting her knitwear too - so chic, so cosy and so on-trend with her cardigan colour choice too. Wearing a tonal ensemble, Kate looked impossibly chic for the visit, with her long brown hair left loose and her signature pared-back makeup look.

AT A GLANCE

Princess Kate made a visit to Mallon Farm in Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

Kate looked impeccable in a tonal, heritage-chic outfit. 

Kate's cardigan has been ID-ed as the WNU Jura Cardigan in Coffee, £185 / $290.

But it's her humble cardigan, the lynchpin of many women's winter wardrobes, that had me sitting up and taking notice. As the royal wore it in the most unexpected way that had me rethinking how I style my very own classic cardigans.

Kate layered the With Nothing Underneath Jura Cardigan, in a coffee-shade, over a fine knit roll neck. Recently, it's been the trend to wear a white T-shirt under a knit like a cardigan, letting the crew neck of the tee pop over the neckline of the cardigan. However Kate's new vibe is a fresh, yet classic way to wear a cardigan. 

EXACT MATCH: WNU Jura Cardigan

Plus, the pairing with a tweed midi skirt leans into heritage-chic, which is a big trend for autumn/winter. It is giving me the feels of a 90s Nancy Meyers movie, mixed with The Traitors, and can easily be transferred to your own look. The key is keep your layering piece, the roll neck, as lightweight and fine as possible to avoid adding unwanted bulk to your silhouette.

I asked HELLO!'s Fashion Editor Laura Sutcliffe what she thought of Princess Kate's latest look: "Kate's layered cardigan look is both classic, yet modern. The humble cardigan is often associated as an older lady trend, but it shouldn't be! It's the perfect layering piece and Kate's short version looks super sleek with her skirt. It doubles up as a warm and cosy outwear staple but can amp up any ensemble. Kate teaming it with a  rollneck screams heritage chic."

Can you wear this cardigan combo with jeans? Absolutely. In fact, I think it looks cooler with denim, ideally a pair of straight leg or slim barrel jeans, worn with loafers or pointed boots.

Kate's exact cardigan is not only stylish, but sustainable. Made from 100% Yak Wool, spun from ethically sourced yak wool from high-altitude herds on the Tibetan Plateau, the brand says it's been crafted to "withstand real weather". Kate;s cardigan is the coffee-shade, but you'll it in black and navy blue too.

If you love Kate's look, M&S' Crew Neck Cardigan is a great choice to emulate Kate's outfit. Made from lightweight Air-Yarn, it's cropped like Kate's and features a crew neck plus polished, gold-tone buttons for a more elevated look.

CLOSE MATCH: M&S Crew Neck Cardigan

Or for a slightly different version, try Boden's Marion Merino Cardigan, which boasts a similar shape and hue as Kate's but has pockets on the front for a point of interest. You'll find it in sizes XS - XL.

CLOSE MATCH: Boden Marion Merino Cardigan

And this Next cardigan would also look stylish layered, and it has a fuzzy, textured finish for an even cosier look.