How Kate Middleton became the unlikely poster girl for the fashion dilemma we all face.

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton has made a sartorial choice that has people horrified. She wore the very same cream Alexander McQueen coat she donned for Prince George’s 2013 christening to the Queen’s garden party over the weekend. *Gasp*

People are outraged. E! has reported, “Is it time for Kate Middleton to stop recycling her clothes?”, the Mirror UK has labelled her “thrifty” as though it’s a dirty word, and many news outlets were disgusted by her choice to reuse something from her wardrobe at such an important event.

Left: Middleton over the weekend and Right, in 2013 at Prince George's christening. Images: Getty.

And so Kate Middleton has unwittingly become the poster girl, the champion, for outfit repeating. Whether she likes it or not. I, for one, am cheering her on.

Each time she recycles, she's taking a stand for all of us.

There was the monochrome Tory Burch dress she wore first during her 2014 visit to New Zealand before whacking it on again for an event in London in October last year.

Left in  2015 and right in New Zealand in 2014. Image: Getty

Then there was the delicate blush DAY Birger et Mikkelsen coat dress she sported three times (the nerve) at Laura Parker-Bowles' wedding in 2006, Zara Phillip's nuptials in 2011 and the London Paralympic Games opening in 2012.

From L to R: 2006, 2011 and 2015. Image: Getty

With the average cost of each outfit reportedly costing over $3,200, you'd want to hope Kate's wearing it even more. But that's kind of the point.

With millions of eyes waiting to see what she'll step out in next and a budget most of us can only dream of, Kate Middleton could easily wear a new outfit every day. Let's not even start on the designers who'd kill for her to be seen in their wares. Yet she chooses not to, instead favouring pieces already in her wardrobe.

Surely that's something worth celebrating, not chastising? (Watch: We wouldn't mind Kate Middleton's hair either. Her hairdresser shares his top tips. Post continues after video.)

After years of fearing being 'caught out' doubling up on an outfit, Middleton's move makes me feel more confident to follow her lead.

Last year there was a good month or two where I had weddings, a ball, many birthdays and the races penned in my calendar. I had to be savvy - I can count the number of black tie-worthy outfits in my wardrobe on just one hand.

After wearing my favourite emerald green dress to a friend's birthday drinks, three weeks later I put it on again for a ball, taking care to wear with different shoes, hair and makeup. Both events had an entirely different guest list but I thought I'd try and cover my back just in case.

I'd forgotten that a photo of the drinks had been uploaded to Facebook.

Image: Disney.

"I love your dress - where have I seen it before?" One friend said to me on the night. "Oh! I know - didn't you wear it the other week to drinks?"

It was a Lizzie McGuire moment that turned my face red as a beetroot.

Kate Middleton has made me realise there's nothing wrong with wearing your outfits over and over and over again. In fact, it's something to be celebrated.

Image: Getty

Where do you stand on outfit repeating?