Wearing an arced bandeau tiara, a pure white Givenchy gown, and a 16-foot cathedral veil, Meghan entered herself into the royal wedding dress history books alongside Grace Kelly, and her own sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.
But despite the grandeur and elegance of her gown, some weren’t impressed.
Whether it was the un-accessorised design (no lace! Pearls to be clutched here), the fit of the bodice and arms, or even Meghan’s bridal beauty look, some critics—including Katy Perry—weren’t taken with the Duchess’ choices.
“I would have done one more fitting,” said Katy Perry of the dress, “I’m never not going to tell the truth! One more fitting, but I love you.”
But here is one critic still enamoured with all things Markle.
Concerning The Fit
When Meghan stepped out of the car at the steps of St George’s Chapel, her Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy gown was obscured by her tulle veil. However, once the veil was lifted—by a teary eyed Prince Harry no less, and revealing one of the most iconic expressions from the day—people were given a proper look at the gown.
A bateau neckline, three-quarter sleeves, six seamed line, and nipped waist were all constructed in an “exclusive double bonded silk cady” with a “soft matt lustre”.
This fabric, as well as the “triple silk organza” used to make the underskirt, is extremely thick, stiff and does not allow for much stretch.
If one were to hazard a guess, you would say that Keller and Markle purposefully chose a more conservative cut along the bodice and sleeves to let the bride move and breathe in the dress more comfortably.
If the cut had been skin-tight—as some are suggesting it should have been—then there’s a chance that Meghan would not have been able to sit (in the car, or during the service) or freely move her arms, due to the constricting nature of such a thick material being cut so tight.
Noting that Meghan was attempting to come off as modern and fresh, perhaps both designer and bride agreed that a slightly more generous fit was appropriate. That way, it came across as relaxed and sleek, rather than over-tight.
Concerning The Simplicity
Another complaint heard around the world was that the dress was boring. Without any Chantilly lace, sewn-on pearls, on taffeta bows à la Princess Diana’s ’80s confection, the dress was more glamour than glitz.
But considering Meghan’s approach to royal dressing—business appropriate separates, relaxed styling, and a complete lack of skirt suits—is it any surprise she went low-key? (As low-key as you can be wearing a 16-foot veil and an 80-year-old tiara.)
Also bearing in mind that the marriage was Meghan’s second (she wed Trevor Engelson in 2011), maybe she purposefully avoided pomp as an attempt to dodge critiques of “inappropriateness” in the same way Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, did.
And then there is the problem of timelessness. Meghan knew that her dress needed to stand the test of time and hold up in the grace and beauty department decades down the track—in the same way Grace Kelly’s has. What better way to assure endurance than to take away any and all frivolous details?
A clean-cut, beautiful fabric, and a sleek design are bound to remove the danger of dating.
Concerning Her ‘Messy’ Bridal Look
For most of her pre-marriage engagements, Meghan stepped out with a purposefully messy bun.
After years of Kate Middleton’s bouncy blow-dries, the world was shocked, royalists made exclamations of disapproval, and op-eds (including by us) were penned.
Her devil-may-care tendrils and her fresh-from-yoga twist has become a Markle-signature. So we shouldn’t have been surprised to see her wear a tamer version on the big day.
She did tuck her tendrils behind her ears for the ceremony—letting them out once the veil was removed for the portraits and receptions—but the rest of the style was a subdued take on her regular bun. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a low chignon at the nape of her neck, and she kept her middle-part clean.
“In many ways, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made Saturday’s royal wedding their own. The whole day had a personal touch, from the sermon by Bishop Michael Curry, right down to Meghan’s signature messy bun,” said Erin Cook, Digital Beauty Editor.
“While Meghan’s hairstyle may have seemed neat in layman’s terms, for a royal, pulling out a few face-framing tendrils isn’t the norm. But why should she pretend to be someone else on her wedding day? In my opinion, Meghan looked like a million dollars—messy bun and all.”
Criticisms aside, no one can deny Meghan looked happy and relaxed on her big day. The new duchess seemed at ease in her dress and with her beauty look, both during the ceremony and at the reception, pointing to the truth that she loved her look—even if not everyone else did.
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