Today is the day, folks: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are officially engaged! To kick things off, Prince Charles announced his son’s engagement and shortly after, the happy couple appeared in the Sunken Gardens of Kensington Palace for a photo call with the press. Walking hand in hand, all eyes and cameras, quickly focused on Markle’s new engagement ring. But the larger picture projected by Markle was left largely up to what she decided to wear.
For this important occasion, the future British royal opted for a white wrap coat, with a dark dress peaking out underneath and a pair of pointed-toe nude stilettos with crisscrossing straps. Increasingly, brides-to-be, like Markle, are opting to wear white for each and every wedding-related event. For the truly dedicated, this can mean white for the engagement itself, engagement party, bachelorette weekend, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and next-day brunch. Oh, and let’s not forget the wedding, which these days could include more than one dress. In other words, it’s no longer unusual for a bride to have six or seven bridal-white ensembles in addition to her wedding gown.
Some brides though, eschew this practice entirely. Town & Country senior digital editor Lindsay Silberman wore a colorful dress to the garden party held the night before her recent Mexico wedding. And Kate Middleton memorably chose a sapphire blue dress for her own 2010 engagement photo call. But with Markle donning white for her first appearance as a bride-to-be, it’s safe to say this trend isn’t going away any time soon. Ultimately, the more interesting question may be whether overcoats become increasingly important when it comes to constructing an entire engagement ensemble. Admittedly, not everyone announces their engagement outdoors in late November in the garden of a royal palace. But considering it’s is a pretty ideal setting, let’s never say never.
—Madeleine Luckel
