Meghan Markle Chose Outfit Colors to ‘Protect Herself’ in Public, Says Color Psychology Expert
Meghan Markle says she faced many challenges during her time as a senior working royal. One color psychology expert says Meghan attempted to “protect” herself during her time in the United Kingdom. One way she did this was through her outfit choices.
Meghan Markle relied on colors to ‘protect herself’ says expert
Color psychology expert Karen Haller spoke to Express and gave her analysis of Meghan’s outfit choices while she lived in the UK. The Duchess of Sussex often chose muted colors. Many of her outfits were black, camel, greige, tan, or white, reports Express. “What these colors allow the wearer to do is remain largely unnoticed,” Haller tells Express. “These colors aren’t drawing attention like any of the vivid brights such as red, yellow or lime green.
“Color is also a form of self-expression,” says Haller. “It enables us to support how we’re feeling, how we want to feel, and how we want others to interact with us. So, Meghan is likely to be wearing these colors for one or more of these reasons on any given occasion.”
Meghan was (and still is) under a lot of scrutiny while she was a working royal. She was in the papers daily and was constantly being analyzed. This likely affected the way she dressed and the colors she chose.
“Her every move is monitored and commented on,” says Haller during her Express interview. “That’s a lot of pressure. The colors she chooses to wear are not emotionally stimulating. These subtle colors are emotionally soothing. She may be wanting to reduce the amount of emotional overwhelm she is experiencing.”
Queen Elizabeth II wore bright colors
According to Haller, another possible reason Meghan wore muted colors is because it was protocol that no one should take attention away from the late Queen Elizabeth II. It’s likely Meghan wore less attention-grabbing outfit colors so that the queen could be the center of attention.
“At royal events there was a protocol that nobody can outshine the Queen as that is who the public was there to see,” says Haller. “The Queen would wear bright colors so that everybody could see her no matter where they were in the crowd. That meant that anybody else in the royal party took a ‘back seat’ and one of the easiest ways to do this was through color, [and] by wearing colors that didn’t draw attention to them.”
Meghan Markle’s style
Recently, Meghan has been wearing brighter colors. For example, the duchess wore a red top and pants to the One Young World Summit in Manchester. She chose to wear eco-conscious brand Another Tomorrow, reports Vogue.
When Meghan attended a speaking engagement in Indiana titled The Power of Women: An Evening with Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, she wore a green Giorgio Armani midi dress and purple Manolo Blahnik heels, reports Elle. She reportedly chose these colors to show her support for International Women’s Day. The colors chosen to represent this cause are green, purple, and white.
“Purple, green and white are the colors of International Women’s Day,” says the organization in a statement. “Purple signifies justice and dignity. Green symbolizes hope. White represents purity, albeit a controversial concept. The colors originated from the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908.”
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