I Used to Hate This Sandal Trend, But Meghan Markle Just Convinced Me Otherwise
It's rare that we see Meghan Markle at all these days, so when she arrived in Nigeria to celebrate the anniversary of the Invictus Games over the weekend, I'm sure you can imagine our shared excitement over the prospect of getting multiple days (and, therefore, multiple outfits) with the famously well-dressed Duchess of Sussex. Now that photos from her trip have arrived, I can say with absolute certainty that she didn't disappoint.
To view a volleyball match at Nigeria Unconquered—a charitable organization in collaboration with the Invictus Games Foundation that helps wounded, injured, and ill service members—Markle, who attended alongside Prince Harry, wore an especially noteworthy look that included an already-viral striped, cutout sundress by Johanna Ortiz, oversize sunglasses by Heidi Merrick, and a bevy of Cartier jewelry. Those weren't even the pieces in the ensemble that stood out to me most. Rather, it was the actress, entrepreneur, and philanthropist's choice of footwear that caught my eye.
For the occasion, Markle ditched her usual Aquazzura and Manolo Blahnik footwear for a controversial pair of thong sandals courtesy of Emme Parsons. Recently, flip-flops and other elevated takes on thong sandals have begun creeping back into fashion's eyeline, with pairs by The Row being especially popular. Proenza Schouler featured pairs in its S/S 24 collection, and Bally followed suit for fall/winter 2024. Now that Markle's given the regularly debated shoe style her stamp of approval, I can only assume that worldwide fame is on the horizon for the split-toe trend. Scroll down to see her look in Nigeria and shop the growing thong-sandal trend.
On Meghan Markle: Johanna Ortiz Tropicana Nights Wool-Silk Midi Dress ($2850); Emme Parsons Cecilia Leather Thong Sandals ($450); Heidi Merrick Ex-Pat Frames ($225); Cartier Love Bracelet, Small Model ($4750) and Tank Française Watch ($22300)
Shop thong sandals:
I can't stop sending people these. They're just too good to gatekeep.
These new Reformation T-strap sandals come in so many chic colors.
The other color options of these Madewell thong sandals have already pretty much sold out. Don't let this pair be next without snagging one for yourself.
Staud always wins in the shoe department, but these red flip-flops are especially worthy of a gold medal.
I started packing my lunch for the office so that I can save up for these burgundy flip-flops.
The square-toe detail on these Tkees flip-flops makes them look so much pricier.
I love how sleek and luxe these look for just $60.
Tory Burch has never once failed me in the shoe department (or any department for that matter).
Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.
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