AT 45, HERE’S HOW MEGHAN IS REINVENTING HER STYLE FOR MIDLIFE
However you feel about the Duchess of Sussex, it’s difficult to deny that she has style. That style has shifted plenty of times over the years, from the pencil-skirted days of Suits (the legal drama in which she starred) to her quietly luxurious Montecito wardrobe, via the small matter of a stint within the Royal family.
The last year has seen Meghan’s attitude to dressing change once again. As she celebrates her 45th birthday, her fashion choices feel more elevated, marking an assured take on midlife style. This seemed to begin when she made her Paris Fashion Week debut in 2025, draped in an elegant white Balenciaga look to see Pierpaolo Piccioli’s first show as creative director.
Since then, the skinny jeans have subtly morphed into wider-leg styles, while the red carpet glamour has been replaced with something altogether grander. At the heart of this is a focus on minimalist, high-quality pieces.
“Her style today is less about making a statement and more about creating consistency,” says stylist and founder of FashPack, Louise Pennington. “Her wardrobe is built on pieces that will feel just as relevant five years from now as they do today. She’s a reminder that the chicest wardrobes are often the ones built slowly, worn often and styled with intention.”
To mark Meghan’s 45th birthday, here’s a look back at five outfits from the last year that have shaped her latest style evolution.
The smart-casual suit
In an Akris blazer, Tracy James jeans and an Anine Bing T-shirt, Meghan aced smart-casual at a recent screening event, exuding the poise (and, frankly, wealth) required to brave wearing entirely shades of white and ecru. The look also shows how far her fashion has come if you consider similar outfits she would have worn in the past – think back to Wimbledon or the Invictus Games circa 2019 – says personal stylist Annabel Hodin.
“She used to wear shorter, more fitted single-breasted white jackets with tight jeans and stilettos,” says Hodin. “Now, we see her give a more elegant take on smart-casual: shades of white, subtly oversized silhouettes and flat shoes.” These also mark a change; for years, Meghan’s signature sandals have been the Hermès Oran style, which have now been upgraded for the house’s Santorini sandals, which add an ankle strap to the signature H-shaped cutout design. It may not be a drastic difference, but it’s another sign of a subtle, more grown-up shift.
The grand gala look
This fundraising gala look marked a return to red carpet glamour for Meghan back in February. It’s a long way from the breezy, California-chic staples she wore throughout her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, but there is still a softness to it that marks a departure from the sometimes skimpy pieces she used to wear for evening events. With a strapless sweetheart neckline, the Harbison Studio gown could have felt a little “Old Meghan”, but the floor-length column skirt and voluminous black shawl (crafted from silk and velvet with a sweeping train) root it in a more mature glamour. The hairstyle does the same: a sleek chignon that’s simple but effective.
The laidback shorts look
It’s very hard to imagine Meghan attending an event in an outfit as informal as this a few years ago. That’s not to say it’s not chic – the Brochu Walker knit and Jenni Kayne shorts are straight from her Montecito playbook – but the fact that she’s wearing it to make an official appearance implies a certain sartorial confidence that only comes with age. “The perfectly polished image has softened,” says Pennington. “Linen is left to crease slightly, her hair feels a little less ‘done’, her make-up is lighter and the overall impression is one of ease rather than perfection. Whether that’s a conscious move towards appearing more approachable or simply a reflection of this stage of her life, it feels refreshingly authentic.”
The relaxed royal look
In a navy strapless silk Ralph Lauren column dress, accessorised with vintage Chanel earrings and a Cartier Tank Française watch that reportedly used to belong to Princess Diana, Meghan embodied her new style code at a charity event in California in March. A little of her recognisable Montecito ease, a touch of that Paris Fashion Week glamour, a nod to her royal connections, a lot of confidence. “She looks comfortable in this dress and therefore shines in it,” says Hodin. “She’s moved on from clothes that wear her and is now presenting herself in her role as mother and professional in her own right.” The simple chignon hairstyle made an effective return here too, and looks to be a new red carpet signature.
The new casual
Another example of Meghan’s favoured jean shape widening out came during the royal visit to Australia back in the spring. Cropped and off-white, they’re a long way from bright white skinny jeans we saw her wear as recently as 2024. The striped shirt is from Matteau, an Australian fashion label known for clean lines and minimalist staples, while the casually tied styling is all Meghan. This not only felt like a nod to diplomatic dressing, it said, in no uncertain terms, I am comfortable and at ease. That seems to be the central message of Meghan’s new look.
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