Meghan Markle is known for hiding her feet in long dresses and stylish yet practical shoes.
Still, the 42-year-old Duchess of Sussex opted to show off her perfectly manicured toes and wear black leather strappy sandals at last night’s ESPY Awards in California.
The royal was the epitome of glamour as she wore a custom-made Oscar de la Renta gown to support her husband, Prince Harry, at the event.
As she sat, the dress gave a rare glimpse of her feet, which have reportedly been a source of insecurity for her in the past.
However, it’s clear that Meghan has nothing to worry about as the Celine heels she chose suited her perfectly and completed her outfit completely.
Meghan Markle has a notorious habit of hiding her feet with shoes and sleek long dresses
In 2020, a videographer who had worked closely with the former Suits star before she met the Duke of Sussex claimed that she had strict rules on set: she was never allowed to shoot with her feet, and that she “hated” them.
The mother of two’s feet became a hot topic after she took off her shoes during a royal tour of New Zealand in 2018, revealing what some thought was a scar from surgery to remove a lump.
Meanwhile, in his 2022 book Revenge: Meghan, Harry And The War Between The Windsors, Thomas Bower claimed that Meghan had even asked for her feet to be “fixed” after a photoshoot in the past.
The author alleged that in post-production for the commercials for Reitmans, Canada’s largest women’s clothing retailer, Meghan made “numerous requests for changes to her lipstick colour and waistline. One request, regarding the open-toe sandals she was wearing, reportedly caused a particular chuckle.”
“Please fix my feet for me,” she allegedly wrote. “I’m being slaughtered online for [sic] ‘People pulling my feet apart, sad.’
It is speculated that this could explain her tendency to wear longer hems in recent years.
While she and the Duke of Sussex have been on “quasi-royal” duties this year, including their tour of Nigeria and events celebrating the Invictus Games, a new trend seems to be emerging in her outfits: she’s been wearing trousers, skirts and dresses that are far too long for her.
Rather than tailoring her maxi outfits to perfectly fit her 5ft 6in frame, the Duchess often wears clothes that undoubtedly add to her chic style, but also drag on the floor when she walks.
However, at last night’s ESPY Awards, the Duchess made the rare choice to bare her toes as she wore black leather strappy sandals
However, it’s clear that Meghan has nothing to worry about as the Celine heels she chose complimented her perfectly and completed the outfit completely.
Meghan Markle wears a long pleated dress while visiting Lightway Academy in Abuja, Nigeria last week
Meghan Markle wore creased brown pants during her trip to Germany last September with Harry
In Lagos, Meghan wore a very long Carolina Herrera Silk Overlay Column Gown in ‘taxi cab’ yellow
It seems Meghan has always been a fan of long, flowy dresses, as she wore this striped piece when she visited Sydney in 2018
Celebrity stylist Rochelle thinks Meghan wears longer outfits that cover her feet to look taller than she is. Above: Meghan in September 2022, Germany
It may seem like an odd omission in the otherwise incredibly stylish duchess’s repertoire, but one celebrity fashion expert has suggested that Meghan’s perceived omission could actually be a very deliberate decision on her part to create a certain illusion.
During Meghan and Harry’s ‘quasi-royal’ tour of Nigeria, the Duchess showed off several examples of very long dresses.
She wore one such outfit in the city of Abuja, where she opted for an aptly named Windsor dress made from pale pink silk. It retails for £1,106.
California-based designer Heidi Merrick (one of the Duchess’s favorites) is offering a slightly modified version of the dress for petite clients through her tailoring service.
But as Meghan danced throughout the afternoon at the Wuse Lightway Academy, it appeared she hadn’t opted for the custom-made version of the dress, but instead a version that swept across the floor as she danced to Jump Up, Turn Around.
In Lagos, the former royal high-ranking lady opted to wear a Carolina Herrera Silk Overlay Column Dress in the shade of ‘taxi cab’.
Meghan had a big smile on her face as she enjoyed the sunshine in 30 degree temperatures and visited the Lagos State Governor’s office.
And once again she wore a long, vibrant and flamboyant ensemble that trailed across the lawn.
Famous stylist Rochelle White told Femail that the Duchess will likely wear long dresses that cover her feet as this will give the illusion of length.
She said: ‘Long dresses and trousers can elongate the body and shape, depending on the body type.
‘They can make you look taller and, depending on your style, they can help accentuate or cover certain parts of your body.’
When the royal couple spent a week in Frankfurt last summer attending the Invictus Games, Meghan wore an all-brown ensemble. They both watched sports matches and attended a NATO meeting that day.
It consisted of a chocolate-colored blouse and crinkled taupe-colored pants that fell to the floor.
She stood next to Prince Harry, who is a whopping 6ft 2in tall. Although she barely reached his shoulder, Rochelle says her outfit choice made her look taller.
Meghan Markle was photographed in a floor-length ball gown at the Variety Power of Women in Los Angeles in November
Since 2019, the Duchess has worn floor-length black trousers in Edinburgh
The Duchess has worn long ensembles over the years, including during her trip to Morocco in 2019 – possibly explained by her pregnancy
She said: ‘When I look at Meghan, I think these styles make her look longer and accentuate her silhouette. I think they make her look taller.
“I feel like she knows her body and what things or items suit her best, and she plays into that with her appearance.”
In 2018, during Meghan’s trip to Edinburgh with Harry, she proudly wore long, flared black trousers that were too long for her, despite the fact that she was wearing heels.
As the Duchess was busy greeting those who braved the unpredictable Scottish weather to meet the former royals, the trousers were pulled across the wet concrete, with soil collecting at the bottom.
In 2018, the mother of two was photographed walking along the beach in a black-and-white striped maxi dress during her visit to Sydney. The following year, during her visit to Morocco with Harry, Meghan wore a large dress with a cobalt blue pattern.
It’s no secret that her wardrobe differs from Kate’s, with Rochelle revealing that the Princess of Wales opts for more traditional pieces.
She said: ‘Meghan has more of a trendy edge when it comes to her style. Kate is very classic and chic in her cuts and style with traditional pieces in it.
‘I think Meghan is completely herself and she has elements in her that show her personality and personal style.
‘With off-the-shoulder tops, shorts, co-ord sets and racerback tops, she doesn’t hide what she likes and what suits her.’
While Kate generally wears more fitted dresses and trousers, Meghan’s style has been described as more relaxed and personal.