Being royal means that you have access to some pretty incredible fashion.
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have consistently turned heads with their royal fashion statements,
but not everything they wear is super expensive.
While it's true that a lot of their outfits come with a hefty price tag, some of their
fashion is a bit more accessible to fans of the royal family who want to emulate their
style.
Case in point: Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have been known to pair inexpensive
earrings with their fancy duds.
It might seem like an unusual choice, but one fashion expert says that there could be
a strategic reason for donning budget-friendly jewelry.
According to Insider, people started taking notice of the trend in July 2019 when Kate
Middleton paired a $10 pair of earrings from Accessorize with a $222 Sandro Paris dress.
In September 2019, she was seen wearing a $2,000 Emilia Wickstead frock with a $6 pair
of earrings from Accessorize.
Meghan Markle has also been rocking some affordable earrings, wearing a $6 pair - which were reportedly
borrowed from a friend - with a $10,000 Valentino dress to a wedding in September 2019.
She was also spotted wearing a $30 pair of Madewell earrings on her African tour that
month.
As fashion expert Cécile Duclos told Insider, wearing cheap earrings with expensive dresses
means that Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton are appealing to a wide range of people.
Duclos said,
"The choice of mixing luxury pieces with items from affordable mainstream retailers is a
strategic one.
The clothes that showcase established high-end brands or up-and-coming designers appeal to
the fashion world.
Carefully selected, they show knowledge and support of the fashion industry."
It's not about earning Instagram followers for these royals, though, as it might be for
your run-of-the-mill influencer.
According to Duclos, this fashion expertise,
"can influence popularity favorably, popularity which in turn becomes an asset for their diplomatic
and political endeavors."
Wearing affordable jewelry also appeals to those who can't buy pricey designer dresses
but still admire Middleton and Markle's style.
As Duclos puts it,
"The affordable pieces [...] are used to appeal to a different audience.
This is the general public, who can also enjoy fashion, but can't necessarily afford designer
pieces.
The use of popular brands cleverly demonstrates a down-to-earth personality, one of a royal
who still shops in the same places than the rest of the population.
This mix of influences is therefore carefully crafted in order to appeal to a wide socio-economical
range of people and influence opinion, which is, in the royal world just like in everyday
life, one of the essential aims of fashion."
While we can't prove that Markle and Middleton are intentionally trying to cater to their
fans across many demographics with their fashion choices and affordable accessories, royal
commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said that their style does make them seem more accessible.
Fitzwilliams told Insider,
"We are told how much the outfits royals wear cost.
Because they lift the profile of the designers involved, who knows what they bought them
for.
This mix is more relatable, they know it will be analyzed.
The end result is what really matters."
Markle and Middleton don't stop at wearing affordable earrings, either.
Both royals are often spotted wearing budget-friendly clothing.
In October 2019, Essence reported that Markle was wearing a $139 trench dress on her royal
tour of Africa.
People reported that Markle is also often spotted wearing Everlane, a brand whose cashmere
collection went on sale in November 2019 for just $100 per piece.
In 2018, Insider reported on some of Middleton's most budget friendly looks, including a 2017
farm visit wearing $50 pants from Zara.
Another favorite staple of Middleton's is maternity brand Seraphine.
In 2014, the duchess rocked a turtleneck dress from the brand that cost just $59.
It's clear that becoming royal hasn't changed Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton too much.
It's no wonder that so many people envy these ladies not just for their style but also for
their grace.
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