Meghan wore Oscar de la Renta as she and Harry attended a wedding yesterday.
Celia McCorquodale, the daughter of Diana’s sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, married George Woodhouse at St Andrew & St Mary’s Church in Stoke.
From The Mirror’s story:
Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle beamed as they watched his cousin get married just weeks after millions watched them tie the knot.
The pair held hands as they walked into church ahead of the ceremony, where bride Celia McCorquodale wore the diamond tiara Princess Diana wore during her wedding to Prince Charles.
A quick video.
Harry saves Meghan from a tumble after she gets heel stuck in grass at weddinghttps://t.co/bEGVPviouo pic.twitter.com/yK3gRQDeEY
— Mirror Royal (@MirrorRoyal) June 17, 2018
Now for our look at what Meghan wore.
The Duchess’s dress is from the Oscar de la Renta Resort 2019 collection. A tip of the tiara to @innominate_93 on Twitter for the ID.
The wrap-style dress is a viscose/silk blend with a a hi-low hemline, flared cuffs, and a cinched waist. It is available at Moda Operandi ($5490). The fabric in Meghan’s dress is a toile print used throughout the Resort 2019 collection.
Other pieces are available in the motif, including a Belted Tea Length Dress ($2790) and several other styles.
You can also see the toile pattern on handbags from the collection.
Meghan’s hat looks like the Pillbox Bow Fascinator by British retailer Marks & Spencer (£29.50, about $40). The piece is 100% straw and features a “swirling bow design”. Many thanks to Michelle of Perths Fashion for the ID on this item!
It appears Meghan wore her Aquazzura wedding shoes.
The designer’s original sketch of the shoes.
Below are styles from Aquazzura that we believe the custom shoes were based on – the ‘Marylin’, white silver Nappa leather mesh studded court shoes and the ‘Matilde’ D’Orsay Bridal Pumps showing the blue soles.
We have looked (and looked!) for photos and have not been able to locate any; the embedded tweets may be the most we are able to show of the dress.
Meghan’s bag looks very much like the Carolina Herrera Scala clutch.
Thank you to Jessica on the Facebook page and Meghan’s Mirror for info on the handbag.
We’ve had some discussion around which earrings Meghan might be wearing. We could not find any clear close-up images that showed the earrings she was wearing. She could be wearing her Birks opal earrings or quite possibly a new pair from Birks – the large Petale earrings.Here is our graphic look at what Meghan wore for Saturday’s wedding.
Kate says
I love this dress colour, pattern and style, just not for a wedding!
It would be perfect with flat sandals or white tennis shoes at a summer barbecue in a friend’s garden. The high heels and fascinator are much more formal than the dress and just make the whole combination look odd to me.
I do wish she would start dressing more for her size, so far most of her outfits seem at least one size too big, maybe an American versus a European thing…
Jenn says
This is one of the times where the dress wore her instead of her wearing the dress. It is desperate for some tailoring in sizing and length.
I love the print, soft and floral and I even like the whimsical facinator but the bad tailoring I cant excuse. My only thought is that she ordered this piece and it arrived late or she has changed size since she ordered. It feels like she was trying out something new and it didn’t quite work.
jenny from the north says
It’s a beautiful dress and a lovely fabric. It’s just not a suitable style for her figure. I’m sure we’re all guilty of wearing something we love, but in our hearts know is not the best style for our particular body shape. Meghan is slim and has fabulous legs. Those are the pluses. She also has virtually no waist. Her midsection tents to be fairly straight up and down with almost no waist definition. It’s just the way she is but for me it does mean that the fit and flare styles Kate so often wears are all wrong on Meghan and that’s what happened with this dress. They are narrow where she is not and then have masses of fabric in the bottom half which totally mask her fabulous legs. Sheath dresses and meticulous tailoring always seem to produce the best effect on Meghan. I notice she has often worn a narrow belt to create the illusion of a waist. The dress is beautiful, appropriate for the event and I’m sure was very comfortable to wear. It just isn’t the style (or even size) for her.
As much as I love to watch the parade of beautiful clothing I do feel a bit sorry for her having to figure all of this out while the world’s media is watching. She’s a 36 year old woman with an established sense of style and one successful career already behind her. At a time in her life when she should be settled comfortably into her own fashion choices, she’s taken on a new country and culture, and a new very public job with entirely different expectations on how she presents herself. I can’t be easy trying to reinvent your public image with all of us watching. I applaud her efforts and hope she soon settles into a new version of herself that is appropriate to her new life and still feels authentic to her own preferences.
Elizabeth G says
Oh if only she had chosen the tea-length dress from the designer, she would have looked amazing (sans the huge, gold square)!! I get the “Idea” behind the dress, but she’s so petite that as many others have noted, it swallows her up completely. I don’t have any issue with the floral theme as I noticed many others guests were dressed in florals.
Fully in Bloom says
Yes Meghan, yes! This outfit is Meg’s Cali girl style. I absolutely love it. Very flowy and easy going with a charming print. I have missed her messy bun, which compliments the loose fitting dress, and I’m glad to see her sporting it. The dress is supposed to be baggy, that’s the look. Her fascinator is an adorable addition to the outfit, as well as her shoes.
The dress flows beautifully and you can see this in videos, the pictures don’t do it justice.
This look is wonderful!
Liza says
I love the print and think the color is flattering. Maybe the belted style shown as part of this collection would have fit Meghan’s petite frame a bit better but she looks great regardless! Love her so much!
Micky says
I so agree with these posts, but have to comment none the less. I like the dress- for someone else. What I noticed was the shoulder seams are in the right place which indicates that the dress it supposed to fit her. But, look at the cuffs- so large and long as they are on the model. But, the model is very tall and the dress is large on her. One post suggested that the dress it 2 sizes too big- at least. It swallows her petite frame. What was the team thinking? (You know she has a team of people who help her with clothing choices!) Plus, I can’t imagine that an ill-fitting dress is actually comfortable. And the little hat with that dress looks just silly. Except for great shoes, as with most comments, this is a big miss for me.
Leola says
Lots of interesting comments. Meghan wore the style well. It was comfortable and blended well with other guests and the setting. Please allow her the flexibility to wear a variety of styles. Otherwise fashion and life would be boring.
Janice Ymson says
It Is a boho meets English tea party mash-up. I think she is trying to stay true to her Cali roots and fit in with the fascinator. If she had worn a hat with a floppy or wide brim it might have worked better. She needs to be one style or the other. It’s almost as if she is wrestling with her new old identity. She will figure it out over time. I never want her to lose the breezy effortless vibe that is so special to her.
Faith Poole says
What a mess ! From head to toe, a total disaster. Hair-messy, hat-UGLY, dress-sloppy and too big, shoes-just OK. Looks like her best thing going for her on this outing is her husband.
Scarlet says
Noooooo! Meghan, I love you girl, but this is wrong from head to toe. The dress is I’ll fitting, the Midi dress above with the belt would have been a much better choice. As a person of 5’3″ I know wearing a dress like that would make me look like I was wrapped in my duvet cover. And I think she is wearing a bit too much white, the dress, the shoes, the fascinator. Its inappropriate in my humble opinion, it’s about the bride and groom, maybe take some tips from Lady Kitty Spencer who dresses to fit HER body and the occasion. Next time Duchess.
Becky says
I like this look a lot. I find with a lot of her outfits, I don’t like them at first glance, and then the more I look at them, the more I like them. This is true for the Givenchy she wore last week (which I ended up loving but it took me a bit) and her Stella McCartney wedding dress (which at first glance I thought was boring, and now I think was stunning.)
I do appreciate seeing the pictures of the dress on the model because it shows us that Meghan is wearing it how it is supposed to fit – so no, its not too big on her. That’s how it is supposed to look. Also, I was seeing many comments on other sites about how she had to hold the skirt up, but its clear in the picture with the model that MM wasn’t holding up the skirt, there is a slit in the front and she was more likely holding it down in the wind.
I think the color and pattern are great, and it looks breezy and comfortable and flattering. Someone said that if you see the video it looks better, and I think this is true (Daily mail et al have some posted). It is a dress that moves beautifully and so looks better in the videos than it does in pictures.
You do you Meghan.
Elisabeth says
My first thought was that the hat/fascinator looked like an afterthought (I am reminded of a quote from a Terry Pratchett book wherein he describes a character that wears “a small and quietly fashionable hat perched on top of her head to no particular purpose”). I think it’s partly due to the size, if it were larger, it would balance out the rest of the outfit and I think the whole thing might look closer to a win. I had a peek in the archive in the hat category and only found a few contenders, and they tended to be very simple affairs. This one is a little more elaborate, but kudos on getting a little fancier, but, again, I don’t think it goes with the outfit well. The duchess in an American, though, and we culturally have little to do with hats unless it’s to keep our heads warm (and I know a lot of women who don’t wear them even for that purpose) so perhaps it will take time for her hat mojo to develop.
My second thought was that it seemed curious that the duke was in a yellow waistcoat and blue tie and the person behind him was in a blue waistcoat and yellow tie and I checked out the pictures at the Mirror to see if this sartorial miss could be explained by some unfortunate adherence to a dictated color scheme. Alas, not all of the guests were dressed in blue and yellow, BUT I noticed a photo in which two other men (the groom and perhaps a groomsman or relative) were wearing the same yellow waistcoat and blue tie. So, I’m speculating that she already had the dress and she chose it to match Harry’s outfit and then bought the fascinator to match. And, honestly, baggy or not, it would be the perfect sort of dress for a casual summer wedding in the US (especially in Calif.) but maybe not for the British countryside. I suspect the dress fits as it’s supposed to, it seems like it is meant to be pretty loose in the top, but I agree with the people who say it swamps her frame. She has a build that totally rocks a sheath dress, and some form of that in a fabric of this print and she would have had a winner (even with an off-the-shelf fascinator).
Marion says
Hi Susan, I would like to comment on the site. I always follow your posts with pleasure. I want to advise a more classic design for the site. To me, especially the font of texts is too minimalist and it diminishes the spirit of the context. It is maybe I get used to the design of whatkatewore site. I am not suggesting these two sites should be identical, but I wish to see a different design, including the whatmeganwore logo.
Aside from these, I want to congratulate your work here. Thank you for letting us know about the details and the extra information.
WhatMeghanWore says
Thank you, Marion, we really appreciate the input. It’s timely as the two of us have been discussing a different font size (larger) and some other cosmetic changes. It’s helpful to hear your thoughts! 🙂
Tanya says
I don’t get it. A £4,000 dress, bespoke shoes & purse and a £40 hat. Sounds like she forgot to bring a hat with her and they had to stop somewhere along the way to pick one up. Does this make sense?
Mallory Paxton says
I must be the only one, but I like this look and think it perfect for an (almost) summer wedding. Like the mixture of designer and High Street and like the departure from Meghan’s recent sporty/classic looks.
mirai says
This is a total needlescratch after the stellar Givenchy. The fascinator worsens the overall effect. What a lovely print though. If the waist was worn pulled down as on the model, and if the dress was a size or two smaller, it might have worked. As it is, it looks like Meghan’s wearing a lovely dressing gown…to a wedding.
Tessa says
I say cut it up into three cute dresses for Princess Charlotte and call it a day.
Bonnie says
Love your comment, Tessa! There’s likely enough material in that dress to make five for Charlotte. 🙂
Fliss says
I’ve really enjoyed reading the comments. A universal fail but everyone is being nice. To add my half-pennith, I like the fabric and this would be great on holiday to lounge around in, not quite the thing for a society wedding though. I do like that Meghan is choosing Marks and Spencer and a nice bag and shoe combo. That’s enough from me.
MaryKate says
Oh, dear. Meghan is a gorgeous woman, with any and every designer in the world at her disposal. I can’t imagine how this look won out over every other choice she must have had.
Darcy says
Sadly, I see this dress only on a seaside promenade, nowhere else (I guess that’s when the word Resort is quite a straightforward guide to the collection)
Somehow Meghan’s looks where much better before the wedding. Since the wedding all her outfits seem to be at least half-baked. I wonder if there is some new stylist behind it of it is just her efforts to look more in a royal way. Or maybe she made more effort before the wedding? Lol
Barbara says
Oh my. This is a dress with way too much going on from the floaty material to the oversized sleeves, to the hanging cords, to the toile print. The very loose bodice and hi-lo hem make it difficult to manage outside in a breeze or walking down a slope. In some pictures you can see the Duchess clutching it together in front. I wouldn’t be surprised if that long full skirt contributed to her tripping. You know she had to be regretting her dress choice as soon as she got out of the vehicle. We’ve all been there, struggling to hold a full skirt down or an ill fitting bodice up. Luckily for us, our struggles don’t get plastered all over the internet. On the plus side, the blue and white is pretty and I love that Harry’s tie matches the blue.
Amanda says
Oh dear. This is…..not her best. It’s too bad,since the print is really lovely and summery! It might have looked better if she went for the sleeveless version in a properly fitting size and a better hat? Or a plain blue dress and one of those gorgeous etoile purses! Hopefully we won’t be seeing this ever again
Louise says
Oh, dear. On the positive side, I actually love the color and the print. This fabric in a sleeker style that actually fit her would have been fantastic imo. Unfortunately, her habit of wearing things that appear to be at least a couple sizes too big continues, and with a loose, billowing dress like this one, it’s disastrous. Her hair is a mess, and the hat looks like she plopped it on as an afterthought. It’s so jarring to see her go from a perfectly tailored look like the Givenchy for the day out with the Queen to something that looks, as other posters have pointed out, like an especially posh dressing gown.
christina says
Let me chime in: First: The caption above the model says “Resort Wear.” While I can see this on a honeymoon, relaxing and strolling on a beach with Harry the model IS photographed walking indoors on a parquet floor in heels leaning on another high fashion model. I’m somewhat confused as to how/where/when one would wear this dress. Second: The model, who looks very tall, has the elastic waistline pulled down low almost to her hips allowing her hemline to cascade perfectly below her knee to the back of her heel. Unlike the model, Meghan has the waistline pulled up and bunched around her waistline creating more volume. Third: Having been born and raised in Southern California I appreciate Meghan bringing her relaxed and fresh style into her marriage and new life. I hope she is able to keep that vision and fine tune it as she has more time to plan these events. With her wedding over and done with time for fittings and debriefing hopefully will be scheduled. Someone needs to tell her particulars like “…you will be walking down a dirt incline, through a grassy cemetery, while holding a purse, making sure your dress doesn’t blow open, smiling and holding Harry’s hand while in 4” heels! Whew.
wildrose says
Greetings and Goodbye everyone,
Thank you for posting my earlier message (on 18 June) however as much as I love seeing your lovely photographs and wonderful descriptions of Meghan’s clothing choices (hats or not) (untidy hair) and with all the horrible stuff that has been levelled at Meghan through various newspapers/magazines etc. I just realise that this is not for me.
I wish you all well, a heartfelt THANK YOU for the hard work that has gone into making this site possible and the honesty in the comments.
The Duchess of Sussex is a person, with feelings, doing her best, with joy in her heart and authenticity in herself so I will just watch on from afar as I cannot in all honesty start picking at this lady who like many others does not deserve it.
Good thoughts, I wish you well for your sites and thank you for the lovely photographs.
I am off to walk through the wildflowers ….
WILD ROSE
Carol says
I’m sorry to hear your decision not to view this site again because I think you bring insight to it. I have read all the comments and most have said how they like the DOS. This is a fashion site and the viewers enjoy fashion so the comments were about the fashion choices of the DOS. I did not detect meanness or bad spirit toward the DOS. I heard understanding that the Dutchess was learning her new role and it takes time. This comes up occasionally on the sister site, WKW, when an outfit isn’t well received. The people at these sites love both Dutchess, wish them the best, and are interested in their fashion and the views of others on their fashions. I have learned a lot from reading WKW over the years and I plan on learning more on this site. Sorry to loose you.
LadyLeah says
I have never found fault with Meghan’s slouchy coats, and I applaud infinitely prefer the aesthetic of looser fit over body-conscious, figure hugging clothing. I did *not *think her wedding dress needed one more fitting. It was perfect. But THIS?? She is swimming in this. I love the toile print, and how fun to see her wedding shoes re-worn but that’s one messy looking dress.
[Seeing the model wear it with too long sleeves does not make me like it any more.]
Maureen says
What a bummer. Like most here, I think this one is a total flop. The dress is all wrong in every way and that fascinator is just awful. A better hat would have tremendously helped this outfit. A gorgeous hat could have even saved the dress, in my opinion. I do think the dress fabric would make lovely curtains. 🙂 I’m glad we got a better look at those shoes at least.
Jessica says
Ohhhhh, no. I don’t…I just don’t know what this is. I lack the diplomatic skills to parse this one. I’m officially going to pretend it never happened.
Alex says
On the positive side (scrounging around for positives somewhat), I like the reception shoes — both in that we’ve been able to see more of them and that she’s re-wearing them again so soon, rather than relegating them to the ‘only wear once’ category.
wildrose says
Greetings Everyone,
I love the dress. Lovely colours, fresh, flowing, and reminded me of walking through a field of wild flowers with daisies, cornflowers and gypsohillia (spelt that wrong but I hope you get my drift). The Duchess is keeping her personality, while adapting into a rather difficult Royal culture. Whether Meghan is slammed for it as 98% of some comments that have been tossed around in the newspapers etc, is something unfortunately that Meghan will ALWAYS be criticised for. I like Meghan, her realism, and whatever is levelled at her I believe that she has already proved that she has an inner strength that all the money that Royal Family and Party Pieces cannot buy.
Lovely to see this fresh, joyful lady, and someone who has brought a sense of light heartedness to Her Majesty during that overnight Train trip and day of engagements last week, even though there were the expected minor teething problems.
I will be so happy to see both the Duke and Duchess in New Zealand when they head here later in the year. The world is so full of such despair at the moment but it lifts my soul to see Prince Harry and Meghan just get on with it, carrying out both Public and Private duties (even though both know that their bones will be picked clean by all the detractors).
I will take the the walk through the cornflowers, daises, bluebells and roses rather than have a lovely lady torn down for the sake of it.
Have a magical evening everyone, look for the joy, hold out your hand to someone who may need it and look past the obvious.
WILD ROSE
NOTE: admin edit
Lacey says
A little late to this party, but I’m going to give this look a hard pass. The pattern is lovely, but that’s about it. Ah well, it happens to the best of us sometimes. Not everything is going to be a winner.
Hannah says
The dress itself is beautiful. However, this is a classic case where the DoS should have asked herself “Are you wearing the dress of is the dress wearing you?” Whilst she was at it she probably should have thought about whether or not it was suitable for the occasion too.
The outfit the DoS (or her stylist?) has put together is truly awful. The fascinator is all wrong, something subtle but structured would have been better, the shoes do not work with the bohemian vibe of the dress, and the dress is once again completely I’ll fitting.
Hannah says
The dress itself is beautiful. However, this is a classic case of “Are you wearing the dress of is the dress wearing you?” The outfit the DoS (or her stylist?) has put together is truly awful. The fascinator is all wrong, something subtle but structured would have been better, the shoes do not work with the bohemian vibe of the dress, and the dress is once again completely I’ll fitting.
Jessica says
I actually like the dress, although yes, it does look a little big. I think what makes it a miss for me is the fascinatior. It does cheapen the look and I think she would have done better not to have worn one at all with this. I think her hair down may have suited the style of the dress better? Still love her though!
Ellis says
I’ve been trying all day to love this outfit, and I just can’t. This was exactly the right concept for this event, just so, so poorly executed. I actually really like the idea of the floaty maxi dress here, but would have liked to see something (much) better fitting and less busy in its styling (the print and fabric are divine). It does look better on the model, but I still don’t understand the ties around the neck and think that the “high” part of the high-low hemline seems oddly placed and cut.
I was so excited to see her wearing a more interesting hat, but the hat is, again, poorly executed and looks kind of flat and squashed. I’m confused as to why she’s worn completely plain, uninteresting bespoke hats from perhaps the best milliner in the world, and then went for a $40 department store hat when she did decide to wear something with more decoration. That being said, she’s probably still very much experimenting with hats and has the misfortune of having to do so as one of the most famous people in the world. I do like the idea of a ribbon-y white hat with this dress, but not this particular hat. I would love to see Jane Taylor do something like this for Meghan, especially in combination with a more put together (but still soft and romantic) updo.
There was a lot of speculation on WKW last summer that Kate had intentionally chosen an ill-fitting dress for Pippa’s wedding in order to not upstage Pippa, and I’m curious if that was part of Meghan’s thinking for this outfit. All in all, I think that the fact that all of the pieces (great fabric, interesting hat, good accessories) were there makes this look more disappointing.
Ellis says
If anyone is interested, Jane Taylor’s “Traversi” hat is somewhat similar to the one that Meghan wore yesterday, but much better done.
Bonnie says
It always puzzles me, Ellis when people speak about not upstaging the bride. I mean how can anyone do this? The bride is usually wearing a full length, often voluminous white dress, she has a veil, in aristocratic weddings the bride wears a tiara and often real gems, she is carrying a bouquet, is up front and centre at the church and the reception, she is accompanied by the groom in full formal dress and often a gaggle of bridesmaids. So how, at any wedding, does one upstage the bride?
Jessica says
I always think how can these famous guests NOT upstage the bride?? To be honest if I knew her or Kate would be at a wedding, no matter what they were wearing, I’d be distracted!
Crystal says
Bonnie,
I too am usually confused by the not upstaging the bride talk that happens in these situations.
When one doesn’t want to draw attention to oneself, you can still wear a properly fitting dress. One would just make sure that it’s more subtle in print/color/style. But it does not mean you would on purpose pick something that is too big and ill fitting on purpose. To assume anyone would do that makes no sense to me.
Simply choosing something not flashy (but that still fits) would suffice.
Ellis says
Hi Bonnie,
I was referring specifically to the media and public attention that royalty (particularly Kate and Meghan) tend to get at the weddings of non- or less-famous friends and relatives. For every photo I saw of the bride today, I saw probably (at least) four of Meghan and two of Lady Kitty, and almost all of the headlines focus on Meghan and what she was wearing. I’m sure that that creates some sort of awkwardness for the famous guest, and my guess is that that is why Kate generally tends to wear previously-worn and photographed pieces as a wedding guest. As far as what goes on at the wedding itself (away from news photographers), I completely agree with everything you said! I think that your point actually extends beyond weddings as well–I was thinking something fairly similar when people were talking about Meghan “upstaging” The Queen at Trooping.
Bonnie says
Ellis, Crystal’s remarks say it all. I guess the reality is that any famous guest at a wedding, not just Meghan or Kate, is going to attract the photographers. If royalty, a celebrity, politician, or aristocrat are present, than they are the ones the public wants to see and read about, not perhaps an unknown bride and groom. That will happen no matter what the famous person is wearing and if the famous person is wearing an ill fitting, previously worn, or totally unflattering outfit, it won’t matter one iota. I’m sure that neither Kate nor Meghan think, “Hmm, if I wear something unattractive, nobody will photograph me.” So that is what I mean about the idea of purposely trying to not upstage the bride. By the way, I do wonder why William and Kate were not at this wedding. The bride is William’s first cousin as well as Harry’s first cousin, on their mother’s side of the family.
Jane says
Wish she had wirn the belted tea length version of the dress. It could have been tailored to perfection for her.
Sg says
I like the concept of this dress and it’s nice to see her wear floral and girly fascinator, but the execution is way off, as others have already said. That being said, there are plenty of photos of upper crust British ladies wearing equally ridiculous outfits to weddings so maybe it’s the thing to do.
karen says
oh dear, brace yourself, the comments are open. Remember what your mother said, if it is not nice then don’t say it.
Lee says
Oh no, don’t like this at all- she’s drowning in it. Glad it’s different from her last three looks,but it’s too much dress. I noticed at her wedding that several of her guests were wearing giant floppy dresses- maybe it’ a fashion “thing” I don’t get.
Addie89 says
She is drowned in this.
Crystal says
I like the print of the dress and the romantic vibe of it…. love those shoes! And Meghan looks beautiful as always. But it’s
JUST. TOO. BIG. Even without a tailor, she could have simply bought the dress a size or two smaller and I’m betting it still would have been loose and flowing as seems to be the style of the dress and look a little less enveloping.
Ana says
I love the dress on the model. I really do love it— the print, the cut, everything. But for some reason Meghan’s dress is a size or two bigger than it should be, as is evident if you see the press photo of the dress and how the designer thought it was supposed to fit. The sizing issue makes it seem as if she’s wearing a dressing gown. The fascinator also significantly “cheapens” the look. I do wonder who made the final decision for the size Meghan is wearing. Small changes could have made this look really special. Alas.
Maribeth says
Oh dear, I love Meghan too, but this dress was all wrong for her. Not exactly sure, who would look good in it. Yes, Meghan is very petite. I think her height is listed as 5 feet 3 inches or 5 feet 5. Seeing her next to the Duchess of Cambridge, she really does look like she is very small. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. She needs to get a good stylist to help her navigate the Royal waters.
I really did want to like this dress!
Juniper says
She’s listed as 5’7″ which probably means she’s actually 5’6″ so she’s not officially of petite height. Her very slimmed down figure (moreso than when she was an actress) is in the petite range, for sure, though, making it necessary for way more tailoring than has been occurring.
Tessa says
Oh dear. I love the print and the fabric. The skirt has a wonderful flowy exuberance and weight (almost like the Stella McCartney reception dress somehow — folds bursting out of no where). If the skirt has been attached to a clean fitted bodice and fitted, shorter sleeves, it might have worked, even been beautiful. But combined with that saggy too large bodice the whole thing is just painful to look at.. And the fact that it cost more than three times my monthly mortgage just makes it hurt more. There’s an article in the Telegraph that says “Harry won’t get this dress” and I can only imagine how practiced he’s become at not showing expression on clothes like this. The article praises the dress wile admitting it’s a contender for the “clothes my husband hates” list.
The handbags are to die for! So crisp and fun. They show how beautiful the fabric could be if allowed to shine with a sharp tailored design. The shoes of course are lovely, but the hair needs to be neater with that fascinator. A fascinator with a base, sitting forward, like Kitty Spencer’s, might work better. That said, I can feel how happy she is going to a wedding of her new husband’s family, in a quaint British church, seeing the tiara his mother wore, etc. That happiness just outshines all of this and is going to help me move on from this moment.
Amelie says
Why is nobody mentioning the two odd white strings hanging down on each side of the collar? What is the purpose of these two strings?? They aren’t mentioned at all in the description of the dress in this post yet you can clearly see them in several pictures of Meghan wearing the dress and the dress stills including the one with the models. In some pictures of Meghan the strings aren’t visible, it’s almost like she tucked the strings into the dress but then they somehow got loose either by her own movements or the wind. What the heck is the purpose of this awful design element? I would have snipped them off as soon as I got the dress!!
It’s too bad because the other dress silhouettes featuring this print look way more flattering. A huge miss I’m afraid!
Bonnie says
Amelie, I noticed the strings hanging from the collar. Did you see on the model, there are strings coming from the hem also? I think the entire Oscar de la Renta design house was having a really off day when they created this dress. There is nothing about it, with the exception of the pretty fabric, that makes any sense.
Amelie says
Yes I did notice, my guess is on the model the strings are tucked into the dress in that picture. It just doesn’t fit Meghan at all and just hangs on her.
ElizaMo says
I finally caught up with the two further strings hanging down from the waist in the studio shot. Others have mentioned that the dress is less confusing as worn by the model with a longer waistline. Without the services of a tailor I wonder if Meghan had to resort to tying the skirt higher than intended. With those strings to work the wrap dress feature it explains why I thought it looked as if the whole thing has been tied up with string — because it pretty much has. Looks like the top needed adjusting and maybe shortened otherwise the messy overhang from the bodice sends it all put of sync.
Natasha says
The toile handbags are to die for! I wish she had built a simple, fitted outfit around one of those.
Bonnie says
I agree that if Meghan had worn a fitted dress in a solid blue, as found in the toile print, with one of the bags, there would have been a big WOW factor. I checked the bags out. They start at over $2,000 and go to over $3,000, so I won’t be buying one any time soon.
Natasha says
That would have been amazing! She would look beautiful in a blue, even an ice blue like Kate likes to wear. And even a blue fascinator with a ribboned effect like the kind Kate wore to Trooping last year with her pink outfit. Perhaps the “country wedding” setting was too much of a factor in the choice of everything.
Lakegirl says
I totally agree, would have loved one of those gorgeous handbags with a plain, fitted dress. As my grandmother would have said, she looks like an unmade bed. And a messy bun is just that-messy! I love Meghan and am always excited to see what she wears, but this was a big miss. I loved seeing the Spencer tiara, Celia looked beautiful, she really reminde me of her Aunt Diana.
Sophia Pitt says
I think the Duchess is finding her way, I think she is doing the best she can, but this is not a dress for her at all. The hair styled, relaxed looking, messy not with that hat. Love the hat and shoes. She will have a few misses but she will also have a lot of hits I am sure, just give her time
mocro says
This was Harry’s day to shine sartorially! So agreed with the poster who said ‘if it doesn’t look good on a model what hope is there?’ I’m still in a state of rapture about Meghan’s cape dress from her train trip with the Queen so I’ll give her a pass. I can’t imagine the culture shock, despite Meghan’s intelligence and poise.
Ann Merhall says
What a hot mess this dress. I am so pro-Meghan and still I am but this dress is a mess on her. I agree that it is too fussy for her thin frame, too long in the length, and too long in the arms. For God’s sake it’s just hanging on her body as a hanger. More fitted silhouettes, Meghan, please.
Lisa says
There are a handful of pictures on meghan-markle.org, including two full-length… Honestly, I almost regretted I looked at them. I adore Meghan almost from the moment her engagement was announced, but this outfit… Sorry, but I can’t imagine who might have thought the dress would look good. After the Givenchy we saw on Thursday witth the queen, this is just hideous. Dearest Meghan, if you ever get interested in what people think of your fashin choices, please, burn this dress. Really. Please.
On a side note, the duke and the duchess always look so adorable together. All the best wishes to them.
Juniper says
I love the print of the fabric, but the dress is shapeless and the fascinator does not flatter her at all. This seems way out of the ballpark of any look she has ever gone for. Because there have been so many comments about her clothes needing to be tailored, I want to throw in my observations as someone who followed her well before she met Harry. I was a fan of the show Suits as it was fantastically well done, the costumes included. Meghan was someone I read up on and was intrigued by because she she had made a very exciting and meaningful life for herself. She wore her on screen and off screen clothes very form fitting, and for red carpets embraced colorful garments. She usually showed a lot of skin with unrestrained sexiness. I noticed that she started losing weight after it was made public that she was dating Harry, and then again I noticed this continued from the engagement to the wedding. She looks about a size smaller at the wedding than she did at the engagement announcement. I believe she is about 5’6″, so not model tall, but not officially petite in height either. But she is probably about a size 0 or 2 by American standards, so that is going to be easy for garments to look too big on her. Perhaps she is just not used to being this size and perhaps there wasn’t even time to get in an extra fitting with the wedding dress. Lady Diana’s dress was also a bit too big, as I recall.
Nancy says
It could be a beautiful, comfy (and very expensive) bathrobe. It just doesn’t work on her at all.
M says
Bathrobe was my first thought too! Her consistently poor tailoring baffles me. When you buy a $4000 dress from a prominent designer, it usually comes with tailoring, especially if you’re one of the most famous women in the world.
Nope says
Um, I like the print and that the blue matches with his tie. That’s about it for the positives.
Mk says
I love her shoes and purse.
Lee N says
When a dress looks ridiculous on the model, what hope is there for anyone else? The sleeves on the model go three inches past her fingertips, so props to Meghan for trying to push them up a bit. But, honestly, can’t someone direct this woman to a good tailor? She looks like she was rooting about in her grandmother’s closet for an afternoon of dress-up. That said, I didn’t mind her messy bun as much as usual — it sort of went with the rest of the mess.
Ülkü says
I keep looking at the photos in hope there is an angle where the dress does look good, but can’t find any. It’s too big, too loose, a better fit might have given the dress a chance. I like the material of the dress and the design,…. and that would be it. Hope she had fun.
Ana says
Agreed with previous commenters. Is it just me, or do her outfits not tend to be well tailored? I feel like they are very loose on her – the sleeves on her blush dress during her first post-wedding engagement, the middle section of the caped dress for the engagement this week, and now this dress, which seems to be two or three sizes too big. Maybe she just hasn’t found a good tailor yet? It’s just a shame because she’s picked some lovely pieces and she has a gorgeous figure. It’s just that nothing seems to fit her.
Laurie says
Oh dear. I want to like it, but just can’t. The print is beautiful and the weight of the fabric is lovely, but the cut and shape are all wrong here. It’s just hanging on her, totally lifeless and shapeless. Looks about 2 sizes too big. It even looks better on the model. I usually like Meghan’s messy up-do, but not with that hat.
Brit0728 says
Ah, comments section now activated – brace for impact…
On the plus side, I love that shade of blue.
GwenP says
A beautiful dress for the right woman, but for Meghan, it needs to be a size smaller and a foot shorter, in my opinion. As Meghan and Harry’s engagement progressed, I was struck by how petite she is. This makes voluminous dresses difficult to wear unless they’re tailored to her petite-ness, and that includes the sleeves. Gorgeous fabric!
Royal Addicted says
Clutch by Carolina Herrera?
https://chcarolinaherrera.com/be/en/ch-insignia-b696669/view-all-b713672/item/-b831690
ElizaMo says
If you’re going to go for a disaster, you may as well make it spectacular as half-hearted I suppose. I think this outfit can certainly go down as memorable though alas not for the happiest of reasons; I am fresh out of positives to find in it.
It might be some excuse that this was a private rather than official event but now she’s a royal Meghan is in for public comment wherever she goes. I’m sure the dress seemed a good idea at the time, and I welcome a move into bold print. I’m sure that viscose/silk mix will feel lovely to wear. The last wedding she went to with Harry also involved a print maxi-dress, which made a kind of sense in sunny Jamaica.
This present effort however has fallen sadly foul of English weather and pesky breezes which eradicate any sense of style in the dress as well as creating hazards for a loose updo and flimsy headpiece. The dress seems enormous and the hat unflattering, small, and insecure by comparison.
I still love the shoes. Otherwise, I’ll just have to put this one down to experience.
Ann says
I agree with every single word of your comment. I thinks Meghan is lovely person but this…well, it’s a disaster all the around.
ElizaMo says
It comes as quite a shock after we’ve had so much sharp tailoring from her.
Jenny says
Agree as well. She is clearly a tiny person why has a tailor not stepped up. Yikes is all I can think!
Bonnie says
Apologies if this appears twice, but it didn’t seem to post the first time. I said, that if ElizaMo can’t find anything positive or diplomatic to say about an outfit, you know that it is not a winner. I want to like this dress, for after all, it is by Oscar de la Renta. He designed the dress that Meghan’s mother, Doria wore to the wedding and also the dress that Hilary Clinton wore to Chelsea’s wedding. I do like the pretty toile print and the lovely shade of blue. The dress is flowing and somewhat romantic. But as others have said, it is way too big and totally swamps Meghan. It is reminiscent of the oversized, baggy coats that she wore after the engagement. While I commend her frugality with a fascinator from Marks and Spencer, this one looks insignificant and unflattering. The messy updo is one of her worst. Perhaps the pretty pink, off the shoulder outfit from Trooping the Colour would have worked better for this event…although that might have brought criticism for bare shoulders in church. Meghan’s selection of the right dress for any given occasion is really hit and miss. She is so lovely, I do hope she gets if consistently right one day very soon.
ElizaMo says
Thanks for commenting Bonnie. I do hate to come down against an outfit not least because I never wish to spark off a hate-fest which happens so easily online. My other problem is that I know I can go from dislike to appreciating an outfit quite quickly, especially with expert coaxing from other posters. I too have tried to like this dress and I’m in awe of those who say they do, but no amount of video watching or scouring the web for a better pic has helped so it remains a miss for me.
Which is no big deal as this is only one outing and Meghan’s earlier choices have been stellar. One upside of this latest is that it makes me more tolerant of some of those heavy engagement outfits, nothing else has been quite as tricky as this one. I can easily cope with bare shoulders even on parade if it means a return to sharp tailoring at which Meghan excels. I remain firmly in support of #Team Meghan.
As for getting it consistently right, I think that may be too high a bar for any mortal to do every time, there have to be hiccups and it’s a shame that any blip is so magnified by the intensity of our scrutiny. I think it can take years for an individual style to settle down, it did with Kate and earlier with Letizia. The constant need to produce outfits must demand a lot of attention and only experience will show Meghan what might be most useful to her in her new role and like other royal ladies she will one day have styles she can pick out as consistently reliable. These are very early days.
As for the bare shoulders, I’ll take those any day if they mean the return of sharp tailoring from Meghan.
Bertie says
Oops – bit of a repeat there
Fashiophile says
Agree with ElizaMo. Readers/fans should be allowed to comment on the style of outfits that Meghan wears. Nothing personal. “What Kate Wore” is a sister site that has been there for years and nobody takes things personally there. Kate is also criticised for some of her clothing. This site should be allowed to do the same without someone getting offended.
Amy Mount says
I really wonder if she’s somehow trying to combine American and British styles. The loose fitting, erring on casual dress choices are much more American than british. The side effect is that wearing a hat with them simply looks like she added it last minute as a requirement. Which to be frank, you can’t blame her for that yet. Hats are inherently European and not American, so it’s probably one of the strangest things she has to get used to, wardrobe-wise.
All that aside, Meghan is getting a reputation for ill fitting attire. I really have to wonder the why for it all, and if it’s laziness on her part or if she honestly likes it. I will be interested in seeing if it changes as time passes.
WhatMeghanWore says
I think it comes down to, if she comfortable wearing it, she is going to wear it. Right now, the runways are showing oversized pieces in collections. Not all, but many. It may not be for everyone but it’s also about what you are comfortable wearing. – SAC
Tara says
There are some good photos in the mirror and sun where u can see the shoes. They are her weddding shoe. They match closely with the style in the middle in your post with added cut outs like the shoes on the right.