--- title: Meghan Markle Makes the Case for 5 Style Trends description: A comprehensive guide to the style trends that Meghan Markle has made a part of her royal wardrobe as the Duchess of Sussex. canonical: https://time.com/5367698/meghan-markle-outfit-trends/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-08-22T15:32:27.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:46:15.606Z og:title: 5 Style Trends Megan Markle Makes the Case for og:description: Fashion fit for a royal og:url: https://time.com/5367698/meghan-markle-outfit-trends/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt80ec9f2e221078ab/698932a822fb85e8f9e25dd9/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at Trooping the Colour og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 5 Style Trends Megan Markle Makes the Case for twitter:description: Fashion fit for a royal twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt80ec9f2e221078ab/698932a822fb85e8f9e25dd9/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 5 Stylish Trends Meghan Markle Makes a Case For With Her Royal Wardrobe  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Aug 22, 2018 3:32 PM UTC  Meghan Markle wore a pale pink off-the-shoulder dress by Carolina Herrera for her Trooping the Colour debut on Saturday, June 9, 2018\. She paired the dress with a hat by Philip Treacy Meghan Markle wore a pale pink off-the-shoulder dress by Carolina Herrera for her Trooping the Colour debut on Saturday, June 9, 2018\. She paired the dress with a hat by Philip TreacyChris Jackson—Getty Images  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Aug 22, 2018 3:32 PM UTC [Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex](http://time.com/5228207/meghan-markle-title-royal-wedding/), has always had a striking [sense of style](http://time.com/5335687/meghan-markle-outfits-dublin/), but since tying the knot with her husband Prince Harry this spring, [the Duchess’ wardrobe](http://time.com/5062929/meghan-markle-fashion-photos/) has demonstrated a penchant for an extra level of polished elegance. Like Kate Middleton before her, Markle’s sophisticated outfits make headlines and even cause a significant retail spike. Here, five trends that Markle is making a major case for with her royal wardrobe. **Off-the-Shoulder Necklines**: Markle’s shown a clear liking for wide, boat necklines reminiscent of Old Hollywood (Audrey Hepburn’s dress in _Sabrina_ in particular comes to mind). In fact, the Duchess enjoys the style so much that she selected a graceful bateau neckline for her gorgeous Givenchy wedding gown made by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller. While off-the-shoulder necklines can sometimes veer towards cloying, Markle tempers it by selecting styles in strong, sophisticated colors like dusty rose and black.  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 09: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex travel in an open carriage to the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 09, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/WireImage) Anwar Hussein—WireImage  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 1O: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wearing a dark navy Dior dress and a hat by milliner Stephen Jones, attend a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on July 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/WireImage) Anwar Hussein—WireImage **Nude Pink in Lieu of Pastels**: Soft pastel hues are a go-to for looking dressy in a pinch, a trick that everyone from Markle’s sister-in-law Kate Middleton to the Queen herself has relied on in the past. Markle has put her own spin on it, however, by opting often for a tawnier nude pink hue that feels fresh and modern. Whether she’s wearing a dress that pays homage to the classic British trench coat or a sleek cocktail sheath, the color has become one of Markle’s trademarks.   LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 22: (L-R) Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend The Prince of Wales' 70th Birthday Patronage Celebration held at Buckingham Palace on May 22, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images) Chris Jackson—Chris Jackson/Getty Images **Full Skirts Paired with Cinched Waists**: Markle’s affinity for elements of Old Hollywood style are never more evident than when she wears a full skirt a la Dior’s famously post-war “the New Look,” which featured tight waists above extravagantly full skirts. The decidedly feminine silhouette is flattering, with the dramatic flare of the skirt highlighting her waist and legs. Markle often emphasizes the shape of this by cinching her waist with a wide belt, something that flatters the waist whether she’s sporting a casual denim dress at Prince Harry’s polo match or a formal black cocktail dress by royal fashion favorite Emilia Wickstead.   DUBLIN, IRELAND - JULY 10: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a reception at Glencairn, the residence of Robin Barnett, the British Ambassador to Ireland during day one of their visit to Ireland on July 10, 2018 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Geoff Pugh - WPA Pool/Getty Images) WPA Pool—Getty Images **Unconventional Colors**: Markle’s given classic looks a fresh update when she’s wearing surprising colors. A sleek sheath dress feels vibrant, not formal, when it’s a brilliant buttercup yellow and a fitted dress with a bateau neckline and full, elbow-length sleeves gets a fashion-forward edge when it’s a olive hue.  LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 05: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Your Commonwealth Youth Challenge reception at Marlborough House on July 05, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images) WPA Pool—Getty Images  Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave after the christening of Britain's Prince Louis of Cambridge at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, London on July 9, 2018\. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images) DOMINIC LIPINSKI—AFP/Getty Images **Playful Prints**: Markle hit her stride with bold pieces that stick to clean silhouettes and neutral tones. A streamlined and simple design anchors a plaid shirt jacket with a bateau neckline, while a pinstriped sundress doesn’t feel busy thanks to a close-fitting shape and unfussy elements like understated black buttons and a matching self-belt.  CARDIFF, WALES - JANUARY 18: Meghan Markle chats with people inside the Drawing Room during a visit to Cardiff Castle on January 18, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Ben Birchall - WPA Pool / Getty Images) WPA Pool—Getty Images  LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 18: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a reception with delegates from the Commonwealth Youth Forum at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on April 18, 2018 in London, United Kingdom (Photo by Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images) WPA Pool—Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5367698/meghan-markle-outfit-trends/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5367698/meghan-markle-outfit-trends/"},"headline":"5 Stylish Trends Meghan Markle Makes a Case For With Her Royal Wardrobe","datePublished":"2018-08-22T15:32:27.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:46:15.606Z","description":"Fashion fit for a royal","url":"https://time.com/5367698/meghan-markle-outfit-trends/","keywords":["Newsfeed","fashion","royals"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt80ec9f2e221078ab/698932a822fb85e8f9e25dd9/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt80ec9f2e221078ab/698932a822fb85e8f9e25dd9/meghan-markle-and-prince-harry.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at Trooping the Colour","caption":"Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at Trooping the Colour","creditText":"Chris Jackson—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5367698/meghan-markle-outfit-trends/","name":"5 Stylish Trends Meghan Markle Makes a Case For With Her Royal Wardrobe"}}]}] ```