Ever since Meghan and Harry said goodbye to royal life in 2020, their fashion sense has experienced dramatic transformations. Part of Meghan’s style-conscious tactic to stay chic is to Google trends and keep an eye out for up-and-coming designers to see if a look might be outdated. In 2024, she told the New York Times that when she knows she’s going to be in the spotlight and the public’s focus will be on her outfits, she chooses to support smaller designers that could do with the profile boost, as well as designers she’s friends with.
By doing this, Meghan’s wardrobe stays fresh and innovative and is filled with pieces that she wouldn’t be allowed to wear if she were still a working royal. Here are the Duchess of Sussex’s spiciest post-royal looks that allow her true style to shine.
A black jumpsuit to a bookstore opening
Although the royals have become a little more open to black (we all remember when Kate Middleton rocked a black lace dress in 2014, as well as Princess Di’s black revenge dress), it’s still usually worn only during mourning periods. For that reason, the royals would not have been impressed with the collared, all-black jumpsuit sans sleeves that Meghan wore to the Godmother bookstore opening in 2024. Beyond the shade of the look, royals aren’t seen wearing jumpsuits publicly.
A double denim look in Texas
When Meghan and Harry visited a restaurant in Texas, she wore an all-denim look, otherwise known as a Canadian Tuxedo. Double denim is quite trendy—in fact, it would be too trendy for a working royal to wear. Royals are supposed to dress in demure looks, and jeans are considered overly casual for both men and women when it comes to royal engagements. They only wear jeans when they’re off-duty in extremely casual settings.
A slinky strapless gold dress
When Meghan showed up at the 2023 Ms. Foundation for Women awards with her hubby, she was rocking a gorgeous strapless gold stress. Despite its chic and regal aesthetic, you wouldn’t expect a royal to wear it, given their unofficial ban on strapless gowns. And that’s not even mentioning the cut-out over Meghan’s chest. A peekaboo style on the lower torso, despite its elegance, would likely elicit disapproval.
A bright red dress with a plunging neckline
As a royal, Meghan stuck to simple, muted tones. The reason? On the Netflix show “Harry & Meghan,” she said she wore these looks to “just blend in” and avoid embarrassing the family. Well, she certainly wouldn’t have blended in with this jaw-dropping red gown worn to the 2021 Freedom Gala. Apart from being in a dazzling shade of red, it featured a plunging neckline, a thigh-high slit, and a dramatic train. While it was red carpet-appropriate, the bright and provocative look wouldn’t have been suitable for a royal to wear.
A chic cutout dress in the Sunshine State
In April 2024, Meghan attended a charity polo match in Florida with her husband. She wore a white halter-style dress with a torso cutout, and while it was sophisticated and balanced out by a high neckline, it would have been too risqué and trendy for the royal family’s taste. If she were back in Buckingham Palace, we bet she wouldn’t have picked this to go out and about.
