Recreating Meghan’s ‘With Love’ Fashion
Plus styling tips I picked up from the Duchess of Sussex along the way.
Hello and happy Sunday! Back in your inboxes with a fun one. File this under…HAD TO. After studying the 33 looks worn by the Duchess of Sussex on With Love, Meghan I kept thinking to myself: I want to try this. Her enviable combination of elevated, tailored pieces (collared shirts, pleated trousers) styled in such a relaxed way (all those scrunched sleeves!) spoke to me in a new way.
My gateway was a pair of La Ligne “Molly” jeans, which Meghan wears in several episodes. Trying on those had me hunting for more. What felt like a challenge — as in: How close can I get to her look? — ultimately prompted a bit of personal style self reflection. As I rolled and bloused and tucked and fiddled, I took a few steps out of my own clothing comfort zone. Pairing bright white and ivory? So good. Dressing down a trouser with a slide? Why didn’t I try that sooner?
Below, eight outfits I put together inspired by With Love, Meghan fashion. (I’ve included shoes, even if the duchess did not, because I plan to wear these outfits out of my house!) Beyond any specific item, I hope you can squint and see a broader idea in each look. Her fashion tracks with so many themes from the show: thoughtful, intentional, put together, but not fussy. What’s the style equivalent of flower sprinkles? A sparkly necklace.
Psst: Keep scrolling. The last two looks are my faves! Click below and let me know your thoughts in the comments. Happy to answer any questions on fit or sizing for you there, too.
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ICYMI: So many thoughts, indeed, on the first season of With Love, Meghan. Click below for my review as well as fashion-specific insights. And make sure to check out our discussion threads for Episodes 1 to 4 and Episodes 5 to 8; the comments on each are excellent.
Recreating Meghan’s ‘With Love’ Fashion
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Look 1: Episode 5 / flower shopping + arranging
Try: Button-down shirt, full-length straight jeans, and sneakers
Let’s start at the bottom: These New Balance sneakers are so good. They are a great hybrid of slimmer styles and chunky #dadcore options. Meghan’s tan version is sold out; I found these ivory ones through J.Crew. I had already been eyeing them after spotting them on my (very cool) hair guy. Spotting them on With Love was the push I needed. LOVE.
ICYMI: Here is my try-on video for the La Ligne jeans, which are both higher waisted and longer than I expected. I bought the lighter “Howard” wash (Meghan’s “Walter” was sold out). To be totally candid, as a cropped jean fan my eye is still adjusting to the full length. But therein lies the appeal — a new addition to my closet. I am into these enough to play with them some more. This J.Crew linen shirt is the current-season version of the style we saw Meghan wear in Episode 2. Hers is the French blue; before I watched the show, I had fortuitously ordered it already in navy.
Styling tip: Tuck the shirt in more in the front and blouse it out in the back, then roll the sleeves to your elbow.
Sizing note: I sized a half size up in the shoes (I have a wide foot with a high arch); jeans have very little stretch, I stuck to my usual size 27; shirt runs big, mine is plenty blousy in a size 2.
Look 2: Episode 6 / taco bar prep
Try: Square-neck LBD
As we saw on the series, details matter greatly to Meghan. So what’s the defining detail here? I would argue it’s the square neck, which offers a stronger and cleaner line than a scoop neck (and just a hint more skin). It feels very now. As I said in my fashion recap, this LBD was a welcome injection of something sleek into Meghan’s light and airy world. Her dress is a past season style by Posse with a fitted skirt; the closest I found was this full-skirt version from Madewell. The heavier fabric gives it a little oomph and the pockets are perfection.
Styling tip: Still thinking through how to recreate Meghan’s enviable wrist stack. Here’s where I started: A Monica Vinader friendship bracelet, which the duchess has worn before.
Sizing note: The Madewell dress has a bit of smocking in the back but still runs a bit small.
Look 3: Episode 7 / milk frothing
Try: Square neck linen tank and relaxed linen pants
Let’s keep the square-neck train going, shall we? Note how Meghan’s (still unidentified) top is slightly cropped. I found a similar tank at Old Navy, on sale for just $15. It is roomy and — thankfully — not too short. In place of her linen wrap skirt (also yet-to-be ID’d) I snapped up these coordinating high-waisted striped linen pants. The combo is as comfortable as pajamas! But I took styling notes from the duchess and dressed it up with a very sparkly necklace (mine is by Dorsey). This look is going directly into my suitcase for our upcoming spring break.
Styling tip: The Old Navy tank has a matching skort that looks cute, too. Both are on sale right now!
Sizing note: I bought a small in the tank and the trousers; the top runs a bit big, the bottoms even bigger. But I think that’s part of the appeal!
Look 4: Episode 6 / plantain chip making
Try: Shirt dress
Think of this as the sartorial version of Meghan re-bagging Trader Joe’s pretzels — ha! But seriously, this is a reminder that the right piece will do the work for you. Meghan wore this Sézane shirt dress in rust on the show; this season the French brand offers it in a canvas color. Like my choice of LBD, this canvas-like fabric has a little heft to it. The belt at the waist is very flattering. I love how the shirt silhouette keeps the dress in the tailored style story of the rest of her With Love wardrobe.
Styling tip: Meghan was right to pull her hair back in a pony! It lets the detail of the shirt dress shine.
Sizing note: This was my first Sézane purchase; my usual dress size, a 4, fit well.
Look 5: Episode 5 / crudité platter assembling
Try: Untucked shirt and straight jeans
And along those same shirt dress lines…not everything has to be hard! Honestly, an untucked shirt is as easy as they come. I never reach for my button up shirts for a relaxed day at home and this was a little nudge to move out of my sweats and T-shirts. Meghan wore the “Max” shirt from Sézane in this light blue stripe; it has since sold out, so I tried the “Tomboy” style in the same color. The blues of the shirt and my La Ligne jeans felt at odds, so I paired this shirt with my longer Re/Done jeans instead. I gave them a little cuff — it felt very much the vibe of what Meghan was going for, no?
Sizing note: I should have gone up in this shirt. I got a 4, assuming the “Tomboy” would run large. To get the full effect of the duchess, I would have tried a 6 or even an 8.
Look 6: Episode 7 / dumpling making
Try: Monochrome separates
Story time: I got this shirt from Madewell for the Invictus Games. I loved the oversized fit, however it was the color that really got me, a deep green called “Dark Loden.” I’ve worn it several times since, including for date night, so I went searching for pieces in the same hue. Up popped these trousers. The combo is giving a green version of Meghan’s dusty rose Ralph Lauren combo, don’t you think? Madewell offers this in pink, too, although it’s a brighter blush hue. (And it’s all 25% off right now.) The best part of this look is how well these pieces work on their own, too. I’ve been wearing the shirt with jeans. The trousers would go so well with a T-shirt or sweater, too.
Styling tip: Madewell also makes a coordinating sleeveless top that would work well as the temps rise.
Sizing note: Both the shirt and the pants run big. My shirt is a small and I like the draping. The trousers are a 4 and I could have sized down.
Look 7: Episode 3 / chicken brining
Try: Collared shirt, straight jeans, fancy necklace
These last two looks might be my favorite — and, here’s the thing: I wouldn’t have said they were my favorite from the entire series. But something about putting them on myself made me appreciate them more. I bought a striped shirt and matching trousers from Gap — both are on sale right now — and separated them into two looks. This linen shirt is much lighter than the earlier J.Crew one, with a great slouch to it. Rolling the La Ligne jeans and pairing them with slides helped my eye (that hint of skin goes a long way). You can’t see it in this picture but trust me when I say I added on the Susan Caplan vintage Chanel necklace I got on my London trip. Much like the sparkly necklace with the linen tank, it upped the dressiness factor just enough. Then I grabbed a claw clip and twisted my hair back. Voilà!
Styling tip: This shirt is a tiny bit sheer. Make sure you have a nude bra to wear with it.
Sizing note: The shirt runs big. I read the reviews and sized down, to an extra small, and am very happy with it.
Look 8: Episode 1 / cake making
Try: T-shirt and pleated trousers
And finally! The combo I shall be wearing all spring: a T-shirt and pleated trousers. So simple, and yet — SO GOOD. I think it works in a number of colorways but I particularly love how the cream in these striped Gap trousers mixes with the brighter white of this Madewell T-shirt. (Note: A crisp, not-too-tight but not-too-baggy tee goes a long way here. This one is on sale right now.) There’s always the option to add a sparkly necklace the way Meghan has here, too.
Styling tip: These trousers, like the matching shirt, are a tiny bit see-through in this white stripe. It doesn’t bother me but if you are not a fan, consider the navy stripe.
Sizing note: The shirt is TTS, I ordered a small. The trousers fit me perfectly in a size 4, I am 5’7” and the length is just right, too.
Huzzah! Eight looks, all of which I really love. Do you have a favorite? Or a style from the show you are hoping to try? Click below to share in the comments.
PS: The Gap shirt and trousers work vv well together, too. I’ll leave you with proof!
Great read and especially enjoyed the idea of mixing things up and stepping out of our fashion comfort zone. The best source for curating a beautiful wrist stack is Yearly Co. They have lots of styles and many options for customization for meaningful people and dates, such as engraving, initial charms, number of stones, birthstones, and notches in the notched styles. They are investment pieces but can truly be worn 24/7 (I remember telling the owner, who was local to me at the time, there was no way I could wear them all the time—I was wrong). I sleep, shower, workout, swim, etc. in mine. Also love it is a woman-owned small business. I don’t work for them—just a huge fan!
This was such a fun and enjoyable read. I'm now looking at the monochrome in olive green and thinking it will be a great spring travel outfit too.