21 Outfits Meghan Will Have To Ditch Now That She's The Duchess Of Sussex
Now that Meghan Markle is officially a member of the royal family, it's safe to say that royal fever hasn't stopped yet. We're not going to be obsessed with the American actress who married Prince Harry in such a special, beautiful ceremony, and it's so fun to follow along with the newlyweds. We might be a bit sour that we didn't get a wedding invite, but hey, we can forgive and forget. At least we have a lot of photos of how magical Meghan looked in her wedding dress.
Speaking of dresses, Meghan Markle is definitely known for her sense of style. When she lived in Toronto and filmed the TV show Suits, she was often snapped out and about, whether she was wearing a cute and chic outfit of denim and jacket or was ready for a yoga class. Her fashion choices up until now haven't been "royal" since, of course, she wasn't a member of the royal clan and wasn't thinking that way. But now that she's married to Prince Harry, she going to have to do a little upgrade to her wardrobe that's for sure. We can't imagine the Queen being okay with ripped jeans and baseball caps.
We rounded up 21 outfits that Meghan will have to ditch now that she's the Duchess of Sussex!
21 She's Gonna Have To Say "Bye-Bye" To Yankees Hats
This outfit is incredibly chic, from the skinny jeans to the flats to the beige coat, but it's not an outfit that we would assume that a royal could wear. The jeans are too casual for sure, but one thing stands out and that's the Yankees baseball cap that Meghan has got on.
We definitely, absolutely never see a member of the royal family wearing a baseball cap.
It's just not a thing that happens. Could we imagine seeing Kate Middleton standing at a fancy event in the beautiful dresses and coats that she loves… also wearing a baseball cap? No way.
Instyle published a story about fashion rules for the royal family, and an expert, Alexandra Messervy, was interviewed. According to InStyle, she said: "Other rules dictate common sense - skirts which are easy enough to walk in, trousers usually for casual events rather than formal ones; hats which do not shield too much of the face so that the public can see them; and shoes which are sensible or comfortable enough to stand for hours/walk in. I think Ms. Markle may tone down her heels a little bit when she does endless walkabouts!" It sounds like a baseball cap hides a lot of your face, so that's the reason that certain hats aren't favored.
20 No More Huge Tote Bags
Here's Meghan Markle is another baseball cap, which we know isn't super appreciated in the royal world, along with a cozy casual sweater and jeans. The thing that stands out in this particular photo is the tote bag.
A tote bag just isn't very royal. It's too casual. It signals traveling and walking through the airport, which she was doing in this photo, along with lugging textbooks to school or something of that nature. It's not what a royal would carry when attending any kind of party or event, and it doesn't seem like it would be favored when walking around town, either. We don't see Kate Middleton with tote bags.
In fact, people are talking about the tote bags that Meghan carries: Harper's Bazaar said, "Meghan Markle may have broken royal etiquette today by carrying a handbag rather than a clutch as is customary. This seemingly small styling choice has more significance than you might think. The Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge are often seen with clutches or bags with a small handle - which they will then often grasp with two hands - to avoid shaking hands with people with whom it might be awkward." That definitely makes sense.
19 Trading In Those Tall Boots
No doubt about it, Meghan Markle looks chic and sophisticated in this outfit, which she wore before she was a royal. It begs the question, do royals wear tall boots like the ones that Meghan Markle is sporting in this picture?
It seems like the answer is no.
When it comes to the fashion rules that the royal family must follow, there's no strict policy against wearing boots exactly, but it seems like it would be frowned upon since people say that The Queen doesn't think that anyone should wear wedges.
An expert said in Harper's Bazaar, "The Queen isn't a fan of wedged shoes. She really doesn't like them and it's well known among the women in the family."
When royals pick out shoes and are deciding on high heels, they also have to make sure that their heel isn't taller than six inches. It's impossible to tell how high these tall boots are that Meghan is wearing in this photo, but one thing is for sure: she can't wear high-heeled boots now that she's a royal. And the fact that we don't see royals in boots, short or tall, seems to speak volumes. There might not be an official, formal rule about it, but it might be one of those unspoken things that everyone understands.
18 Ditch The Black Clothes
Wearing an all-black outfit is a simple way to look chic no matter where we're going. We can don casual all-black clothing to head to the gym like maybe Meghan Markle was doing when this photo was taken, or wear something fancier to a fancier event. Black never goes out of style and is always a good idea… or at least it is for celebrities and regular non-royal people.
It's not the case for the Royals: black is apparently not a thing that royals usually wear. According to InStyle, expert Alexandra Messervy once said, "Generally it is thought that black is not usually worn unless in mourning, although Diana Princess of Wales did occasionally wear it for evening functions, and The Duchess of Cambridge has been known to do so. I note that there was a bit of an outcry recently when Ms. Markle wore black for a daytime event, but in the modern age I don't think that it is 'frowned' upon so much at all, and indeed funeral codes often state 'colors/no black."
It's definitely rare to see Kate Middleton in an all-black ensemble and it's more common to see her in colors, so this royal fashion rule is interesting to note for sure.
17 Say Sayonara To Short Shorts
One look at this photo of Meghan Markle and it's safe to say that short shorts aren't considered appropriate by the royal family. Even without looking at the rules and what people have said about the subject, we would think that for sure. And it turns out that there is a rule about it… at least, kind of.
Boys in the royal family can wear shorts and then they start wearing pants after a certain age, which is why we often see adorable Prince George wearing shorts.
According to Marie Claire, Kate Middleton doesn't wear skirts that are super short: "Full-length skirts or dresses are customary for white tie or formal evening dress. Elsewhere, the choice of skirt length may vary according to the nature of the event and dress code. It may also depend on the culture of a country they are visiting."
Based on the fact that shorter skirts aren't acceptable, we would assume that means that short shorts aren't cool. And even regular length shorts probably don't make the cut. We would also assume that royals wouldn't even want or think to wear shorts since they don't see others wearing this style. It would definitely be a bold fashion choice that would stand out.
16 Save The Straw Fedora For Beach Vacations
We know that the royals love their hats… and that's an understatement. They seem to love an occasion to wear something amazing. We don't see photos from any kind of event that royals attend without at least some of the women wearing fancy, fabulous hats. Of course, those hats are usually massive and very interesting, and they're usually very colorful, too. We don't see royals wearing the kind of straw fedora that Meghan Markle is sporting in this particular photo.
The Royals do have rules about wearing hats: according to The Cut, when Meghan went to a memorial recently and didn't wear a "fascinator" and wore another type of hat instead, people were surprised and upset. Fascinators are the way to go when you're a royal and you need a hat.
Since her black hat that still looked fairly funeral-appropriate but was still pretty casual wasn't considered royal, we're pretty confident that a straw hat or fedora wouldn't be considered a good look for a royal, either, so she'll probably have to save this for beach vacations (because it seems like that would be considered an okay time to wear it, since fancy and large fascination might be a bit much for that type of environment, but we're not sure).
15 Put Away Those Jean Shorts
Meghan Markle is a fan of jean shorts and other shorts, or at least she was in her former life before she became a member of the royal family. She will have to retire these denim shorts for sure, and maybe she can wear something like this if she's on vacation somewhere super private and there's no chance of being photographed, but she definitely couldn't wear this to an event or when making a public appearance.
As the expert, Alexandra Messervy, said in InStyle, "They don't usually wear sleeveless dresses and they usually wear clothes which are not too short in the hemline because of bending down and sitting in public."
This is definitely an interesting fashion rule since it speaks to how the royal family lives their life in the spotlight.
They seem to be expected to always look acceptable since they deal with the public so often.
Sure, when we wear shorts or a short skirt or dress, we try to be careful about getting out of cars or bending over. We don't want to flash random people and embarrass ourselves. But it's not like we're as famous as the Royals are and we don't have to live our life that way.
14 Hibernate The Beanie, Puffer Jacket, And Winter Boots
There are no specific or particular rules about royals wearing winter clothes, but it's safe to say that we don't see Prince William, Prince Harry, or Kate Middleton walking around in a puffer jacket and casual boots like these. It's just too informal of a look for royals.
There's another reason that Meghan Markle might have to ditch the beanie, puffer jacket, jeans, and boots that she's wearing in this picture: they're too casual and that's something that royals have to be careful about.
As BBC put it, "In private, who knows whether the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge lounge around in matching onesies. But there is still a dress code to adhere to when dressing casually and being seen in public. For ladies, a smart day dress or trousers teamed with a jacket or cardigan is considered acceptable while for gentlemen it is a blazer with a collared shirt and chinos. Prince William and Catherine tend to follow these traditional rules but sometimes let their modern edge slip on a dress-down day - by wearing jeans." They quoted an expert who said jeans might be okay in one circumstance: "But if the duchess is outside walking the dogs for example, then jeans are fine."
13 No More Short Striped Dress
According to The Cheat Sheet, "Speaking of dress codes, members of the royal family must dress modestly. Which is why you rarely see them in casual clothing."
Sure, there isn't a royal rule that says no striped dresses or no white sneakers, but the fact that people don't think that being too casual is viewed as a good thing in the eyes of the royals speaks volumes and seems to suggest that Meghan Markle can't wear this kind of outfit now.
Of course, that doesn't seem like such a big deal, right?! Meghan and Harry are totally in love and she's embarking on a fabulous new life.
As the royal wedding photographer told The LA Times, "They are fantastic - very open and very gracious. They are just good normal people. There are no airs or graces about them. They are super cute together, I mean, ridiculously cute. Every time they talked to each other, glanced at each other, there would be a little giggle, a little smile and the glint in the eye. The beautiful thing about them is that they know what their platform is. They know how much good they can do with that platform. When you get two people like that, it's a power team. Power couple."
12 No More White Shirt/Ripped Jeans Combo
There isn't a royal rule that says "Royals should never wear ripped jeans" but, hey, we're fairly certain that this is an unspoken thing that everyone understands. We don't see Kate Middleton in ripped jeans when she's attending events… or even in jeans, really, when we think about it.
Meghan does like to be comfy and casual: she once said, according to matchesfashion.com: "I used to try to wear what people told me looked great, as opposed to what I was comfortable in… Wear what makes you comfortable, and isn't going to make you cringe in three years when you see the photo."
There are quite a few things about this look that don't scream "royal." The floppy straw hat isn't the kind of hat that royals want to wear. The cross-body purse isn't the typical, traditional clutch that Kate Middleton carries around when she goes places. The white shirt might be considered okay, but the fact that royals love to wear color seems to suggest that it might be too boring, and then there's the fact that it's a bit of a casual style. The sandals are also not really a shoe that royals would wear or think are appropriate to have on.
11 Too Much Of A Casual Look
Royals don't wear this kind of outfit, from the vest to the sweater to the jeans, or at least not in public. It's just too casual.
We know that she always looks super stylish and we're sure that even though she will have to leave the jeans and sweaters behind, she'll be great in her new royal role.
She has such a strong, logical head on her shoulders and we can see that when we read interviews with her.
She once said in an interview with Best Health that she's all about self-care: "As I'm getting older, my approach to aging is quite different. I make sure that I take care of my skin and body, especially with the work hours I have. And I don't just take care of myself for aesthetic reasons but because how I feel is dictated by what I'm eating, how much rest I'm getting and how much water I'm drinking. If I don't have time for a long workout, I'll grab my dog and go for a quick run. Being active is my own moving meditation.”
She also said about "timeless" fashion in Best Health Mag: "When you invest in a great piece, you're going to pull it out of your closet again and again and put it with a different top or a different sweater. It creates a different, more modern look but it's still the same timeless items."
10 No More Black Outfits
Whenever Meghan Markle has been spotted wearing black, at least since she and Prince Harry have had their royal romance, people have commented on it. As the editor of website Meghan's Mirror, Christine Ross, said in an interview with E! News of an appearance that Meghan made: "Meghan is already showing us that she is carving her own path as a royal. She is pushing the royal envelope with her style choices. Royalty almost never wears black, except for somber occasions, so today's look was a surprise for royal watchers. The no-black rule is followed by every major royal woman around the world. Meghan looked very chic and professional, but I don't imagine we will see much more black after the wedding,"
Since Meghan was also wearing pants during that appearance, Christine Ross said, "Her choice to wear trousers was a pleasant surprise to many as well. Bootcut black trousers are such a professional, timeless style, especially for more formal events. We almost never see the Duchess of Cambridge wearing them and this really shows that Meghan is not taking style notes from anyone. She's doing it her own way, and staying true to herself as her role in the royal family grows."
9 The Wrong Kind Of Fabric
It might not seem like royals have to think about the kinds of fabrics that they are wearing, but they actually do. It's all about making sure that fabrics don't "crease." It seems like the shirt that Meghan is wearing here is too casual and might crease, and then there's also the fact that she's wearing denim shorts, which aren't very royal.
It's interesting because Meghan Markle's sense of style seems to be the exact opposite of what royals wear.
Yes, she looks glam and sophisticated and elegant when she dresses up, so there is no doubt in our minds that she will look wonderful in her new role. Her old style was "California girl" and that doesn't seem to cut it in the royal family.
A lot of people are talking about the change in the way that Meghan is dressing now that she's a royal and married to Prince Harry vs. the clothes that she wore before. As The Sun put it, "Since she met Prince Harry in 2016, the bride-to-be has gone from girl-next-door starlet to chic Royal star with the fashion world's eyes on her. Gone are the miniskirts and bandeau dresses worn at celebrity parties and press events. Instead, ladylike length skirts, tailored separates and polished coats and blouses refine her simple look."
8 Royals Don't Wear Yoga Clothes
Royals don't wear leggings and they don't wear flats, so it's safe to say that this is not an outfit that Meghan can repeat. Have we ever seen a royal in leggings?! It's almost a rhetorical question. Since jeans aren't considered a good idea when a royal is choosing an outfit for a public appearance, it seems like leggings would be in the "no" category as well, and we're pretty confident about that.
According to a story on Meghan's new "daily routine" in Business Insider, they made a good point: "Given her commitment to pursuits like healthy eating and yoga, it's likely that some aspects of her old routine will carry into her new life as the Duchess of Sussex." The story also mentioned that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are both into breaking a sweat and she likes to keep up her yoga practice as well as run around Kensington Palace.
Meghan has been quoted talking about her love of yoga in The Sun: “My mom was a yoga instructor so that practice is in my blood. There are so many benefits that come with [yoga] - increased flexibility and muscle strength, greater happiness, increased mental focus, a greater ability to relax, decreased anxiety and better sleep.”
7 High-Heels Are A Big No
We would say that this striped t-shirt and an overall combination would be too casual for a royal, which is one reason why this wouldn't be an outfit that Meghan can repeat now that she's part of that world, but the high heels also seem too high.
Since there's a dress code that royals follow, it makes sense that shoes are included in that list. According to Bustle, shoes have to be closed-toed and wedges aren't allowed, either.
So when a royal is choosing which shoes to wear, they have to keep in mind the style of the shoe and the height as well.
Since we also know that shorts and jeans aren't on the list of what royals are expected to wear, we can assume that these overalls would be out, too. After all, they are very casual and while Meghan looks absolutely amazing and gorgeous and style here, it's probably not a royally approved outfit. We wonder if Meghan will be sad to say goodbye to her collection of super high heels? We bet she has an awesome amount of them (and her closet is probably almost too amazing… which we won't even begin to think about because we'll just get super jealous).
6 Not A Royal Combo
It's easy to guess that this get-up of a white shirt, jeans, a tote bag, and a colorful scarf wouldn't be considered very royal.
According to The Telegraph, there is a certain vibe that royals need to give off when they're deciding what to wear: "There should be no doubt who the royal guest of honour is in a room: they should look majestic and regal. For royal dressmakers, this is far more complex than simply designing a show-stopping outfit. A whole host of elements have to be addressed, such as setting, backdrops and media scrutiny. How a particular colour or type of fabric looks in photographs must also be considered."
Based on that, we can assume that Meghan won't be wearing jeans and carrying around a huge tote bag anymore. Also, of course, there's the fact that royals are supposed to carry clutches and not larger bags, so this bag would be a no-no for sure.
Another interesting royal fashion rule? Wearing a lot of colors: as The Telegraph put it, "The most recent outfit choices of the Queen, who favours bold purples, vivid oranges and bright pinks, emphasise how powerful wearing a single colour from head to knee can be."
5 Not Enough Color Here And High Heels Are A Problem
There are a few reasons that this outfit wouldn't be fit for a royal: the super high heels, the black tights, the black jacket, the short dress, and the fact that the dress is black and white and therefore not very colorful. The overall vibe is also more casual and fun than sophisticated and elegant, and wearing clothes that are casual and fun don't seem part of the fashion rules that royals have to follow.
Meghan does look great here, of course, because she has always been amazing at putting outfits together.
And we know that she'll look great even in her new role as a royal and even with the fashion rules.
As she said about her style in an interview once, according to matchesfashion.com: "It's a lot more relaxed than Rachel's. If I think about my style icons, I love [stylist] Géraldine Saglio, and [French Vogue editor] Emmanuelle Alt. The way I dress is really monochromatic or tonal, and I like really classic pieces. I also love that French way of styling, where if your outfit is pulled together, then something's got to be dishevelled - your hair, your make-up. Whereas with Rachel, everything is just polished and perfect. There's something really pretty about effortless beauty."
4 Miniskirts, Goodbye
Do we see Kate Middleton walking around in a mini skirt? Does she wear one when dropping her kids off at school or attending an event? Nope, definitely not. Mini skirts don't seem to be a thing that is considered appropriate or acceptable to wear when you're a member of the royal family. It's safe to say that Meghan Markle will have to ditch a mini skirt like the one that she is wearing in this photo now that she has officially married Prince Harry.
Royals also are supposed to wear tights (or pantyhose or whatever you want to call them) when they're out and about. Some people assume that means nude tights so they don't stand out so much but apparently it's okay to have colorful tights, according to InStyle. Since there is a rule about wearing tights and not having bare legs under dresses when going to events, it seems that wearing a mini shirt is definitely not considered cool (and there's a rule about not wearing short skirts, so, yeah, skirt length is something to be aware of). Meghan has been a fan of short skirts and shorts for a while and there are so many photos of her dressed this way, but it seems like that will have to change.
3 Cover Up That Crop Top And Trade In That Purse
There doesn't seem to be an official royal rule about not wearing crop tops, but we would say with 100 percent confidence that they aren't okay. Just a hunch that we have…
Meghan Markle looks absolutely chic and gorgeous in this get-up, from her navy blue crop top and matching pants to her blush pink jacket, and we wouldn't mind having the bright blue bag that she's carrying.
But she probably can't wear this outfit again now that she's a royal, or an outfit like this one since crop tops aren't exactly 'royal' attire.
Do we see Kate Middleton sporting them? Nope, not really. Okay, never.
Another thing that stands out here is the purse that Meghan is carrying. Royals are more into clutches. According to The Sun, royals carry clutches when they go out so they don't have to shake hands with people. As a royal expert named Myka Meier said, "When the Duchess is at an event, she holds her bag in front of her in both hands when shaking hands might be awkward. Or she can place it in one hand to have the other free. It never gets tucked under an arm or placed on the ground or table."
2 Keep The Suit, Lose The Shorts
As we know by now, shorts don't seem to be royally approved, so this is another style choice that Meghan Markle will have to kiss goodbye now that she's a royal.
When Meghan was interviewed by Glamour magazine in May 2017, she shared some info about her fashion choices: "On a normal day, I love a shift dress with flats and a little cropped jacket. That for me is my travel wear if it's not too chilly you can throw a scarf over your legs if it's cold on the plane! On the show I wear things that are so body conscious, so it's nice to have things that are a little easier to breathe in. As I've gotten older, I like longer dresses, but my legs come up to my ears and I'm not very tall, so when I wear a short skirt I've got to be really conscious."
She also said, "I think as you get older you feel more confident and you don't need to put that much effort in - to be able to throw your hair up in that very French way doing things. If your outfit is on point, one thing has to be off for you to look perfect."
1 Miniskirts Won't Be A Thing Anymore
This outfit is a no for royals not only because of the mini skirt but because the top is white and the skirt is a pale pink. According to BBC, the Queen once said the statement, "If I wore beige, nobody would know who I am."
The Queen loves wearing bright colors and a lot has been written about that.
Since she enjoys that so much, it seems to have become part of the royal dress code, and so it would be something that Meghan Markle would be following from now on.
Of course, we're pretty sure that it's really fun to wear colors, and some of us might be too shy to wear the bright colors of our dreams… but if we had the nerve, we would for sure do that. It's going to be super exciting to see how Meghan Markle dresses in the public appearances that she makes now that she's a member of the royal family and is married to Prince Harry. We already know that we love everything that Kate Middleton wears, and we can't wait to see what Meghan chooses. Yup, there's no doubt about it: we definitely and 100 percent still have Royal Fever.
References: Harpersbazaar.com, Cosmopolitan.com, Glamourmagazine.co.uk, Thecheatsheet.com, BBC.com, Eonline.com, Besthealthmag.com