Never has one outfit been designed to send so many messages...
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 (also striking a point of difference with her future sister-in-law Kate, who usually wears more established designers). This was perhaps buoyed by the rapturous reception received by the £42 M&S jumper Meghan wore on her last engagement in Brixton, South London.
There was, too, the kind of fashionable, glamorous twists we expect to see from Meghan — a hint of shoulder in her deep boat-neck top and even mischievous mismatched earrings. Here, we decipher the secrets of her look...
THE WELSH-MADE JEANS THAT COST £175
Meghan’s jeans were by a Welsh designer, Hiut denim (she wore the skinny £175 ‘Dina’ style). Based in Cardigan, the brand was founded by husband and wife team David and Clare Hieatt in a response to the sad decline of the British cloth manufacturing trade.
The town was home to a factory that made 35,000 pairs of jeans each week for Marks & Spencer. But it closed in 2002 when production was moved to Morocco to cut costs — 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’.
£295 GREEN DO-GOOD BAG
Her bag, by De Mellier London from a distance resembles the Chloe Marcie bag — but at £295 it’s far 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, Meghan’s 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. A representative of the brand said the handbag sighting was ‘a bit of a shock’, and they believe that Meghan purchased the design herself.
THE £1,350 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 £1,350. She’s a fan of the wrap style – this is the third we’ve seen her in – and often ties the knot slightly off-centre, 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.
£360 JACKET THAT’S A NOD TO CHARLES?
What’s the most appropriate print to wear in Wales? Prince of Wales check, of course (and perhaps it’s a nod to her future father in law too). That’s what Meghan opted for with this top by New York designer Theory, which is leading a drive to make the most sustainable, non-polluting wool clothing in the world.
THE £594 BOOTS BY A SLOANE FAVOURITE
Sometime a gal’s social conscience doesn’t go as far as her footwear. Her £594 pair of velvet block heeled ankle boots are by British designer Tabitha Simmons, a former model who is now a favourite with the King’s Road set.
... AND A PAIR OF TRENDY MISMATCHED EARRINGS
As bizarre as it will sound to anyone over the age of 40, it’s recently become trendy to wear mismatched earrings thanks to catwalk shows such as Chanel and Prada which have shown off the style.
Meghan is clearly a fan of the trend — she’s picked an arrowshaped stud by Zofia Day (£415) that she’s worn before in October’s Vanity Fair. 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 £ 114.21. These are apparently made with a ‘conscious and respectful outlook toward the environment’. GRAND TOTAL: £3,303