Meghan Markle has become known for hiding her feet in extremely long clothes and elegant (but practical) shoes.
However, at last night’s ESPY Awards in California, the Duchess of Sussex, 42, made the rare decision to show off her perfectly manicured toes while wearing strappy black leather sandals.
The royal was the picture of glamour as she wore a custom-made Oscar de la Renta gown to support her husband Prince Harry at the event.
When she was sitting, the dress gave an unusual glimpse of her feet, which had apparently been an insecurity for her in the past.
However, it’s clear that Meghan has nothing to worry about, as the Celine heels she chose complemented her perfectly and were the perfect ending to the outfit.
Meghan Markle has a well-known habit of hiding her feet with shoes and very long clothes.
In 2020, an industry cameraman who worked closely with the former Suits star before she met the Duke of Sussex claimed he had strict rules on set about never photographing her feet and that she “hated” them.
The mother-of-two’s feet became a hot topic of conversation after she removed her shoes during a royal tour in New Zealand in 2018, revealing what some thought was a scar from a bunion removal operation.
Meanwhile, in 2022, Thomas Bower in his book Revenge: Meghan, Harry And The War Between The Windsors claimed that Meghan in the past even asked to have her feet “fixed” after a photoshoot.
The author claimed that during post-production on the ads for Reitmans, Canada’s largest women’s clothing chain, Meghan “sent countless requests for changes to her lipstick colour and waistline.” One request relating to the open-toed sandals she was wearing is said to have sparked particular glee.
“Please fix my feet,” she allegedly wrote. “Unfortunately, I get criticized on the internet because people criticize my feet.”
It has been speculated that this may explain her tendency to prefer dressing with longer hemlines in recent years.
As she and the Duke of Sussex have been on “quasi-royal” duties this year, including their tour of Nigeria and events for the Invictus Games, a new trend appears to be emerging in her outfits, with her donning trousers, skirts and dresses that appear too long for her.
Rather than tailoring her long gowns to perfectly match her 5’5″ frame, the Duchess often wears garments that certainly add to her elegant style, but also drag on the ground as she walks.
However, at last night’s ESPY Awards, the Duchess made the rare decision to bare her feet as she wore strappy black leather sandals.
However, it’s clear that Meghan has nothing to worry about, as the Celine heels she chose complemented her perfectly and were the perfect ending to the outfit.
Meghan Markle pictured in a long ruffled dress during her visit to Lightway Academy last week in Abuja, Nigeria
Meghan Markle sported a pair of wrinkled brown trousers during her trip to Germany last September with Harry.
In Lagos, Meghan wore a very long Carolina Herrera silk overlay column gown in taxi yellow.
It seems Meghan has always been a fan of long, flowing dresses, as she rocked this striped number when she visited Sydney in 2018.
Celebrity stylist Rochelle believes Meghan wears longer garments that cover her feet to make herself look taller than she is. Above: Meghan in September 2022, Germany
It may seem like an odd absence from the Duchess’ incredibly stylish repertoire, but one celebrity style expert has suggested that Meghan’s perceived sloppiness may actually be a very deliberate decision on her part to create a particular illusion.
During Meghan and Harry’s “quasi-royal” tour of Nigeria, the Duchess showed off several examples of very long garments.
One such outfit came in the city of Abuja, where she opted for a blush silk Windsor gown, which retails for £1,106.
Its California-based designer, Heidi Merrick (a favourite of the duchess), actually offers a slightly modified version of the dress for petite clients through her tailoring service.
However, as Meghan danced the afternoon away at Wuse Lightway Academy, she appeared to skip the fitted version of the dress and instead donned a floor-skimming version as she danced her Jump Up, Turn Around.
Similarly, in Lagos, the former working royal chose to wear a silk-overlay column gown by Carolina Herrera in “taxi” yellow.
Meghan was all smiles as she enjoyed the sunshine in 30-degree weather and visited the Lagos State Governor’s office.
And once again, she wore a long, vibrant, extravagant ensemble that trailed across the grass.
Celebrity Stylist Rochelle White told Femail that the duchess probably wears long clothes that cover her feet because it gives the illusion of height.
She said: ‘Long dresses and trousers, depending on your body type, can help elongate your body and shape.
‘They can make you look taller and, depending on the style, can help define areas of the body that you want to highlight or cover.’
When the royal couple spent a week in Frankfurt last summer to attend the Invictus Games, Meghan wore an all-brown ensemble on a day when they both checked out events and attended a NATO meeting.
It was a chocolate-colored blouse and taupe-colored pants with pleats that reached the floor.
She was standing next to Prince Harry, who is a whopping 1.88m tall, and although she barely reached his shoulders, Rochelle says she looks taller due to her choice of outfit.
Meghan Markle appears in a long evening gown at Variety Power of Women Los Angeles in November.
Since 2019, the Duchess has worn floor-length black trousers in Edinburgh.
The Duchess has worn long outfits over the years, including on her trip to Morocco in 2019, which may be explained by her pregnancy.
She said: ‘Looking at Meghan, I feel like these styles make her look taller and highlight her silhouette. I feel like they make her look taller.
“I feel like she knows her body and the things or elements that work best for her and she’s taking advantage of that through her appearance.”
In 2018, during Meghan’s trip to Edinburgh with Harry, she proudly sported a pair of long, flared black trousers that were too long for her despite wearing a pair of heels.
As the Duchess was busy greeting people who braved the unpredictable Scottish weather to see the former royals, the trousers were dragged across the wet concrete, collecting dirt at the bottom.
In 2018, during her visit to Sydney, the mother of two was photographed walking along the sand in a long black and white striped dress and the following year, during her visit to Morocco with Harry, Meghan wore a large cobalt print dress.
It’s no secret that her wardrobe is different to Kate’s, with Rochelle pointing out that the Princess of Wales opts for more traditional garments.
She said: ‘Meghan has a more modern style. Kate is very classic and elegant in her outfits and style, with traditional clothes.
‘With Meghan, I feel like she’s very much herself and has elements that really show off her personality and personal style.
‘With off-shoulder tops, shorts, co-ords and racerback tops, she doesn’t hide what she likes and what looks good on her.’
While Kate tends to wear tighter dresses and tailored trousers, Meghan’s style is defined as more relaxed and personal.