Pippa Middleton’s knitted dress, leopard print scarf and red bag is a striking combination that’s got us dreaming of autumn

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 Composite of two pictures of Pippa Middleton, wearing a black knitted dress, leopard print scarf and red bag, arriving at her office in London in October 2011.
Credit: Image 1:Photo by Neil Mockford/FilmMagic via Getty // Image 2: Photo by Neil Mockford/FilmMagic via Getty

Pippa Middleton’s knitted dress, leopard print scarf and red bag is a striking combination from 2011 that’s got us dreaming of autumn.

Summer isn’t quite over yet and whilst we’re still loving our floral dresses and flat sandals in hotter weather, every grey sky day has got us starting to think about our autumn capsule wardrobe. This transitional time is when layering starts to come into its own again and if we weren’t already feeling inspired by the thought of a change in season, we definitely are now after rediscovering Pippa Middleton’s chic work look from 2011. The Princess of Wales’s sister stepped out on a mild October day in a gorgeous black knitted dress that she accessorised with not only some of our favourite animal print - good old leopard print - but with a pop of red too.

Pippa isn’t afraid to wear prints and bold colours and she showcased a brilliant way to make this prospect a little less daunting with this outfit. The base of her look was a simple, neutral black knitted dress from Tania, which she wore without tights on this autumn day.

Pippa Middleton, wearing a knitted dress, is seen arriving at her office on October 12, 2011
Pippa Middleton, wearing a knitted dress, is seen arriving at her office on October 12, 2011

Recreate Pippa Middleton's Autumnal Outfit

Mint Velvet Leopard Print Scarf
Mint Velvet Leopard Print Scarf
Mint Velvet Leopard Print Scarf
Mint Velvet Leopard Print Scarf

On days when you want a lightweight scarf rather than a chunky knitted one, this is the perfect choice to add a splash of print into an outfit. The muted brown tones make this so easy to style with both neutral and brighter colours and it has a classic rectangular shape.


Hobbs V-Neck Knitted Dress
Hobbs V-Neck Knitted Dress
Hobbs V-Neck Knitted Dress
Hobbs V-Neck Knitted Dress

Currently reduced in the summer sale now is a great time to pick up this beautiful, classic knitted dress ready for cooler days. It has a knee-length, shift dress silhouette and pretty gold buttons running down the front for a touch of extra glamour.


Katie Loxton Personalisable Bag
Katie Loxton Personalisable Bag
Katie Loxton Personalisable Bag
Katie Loxton Personalisable Bag

This gorgeous red bag can be personalised with your initials or those of a loved one, either with monogramming or embroidery. Its very wearable design is inspired by camera bags and we love the 'Garnet Red' colourway which is sure to brighten up any of your day-to-day outfits.


Shop More Knitted Dresses

Hobbs Joella Knitted Dress
Hobbs Joella Knitted Dress
Hobbs Joella Knitted Dress
Hobbs Joella Knitted Dress

This jumper dress is so easy to throw on on mild autumn days with a pair of ankle boots and a bright bag. When the weather gets colder, this will become the perfect layering item and it has a smart, collared neckline and falls to just above the knee.


Mango Ribbed Knit Dress
Mango Ribbed Knit Dress
Mango Ribbed Knit Dress
Mango Ribbed Knit Dress

You might think it's still too early to be buying jumper dresses but we all know how quickly they sell out once the weather starts to change. This one is very affordable and the simple silhouette and soft beige tone make it very versatile.


Reiss Fluted Cuff Dress
Reiss Fluted Cuff Dress
Reiss Fluted Cuff Dress
Reiss Fluted Cuff Dress

This deep navy midi dress has fabulous fluted sleeves with a white trim and is the most elegant addition to your jumper dress collection for autumn. It has a fit and flare silhouette and would look brilliant with a bright bag.


The dress had long blouson sleeves that finished in long cuffs which had tiny gold button details running up from them. Black and gold is a classic combination that accentuated the timelessness of this knitted dress. It finished above the knee and although we rarely see Pippa venturing out in a dress of this length nowadays, the short hem was balanced out by the long sleeves and created a very elegant silhouette.

Not every jumper dress has to be a heavy knit and this was a lovely staple for autumn when the weather wasn’t too cold. Having such a versatile dress as the main part of her outfit also meant that Pippa could more easily add in a sense of fun and vibrancy with her accessories.

The leopard print trend has been going strong this year and back in 2011 Pippa was also a huge fan of incorporating it into her looks with her Temperly scarf. It was bold but kept to a very neutral black and grey colour palette which complemented Pippa’s knitted dress perfectly.

Pippa Middleton seen arriving at her office on October 12, 2011 in London
Pippa Middleton seen arriving at her office on October 12, 2011 in London

As she arrived at work in London on that October day the Princess of Wales’s sister had her scarf loosely wrapped around her neck, with each end draping down gorgeously over her dress. Although it added warmth too, this was a stylish addition that added a playful edge into her otherwise very pared-back outfit.

Meanwhile, Pippa’s choice of a bright red bag added a pop of colour that contrasted so strikingly with her dress and scarf. It looks to be the same Prada bag she’d been spotted wearing that summer and had a satchel design and a strap long enough for it to be worn crossbody too, though Pippa favoured using it as a shoulder bag. Red and leopard print together go surprisingly well and also work fabulously with neutral tones, making Pippa’s autumnal outfit combination a winning one.

Pippa Middleton seen arriving at her office on October 12, 2011 in London
Pippa Middleton seen arriving at her office on October 12, 2011 in London

She finished off her work look with a pair of black suede ankle boots, though if she had wanted to make this a little more casual she could have opted for her best white trainers. On colder days Pippa could also have chosen black tights, higher boots and a long black coat to keep her toasty warm. Whilst we are in no way wishing summer away, we’re excited to recreate similar looks when autumn begins to arrive as Pippa’s impeccable outfit is one that will never go out of style.