There’s no denying Duchess Meghan is one of the most influential people in fashion at the moment.
Designers are flocking to create her next look, and any garment she wears almost always completely sells out – often within minutes – as people rush to copycat the royal’s coveted wardrobe.
Just last week the mania dubbed The Meghan Effect crashed at least two Australian designer’s websites – Karen Gee and Dion Lee’s – after the Duchess wore their designs during her royal tour of the country.
And while plenty of the ensembles worn by Meghan might be pushing the budget, there’s one style she wore in Queensland on Monday which is surprisingly affordable, and it just goes to show you don’t need to break the bank to look royally chic.
Meghan’s red polkadot dress worn in Queensland on Monday sent fans into frenzy. (Image: Instagram / @herveybayecomarinetours)
Finishing the look with a pair of brown gladiator sandals and large black sunglasses, the Duchess was the image of effortless chic. (Image: Instagram / @herveybayecomarinetours)
When Meghan stepped out in Queensland’s Hervey Bay airport on Monday during her royal tour of Australia, her red polkadot dress turned heads in the masses.
We don’t blame them – the floaty midi style with a tie waist was the perfect option for a day in the sun.
Taking to the Woman’s Day Facebook page, fans weighed in on the stylish royal.
One wrote: “I want that dress 👗”
While another said: “Once again a lovely dress worn by Dutches Meghan, looking smart and cool as always💜”
Given there’s plenty of sun to go around here, it was only natural for people to question (or more accurately, frantically search) where they could get their hands on the same summery style.
And we were soon blessed with a welcome answer. The dress is from a very affordable label, & Other Stories, which is branded under the H&M group.
The label, founded in 2010 by a group of designers in Paris, Stockholm and Los Angeles, also sells footwear, swimwear, jeans and even stationary.
What’s more, the frock will only set you back AUD $163. Not bad for a style worthy of a royal!
You too can dress like a Duchess!
There’s a catch though – the brand doesn’t ship to Australia, which means we can’t technically purchase it here.
But don’t lose faith just yet, there are options for those dedicated enough to get their hands on the chic frock.
While Australia didn’t make the cut, there are 15 other countries on the label’s shipping list including the United States, Germany and Spain.
So, if you have fellow royal fanatics living in any of the countries on the list, there’s the option of shipping to their address and then getting them to post to you.
Sure the postage costs might add up, but if you’re already envisioning wandering down the beach in your polkadot ensemble feeling the cool breeze as the sun sets, it’s possible you’re in too deep, and extreme times call for extreme measures.
The other (slightly more hopeful) option? Given the dress’s inevitable popularity, there’s a chance & Other Stories might make it available in Australia. No guarantees but we’ll keep our fingers and toes crossed.
If neither option pulls through, there are plenty of other similar dresses on the Australian market that look as effortlessly stylish as Meghan’s. We’ve wrapped up a few of our favourites under $200 below!
Free People chambray butterflies midi dress, $151.92, available from Revolve.
Burgundy Polka Dot Strappy Plunge Skater Midi Dress, $58, available from Pretty Little Thing.
J.O.A. polkadot dress, $62.30, available from Shopbop.
WATCH: Stella McCartney is selling 46 replicas of Meghan Markle’s wedding reception dress:
