When the Duchess of Sussex stepped out for Royal Ascot on Tuesday afternoon, the world swooned over her white Givenchy dress. Granted, it’s not the first time the newlywed - who is celebrating her one-month anniversary with Prince Harry - has chosen a white dress, but it is the first time she has stepped out for Ascot, and she decided to wear white. Going through the archives we noticed that her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, ALSO wore white for her Ascot debut back in 2016. A coincidence? We’re not so sure.
When Kate arrived at Ascot back in the summer of 2016, she nailed it wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress which fell just above the knee. Style mavens loved it, and she must have been a fan because she wore a very similar dress the following year.
Regarding Meghan’s first Ascot dress, we spoke to colour expert Gabi Winters from Chromology who told HELLO!: “White is about purity, perfection and showing up in your true authentic form. These days we all want to be ourselves and show off our true self, and the colour white reflects that. When people are reaching for white, they’re looking for a fresh, new beginning - a clean slate.
“The expression ‘waving the white flag’ means surrendering but in Meghan’s case, this is about surrendering herself, offering a sense of peace and calm.”
Practically, Meghan (and in previous years, Kate) might also have opted for a lighter hue in an aim to feel comfortable in the UK sun during Ascot - which is currently at 22 degrees. Gabi told us: “White stops you from sweating. In the Sahara desert people wear white to keep them cool in the sun and it reflects light more than darker or brighter colours. Practically speaking, white keeps you cooler for longer.”
