Bride-to-be’s rather right-on outfit
AT FIRST glance, Meghan’s outfit seemed so simple: chic, classic, head-to-toe black.
But make no mistake – every single item was carefully calculated to make a statement. So many of them, in fact, that the whole thing may as well have been shouting: ‘Look at just how many causes I support.’
For a start, she wore almost entirely British clothing brands, many from small ethical labels.
There was, too, the kind of fashionable, glamorous twists we expect to see from Meghan – a hint of shoulder in her deep boatneck top and even mischievous mismatched earrings. Here, we decipher the secrets of her look...
THE WELSH-MADE JEANS THAT COST €198
Meghan’s jeans were by a Welsh designer, Hiut denim (she wore the skinny €198 ‘Dina’ style). Based in Cardigan, the brand was founded by husband-and-wife team David and Clare Hieatt.
The town was once home to a factory that made 35,000 pairs of jeans each week for Marks & Spencer. But it closed in 2002 – at a loss of 400 jobs. Hiut reopened the factory in 2011 in a bid to reinvigorate the town – it now takes them about an hour and ten minutes to make one pair, compared with 11 minutes at a highly mechanised jeans industry giant. Their slogan is to ‘do one thing well’.
€335 GREEN DO-GOOD BAG
Her bag, by De Mellier London, from a distance resembles the Chloe Marcie bag – but at €335 it’s cheaper. The brand prides itself on being ‘functional and attainable, as well as socially conscious’.
Meghan rarely wears colour but here she experiments with a splash of forest green, perhaps as a homage to Welsh green.
But more than simply being chic, this stylish bag comes with a charitable purpose. For every style sold, the label donates funds to prevent infant death through the charity SOS Children’s Villages.
THE €1,532 COAT WITH A CONSCIENCE
Meghan’s silk-belted bow added a feminine touch to the masculine structure of the Stella McCartney coat – believed to cost €1,532. She’s a fan of the wrap style and often ties the knot slightly offcentre, which can stop the coat looking too bulky. Vegan Stella has taken a stance against using fur and leather and prizes her fashion for being ‘cruelty-free’ – which no doubt appeals to animal-lover Meghan.
€410 JACKET THAT’S A NOD TO CHARLES?
What’s the most appropriate print to wear in Wales? Prince of Wales check, of course (perhaps a nod to Prince Charles). That’s what Meghan opted for with this top from Theory, which aims to make the world’s most sustainable, non-polluting wool clothing.
THE €674 BOOTS BY A LONDON FAVOURITE
Sometime a gal’s social conscience doesn’t go as far as her footwear. This €674 pair of velvet block-heeled ankle boots are by UK designer Tabitha Simmons, a former model who is now a favourite with the King’s Road set.
... AND A PAIR OF TRENDY MISMATCHED EARRINGS
It has become trendy to wear mismatched earrings thanks to Chanel and Prada. Meghan picked an arrow-shaped stud by Zofia Day (€471). The brand believes in ‘giving back to the community by empowering women to follow their own passion and journey to self-love’. The other earring is a Gabriela Artigas triple star climber, sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, now in the sale for €130. These are apparently made with a ‘conscious and respectful outlook toward the environment’.