Kate Middleton wears 1980s vintage dress that looks like something Princess Diana would have worn

The British royal chose a vintage piece on day two of the state visit to Ireland

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The Duchess of Cambridge's style during the royal tour of Ireland continues to get people talking. Last night, she stepped out in a vintage, 1980s Oscar de le Renta dress for a reception at Ireland’s Museum of Literature.

The pink, polka dot dress has a statement ruffled collar, with a black belt and button front. She accessorised it with a Celeste clutch and black pumps by Jimmy Choo, along with earrings from high street retailer, Acessorize. The vintage look offers more than a passing style nod to Prince William's mother, Princess Diana.

The late royal often wore statement collars and polka dot looks for engagements during the 1980s.

She was also a loyal fan of Oscar de la Renta's designs. One of her most memorable looks is by the Dominican fashion designer, a strapless white gown that she wore at the parliament buildings in Budapest, Hungary in May 1990.

Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales  (1961 - 1997) attend a dinner held by Hungarian President Arpad Goncz at the parliament buildings in Budapest, Hungary, May 1990. Diana is wearing a white beaded strapless evening gown by Catherine Walker and a pearl and sapphire choker.  (Photo by Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)
Diana, Princess of Wales wears Oscar de la Renta for a dinner in at the parliament buildings in Budapest, Hungary, in May 1990. Getty Images

It is not the first look sported by the duchess during the visit to Ireland that can be compared to fashion choices made by Diana.

On their first night in Dublin, the Duchess of Cambridge wore an emerald dress by The Vampire's Wife, which features many stylistic similarities to a resplendent green dress the Princess of Wales wore for the London premiere of The Hunt for Red October, in London in April 1990.

Left: Diana, Princess of Wales wears a green gown to attend the London premiere of 'The Hunt for Red October', on April 17, 1990. Right: The Duchess of Cambridge wears The Vampire's Wife to attend a reception at the Guinness Storehouses Gravity Bar in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Getty Images 
Left: Diana, Princess of Wales wears a green gown to attend the London premiere of 'The Hunt for Red October', on April 17, 1990. Right: The Duchess of Cambridge wears The Vampire's Wife to attend a reception at the Guinness Storehouses Gravity Bar in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Getty Images 

On Wednesday night, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were at the museum to attend a reception hosted by the Irish Tanaiste, Simon Coveney. During the visit they were shown a first edition copy of James Joyce's Ulysses.

Click though the gallery above to see images from the reception. 

There were around 100 guests at the reception and attendees included various members of the Irish arts scene, including poets, dancers, writers, film and theatre producers and a representative from the Irish Refugee Council. Earlier in the day, the couple visited the Teagasc Research Farm, and Catherine wore her first Irish designer of the visit.

Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visit the Teagasc research farm in County Meath, Ireland March 4, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wears a jacket by Irish brand Dubarry to visit the Teagasc research farm in County Meath, Ireland on Wednesday, March 4. Reuters

To meet and chat with farmers on the visit, she wore an olive jacket by Irish brand Dubarry with a check shirt from the Barbour X Alexa Chung collection and  Penelope Chilvers boots. She also wore hooped earrings with a shamrock pendant.

In the morning, the couple visited Jigsaw, a mental health support service for young people in Ireland. For the visit, the duchess wore an off-white Reiss coat, which has been in her wardrobe since 2008. She paired the structured trench with black Zara jeans and Russell and Bromley boots. Under the coat was a black polka dot shirt.

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