(Culture)
Meghan Markle Found The Perfect Silk Top From & Other Stories (& It’s Under $100)
Just because she's a Duchess now doesn't mean Meghan Markle can't wear fashion that's actually affordable. Although she could have opted for a custom-made, high-end look for her official visit to West Sussex on Wed., she chose a $99 blouse from down-to-earth brand & Other Stories. Meghan Markle's green silk shirt is the basic blouse your fall wardrobe needs stat.
The Duchess made her rounds in Sussex alongside Prince Harry on Wed., mingling with the crowd outside of Edes House before going in to see a copy of the American Declaration of Independence and paying a visit to the University of Chichester's Engineering and Digital Technology Park. For the occasion, Markle wore a monochromatic, fall-ready ensemble: the pine-colored silk shirt by & Other Stories tucked into a chic leather pencil skirt by Hugo Boss.
The button-up blouse is an upgraded version of your favorite basic. It features concealed buttons, a longer back, and a relaxed fit, ideal for tucking into a form-fitting skirt like Markle's or a casual pair of wide-leg, corduroy pants. But the best thing about this wardrobe staple is its price tag. Launched by super-affordable brand H&M, & Other Stories started out as a cosmetics concept but has since turned into a chic-but-not-too-expensive fashion favorite.
Markle paired the super-accessible top with a $595 Hugo Boss lambskin paneled leather skirt, hitting just at the knee, and kept warm with cream-colored cashmere coat by Giorgio Armani. Markle matched her Gabriela Hearst satin handbag — the Demi — with the green-on-green outfit and neutral pumps to match the coat.
Just in the past month, the Duchess has made appearances at the Royal Academy of Arts to open the "Oceania" exhibit, the Coach Core Awards at Loughborough University, the 100 Days of Peace concert, and the WellChild awards. She even released a charity cookbook in the past month, Together: Our Community Kitchen, which features recipes from women affected by the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.
Since marrying into royalty on May 19, Markle has bent the rules of royal tradition and sported plenty of pantsuits. She almost exclusively wears dark colors — she's a big fan of black, navy, and dark green, if you haven't noticed — and loves a tailored blazer. This time, though, she has seemingly channeled her former Suits character Rachel Zane with the blouse-tucked-into-a-pencil-skirt look.
Despite having the world of fashion at their fingertips, the royal women still sport affordable pieces often. Kate Middleton, for instance, is a repeat wearer of affordable brands like Zara and J. Crew. Just the day before Markle's outing, Middleton wore a $200 Fjällräven jacket on her first day back from maternity leave. Markle, on the other hand, has been known to wear Everlane, Aritzia, and now & Other Stories.
Go ahead and snag one of Markle's $99 silk shirts yourself (it comes in black, white, and cream, too) and recreate the royal's sleek look. Copy Markle's monochromatic look and tuck it into a midi skirt on a warm fall day, or layer it under your favorite suit separates for a more office-appropriate look.
