The Real Reason Meghan Markle And Kate Middleton Wear Cheap Earrings

Being royal means that you have access to some pretty incredible fashion. Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have consistently turned heads with their royal fashion statements, but not everything they wear comes with an expensive designer tag. While it's true that a lot of their outfits come with a hefty price tag, some of their fashion is a bit more accessible to fans of the royal family who want to emulate their style.

Both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have been known to pair inexpensive earrings with some fancy duds. It might seem like an unusual fashion choice, but a fashion expert says that there could be a strategic reason for their affordable jewelry.

According to Insider, people started taking notice of the trend in June 2019 when Kate Middleton paired a $10 pair of earrings from Accessorize with a $222 Sandro Paris dress. In September 2019, she was seen wearing a $2,000 Emilia Wickstead frock with a $6 pair of earrings from Accessorize.

Meghan Markle has also been rocking some affordable earrings, wearing a $6 pair that were reportedly borrowed from a friend with a $10,000 Valentino dress to a wedding in September 2019. She was also spotted wearing a $30 pair of Madewell earrings on her African tour that month.

As fashion expert Cécile Duclos told Insider, wearing cheap earrings with expensive dresses means that Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton are appealing to "a wide socio-economical range of people" with their fashion. 

"The choice of mixing luxury pieces with items from affordable mainstream retailers is a strategic one," said Duclos. "The clothes that showcase established high-end brands or up-and-coming designers appeal to the fashion world. Carefully selected, they show knowledge and support of the fashion industry."

It's not about earning Instagram followers for these royals, though, as it might be to your run-of-the-mill influencer. According to Duclos, this fashion expertise "can influence popularity favorably, popularity which in turn becomes an asset for their diplomatic and political endeavors."

Wearing affordable jewelry also appeals to those who can't buy pricey designer dresses but still admire Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's style. "The affordable pieces, on the other hand, are used to appeal to a different audience," said Duclos. "This is the general public, who can also enjoy fashion, but can't necessarily afford designer pieces. The use of popular brands cleverly demonstrates a down-to-earth personality, one of a royal who still shops in the same places than the rest of the population."

She added, "This mix of influences is therefore carefully crafted in order to appeal to a wide socio-economical range of people and influence opinion, which is, in the royal world just like in everyday life, one of the essential aims of fashion."

While we can't prove that Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton are intentionally trying to cater to their fans across many demographics with their fashion choices and affordable accessories, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said that their style does make them "more relatable."

"We are told how much the outfits royals wear cost," said Fitzwilliam. "Because they lift the profile of the designers involved, who knows what they bought them for. This mix is more relatable, they know it will be analyzed. The end result is what really matters."

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton don't stop at wearing affordable earrings, either. Both royals are often spotted wearing budget-friendly clothing. In October 2019, Essence reported that Markle was wearing a $139 trench dress on her royal tour of Africa. People reported that Markle is also often spotted wearing Everlane, a brand whose cashmere collection went on sale in November 2019 for just $100 per piece.

In 2018, Insider reported on some of Middleton's most budget friendly looks, including a $90 Zara dress she wore at a charity polo match that year. In 2017, Middleton was also seen wearing $50 pants, also from Zara, to visit a farm. Another favorite staple of Middleton's is maternity brand Seraphine. In 2014, the duchess rocked a turtleneck dress from the brand that cost just $59.

It's clear that becoming royal hasn't changed Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton too much. It's no wonder that so many people envy these ladies not just for their style but also for their grace.