Meghan Markle

[Lapin]

I also hate the messy hairstyle. I get that she was going for a relaxed look and wants to "be herself" but it was just so basic and blah and YAWN.

GIRL!!!! YOU MARRYING A PRINCE!!!!!!!! GIVE US SOME GLAMOUR FFS!!!!!!

The more I look at it the more underwhelmed I am by the whole thing.
The thickness of the dress fabric accentuates how badly it fits her arms and torso, and what she has of a waist isn't defined at all.
She could have delivered some high-fashion drama for the viewers and still stayed true to her personal aesthetic.

...Or at least gotten it properly fitted!!!!!

I think part of it was that she's not supposed to look too glamorous though so as not to upstage Kate's dress and wedding..? (As she'll become queen). Meghan and Harry's wedding was much smaller in guests and budget, and she's a foreign divorcee, so from what I gather she was never going to have some grand beautiful dress.
I didn't like the ceremony dress though, partially because I was alarmed at how wide her waist and overall upper body bone structure is, especially compared to pictures of kate at her wedding

 

[SecretMelody17]

I think part of it was that she's not supposed to look too glamorous though so as not to upstage Kate's dress and wedding..? (As she'll become queen). Meghan and Harry's wedding was much smaller in guests and budget, and she's a foreign divorcee, so from what I gather she was never going to have some grand beautiful dress.
I didn't like the ceremony dress though, partially because I was alarmed at how wide her waist and overall upper body bone structure is, especially compared to pictures of kate at her wedding

Are you sure their budget was smaller? I just read an article saying that it was actually bigger than Will & Kate's including (bafflingly) the cost of the dress.
God, seeing all these pictures of Kate really isn't flattering to Markle. She was simply divine! I adored the McQueen gown and her teeny tiny waist.

It's an interesting point that she would consciously try to avoid outshining her, but... she should still to look amazing!!!

 

[FrançoiseEllyn]

I also hate the messy hairstyle. I get that she was going for a relaxed look and wants to "be herself" but it was just so basic and blah and YAWN.

GIRL!!!! YOU MARRYING A PRINCE!!!!!!!! GIVE US SOME GLAMOUR FFS!!!!!!

The more I look at it the more underwhelmed I am by the whole thing.
The thickness of the dress fabric accentuates how badly it fits her arms and torso, and what she has of a waist isn't defined at all.
She could have delivered some high-fashion drama for the viewers and still stayed true to her personal aesthetic.

...Or at least gotten it properly fitted!!!!!

Wow someone is passionate about this subject.

 

[SecretMelody17]

Wow someone is passionate about this subject.

Yep.

 

[moins]

Are you sure their budget was smaller? I just read an article saying that it was actually bigger than Will & Kate's including (bafflingly) the cost of the dress.
God, seeing all these pictures of Kate really isn't flattering to Markle. She was simply divine! I adored the McQueen gown and her teeny tiny waist.

It's an interesting point that she would consciously try to avoid outshining her, but... she should still to look amazing!!!

I really don’t think that it was a matter of money but more a matter of modesty. Yes she is marrying a prince, but yes she IS marrying a prince. So don’t you think she should act accordingly?i.e., humility, elegant, graceful, less is more, etc.

And like I mentioned earlier she has to please a family that is very different than her, that has a completely different background and upbringing. She is literally living The Prince & Me.

But this is just what I think

 

[SecretMelody17]

I really don’t think that it was a matter of money but more a matter of modesty. Yes she is marrying a prince, but yes she IS marrying a prince. So don’t you think she should act accordingly?i.e., humility, elegant, graceful, less is more, etc.

And like I mentioned earlier she has to please a family that is very different than her, that has a completely different background and upbringing. She is literally living The Prince & Me.

But this is just what I think

I don't have any problem with modesty or simplicity, but I see it as a serious missed opportunity to not deliver something stunning. It could be simple and conservative and still be exquisite.
Besides, the veil, decorations, etc. were all expensive and high-drama enough that I don't really buy the modesty argument anyway. This was a huge public event and expensive AF.
I can imagine that her inspiration was a less-is-more approach (see her apparent dress inspiration, below) but without finesse and quality, less is just... less. Like I said, I found it bland.
It makes sense that she would want to go a different direction than Kate and also avoid upstaging her, but that doesn't mean you skip your dress fitting and tuck your hair behind your ears!

 

[SecretMelody17]

For comparison, this is a dress I feel goes for a similar style, shape, and taste level, but actually pulls it off. This is Princess Mary of Denmark:

Better fit, fabric, hair, neckline, sleeve length. I'm not saying everything about it is my favorite, but if you ask me Markle looks like she's wearing a duvet cover next to her.

 

[moins]

For comparison, this is a dress I feel goes for a similar style, shape, and taste level, but actually pulls it off. This is Princess Mary of Denmark:

Better fit, fabric, hair, neckline, sleeve length. I'm not saying everything about it is my favorite, but if you ask me Markle looks like she's wearing a duvet cover next to her.

With this comparison now I totally understand what you’re saying! I thought you were urging something extravagent like someone would wear to the Met Ball. If she went that route another Princess Di situation might be in Markle’s future which may also be a reason for her toned down dress.

 

[IcedLatte]

I'm starting to wonder whether Meghan has unexpectedly lost weight very last minute, and that's why the dress looked so badly fitted. The dress she wore for her first engagement since the wedding looks similarly loose in an unflattering way:

 

[bambii]

I'm starting to wonder whether Meghan has unexpectedly lost weight very last minute, and that's why the dress looked so badly fitted. The dress she wore for her first engagement since the wedding looks similarly loose in an unflattering way:

That is really interesting! It does look very similarly baggy in the same places as the wedding dress (sleeves, bust, stomach). I’m wondering if with the situation with her father and the last minute changes to the wedding, it made her drop a lot of weight quickly. Also, i like her hair in those pictures better than her wedding hair.

 

[marieebo]

I think she looked really elegant and I got a better vibe than Kate and William’s marriage, idk. This felt more genuine to me.

 

[scotchandrhinestones]

I can't get over the fit of the bodice. It barely nipped her waist in at all and ended up making her look rectangular. Didn't help that the skirt was a very modest A-line that didn't flare out much; compared to Kate, she looked like a rectangular white brick.

Also, come on. What was up with these side wrinkles?? It looks like she could have used bust darts - and I think the dress is extending too far up into her armpit, causing the buckling at the side seam. And some sturdy spiral steel boning would have fixed that side seam issue without affecting comfort.

 

[scotchandrhinestones]

That is really interesting! It does look very similarly baggy in the same places as the wedding dress (sleeves, bust, stomach). I’m wondering if with the situation with her father and the last minute changes to the wedding, it made her drop a lot of weight quickly. Also, i like her hair in those pictures better than her wedding hair.

As a seamstress, that is something that can be fixed in one day - two at the most - if you can pay for it, which they obviously can.

I mean, I've taken an entire wedding dress apart, removed the white satin underlayer, created a French-seamed sheer lace dress out of the top layer, and created an inner nude knee-length sheath in 36 hours. No, it obviously wasn't perfect, detailed work, but the dress could have been taken in.

All I can think is that she/the royal family wanted it this way.

 

[ZeroDiet]

I'm starting to wonder whether Meghan has unexpectedly lost weight very last minute, and that's why the dress looked so badly fitted. The dress she wore for her first engagement since the wedding looks similarly loose in an unflattering way:

Does it matter if it was last minute weight loss? How much weight can you lose in 24-48 hours? It’s not like she doesn’t have access to overnight seamstresses. I’m sure she could have the dress taken in for urgent last minute alterations if she wanted to.

And there’s zero excuse that her hair is messily tucked behind her ear. This is a royal wedding not a DIY hairstyle to prom. If she didn’t want it that way, it wouldn’t have been.

 

[sprite]

Does it matter if it was last minute weight loss? How much weight can you lose in 24-48 hours? It’s not like she doesn’t have access to overnight seamstresses. I’m sure she could have the dress taken in for urgent last minute alterations if she wanted to.

And there’s zero excuse that her hair is messily tucked behind her ear. This is a royal wedding not a DIY hairstyle to prom. If she didn’t want it that way, it wouldn’t have been.

I also can't help but feel that the whole concept behind the hair was rather pretentious. I get the desire to be effortless, relaxed and embodying yourself but it all seemed a bit like "I want to be the normal, accessible princess that looks so laid-back" and instead of it feeling authentic kind of felt try-hard. And had it been some French, piece-y look that was ethereal and soft, that would have been another story, But the hair, and the slightly sloppy silhouette of the dress was just kind of shit.

 

[SecretMelody17]

I also can't help but feel that the whole concept behind the hair was rather pretentious. I get the desire to be effortless, relaxed and embodying yourself but it all seemed a bit like "I want to be the normal, accessible princess that looks so laid-back" and instead of it feeling authentic kind of felt try-hard. And had it been some French, piece-y look that was ethereal and soft, that would have been another story, But the hair, and the slightly sloppy silhouette of the dress was just kind of shit.

THIS! It was so contrived and didn't even look good.

 

[Natalie]

Ok, but how much of the ill fit is preference, though? A lot of american women just don't understand well tailored clothes, many have never even worn clothes tailored to them. She WAS a normal american woman. Even as a celebrity actress, it's more common to wear off the rack garments. For someone that might not have a great self image (not trying to say Meghan is like this, just speculation), a baggy fit may feel more comforting and familiar than something form fitting- especially when following Kate.

 

[classichic]

I never noticed the ill fitting of the dress when I first watched the wedding, now that's all I notice. I thought the dress was nice, simple elegant although when comparing her's to Kate it falls flat. Shame since I like Meghan more.

Definitely preferred the evening dress over the first, have to say though, it was a sweet moment with Prince Harry looking nervous and her being well composed.

@Natalie surely for your own wedding you would go for a fitting and get the dress measured your body regardless of whether someone is a celeb or not, no? Or American or not? Anyways apparently she had her first fitting in January, not sure if she had any afterwards.

 

[Lillakosti]

Personally, I don’t think she has the body for that silhouette which is another reason she may have had it fit so poorly. She’s quite boxy and doesn’t have much of a waist so maybe she had her heart set on that classic, timeless dress but it just didn’t work for her at a tighter fit. There is also speculation she is already pregnant so maybe that’s a reason (mindless gossip speculation, so nothing valid).

But when you pair that with her hair, makeup and veil, it’s as if very little care went into it. I think she was going for a timeless, natural and carefree look but it wasn’t executed properly and just cheapened the event imo.

 

[Natalie]

I never noticed the ill fitting of the dress when I first watched the wedding, now that's all I notice. I thought the dress was nice, simple elegant although when comparing her's to Kate it falls flat. Shame since I like Meghan more.

Definitely preferred the evening dress over the first, have to say though, it was a sweet moment with Prince Harry looking nervous and her being well composed.

@Natalie surely for your own wedding you would go for a fitting and get the dress measured your body regardless of whether someone is a celeb or not, no? Or American or not? Anyways apparently she had her first fitting in January, not sure if she had any afterwards.

I'm not trying to be contrarian just for the sake of it, but no, I'd probably go off the rack if I wore a dress at all. (I'm pagan, when I joke about getting hitched naked in a field of flowers, it's not exactly joking...)

My own personal preferences aside, I do see what you're saying, I was just trying to explain what I see to be a cultural quirk that I've noticed with many american women.