Outfits We’re Begging Meghan Markle To Never Wear Again
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has had a host of best fashion moments, from her polished, pulled-together looks to her on-point pregnancy style, which have established her as a style icon. But even fashion darlings can disappoint. Like showing undergarments on official royal visits (not once, but twice); choosing the wrong designer or color for christenings; or getting sloppy with her jeans and her ironing. Because, like it or not, there are rules to be adhered to when you’re in the style spotlight and a royal. Even for someone who doesn’t mind rocking the regal boat, there are certain protocols that should have been followed previously that Markle ignored.
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But that may be a thing of the past. In March 2024, it was reported that Markle hired celebrity stylist Jamie Mizrahi, per Vogue. Mizrahi, named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s top stylists in Tinseltown, also works with Jennifer Lawrence, Adele, Riley Keough, and Nicole Richie. We can only hope that with Mizrahi’s guidance, Markle never wears any of these outfits again.
The tragedy of wrinkled clothes
Meghan Markle is known for having an expensive taste in clothing. But does it do the pieces justice if they look sloppy? The press has frequently pointed out how often Markle’s clothes are wrinkled, skewering her on numerous occasions. As the Daily Mail noted in 2019, even her Givenchy wedding gown was wrinkled. The publication interviewed Scott Henshall, former creative director for Brit brand Mulberry, who pointed the finger at Markle’s fabric choices for the cascade of creases. “Typically synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, and olefin have a natural resistance to wrinkles and a greater stability since they do not absorb water as efficiently,” he told the outlet. He suggested knit, lyocell (known as Tencel), and polyester, or a blend of one of these with cotton, rayon, or silk. He pointed out that Markle’s sister-in-law — Catherine, Princess of Wales — often wears knits.
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Maybe Markle is just one of those people who doesn’t care about wrinkles, but plenty do. Daily Mail readers had much to say on the topic, with one commenter writing, “Give the people what they want to see. A woman suitable to represent the Country and Queen. Try that instead of fighting against tradition and showing up in public looking like you’d rather be in LA.”
The christening outfits that failed protocol
Whether you believe Meghan Markle should follow royal protocol or not, many Brits see it as extremely disrespectful when she does not. One such example was at her son Archie’s July 2019 christening. Markle looked beautifully polished in Dior, as seen on her and Prince Harry’s Sussex Royal Instagram account. But even then, she failed to follow royal rules. For highly publicized occasions such as this, it’s expected that royals pick British designers. Her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, opted for Stella McCartney, for example, and wore Alexander McQueen to her own children’s christenings.
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Markle had also found herself the subject of criticism when she wore olive green to her nephew Prince Louie’s July 2018 christening. Usually, it’s expected that the women wear soft, muted shades — think pastels and creams. But not for the duchess, who opted for a boat-neck Ralph Lauren number. One Reddit user called out Markle, saying she looked like she was trying to be the center of attention: “You just know she chose that olive dress for the christening photos [to] stand out and be front and center even if it wasn’t her big day.”
It should be noted that attention-getting looks are not frowned upon if worn by the person who should be the focal point of the occasion. For example, when Queen Elizabeth was doing a public event, she frequently wore colorful hues so she was easy to spot in a sea of royal fans.
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Markle’s jeans have missed the mark many times
Meghan Markle has plenty of examples where she looks fantastic in jeans, and the Duchess of Sussex has been spotted in a popular pair of skinny jeans. However, the duchess’ sometimes disastrous denim looks have sparked headlines more than once. One of those instances was when she first met Prince Harry’s grandmother, the queen. According to Us Weekly, Harry wrote in his memoir, “Spare,” that they weren’t intending to meet Queen Elizabeth when they did and weren’t prepared: “I could see Meg regretting her jeans and black sweater.”
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Did she also regret the look she wore to the Invictus games in the Netherlands in April 2022? Though the outfit, with a Celine jacket, Linda Farrow aviators, Chanel flats, and a Celine bag, was good in theory, the skinny jeans from Revolve were sloppily cuffed and let the look down. Markle looks better in jeans that are cropped or come pre-cuffed, rather than trying to DIY.
Another potentially regretful moment was, again, when she may have been eschewing a dress code. In July 2019, Markle attended Wimbledon in jeans. While many people believe there is a dress code for spectators at the tennis tournament, there actually isn’t. But there is an expectation that attendees will look pulled-together if they are watching one of the more high-profile matches. Sitting in the Royal Box is another story, though. Attendees should be looking particularly polished if they’re seated in this prime spot. On this occasion, the duchess was not in the box and was seated at Court One. However, per The Daily Mail, an insider claimed Markle broke a rule when she walked in the Members’ Enclosure in her jeans — another spot at Wimbledon with a dress code as strict as the Royal Box.
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Overt undergarment mishaps
On more than one occasion, Meghan Markle has left little to the imagination (which fans of “Suits” will tell you). And Ireland in July 2018, with a bra fiasco, was one such moment. Listen, no one actually enjoys wearing strapless bras. They’re notorious for sliding down and that’s most likely what happened here: The duchess probably decided to wear her strapless bra on its tightest closure to prevent it sliding down her torso. Unfortunately, when paired with a figure-hugging dress like her gray Roland Mouret number, it showed not only the outline of the bra but the overhang of her skin where the bra was clasped too tightly. The result was a horrendously unflattering situation.
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She had a second intimates error in October 2018, while on a tour of New Zealand. When outside greeting the public, the light shone through her Givenchy skirt, seemingly revealing her undies and bare legs. It could have been an optical illusion, where the fabric wasn’t actually sheer but simply looked that way due to the sun. The truth is unclear, but if Markle did accidentally flash her undergarments, she’s not the only royal to have made this blunder. Markle’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, also once wore a “scandalous” skirt where light revealed more than she bargained for. Catherine, Princess of Wales had a similar issue at 2017’s Royal Ascot.
Markle needs to fix the terrible tailoring
Meghan Markle wore the above Carolina Herrera gown not once, but twice. Unfortunately. Why? Mostly because of the distracting pleats where the nipple darts are. The tailoring tragedy doesn’t end there. The first iteration of the gown, worn to a gala in November 2021, had a full ball gown skirt, which wasn’t improved when it was slimmed down to a figure-hugging silhouette for an October 2024 event. Both left Markle looking frumpy. With her hair and makeup looking very natural to gel with the vibe of her re-used dress, clearly the duchess was going for a look that read conscientious and earthy. (She’s on trend in that regard — even celebrities’ children are re-wearing their parents’ red carpet looks.)
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We’re all for recycling, bravo on her, but make sure it was good in the first place before you go to the trouble and expense of tailoring. While we hope she never wears this dress again, perhaps she’ll find that the third time’s a charm? But only if she gets those boob puckers fixed first.
The Most Inappropriate Royal Outfits
While many of us have to follow a policy of appropriate dress in the workplace, the royal dress code establishes a whole new meaning to the word “appropriate.” From young Prince George who is always required to wear shorts — no matter the weather — to the royal ladies having to don hats during formal occasions, there’s no shortage of rules that must be followed. Of course, the thing about rules is they’re made to be broken, right? Well, the royals might not think that way. Nevertheless, they have been known to choose some inappropriate outfits from time to time.
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While some of their fashion gaffes wouldn’t cause us commoners to do much more than bat an eyelash, they’ve still managed to cause quite a lot of controversy. From eyebrow-raising costumes to clothing we probably all have in our own closets, here are some of the most inappropriate outfits ever worn by the British royal family.
