Meghan Markle Shows Off New Look

Meghan Markle is no stranger to the glamorous life, especially now that she's married to Prince Harry. Case in point: in Meghan's first year of married life, she reportedly spent a total of $900,000 on clothing, as the Daily Mail noted. In fact, the clothing she wore for her 16-day Pacific tour with Prince Harry in 2018 came to just shy of $150,000. As such, many can't help but pay attention to the Duchess of Sussex's wardrobe, and her clout is so powerful that any clothing item she's seen wearing is completely sold out within days or even hours. Vanity Fair refers to this phenomenon as the "Meghan Markle effect." The "Meghan Markle effect" hasn't slowed down recently, despite Harry and Meghan stepping down from their royal duties in March 2020. However, what has changed is Markle's penchant for glam, as it appears she's opting for more casual looks now that she has settled in her hometown of Los Angeles. This difference was on full display during an April 2020 Zoom call the Duchess of Sussex conducted with the charity, Smart Works, and the change in vibe has sparked headlines. On a video call on April 29, 2020, Markle spoke with the charity, which she has been a patron of since January 2019, according to Yahoo. Smart Works focuses on helping unemployed women find jobs and Meghan showed up to lend support, even during isolation. The video, which was shared on Instagram, shows the duchess looking relaxed and comfortable in a burgundy, V-neck cashmere sweater by the British company, Joseph, according to Yahoo. Meghan has actually worn this sweater before, per The Stir, rocking it with a burgundy skirt at a One Young World discussion in October 2019. As for Meghan's glam, she appeared to be wearing little to no makeup at all, seemingly opting for a low-key vibe instead. And her hair was fashioned in a half-up, half-down style, a look we've never seen her don before. For accessories, Meghan chose a necklace with a lot of significance, the Visionary Charm Necklace from Edge of Ember, which features a blue topaz evil eye at its center. This symbol is meant to protect its wearer from negative vibes. Meghan seemingly loves this brand because, on International Women's Day in March 2020, she wore their Kismet Charm necklace, which brings good fortune through a four-leaf clover charm and the number seven. Honestly, Meghan still looks totally amazing during isolation, and it's cool seeing the duchess in a more casual, homey look. If Markle isn't spending as much time on her makeup and hair routine, she may be focusing on her well-being, because, let's face it: That's something we should all be doing right now. Still, it might not be the current global pandemic inspiring Markle to put her mental health first, she's actually been quite vocal about the importance of self-care for a while. In May 2016, she told Best Health's Melissa Greer: "As I'm getting older, my approach to aging is quite different. I make sure that I take care of my skin and body, especially with the work hours I have. And I don't just take care of myself for aesthetic reasons but because how I feel is dictated by what I'm eating, how much rest I'm getting, and how much water I'm drinking. If I don't have time for a long workout, I'll grab my dog and go for a quick run. Being active is my own moving meditation." As we touched on earlier, the Duchess of Sussex is all for keeping things low-key despite her public profile. She admitted to Melissa Greer of Best Health: "On my perfect day, I would wake up late, take my dogs for a walk, do some yoga, and have a great sashimi lunch. And, because I love to work, if I was able to go and shoot one scene, then that would be fantastic for a little creative impulse. Then I would have a really great dinner with friends. I love to cook. I'm pretty low-key. I travel so much that, in my downtime, I really relish the quiet." It looks like Meghan Markle seriously enjoys her newfound quiet with Prince Harry and Archie, and we couldn't be happier for this young family! Watch the video to see how Meghan Markle Shows Off New Look! #MeghanMarkle