The Duchess of Sussex's Daytime Fashion Part 2: July 2018 - August 2018

[Somebody]

She’s standing on uneven cobblestones. If she has a structural problem with her feet and ankles—which I doubt—-then good on her for being brave and strong enough to continue wearing the fabulous shoes she wears. Even professional models are occasionally awkward in their stance, and some of them even fall down on the runway.

She seems to have excellent posture regardless of how her feet may appear to some.

There are few occasions at which she is not awkwardly posed when standing (at least her left foot); as far as I can see it is not 'occassional' but 'constantly'. Falling on the runway is a clear sign that they shouldn't require the models to wear bad footwear.

I don't applaud people who prefer looks (and it doesn't help that I don't think those high heels aren't flattering on anyone (but that's just my opinion) - lower heels are fine with me and would look better as she would hopefully not bend over that much) over caring for their body.

 

[MARG]

All that yoga she does has to help too.


LaRae

She must have awesome core strength! I think she may change the habit of buying her shoes half a size larger and look at the viable alternatives. There are magic gel insoles etc. which I find myself wearing these days. Stilettoes are divine and I love the strappy ones Meghan wore before the wedding and hope we'll see more of them, but I really adore her suede Aquazzura Deneuve Courts (presumably named for Catherine Deneuve) because they have a little bit of whimsy.

Checking out the bags, the one she used with her black suit was awful and watching her trying to hold it while shaking hands was painful. She actually seems to manage handbags with ease and a small black bag with a handle would have done the job a lot better.

 

[Pranter]

She must have awesome core strength! I think she may change the habit of buying her shoes half a size larger and look at the viable alternatives. There are magic gel insoles etc. which I find myself wearing these days. Stilettoes are divine and I love the strappy ones Meghan wore before the wedding and hope we'll see more of them, but I really adore her suede Aquazzura Deneuve Courts (presumably named for Catherine Deneuve) because they have a little bit of whimsy.

Checking out the bags, the one she used with her black suit was awful and watching her trying to hold it while shaking hands was painful. She actually seems to manage handbags with ease and a small black bag with a handle would have done the job a lot better.

I think she has to be super strong in her core, so is Kate (remember the straight rise from a squat in high heels while holding Charlotte?)..but I think I read she does yoga too.

The handbags...really they don't need handbags. They aren't going to pop round the grocery after an event on the way home...the other day she did an event without any bag or clutch, much smoother not dealing with a bag.

LaRae

 

[MaiaMia_53]

I find her strategy with clothes after getting married to be all over the place and it's becoming frustrating.

She was much better pre-wedding. She wore a good mix of high street brands with more expensive brands, a good mix of British, Common wealth and local brands.

Since getting married it's been very very bad. This has nothing to do with her style but the choices. She's been married almost two months but primarily wore French couture labels and American in that period. I usually don't mind her wearing black, but wearing full black at an event celebrating RAF 100 just made her stand out in a really bad way compared to the rest of the family. Not wearing Irish designers is Ireland is mistake, highlighting local brands is IMO one of the role of the Royal ladies when they are on tour. Wearing Irish designers in Ireland is easy points with the media. You need to get some of the easy point as well as nail the hard stuff.

I am frustrated because she was better at this before so I didn't think we had to worry but instead of keeping steady on that course she has veered completely off. Where she once showed care and thoughtfulness has completely been replaced by thoughtless disregard.

She needs to do better because the cost of clothing and the lack of local or commonwealth designers is legitimate criticism that's hard to defend against.

Actually none of this should be our worry. Meghan will make her own decisions, without any help from us standing-on-the-sidelines critics. I happen to love fashion, and I just think it's fun to watch and to be happily surprised, or a bit disappointed by what Meghan wears. It's certainly not for us to decide. And she surely can not please everybody every time she steps out the palace doors/ gates.

I loved the head-to-toe light olive green attire for Prince Louis' christening. The dark navy dress for RAF services was pretty (I find it difficult to believe the dress is black). But I found the slight puckering of seams and tight looking bodice a bit distracting. I loved the fanciful fascinator. I also loved the forest green separates upon landing in Ireland, especially the pocket detail on Meghan's skirt, and the tan shoes. I've enjoyed all her hairstyles too, the smoothed -back side bun (with no wispies), and when she wore it down for the evening garden party. The taupe Roland Mouret dress is reminiscent of the navy Mouret dress Meghan wore the day before her wedding, but the day-before wedding dress was more of a hit. Still, I was not as distracted by the fabric/ bust undergarment issues as others seem to be.

The black pants, jacket and white t-shirt were fine for the casual outing. I don't see how she is managing in those stilettos on most of her public engagements, but I guess she chooses to bring her height up as close as she can past Harry's shoulders. ?

Looking at these wonderful pictures on Mad About Meghan blog site, I think Meghan is carrying herself with ease and grace, and she seems to be enjoying the challenges and the perks of her new life:
http://madaboutmeghan.blogspot.com/

 

[MaiaMia_53]

It was black. Dior describes this dress as black in their press release

Perhaps the dress comes in black, but remember, this is a bespoke dress made specifically for Meghan. Do you have a link to the Dior press release? When designers make a bespoke dress for a royal, I'm not familiar with them necessarily releasing a statement to the public. It's different if they released a general press release on a garment in their line which is similar to what Meghan wore.

Meghan's bespoke dress is dark navy. As others noted, you can see the deep blue of it in the sun. Indoors, it had a deep sheen in a picture posted on KP's Twitter.

I don't base everything on what tabloids say, but The Sun happened to discuss the fact that although the dress was orignally thought to be black, it's actually deep navy:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/6...y-dress-to-raf-ceremony-at-westminster-abbey/

 

[Frelinghighness]

There are few occasions at which she is not awkwardly posed when standing (at least her left foot); as far as I can see it is not 'occassional' but 'constantly'. Falling on the runway is a clear sign that they shouldn't require the models to wear bad footwear.

I don't applaud people who prefer looks (and it doesn't help that I don't think those high heels aren't flattering on anyone (but that's just my opinion) - lower heels are fine with me and would look better as she would hopefully not bend over that much) over caring for their body.

I agree with you and another poster that it looks as though her shoes are too big for her, that she is wearing someone else’s shoes and that she has trouble walking and standing in them. This fashion of wearing super high heels really is not good for the feet or the back, is done only for looks at the expense of the body. Frankly I would think modern women would reject this

 

[MaiaMia_53]

I guess that's a debate worthy of a fashion summit at a feminist conference.

Everyone chooses their preference. I'd love to see Meghan mix it up and wear more moderate heels. She probably mostly wears flats off-duty. It just seems to me that she loves high-heeled shoes with her formal royal attire, and that visually she wants to be more up past Harry's shoulders. At their so-called 'first' official outing at the Invictus Games in Toronto last September, Meghan wore tan Sarah Flint flats, which showed how short she is next to Harry. That was definitely a casual attire outing.

Learning how to walk in heels is an art form. It can actually be great for building leg muscles, but not so much back and feet muscles. But if your posture is correct and you balance well, I suppose it works, particularly for yoga aficionados. ? Meghan must get lots of foot massages and all-over body massages too. As well as spending some time swimming at the palace pool, in addition to her daily yoga practice.

 

[Rudolph]

As someone who knows nothing about fashion, I commented on the way Meghan walks. It was only when @Somebody pointed out she she wobbles when she walks did it hit me.

I went back a looked at a few different videos and that’s it. She wobbles in heels.

 

[jacqui24]

As someone who’s worn high heels since middle school, I don’t think I’ve ever thought Meghan wobbles in high heel, but I suppose people see it differently. I remember running into a friend from high school while I was in college and she told me she noticed me from a far because I walked the same, apparently I looked a little flighty. But I never felt that I walked any differently or less stable than any other person, and I was certainly not what I’ve seen as wobbly or uneasy by people who weren’t used to walking in high heels (I’ve had almost 10 years of experience with high heels by that point). Sometimes you just have to be slight more cautious as you are walking in high heels under certain conditions. But I always thought the slightly more control I had to exercise wearing high heels was actually a good thing for me when I’m wearing nicer clothes.

The handbags...really they don't need handbags. They aren't going to pop round the grocery after an event on the way home...the other day she did an event without any bag or clutch, much smoother not dealing with a bag.

LaRae

I think it gives her something to do with her hands. And I thought it was wise to pair this one with the suit when they were at the sport complex as it gave a more casual look than other clutches. I noticed she didn’t have it during one of the walkabouts and it worked better. Her and Amy do need to coordinate better on when Amy should just take it from her and carry it inside her much bigger bag. Although I don’t think the first walkabout was actually in the itinerary.

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Well, Duchess Meghan definitely is building her wardrobe closet, shoes and all. Of course, she had an extensive shoe and clothes wardrobe pre-Harry too. I've never detected any 'wobbling in heels' from Meghan. But then I guess it's all according to what we each are looking for.

Meghan is certainly working it to the hilt with what she's got, which is plenty. It's going to be interesting following her royal fashion arc, as she's definitely going through a transitional phase, which is to be expected. Meghan-watching is fun. I lament not having known anything about her before she became Harry's girlfriend. But I caught up quickly since November 2016. There's plenty of Meghan fashion galleries out there to get a sense of what her sartorial style was like pre-Harry. And there's lots of fashion videos with Meghan (pre-Harry) up on Youtube.

 

[Zaira]

I wear heels constantly. It takes core strength, good posture and confidence to wear heels well and Meghan has that.

I see MANY women wobble and walk badly in heels, Meghan ain't one of them. Both her and Kate are very good in heels actually. Sophie struggles though.

I love stilettos and heels. I have a dancing background and honestly feel more comfortable in heels than in flats. I had to wear flats for a bit while healing from a pulled back and I ended up having nerve issues in my foot lol.

 

[EllieCat]

Actually none of this should be our worry. Meghan will make her own decisions, without any help from us standing-on-the-sidelines critics. I happen to love fashion, and I just think it's fun to watch and to be happily surprised, or a bit disappointed by what Meghan wears. It's certainly not for us to decide. And she surely can not please everybody every time she steps out the palace doors/ gates.

I totally agree. I think she looks very good and the clothes suit the Royal Family 'look', IMO. I wouldn't wear most of them, but that's not the point. She's representing the Royal Family and so far I think she's doing really well.

 

[_Heather_]

Weighing in on the shoes....I've commented before that Meghan clearly buys her shoes in a size that's too large for her. I understand that this is a trick many actresses use, etc. but I was hoping it would change as she transitioned into her new life. So far it doesn't seem that it has.

I love heels and wear them every other day or so and on the days I don't I usually wear cute flats so I've got nothing against a great pair of heels or even buying a shoe that you won't wear very often just because you fall in love with it. But, that being said, I too have noticed that Meghan tends to wobble in her heels and it does appear that she often has trouble keeping them on her feet which, again, goes back to them being too large. I don't often notice that she's not standing up straight when seeing pictures taken from the front or sides but often in pictures taken from the back it's very apparent that the tops of her shoes/her ankles are turned outward so that she's not actually standing up straight on the heels. I would think that this would be painful for her ankles/shins after a while but it also could certainly contribute to that wobbly look.

I'm no expert but I think much of this could be corrected by buying shoes that actually fit tightly and then stretching them a bit so that they fit comfortably but snug.

 

[jacqui24]

Weighing in on the shoes....I've commented before that Meghan clearly buys her shoes in a size that's too large for her. I understand that this is a trick many actresses use, etc. but I was hoping it would change as she transitioned into her new life. So far it doesn't seem that it has.

I love heels and wear them every other day or so and on the days I don't I usually wear cute flats so I've got nothing against a great pair of heels or even buying a shoe that you won't wear very often just because you fall in love with it. But, that being said, I too have noticed that Meghan tends to wobble in her heels and it does appear that she often has trouble keeping them on her feet which, again, goes back to them being too large. I don't often notice that she's not standing up straight when seeing pictures taken from the front or sides but often in pictures taken from the back it's very apparent that the tops of her shoes/her ankles are turned outward so that she's not actually standing up straight on the heels. I would think that this would be painful for her ankles/shins after a while but it also could certainly contribute to that wobbly look.

I'm no expert but I think much of this could be corrected by buying shoes that actually fit tightly and then stretching them a bit so that they fit comfortably but snug.

Shoes that are tight are actually bad for your feet over time. I don't know how that reporting on this actresses wear shoes in a bigger size is true or just something the media wrote up on a day they've got nothing else Meghan to write about. One thing about shoes is that your feet do expand and shoes should be prepared for that. Other than that, it's personal taste in terms of how one feels the fit should be.

And I've not noticed her ankles roll outward (but I'm not exactly looking for it either), but it's not unusual. It doesn't have much to do with the shoe size although sometimes shoes too small can have some effect. Some people can self-correct that problem (some parents have used ice skating to correct that in children). But you can also over correct and start putting too much weight on the inside of your feet and putting more pressure there. I know because I have to wear sneakers that have the support arch on the inner side or the inner side of my feet, and sometimes knees, will hurt after running.

It's generally not an issue or even something one can feel, but if you wear a pair of shoes often, most people can often see that they put more weight in one area (inside or outside and it can even be corners) than others.

 

[Fros]

This is going to sound very weird but bear with me. There are photos of her wearing flip flops that show that the toe right next to the big toe is quite a bit longer than her big toe. Unless you get your shoe custom designed commercial sizes don't take that into account and so she has to buy a bigger size for her feet to have room.

Flats are much easier on your feet and are much more accommodating to that issue. In 90% of the pictures we've seen of her casually before she got married to Harry she wore flats. All the paps shots and everything unless it was a formal event she wore flats she was never one to step out of the house in heels all the time. She alway stuck to flats.

I think she likes heels a lot as we saw in the pictures on her insta of her closet but I do think she needs to go for a smaller height in heels. Meghan on the show suits and in any of the press events before didn't wear heels as high as she is wearing now.

 

[_Heather_]

Shoes that are tight are actually bad for your feet over time. I don't know how that reporting on this actresses wear shoes in a bigger size is true or just something the media wrote up on a day they've got nothing else Meghan to write about. One thing about shoes is that your feet do expand and shoes should be prepared for that. Other than that, it's personal taste in terms of how one feels the fit should be.

And I've not noticed her ankles roll outward (but I'm not exactly looking for it either), but it's not unusual. It doesn't have much to do with the shoe size although sometimes shoes too small can have some effect. Some people can self-correct that problem (some parents have used ice skating to correct that in children). But you can also over correct and start putting too much weight on the inside of your feet and putting more pressure there. I know because I have to wear sneakers that have the support arch on the inner side or the inner side of my feet, and sometimes knees, will hurt after running.

It's generally not an issue or even something one can feel, but if you wear a pair of shoes often, most people can often see that they put more weight in one area (inside or outside and it can even be corners) than others.

Agreed that you can generally see it in a pair of shoes you wear often. My husband tends to walk on the outside of his feet and his work boots clearly show it. Also true that tight shoes can be bad for your feet over time but at the same time, continually wearing shoes that are too big for your feet and having to use your toes or adjust your walking to keep them on your feet is also bad for your feet over time. Your feet do expand some over the course of the day, particularly if you're standing for a great length of time. But, that's why I suggested that she buy shoes that fit snuggly and stretch them a bit. It's easy to do, I often do that exact thing with my own heels. That way they have a bit of room but not so much that I struggle to keep them on and by the end of the day they're still pretty comfortable.

It's really all a matter of personal taste and how one feels in one's shoes but it does look somewhat awkward when there's a large gap at the back of the heel and one is clearly struggling a bit in them. It could be that Meghan's feet are a bit like my own in that I apparently have very thin heels so even shoes that fit correctly tend to slip off my heels but I've found that a $5 pair of gel heel grippers works wonders!

 

[ladongas]

I’ve always assumed that the person wearing the shoes is able to determine whether they are comfortable and fit properly.

 

[jacqui24]

Flats are much easier on your feet and are much more accommodating to that issue. In 90% of the pictures we've seen of her casually before she got married to Harry she wore flats. All the paps shots and everything unless it was a formal event she wore flats she was never one to step out of the house in heels all the time. She alway stuck to flats.

I think she likes heels a lot as we saw in the pictures on her insta of her closet but I do think she needs to go for a smaller height in heels. Meghan on the show suits and in any of the press events before didn't wear heels as high as she is wearing now.

Meghan wears the heels that are right for the occasion. Just because she loves them, doesn't mean she's about to wear them to yoga. However, whenever we saw pictures of her at one Toronto's social scenes, she's dressed up and in heels. If she's going to dress up for an engagement, obviously she's also going to wear heels.

I for one hopes she keeps her heels as long she can (someone's going to have to rip heels out of my cold dead hands if it was me). They slay.

Agreed that you can generally see it in a pair of shoes you wear often. My husband tends to walk on the outside of his feet and his work boots clearly show it. Also true that tight shoes can be bad for your feet over time but at the same time, continually wearing shoes that are too big for your feet and having to use your toes or adjust your walking to keep them on your feet is also bad for your feet over time. Your feet do expand some over the course of the day, particularly if you're standing for a great length of time. But, that's why I suggested that she buy shoes that fit snuggly and stretch them a bit. It's easy to do, I often do that exact thing with my own heels. That way they have a bit of room but not so much that I struggle to keep them on and by the end of the day they're still pretty comfortable.

It's really all a matter of personal taste and how one feels in one's shoes but it does look somewhat awkward when there's a large gap at the back of the heel and one is clearly struggling a bit in them. It could be that Meghan's feet are a bit like my own in that I apparently have very thin heels so even shoes that fit correctly tend to slip off my heels but I've found that a $5 pair of gel heel grippers works wonders!

I haven't noticed shoes slipping off of her or she's struggling in them (I've seen struggle, she's not it). I'll leave it up to her if she feels comfortable. As far as we know, she doesn't look like she's in discomfort when she's walking. If she finds it'a better fit for her, I see no reason why she has to do anything else.

 

[_Heather_]

I haven't noticed shoes slipping off of her or she's struggling in them (I've seen struggle, she's not it). I'll leave it up to her if she feels comfortable. As far as we know, she doesn't look like she's in discomfort when she's walking. If she finds it'a better fit for her, I see no reason why she has to do anything else.

And that's fine. There's no reason for any of us to argue about it. It's simply what I and a few others have noticed. And that's ok.

 

[Lady Nimue]

Makes sense to me.

To avoid foot pain, discomfort, and chronic foot issues later in life, celebrities choose to wear shoes that are at least a size too big for them. Moreover, large pumps or sandals won’t rub, pinch, or squeeze because they don’t put pressure on the most vulnerable areas of the feet.

 

[iceflower]

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Posts about the financing of the royal wardrobe have been moved to the following thread: Royal Wealth and Finances.

 

[Somebody]

This is going to sound very weird but bear with me. There are photos of her wearing flip flops that show that the toe right next to the big toe is quite a bit longer than her big toe. Unless you get your shoe custom designed commercial sizes don't take that into account and so she has to buy a bigger size for her feet to have room.

Flats are much easier on your feet and are much more accommodating to that issue. In 90% of the pictures we've seen of her casually before she got married to Harry she wore flats. All the paps shots and everything unless it was a formal event she wore flats she was never one to step out of the house in heels all the time. She alway stuck to flats.

I think she likes heels a lot as we saw in the pictures on her insta of her closet but I do think she needs to go for a smaller height in heels. Meghan on the show suits and in any of the press events before didn't wear heels as high as she is wearing now.

Interesting, hadn't noticed that before. I have the same 'issue' (second toe is longer than big toe) but it seems it is more pronounced in her case.

So, you are saying that she needs more room 'upfront' when wearing heels because her foot might be pressuring the frontside of the shoe. However, it seems that the result is that she has a lot of room left at her heel.

 

[suztav]

Trust me, I feel her pain! I, too, have a second toe which is slightly larger than my big toe and a nasty bunion. I’ve started to buy shoes a 1/2 size larger and it makes a great difference.

 

[ashelen]

Makes sense to me.

To avoid foot pain, discomfort, and chronic foot issues later in life, celebrities choose to wear shoes that are at least a size too big for them. Moreover, large pumps or sandals won’t rub, pinch, or squeeze because they don’t put pressure on the most vulnerable areas of the feet.


But if you use big shoes wouldn't you flip flop with them? coming out of your heel?

 

[Denville]

To avoid foot pain, discomfort, and chronic foot issues later in life, celebrities choose to wear shoes that are at least a size too big for them. Moreover, large pumps or sandals won’t rub, pinch, or squeeze because they don’t put pressure on the most vulnerable areas of the feet.


But if you use big shoes wouldn't you flip flop with them? coming out of your heel?

I'd have said that shoes that are a little too big, will slip around and cause sore spots. Surely the best thing is to have (if you can afford it) perfectly fitting shoes.

 

[Daenys]

Meghan is on Wimbledon and seems like she is wearing her favourite hat again.

 

[eya]

The Meghan today

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DiD9TuTW0AAfjt9.jpg

 

[Marlo]

The Meghan today

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DiD9TuTW0AAfjt9.jpg

She nailed it. SO chic and modern.

 

[Pranter]

Not sure what I think about her look today yet...I need a better view. I love the shirt...just not sure I love the shirt with the pant/skirt (?) she's wearing.


LaRae

 

[DuchessMia]

She looks great! I knew she’d have a hat. Gotta protect that skin.