So Many Thoughts on Meghan’s 2025 Invictus Style
The Duchess of Sussex proves low-key dressing can be thoughtful, too.
Confession time: I meant to send this out earlier in the week but a certain major rebrand was calling (As Ever!). Back in your inboxes to close out my Invictus coverage, looking at the 10 outfits Meghan wore over five days in Vancouver and Whistler.
ICYMI: Here are my reports on the opening ceremony as well as their heart-warming interactions with the athletes and greater Invictus community.
A little time and distance, especially after something as busy as Invictus, can be helpful. Revisiting what the Duchess of Sussex wore made me think about the conversation Kensington Palace started this year, with the report in the Sunday Times about Catherine, the Princess of Wales, wanting the focus to be on her work, not her wardrobe. I am still mulling over the sentiment, as well as the subsequent word-salad “clarification” walking it back. As someone who has spent a lot of time thinking about royal style, I am a big believer in both the power of what these women wear and I welcome the conversation questioning the outsized role it has in the conversation around them. Kate, Meghan, and other women in the Windsor fold (and beyond, frankly — this should extend to other public figures) should absolutely be able to opt-out of fashion.
And Meghan’s looks in Canada prove that one can absolutely downplay fashion quite effectively. The duchess’s series of outfits were extraordinarily — and I suspect very intentionally — low key. More often than not, she blended in with the crowd (I had trouble finding her at times from across the basketball court). However, the duchess did not eliminate style from the conversation entirely. She leaned in with a pair of subtle nostalgic nods, embraced flares at just the right time, gave us a bit of a snowy slideshow treatment, and changed a jewelry designer’s life.
Below, revisiting her style in four thematic groups. What was your favorite look? Let me know in the comments.
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PS: I had fun dressing in Canada, too. I wanted to share links to my black wide-leg jeans (on sale!), olive shirt, black boots (also on sale) and white coat. The very kind team at Veronica Beard sent me the flare jeans Meghan wore and — wow — they are so fun. Highly recommend.
👑 A new place to discuss royal news
Join me in the Substack chat! We are in early days of experimenting there, but I love how it feels like a group text. Hoping this can be a quick and direct way to discuss royal news as it unfolds, with all the nuance and care that our corner of the internet offers. More there on the Vanity Fair cover about the Sussexes and William missing the BAFTAs. Click below to check it out.