Fashion is danger, especially when you're a working royal who somehow neglects to remove the proof of purchase. From overly subdued colors to mismatched pieces, here are Meghan Markle's most unflattering style blunders.
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00:00Fashion is danger, especially when you're a working royal who somehow neglects to remove
00:05the proof of purchase. From overly subdued colors to mismatched pieces, here are Meghan
00:10Markle's most unflattering style blunders.
00:14There are times when a baggy outfit works quite well and fits the occasion to a T, even
00:18in formal settings. Alas, Meghan Markle didn't quite nail this casual aesthetic when she
00:23appeared at the South by Southwest festival on International Women's Day in 2024. She
00:28was there to speak as part of a panel called Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives, How
00:32Women Lead On and Off the Screen.
00:35Perhaps in a bid to appear both effortless and fashionable, Meghan opted for an outfit
00:39by Juleva Heritage as she paired a pinstripe champagne shirt with a matching skirt. While
00:44this was a valiant effort to turn business casual on its head, something about the look
00:48just didn't pay off. Meghan appeared swamped by the billowy set, and it simply looked dull
00:53under the stage lights.
00:55But we'll give her credit where it's due, as it was nice to see her hair down in loose
00:59waves instead of her signature bun. Plus, the gold Bottega Veneta-knot earrings lent
01:04the outfit a much-needed bit of sparkle.
01:06Your voice is, um, not small. It just needs to be heard.
01:10When you're about to marry into the royal family, there's undoubtedly a lot of pressure
01:14for your gown to be absolutely perfect. After all, it will be seen by millions and will
01:18become part of history. Alas, many observers were disappointed by the Duchess of Sussex's
01:23simple, white matrimonial Givenchy dress with three quarter-length sleeves. Many felt
01:28that it was simply too plain for such a grand occasion, even if it did cost around $265,000.
01:35The simplicity of the gown wasn't the only thing that ruffled pundits' feathers, as there
01:39were questions about whether it had been properly fitted. Even royal stylist Amelia Wickstead
01:44told the Daily Mail,
01:45"...if you choose a simple design, the fit should be perfect. Her wedding dress was quite
01:49loose."
01:50This sentiment was echoed by pop star Katy Perry, who told Entertainment Tonight,
01:53"...I would have done one more fitting."
01:55"...I'm never not gonna tell the truth. One more fitting. But I love you."
02:00Before she was Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, she was simply Meghan Markle, an actor who
02:04became famous thanks to the hit USA legal series, Suits. She isn't the first Hollywood
02:08starlet to marry into royalty, but she is the only one thus far to do so in the age
02:13of social media. And because she was already famous before she started dating Prince Harry,
02:17there are plenty of pre-royalty photos of her on red carpets and the like. Some of her
02:22looks are perfectly put together and well-executed, while others aren't quite so glamorous.
02:27In 2013, Markle attended the annual Charity Day, hosted by Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC,
02:32at their office in New York City. She opted to keep it modest, with a knee-length dress,
02:37but the bold pattern stuck out — and not in a good way. The blue and yellow shapes
02:41and shiny material gave this vibe a distinct office look, but not even her Suits character
02:46Rachel Zane would have worn something like this.
02:492013 was a time of some incredible trends like monochrome and suiting, so it's puzzling
02:53to try to understand why Meghan went down this route. Overall, this dress is simultaneously
02:58dated and futuristic, while also kind of visually overwhelming.
03:03By 2019, Meghan Markle was officially a member of the royal squad. However, she was still
03:08relatively new to the whole operation. While Catherine, Princess of Wales, had almost a
03:12decade of royal style practice under her belt before she married Prince William, Meghan
03:16and Harry got married less than two years after they started dating. Maybe it's this
03:21lack of experience that lulled Meghan into a false sense of fashion security when she
03:25chose this burgundy leather skirt and sweater combo. She wore the outfit while attending
03:30a roundtable discussion on gender equality with the Queen's Commonwealth Trust in Windsor
03:33alongside Harry.
03:35While not a total disaster, the sweater created a bulky silhouette when tucked into the tight
03:39leather skirt, and her messy updo would have been more fitting for a Hollywood luncheon.
03:44On paper, the idea of a monochromatic look would seem perfect for this type of event.
03:49After all, Queen Elizabeth was known for wearing only one color at a time. However, the different
03:53shades of burgundy clashed, and this look just seemed more fitting for a vampy soap
03:57opera character.
03:58It may not be the worst thing Meghan has ever worn, but it's certainly not her best, either.
04:03It's definitely a no for me, though.
04:06Anyone who follows the British royal calendar knows that Royal Ascot is one of the most
04:10important events of the year. This prestigious racehorse competition also happens to be a
04:14major fashion occasion. Kate Middleton has certainly pulled off some incredible looks
04:18over the years here, and she's not the only one, as Princess Diana undeniably sported
04:23some of the best Royal Ascot looks ever.
04:25Alas, Meghan Markle hasn't been able to reach the high bar set by them. She attended Royal
04:30Ascot for the first time in 2018 alongside Prince Harry. As of 2024, it's the only time
04:36that she's gone. While many Royal Ascot attendees tend to don charming prints, bold textures,
04:42fun silhouettes, and rich pastels, Meghan opted for a far more subdued pick. Instead
04:47of a whimsical or colorful frock, she wore a white button-down Givenchy shirtdress with
04:52a black belt.
04:53The long-sleeved number felt a little matronly as opposed to chic, especially when paired
04:57with a black-and-white hat and black clutch bag. Furthermore, the handkerchief hemline
05:01was a bit underwhelming. Suffice it to say, Meghan's dress left many observers wanting
05:06more, including those across the pond. Shortly after she made her Royal Ascot debut, The
05:11New York Post declared that her royal style felt frumpy.
05:15Out of all of the annual royal events, trooping the color certainly ranks among the most prestigious.
05:21The celebration is an over-the-top display that the British public absolutely adores,
05:25at least because it's meant to honor the monarch's birthday. The fashion at Trooping
05:29the Color has been an important part of the day for decades, with all eyes on the best-dressed
05:33attendees.
05:34In 2019, Meghan and Harry were still senior working royals, so they made sure to appear
05:39at the ceremony while decked out in their finest. Meghan opted to wear yet another Givenchy
05:43look, this time a navy blue number by the designer Claire Waight Keller. Unfortunately,
05:48the cut wasn't exactly flattering for the Duchess, with the high neckline and angular
05:53sleeves broadening her shoulders. She was also spotted in navy leather gloves, and at
05:57first glance, they almost looked like disposable food prep gloves. Altogether, this was a largely
06:02underwhelming choice for an event that's literally dedicated to color.
06:06Other members of the family, including Queen Elizabeth, have previously opted for something
06:10bright to commemorate the joyous day. That being said, Meghan reportedly made an effort
06:14to wear duller colors when she was a working royal so that she wouldn't upstage those who
06:19were higher-ranking than her.
06:21After Meghan and Harry made their abrupt exit from the United Kingdom, many pundits wondered
06:26if they would ever attend a royal event again. Though they did step down from their senior
06:30duties in order to figure things out, that didn't mean that they cut ties with the House
06:34of Windsor forever and completely. Meghan has always made a point of praising her grandmother-in-law,
06:40and she even named her second child, Lilibet, after her.
06:43Perhaps then it was out of respect for Elizabeth that Meghan chose to return to the UK to participate
06:48in a service of thanksgiving for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
06:52Meghan was all smiles on the day, and while her outfit wasn't a total disaster, it could
06:57have turned out significantly better. She wore a Dior stone white trench coat with an
07:01oversized collar and three-quarter sleeves that appeared more tight than fitted. The
07:05coat dress was belted at the waist, and the look was topped off with a wide-brimmed Dior
07:09hat. It was worn at a jaunty angle to accommodate Meghan's trademark low bun. But when viewed
07:15from a certain perspective, Meghan's hair wasn't visible, thereby creating a slightly
07:19peculiar effect. Regardless, the duchess appeared in good form during what was one of her final
07:24visits to the country before Elizabeth's death.
07:27Working royals have a number of duties, including trekking around the globe to meet with various
07:31heads of state. So before Meghan and Harry parted ways with the royal family, they made
07:36a number of official visits to other countries. And during one of those visits, Meghan made
07:40a small, albeit very noticeable, style mistake.
07:43While in Tonga in 2018, she wore a striking red dress, but she unfortunately forgot to
07:48remove the tag from the bottom of the skirt's hem. This is the sort of faux pas that pretty
07:53much anyone would cringe at, no matter how much they do or don't care about fashion.
07:57As Meghan walked down the steps arm-in-arm with her husband, the tag could be seen flapping
08:01in the wind next to her chic black pumps.
08:04The red floral dress from Self Portrait may have fared better if not for this oversight,
08:08but alas, it ultimately made headlines for all the wrong reasons. While some observers
08:13gave Meghan some grace and insisted that it was a rather relatable mistake, there was
08:17no shortage of jokes about if she was planning on returning the dress.
08:21So crazy, it just might work."
08:28As lovely as the dress was, it's no stretch to say that her ensemble was overshadowed
08:31by the small rectangle dangling from her hemline. Thankfully, Meghan seems to have learned from
08:36this slip-up and become more vigilant with tag removal in the years since.
08:40In 2018, the best moments from Harry and Meghan's wedding were still fresh in the public consciousness.
08:46Nobody quite knew how things would play out over the next couple of years, or just how
08:49much the House of Windsor would be rocked. In the early days of their marriage, Harry
08:53and Meghan were mainly keeping busy by doing their duties and visiting other heads of state.
08:57This included hopping over to Ireland, where they schmoozed with the locals and met with
09:01the Irish leaders.
09:03While Meghan did have some style wins on that trip, she also had some losses, including
09:07an underwhelming gray dress. This calf-length number by Roland Moret was made of crepe and
09:13featured a statement ruffle on the skirt. Alas, even with the asymmetrical hem, it simply
09:17lacked that wow factor. What's more, Meghan wore a strapless bra, which didn't exactly
09:22mesh well with the shape of the dress. Instead, it created a bunched-up, almost pinched effect.
09:27It wasn't long before the media noticed and started publishing stories about this blunder.
09:32Furthermore, Meghan had previously worn a very similar dress in a much more striking
09:36blue hue, which just goes to show how much color can impact an overall look.
09:41Tailoring is always important, even if you're wearing a shift dress. And while Meghan Markle
09:44has proven that she can do it well, that's not always the case. In 2019, she wore a striking
09:50purple dress to the One Young World Summit. There's no denying that this particular color
09:54looks regal and beautiful on her.
09:56But the shape left something to be desired. The long-sleeved, ankle-length number wasn't
10:01an expensive designer piece. Rather, it was an offering from Babaton that was on sale
10:05for as little as $50 at the time. It was very nearly a hit. Again, the rich purple hue of
10:10the dress was anything but drab, and the duchess was positively glowing. If it had just been
10:15altered to fit her figure, then it would have been a perfect addition to her wardrobe. Alas,
10:20the silhouette was just a bit too shapeless.
10:22And this wasn't the first time that Meghan wore this dress, as she was previously spotted
10:26donning it while she was pregnant. Perhaps she bought it in a bigger size and didn't
10:29want to simply discard it after giving birth. That sustainability impulse is admirable,
10:34but we still wish that she'd taken it in just a bit.