Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton… Are they the same, style wise? Last week, the Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton) was back in action following a tumultuous start to her third pregnancy with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. While the media was focused on trying to get a coveted shot of the blink and you may miss it baby bump the Duchess is sporting, the fashion world was abuzz for another reason. Kate’s choice of frock for the engagement she attended garnered an incredible amount of attention (even though she’d worn it before) because… Wait for it… Meghan had worn it too.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton wearing the same dress? Let the style comparisons begin again! With this particular dress though, we have the benefit of having Meghan’s thoughts about it on record and they prove just how different the two women are. Let’s look at the dress in question first.

Meghan and Kate both wore variations of the Diane von Furstenberg ‘Zarita’ dress – a dark coloured dress covered in a lace overlay. Kate has the longer version in black, which she first wore when pregnant with Princess Charlotte in 2014 while Meghan has the shorter version in navy that she wore to a premiere in 2012.

We normally don’t see the similarity in Meghan and Kate’s styles. In fact, as we’ve shared in interviews previously, we think the two women have styles about as different as they can be. As we have shared multiple times on this blog, Meghan is a blend of California cool, modern minimalist and lover of the neutral basics. Kate is a English country aristocrat look, perfected over the years of being member of the British Royal Family. We think that the only overlap the two women share is their understanding of the power of the fashion they are wearing. Kate is known for adding local designers when she travels and is seen as an ambassador for British fashion. Meghan is very similar, paying homage to designers from her adopted hometown of Toronto and Canada while also being aware by virtue of her acting experience of the power of a look. They are very much not alike, unless you look at the DVF Zarita dress.

But what struck us as to how different the two women are is actually a comment Meghan made about the time she wore the dress to British Glamour. Meghan said:

“I was going to this event and there was this DVF lace dress with a zipper up the back, and it was so fitted, and had tea-length sleeves… I bought one in navy and one in black. It was too tight, and too short, and my hair was too polished, and everything about it was trying to hard. I think as you get older, you feel more confident and you don’t need to put that much effort in – to be able to throw your hair up in that very French way of doing things. If your outfit is in point, one thing has to be off for you to look perfect.”

Meghan’s style is now all about one thing being “off”, whereas Kate is always on point with everything. Take Meghan and Harry’s public début at the Invictus Games in Toronto. Meghan’s hair was perfectly blown out, her white shirt was classic, her tote and shoes were perfect… But she wore distressed denim to soften the look. If she had worn tailored dark denim the look would be just as she said, too perfect.

This is where we see the largest divergence between Kate and Meghan. That one little thing that makes Meghan looks so unique and fresh is often unavailable to Kate by virtue of her role, her background and her personal style that we’ve seen publicly. Take the photo below, for example. Meghan looks amazing – but the one thing “off”? Her shoes!

We’d love to see the two ladies wear the same pieces again in the future – each making it their own. That is truly what style is all about, especially style like Meghan’s. If you look at something you like, like Meghan’s clothes, and find out how to make it you own – like Meghan does… You’ll have a Meghan Markle inspired wardrobe that is all your own in no time.