Meghan Markle once had a wardrobe fit for royal duty: immaculate coats, elegant dresses, and sky-high heels. Now, the Duchess of Sussex appears to have embraced a very different fashion formula—and it involves a pair of black flip-flops.
During a recent visit from one of her closest friends, Meghan Markle cut a remarkably relaxed figure in England when she was photographed in a black zip-up hoodie, dark leggings, a baseball cap and simple thong sandals.
It was a world away from the polished looks that once defined her public appearances as a senior working royal. And while the outfit was decidedly casual, her choice of footwear comes at an interesting moment for fashion, as the once-basic flip-flop has been making an unlikely transition from beach staple to designer favourite.
From Court Shoes to Casual Sandals
During her time as a working member of the Royal Family, Meghan's wardrobe was polished. Tailored coats, bespoke dresses, and pointed court shoes were staples of her royal wardrobe, with designers including Givenchy, Stella McCartney and Carolina Herrera featuring prominently in her public appearances.
Even when the dress code was more relaxed, there was usually a carefully considered finish. Blazers, dark denim, elegant outerwear and ankle boots allowed Meghan to appear casual without losing the sophistication expected of a senior royal.
Her latest British appearance could hardly be more different. The black hoodie and leggings created an unmistakably off-duty silhouette, while the baseball cap added another layer of informality. But it was the flip-flops that delivered the biggest departure from her former royal image.
After all, footwear can transform an outfit in an instant. A pointed court shoe can make even jeans look polished. A stiletto can turn a simple dress into eveningwear.
Flip-flops do precisely the opposite. They strip an outfit back to its most relaxed essentials.
The Humble Flip-Flop Gets a Fashion Makeover
Yet Meghan's choice arrives as the humble thong sandal is enjoying something of a fashion revival. Once associated almost exclusively with beaches, holidays and changing rooms, flip-flops have increasingly appeared in designer collections and street-style wardrobes.
Fashion houses and labels including Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Carven and Ralph Lauren have experimented with minimalist sandals.
The result is a curious fashion contradiction: something that was once considered too ordinary to be fashionable can now be found alongside some of the world's most coveted designer pieces.
A rubber pair remains resolutely casual, of course. But leather finishes, sculptural shapes and minimalist styling have helped push the thong sandal into more sophisticated territory.
That makes Meghan's footwear choice particularly timely. She was not wearing a dressed-up designer interpretation. Instead, she embraced the flip-flop in its simplest form and paired it with an equally pared-back outfit.
This picture of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, arriving at Westminster Abbey is 🤌🏾 pic.twitter.com/xZPXzrBTQs
— Dionne Grant (@DionneGrant) September 19, 2022
A Far Cry From Her Royal Wardrobe
The relaxed look also reflects how dramatically Meghan's public style has changed since she and Prince Harry stepped back as senior working royals in 2020 and established their life in California.
Away from official engagements, her wardrobe has increasingly featured relaxed tailoring, denim, trainers and understated basics.
There is little need for the formal polish demanded by royal engagements, where protocol, venue and dress codes helped dictate what members of the Royal Family wore.
A hoodie, leggings and flip-flops would hardly have been the obvious choice for a royal engagement.
For a low-key appearance, however, they make perfect sense. And that contrast is perhaps what makes the look so striking. Meghan is now able to dress for comfort rather than ceremony, with the pieces that once would have seemed too informal for her public role becoming perfectly suited to her life outside it.
Meghan's New Fashion Language
There is no statement gown or dramatic designer coat here. No elaborate styling trick is required. Instead, Meghan's latest look is built around four everyday pieces: a hoodie, leggings, a baseball cap and flip-flops.
The structured coats and court shoes that once accompanied Meghan on royal walkabouts and official visits have increasingly made way for a more relaxed American aesthetic.
And by stepping out in England in such an unmistakably casual ensemble, she offered a striking reminder of just how far her public fashion image has travelled.
The flip-flops may be humble, but in Meghan's latest look, they are arguably the most revealing detail of all.
