MEGHAN Markle has reworn a stunning Caroline Herrera dress for a red carpet appearance without Prince Harry.
But the Duchess of Sussex, 43, removed the voluminous skirt and train of the dress, which retails for more than £4.5k, to make the very daring split prominent and silhouette more slinky.
The mum-of-two took a leaf from the Princess of Wales‘s book at the weekend when she upcycled a striking red Carolina Herrera dress.
She previously donned the designer gown at a 2021 gala in New York City to celebrate the military on the eve of Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in Britain, but since gave it a second appearance for the LA Children’s Hospital gala.
For the charity event, the brunette beauty slightly altered the £4,565 poppy red dress, removing excess material from the train to give it a slinkier silhouette.
It’s a move typically associated with her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, 42, who has upheld a thrifty reputation throughout her royal career thanks to her love of rewearing dresses and accessories.
Kate has upcycled ensembles on many occasions throughout the years, sending a message to millions that you can wear the same gown multiple times and still look gorgeous.
Meghan followed in the footsteps of Kate and rewore the striking red dress, but with a sexy new feature.
Increasing her sustainability credentials, Meghan rocked the bold red ensemble, featuring a thigh-high split.
In 2021, she cut a stylish figure at the ‘Salute to Freedom’ event in the same gown, featuring a deep neckline and pleated skirt.
She then completed her fabulous look with a pair of matching £696 slingback heels featuring crystal-embellished buckle detail.
The Princess of Wales has paved the way for Meghan, who started recycling her red carpet dresses in 2012 before going on to tweak her favourite frocks to give them a new lease of life.
Kate previously spoke about her views on the environment when presenting an award at the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony in 2021.
She said: “Nature is vital to us all… But for too long we’ve neglected our wild spaces and now we’re facing a number of tipping points.
Kate Middleton's love of recycling clothes
KATE Middleton might be a Princess, but that certainly doesn't stop her from rewearing her favourite frocks.
Jenny Packham Gown: She first worn the frock to an ARK Gala Dinner in June 2011, and then rewore it three years later to the National Portrait Gallery in February 2014.
Alexander McQueen Coat Dress: Kate donned the beautiful number for Trooping the Colour in June 2016 and then just a year later, was spotted in it again for the Easter Service, in April 2017.
Temperley London Dress: She first wore the black lace dress at the War Horse Premiere, in January 2012, but then, just months later, donned it again, at the St. Andrews University Gala, in December 2012.
Hobbs Coat: Even Kate is a fan of a staple coat, as she’s reworn a classic number from Hobbs, which she first wore on Christmas Day in December 2012, and then again on a visit to Newcastle, in October 2013.
Kate Middleton’s sartorial choices continue to inspire many, proving that elegance and sustainability can go hand in hand.
“If we don’t act now we will permanently destabilise our planet and rob our children of the future they deserve.”
She recently proved that she was just as on-trend and stylish as the A-listers surrounding her at the Baftas, as she opted for a recycled white-and-black Alexander McQueen one-shoulder gown for the glamorous event, which she first wore in 2019.
The reused number had undergone some minor alterations, with the floral detailing on the shoulder swapped for a sweeping train of material.
Giving her old dress a new look, she teamed the elegant gown with trendy black opera gloves and a black clutch bag.
While Meghan rarely alters her previously worn dresses, she has also been known to rewear clothes on numerous occasions.
When she made a glamorous appearance at the One Young World summit at the Royal Albert Hall back in October 2019, it was in a dress she had first debuted the January before.
Meghan stunned in a recycled £107 purple Babaton by Aritzia gown, which she previously wore on a visit to Hamilton Square in Birkenhead when she was six months pregnant.
For the second time round, she styled the bold dress with navy court heels and donned minimal accessories – including a gold bangle and delicate bracelet.
How confident Meghan Markle hit the spotlight aged 12
MEGHAN Markle proved herself as a feminist long before hitting the spotlight - pushing for change at just 12.
Footage of the US actress as a school student has surfaced, with the young woman having written letters demanding for a cleaning ad to change their sexist ad’s phrasing from “women” to “people”.
Meghan had taken issue with Ivory’s ad for dishwasher soap, that claimed “women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans”.
Taking up a pen and paper, the determined student wrote to the company, asking for them to make a change – and they did.
Nickelodeon footage of Meghan explaining just why she had decided to speak out has since resurfaced, with the fresh-faced student already well-spoken and thoughtful.
Speaking to the camera, she explained: “I said – wait a minute, how could someone say that?”
She said that she realised a number of commercials would hurt people’s feelings, and was determined to make a change.
In the 1993 interview, she said: “I don’t think it is right for kids to grow up thinking that mom does everything.
“If you see something that you don’t like or offended by on television or any other place, write letters and send them to the right people and you can really make a difference, not just for yourself but for lots of other people.”
Meghan last wore the purple gown with a statement red coat from Sentaler, paying tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who was a fan of the bold colour palette.
This year, during her quasi-royal tour of Nigeria with Prince Harry, Meghan marked Mother’s Day in America by wearing her Carolina Herrera Yellow Silk Overlay Column Gown, which she wore in 2021 when she announced her pregnancy with Princess Lilibet.
For the event in Nigeria, the Duchess looked incredibly elegant as she arrived at the State Governor House in Lagos, in the £3,198 silk dress, which she matched with a classic pair of nude leather sandals.
Meghan also wore the Caroline Herrera dress on another special occasion – Prince Archie‘s first birthday, as shown in the Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, alongside her mother, Doria Ragland, and Prince Harry.
Meghan explained to the NYT that when she knows there will be a “global spotlight” on what she is wearing.
She shared that will “support designers that [she has] really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that haven’t gotten the attention that they should be getting”.
