The Royal Black Girl Magic
Where were you when you realized that black girl magic was about to invade Buckingham Palace? Of course, I am referring to the engagement of Prince Harry and future Princess Meghan Markle. I remember just waking up and scrolling on Instagram when my eyes darted to the news posted on my feed from various credible sources. The captions read “Another Royal Wedding.” Let me tell you; I think any American woman that had an inkling of excitement during the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Kate beamed with pride after the realization that Prince Harry was marrying a real-life California girl! She is also not just
any California girl, but a Cali-girl with textured roots, and I imagine with a
collection of quality clip-in extensions. She single-handedly made you think that your childhood dreams of a fairytale happy ending could still be possible.
Her Genuine Spirit Shines Bright
The refreshing thing about Princess Meghan is that she is not only a compassionate humanitarian, but she is also one of the most down to earth, unconventional, and stylish women to step foot in the presence of the Queen of England since Princess Diana. Keep reading to explore the reasons why Princess Meghan’s overall style not only acts as a constant reminder of her American origins but also shakes up the traditional image of English royalty!
Fashion
Princess Meghan got her start on the Hollywood scene as a model for the Price is Right! That’s right! She did not start out with a prestigious finishing school, and her meager pay as a working actress/model did not always afford her the ability to dress in designer brands or with a stylist. Meaning, that when most duchesses in England were attending royal teas in designer duds, Princess Meghan was shopping at Macy's and Express just like the rest of us! Here she is at the George Lopez's "Great Chefs of LA" event showing support for The National Kidney Foundation in Marina del Rey, California. Her outfit was trendy for the year, 2006, as she dressed up a simple tank and stonewashed bootcut jean with a statement pearl necklace and a tweed cropped jacket. The cool thing about this look is that I could easily recreate it today with some of the pieces in my closet, why wouldn’t you want to be “twinning” with royalty? Here is another throwback look from 2010 when the actress wore a spaghetti-strap romper, which is entirely against the current palace regulations that she must adhere to, to the at the "Some Kind-a Gorgeous Style and Beauty Lounge" at the Chateau Marmont in LA. Truthfully, it wasn’t until the actress began playing her breakout role as Rachel Zane in Suits that her style began to escalate to the standards of “Hollywood Royalty.” Still a far cry from having international designers creating pieces, Princess Meghan was able to use the platform as the perfect opportunity to play dress up with amazing designers. She kept a consistent look of sexy sophistication complete with:
Sheer paneling
Do you see how the neckline of this dress resembles that of a crew neck tee but adds some spice to the garment with its use of see-through fabric? Meghan wore this Burberry Prorsum Belted Crinkled Silk-Crepe Dress at the Fashion Blows event in 2014.
Above the knee hemlines
If you are going to show a little leg, you should try to cover up your arms; you never want to give too much all at once. Princess Meghan followed this fashion rule to a tee when she paired a studded motorcycle jacket with this short white number during
NYFW in 2014.
Flowy Silhouettes
Markle may have spent a lot of time in Toronto while filming, but her fashion choices never let us forget that she hails from the California beach scene. Markle wore this pastel tube top Maxi to a SAG party in 2013. No one in the royal family would think to don a dress like this to a formal awards ceremony because the beach is not in their backyard, so their fashion choices are not innately beachy. However, our princess found a way to dress up something that she felt comfortable in and exude class on
the red carpet all at the same time. And here the future royal created her own coordinate set in all white with a palazzo pant and fishnet short sleeve turtleneck for New York press day!
Artfully placed trimmings that flattered her shape
The actress stunned in this floor-length mermaid silhouette gown that popped in all of its turquoise glory at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 13th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. The draping at the neckline of the gown draws your eye up to her face before her lean figure can distract you! Once Meghan began dating the Prince her style did not change too much. Her casual wear remained casual, and she still rocked distress jeans and yoga pants like the rest of us. She did not let her dating life turn her into a fashion icon with expensive boutique pieces. Even now, Princess Meghan can be spotted wearing an off the shoulder top with black jeans and a messy bun! She wore this exact outfit while visiting the Cardiff, Whales and the wool top comes at a steal of $142.50 from Theory. Her choice to wear jeans and bare her shoulders is so far from what we would see Kate Middleton do, but she is bringing her flair to her role as Princess, and it is so American!
Hair
Another way that Markle stands out from the traditional palace crowd is in her hair color and the way she styles it. Before landing her role in "Suits," the new princess was not afraid to
experiment with hair colors, she has been seen rocking a range of light brown hues and experimenting with
lowlights. When it comes to hairstyles, she does not stick with the
large barrel curl technique that almost every woman in English royalty commits too. You can catch her in
bone straight styles, messy ponytails, Kardashian Kurls with their signature middle part, and sometimes you can even see her natural texture sneaking a cameo via her edges.
Beauty
I know I mentioned earlier that Markle had been known to borrow a hairstyle from the
Kardashian Klan, but did I say she might have de-throned one of them while preparing to sit on her new one? Okay, let me explain. Did you know that, at the beginning of last year, the most referenced picture for plastic surgery and body augmentation were those of Kylie Jenner? Well, if you are not keeping up with the trends then you wouldn't know plastic surgeons are currently reporting the use of 50% less filler in their patients because everyone is requesting a look like Meghan Markle! A full pout with a natural amount of plump is the new “in” lip trend. Women are finding the regal look of Meghan's natural beauty just as attractive as they once saw Kylie's obsession with abnormally full lips and they want to have that too! However, for those who cannot afford to emulate either her closet nor pout they are trying to copy her eyebrows! Yes, the princess’s brows are known as the Audrey brow, framing her eyes, full at the start and consistent throughout with a lift at the tips and no arch. While modeling her eyebrows after that of a legendary actress is not quite royal behavior, this is just another example of the modern twist that Markle can bring to an older concept. Every time Meghan pays the $65 to treat her eyebrows to their now signature shape the actress is displaying how in touch the new regime is with the pop culture of then and now, not to mention her brows look so good we can let the princess slide! The picture above shows Princess Kate and Princess Meghan in the same Diane von Furstenberg dress. On the left, Kate’s dress in floor length and a little more traditional, definitely suited for a married woman who will one day wear the crown of England. The dress is still modern with its sheer sleeves and trendier than a lot of what the current Queen has worn during her reign, yet it still displays the class of a traditional era. On the right Meghan has worn the same dress with the hem cut inches above the knee and the color light to a navy blue. The two ladies placed side by side show something that many of us want to know as we watch Meghan transition into the newlywed position that Kate was in just a few years ago.
Her Lane
Meghan will keep her individuality and her sense of self while still respecting the job she has acquired in the royal family. I just hope she continues to sprinkle her black girl magic around Buckingham palace while she does it! Drop a comment below to let us know what you think of Princess Meghan’s unorthodox style in such a traditional setting!
