Whatever next for the ultra-private Meghan, Duchess of Sussex?
Contrary to what the Prince and Princess of Montecito have professed, after Markle’s eight-part Netflix show — thrillingly, with a second series of With Love, Meghan promised — and her upcoming podcast "Confessions of a Female Founder", slated to share intimate details on her “sleepless nights”, coming soon, we have actually been left wondering what there is left to share? Well, the very contents of her wardrobe is what, which the world can now browse (and preferably shop) to their heart's content.
“Please note,” reads the asterisk-hugged memo at the top of the new shopmy.us page, accessible to her 2.6 million followers via Instagram, that “some products may contain commissionable links.” This is influencer language for: with every purchase made, Markle gets a cut. How much she has negotiated is not public knowledge.
It is a classic in the genre of eye-roll Meghan moments. The hypocrisy of it all, if you think about it for long enough, will skewer you like a migraine. Yes, Meghan is an almighty headache… but if we are honest with ourselves, she really isn’t badly dressed.
Let's pursue her shopping list. There is plenty of good here, amongst a handful of horrors. Starting with the best, I cannot fault her recommendation of With Nothing Underneath’s striped The Boyfriend Shirt, £120. The London based brand, founded by former Vogue stylist and Tatler Jewellery Editor Pip Durell, is an editor's favourite and smart choice for anyone looking to update their spring wardrobe.
There is a subtle, camel leather tote bag from Polène, the Parisian label which has just opened a new shop on Regent Street, and is well worth a visit, as well as the (unfortunately sold out) £99.90 trench coat from Uniqlo, designed by Clare Waight Keller, the former Givenchy creative director who made her wedding dress and, as of last September, the new chief designer at the Japanese high street label. Waight Keller told the Standard in December that Markle always has her eye on her latest Uniqlo drops. “There are certain key items which I know she always loves: the trench coat, fluid skirts and dresses,” she said.
Then, there are the serviceable white linen co-ord sets and basic cashmere jumpers that we have come to expect from Markle’s premium basic, but always put together, closet.
Do proceed with caution, however. I am left unconvinced by a beige knitted t-shirt from Loro Piana, which costs a whopping $1415, or £1094. Certainly a brave look for cooking jam in, anyway. Her sunglasses — favourites include Tom Cruise aviator Ray Bans or whacking great Montecito-sized black polo shades — do not travel to London all that well. Then there are the skinny jeans; both influencer Alix Earle’s collaboration with Frame, as well as some skinny kick flares from Veronica Beard. I cannot endorse either style. On a similar note, I am perturbed by the £400 flat-footed, black thong sandals from Emme Parsons, “an American coastal brand grounded in European historicism.”
On the whole though, Markle has not selected badly at all. Her pieces are broadly classic, mostly affordable — and should fly off the shelves. Which, there can be no doubt whatsoever, was precisely her intention.
