The fashion Meghan Markle wears in Harry & Meghan plays out like a carefully curated reel of normalness. Plaid J. Crew shirts, Ray-Ban aviators, and denim cut-offs populate the montage clips of the couple’s love story as they work hard to show that, at the heart of this media storm, they are just two regular people who found one another via Instagram and wore animal onesies to celebrate their engagement.
Except that nothing about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s narrative is ordinary. And the curation of those clothes has been pored over to the nth degree. For the interview segments of the Netflix documentary, during which Meghan lays bare the reality of becoming a prince’s girlfriend, the former actor wears a pale blue cashmere Krista Elsta sweater. The relaxed piece, designed to comfort yet still look chic, was selected for its affordability (yours for $189), anonymity (you might only come across the Latvia-based brand on Etsy), and accessibility (most labels will offer a variation on this slouchy style). The everywoman sweater shows a softer, more approachable side to a public figurehead who is putting down her armor to tell her side of a tale that has been rehashed countless times.
There’s more to that cosy wool blend. The color emulates the neutral palette Meghan adopted as the newest recruit of The Firm—one who was not allowed to wear the same hues as the more senior members of the royal family. With block shades (the uniform of Her Majesty) out and jewel tones Kate Middleton’s territory, the duchess landed on caramels, beiges, and oatmeals. “I wore a lot of muted tones, so I could just blend in,” says the Suits star in volume one. “I’m not trying to stand out here…there’s no version of me joining this family and trying to not do everything I could to fit in.”
While Meghan’s commitment to cream and camel made those occasional pops of paintbox brights—such as the electric-blue Victoria Beckham dress she wore to bow out of British royal life—all the more powerful, her retreat back to subdued style now suggests a certain caution once more. From the white custom Louis Vuitton dress she recently wore to receive the Ripple of Hope Award to the brandless ivory silk shirt from her other Harry & Meghan interview look, there is nothing new to say about the duchess’s style—exactly what she wants as she tries to take control of her image.
The forever accessories, including a Cartier Love bracelet and Tank watch, that also get airtime in Harry & Meghan also nod to the classicism she is trying to cultivate. While Meghan Markle’s admiration for the maison’s iconic timepiece predates her life in the royal family (she bought herself a two-tone version back in 2015, which she engraved with “To M.M. From M.M.”), her gold Tank nods to the former Princess of Wales, who also loved the sleek French accessory inspired by war engines. Watch the Netflix show again and it’s impossible not to see these themes of strength and sentimentality play out. Make no mistake, this is an individual who knows exactly what kind of message she is putting across with her clothes.
This post was originally published in British
