Meghan Markle’s Style Inspiration

Almost all of our readers (hello!) have told us repeatedly that they love Meghan Markle’s style. They love the pieces she chooses, the looks that they create and, most importantly, the overall style that Meghan emulates. But where exactly does Meghan turn to for inspiration? What styles does she browse and try to incorporate into her closet? We are fortunate that Meghan herself shared that information with us, and forms today’s #TigTBT!

With the Tig having shut down, we were saddened that several years of archives – including amazing tips from Meghan herself on her fashion & beauty choices – would be lost to the depths of the internet. We were able to track down the archives and today we’re sharing them with you in today’s instalment of the Meghan’s Mirror Tig Throwback Thursdays series.

Meghan clarified the exact details of the French look that she loves, differentiating between the two main French looks – the “bobo” and the “breton“.

We’ll start with the “bobo”, which Meghan describes as:

Bohemian Bourgeois, aptly nicknamed “bobo” by les Parisiennes, refers to a fusion of social classes, much like “Champagne socialists” in the UK, or “limousine liberals” in the states. And as loaded as all of that may be, let’s just for a moment, put the political suggestion to the side and simply talk about what it means to be “bobo chic.” I happen to love all things chic, and I certainly have a propensity for embracing all things Francophile, so this burgeoning “bohemian bourgeois” style, by way of the streets of the Marais, is right up my alley. You know girls like this — who craft looks similar to the Olsen twins – equal parts designer, bespoke & pricey but with an air of having just rolled out of bed, or dragged through a very fashionable (albeit disheveled) tornado.

Think Emmanuelle Alt (Meghan’s self-described style icon) or any of the incredibly stylish friends in the French fashion world she surrounds herself with. Think Lou Doillon, Clémence Poésy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Léa Seydoux. If you’re looking for more reading about it, the NYT had a great article about it back in 2000 when the trend first emerged.

Meghan shared an inspiration board for the look on the TIG:

The other side of French fashion is the more traditional French look, the “breton”. Here’s how Meghan described it:

This aesthetic is much more preppy chic (think Audrey Hepburn in “Funny Face”) – a stark contrast to that drapey, slouchy, relaxed bobo look. Frankly, I think most of us find ourselves in a crossroads of relatively put together + a polished throwback on any given day. The classic Breton shirt has that Cape Cod nod, Jackie O approved, but with distressed jeans. But that is life. It can’t always be perfect (something the Bobos seem to embrace) and yet it can feel remotely pulled together – à la Breton.

As Meghan mentions, think classic style French for the breton look. Think Audrey Hepburn, the Duchess of Cambridge or Jackie O. It’s a more traditional, tailored look with still an air of being pulled together.

Meghan shared an inspiration board for the look on the TIG:

And where does Meghan fall in terms of her taste? She shared that as well, saying:

To be honest, I always lean towards a more classic Parisian style (think quintessential Breton striped shirt, which, *fun fact*, originated in 1858 and featured 21 stripes – one for each of Napoleon’s victories). I can generally be found in the aforementioned tee with some skinny black pants, or jean cut offs and some simple red boating shoes or black flats for the summer. Throw on a hat, and I am done.

Meghan also shared that she had coined a new term for her combination of both looks: the ‘bobret’. Not sure that will catch on, but we can definitely say for sure that the Meghan Markle style has.