Meghan Markle recently sparked chatter when she appeared at a mental health festival in New York wearing an outfit that some say borrows a signature trick from her sister-in-law Kate Middleton: rewearing favorite pieces.
On day two of the World Mental Health Day / Healthy Minds event, Meghan showed up in a blue and white striped Ralph Lauren button-down—an item she’s worn before—paired with a camel coat, navy trousers, brown belt, white handbag, and gold studs.
Observers noted the shirt was the same one she wore during Wimbledon in 2018 and in a With Love, Meghan promotional image. Kate, for her part, is known for rewearing looks too—she’s repeated a tweed Ralph Lauren coat, a Zara sundress, and more in recent years.
Meghan’s choice seems like a subtle nod to sustainability, to thrift, or to breaking norms of royal dressing.
This is interesting because in past years, members of the British royal family often aimed for new garments at each public event to signal respect, status, or ceremony. Rewearing was frowned upon. The fact that Meghan dons this shirt again feels provocative in that context—like a soft challenge to tradition.
Some fashion watchers applauded the move as smart and accessible. Others whispered that it might be a way to tap into Kate’s legacy or even provoke comparisons. After all, clothing is one of the few arenas where royal style overlap invites intense scrutiny. The optics of “borrowing” Kate’s habit is loaded—especially given ongoing narratives about rivalry and identity between Meghan and the royal family.
What makes this even more layered is that Meghan wore a sharp black suit with gold jewelry for her gala appearance the night before.
Switching from a formal black suit to this softer, casual rewear look felt deliberate: a contrast between her public and off-duty selves, mirrored by the rewearing move.
Critics may argue that this is a fashion stunt wrapped in symbolism, but supporters see it as Meghan owning her style narrative.
She didn’t need to debut a brand new outfit to make news—she allowed the familiarity of the striped shirt to speak. Rewearing signals confidence, resourcefulness, and rejection of turnover culture.
Of course, critics could also suggest this is strategy. In a world where every wardrobe choice is scrutinized, wearing something already known offers control. It limits surprise and makes the moment about presence, not spectacle. But intentionally rewearing a shirt tied to Kate’s well-known rewear habit treads a fine line between homage and provocation.
Still, whether homage or statement, Meghan’s move fits a broader shift in royal style. The younger generation appears more willing to question rigid protocol.
Kate’s repeated outfits already softened that standard; Meghan leaning into the same trick pushes it further.
The timing also adds punch. The royal family is in flux. Public perception is sensitive. Meghan’s rewearing moment arrives in that space where fashion, identity, and narrative merge. It’s a faint echo—but echoes matter.
This rewear choice might not make headlines like a bold gown or red carpet reveal, but it’s the kind of wardrobe whisper that invites conversation. That’s often how power is claimed: not by shouting, but by knowing when to repeat a quiet note that resonates.