Meghan Markle's best & worst dressed moments from her royal tour of SA

With her endearing smile, powerful words and willingness to warmly embrace “commoners”, Meghan Markle stole our hearts during her and husband Prince Harry's recent royal tour of SA.

But while we're awfully fond of the Duchess of Sussex, we weren't always bowled over by what she wore while visiting charities and prominent public figures in Cape Town and Joburg, especially when it came to her shoes.

Here are some of her fashion hits and misses:

BEST LOOKS

WRAP STAR

On the first day of her royal tour, the Duchess visited the Cape Town township of Nyanga donning a black and white African print wrap dress by sustainable Malawian brand Mayamiko. 

In doing so, she subtly honoured the continent she was visiting and celebrated African culture, while steering clear of being offensive, kitsch or called out for appropriation.

Her thoughtful outfit was beautifully styled with a pair of black espadrilles and a sleek ponytail. 

VARSITY CHIC

Throughout the tour, Meghan stuck to clean-cut silhouettes, shirt dresses or a favourite of hers — and ours — the trench dress.

Trench dresses, like the one the Duchess wore to visit the University of Johannesburg, have an air of power and authority, yet still feel wonderfully feminine.

She paired it with nude heels to create a monochromatic look that was low-key and elegant.

JUMPING FOR JOY

Now, this is how you Royal! For her first solo mission in Cape Town, the duchess pulled out all the stops.

Her sleeveless jumpsuit was not only fashionable enough for a function with female entrepreneurs, but comfortable enough for her to sit on the floor and play with the babies she met at the charity she visited afterwards.

Her low bun and large gold earrings added the perfect amount of character to keep this all-black look interesting.

WORST LOOKS

FEELING FLAT

We do so love this floor-length khaki shirt dress, but it just seems to be swallowing Meghan.

Her flat nude pumps don't help the situation. She should have paired this dress with some wedge sandals or the black espadrilles she wore in Nyanga — even though they've got a higher heel, they still would have been comfortable enough for a stroll through the colourful streets of the Bo-Kaap.

GETTING SHIRTY

The casual vibe of this green shirt dress seems at odds with the sophistication of the black stilettos the Duchess wore to visit ActionAid in Joburg. She would have looked better had she paired this outfit with a beautiful wedge or event flat, point pumps.

Also, crease alert! She looks a little dishevelled — where's that stylist with a steamer when you need one?

That said, she does get bonus points for wearing a fabulous pair of Labyrinth earrings (see above) by Cape Town jewellery brand Pichulik.

SHOE CONFUSION 

It's hard not to get distracted by gorgeous baby Archie when looking at this photo of the Duchess introducing her son to Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town. But focus on the fashion and you'll see Meghan's made another misstep with her choice of footwear.

Pairing this sheer, summery dress with dark navy stilettos makes for a confusing look. What's more, her outfit feels a bit matronly, especially with her tight hairstyle and tiny earrings.

This dress would've looked beautiful with a pair of gladiator sandals, metallic jewellery and Meghan's luscious locks worn down around her shoulders.