The dress has been revealed, they’ve said their “I do”s, the carriages have been put back into the carriage house, and the confetti has been swept off the streets. Yes, the Royal Wedding is over, but my Meghan Markle obsession is still going strong. If anything, it’s gotten even stronger! If you’re like me and have been pouring over every tidbit of royal news, past and present, in an effort to somehow transform yourself into the Duchess of Sussex, then this is the post for you. Meghan has great fashion sense, and lucky for you, you probably already have some of her staples in your closet. If not, then this affordable Meghan Markle fashion starter kit can get you looking like a duchess in no time!
As she has transitioned from actress to duchess, Meghan’s style has made a very slight shift. She’s always been a fan of classic pieces, but I expect we’ll start to see longer hemlines and more demure silhouettes in the future. Gone are the days of bardot tops, leggings, and sneakers out in public! That being said, she’s been known to nudge royal fashion boundaries in the past (I’m looking at you, messy bun), so I expect the unexpected from her.
If you’re looking for overarching, general Meghan Markle shopping tips, my advice is this: stick to the basics. Although she’s been seen in prints in the past, she tends to keep things solid and neutral. Her official engagement portrait dress may have been rumored to have cost a whopping $75,000 (lawd), she’s also been spotted in pieces from J. Crew and Everlane.
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Tops
In a world of “What would Meghan do,” the answer is KISS. No, not the wedding smooch on the stairs (but how adorable was that). I mean K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). A basic black v-neck like this one from H&M ($12.99) can go a loooong way in your wardrobe, as can a breezy, white button up. Another classic from H&M, this linen beauty ($39.99) will keep you feeling like you’re on vacation with literal Prince Charming. Finally, I think her time in Canada shooting Suits has rubbed off on her. I’ve seen her rocking the “Canadian tuxedo” a few times (and pulling it off!) in a classic J. Crew chambray top. This one from J. Crew Factory ($34.50) is all the cute at less the price.
Bottoms
Since she and Harry announced their engagement, Meghan has been sticking mostly to dresses when going on official outings. Of course she’s worn the odd skirt here and there, and who could forget that Alexander McQueen suit, but we’ll have to see what kinds of separates she wears in the future. What she has worn, I’ve loved. I think she will single-handedly cause the mainstream comeback of the bootcut jean. One time, I saw her wearing black bootcut jeans and pointed-toe shoes, so I bought black bootcut jeans and pointed-toe shoes (please tell me you picked up on my Mean Girls reference). I’m actually not kidding- I bought this pair ($39.99) from H&M on a lunch break and haven’t looked back! She also caused a bit of a stir when she wore (gasp!) distressed jeans to the Invictus Games last year. Her pair of Mother Looker ankle fray jeans could set you back a cool $228, but this pair from Top Shop ($75) is just as cute.
Dress
There are a couple of dress trends to keep in mind when shopping a la Meghan. She tends to go for classy, work-appropriate silhouettes. Think midi-length wrap dresses, belted dresses, and those with an focus-pulling neckline. This option from Asos ($64) is a great find; I could see this on Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, or Rachel Zane!
Accessories
Let’s all take a moment to mourn the loss of Meghan’s social media channels and blog, can we? RIP. On her now-defunct pages, this casual panama hat ($65) made several appearances. We know she even took it with her on vacation with Harry! This one from J. Crew Factory ($24.50) is the spitting image, but at a lower price. Going back to the classics, Meghan sticks with a go-to shape for sunglasses. She wore this pair ($180) to the Invictus Games, but here is a great option from Target at less of a duchess price point ($14.99).
Bags
Like I mentioned earlier, Meghan has been spotted with quite a few attainable pieces recently, like this leather tote ($165) from Everlane. This beaut from Old Navy is a shocking $32 right now, and such a good dupe! For more formal evenings, royal ladies have been known to carry clutches as both statement and functional pieces. Princess Diana is said to have called her chic clutches “cleavage bags,” as they shielded her chest from the paparazzi as she got out of cars. Brilliant! This one from Target ($19.99) will cover up the girls AND hold your lippy for a night out. Win-win!
Shoes
And finally, shoes. Seeing as it’s summer when I’m writing this, I wanted to focus mainly on items you could wear for this weather. One of Meghan’s shoe picks is a strappy, gladiator sandal. While I think it’s hard to picture her flip-flopping around Buckingham Palace, I’m sure her more casual shoes, like this pair from Asos ($29) will come out of the royal closet now and then! She’s also been spotted in this adorable pair of brown flats ($345) a few times, but these dupes from Journee are definitely closer to my price point ($29.99). Last but most certainly not least, we have to talk about the IT shoe of the moment. Everyone from Victoria Beckham, to Gwyneth Paltrow, to Sarah Jessica Parker (and seriously 49428427 more) has been spotted in a pair of the Manolo Blahnik BB pointed-toe pumps ($625). Meghan herself has been photographed wearing them in four different colors! As gorgeous as that shoe is, it’s definitely out of my price range. This option from Sam Edelman ($119.95) is such a dupe, and for SO much less!
I can’t wait to see what pieces the Duchess of Sussex steps out in in the future, and I wonder how far she’ll push the royal dress code envelope. I guess only time will tell!
Do you want to see more Meghan-related posts? Let me know in the comments- I have enough research for at least a dozen at this point 😂.
