Meghan Markle’s Button-Up and Ballet Flats Are Giving Major Throwback Energy — and They’re Still Timeless

Welcome to The Blueprint, where we break down the celebrity looks we want to wear right now and build them back up, piece by piece.  

Good food, good company, and a good outfit — sounds like my kind of fun.

Over the weekend, Meghan Markle and Kimberly Williams-Paisley met up in Montecito and grabbed some wine and pasta — and the Duchess of Sussex’s outfit was an absolute chef’s kiss. Her white Anine Bing button-up, high-waisted jeans, and Chanel ballet flats made up the perfect lunch ’fit for the “low-key” outing.

In 2017, she wore a similar ensemble while attending the Invictus Games with Prince Harry for a casual date not long after going public with their relationship. She also sported an oversized blue button-up this April, and was spotted in various pairs of ballet flats throughout the spring. And at one point, she wore two separate pairs on the same day!

Katie Holmes, Oprah, Martha Stewart, and Reese Witherspoon are other celebrities are fans of classic button-up shirts, which are adaptable and wearable for every season. They go with jeans, skirts, and shorts, and they’re light enough to carry on your shoulders or in a purse or carry-on.

Ballet flats are also packable, but more importantly, are comfortable. They’re also celeb-favored and are bubbling up in all sorts of forms, including studded styles and mesh pairs.

Meghan Markle’s Outfit Blueprint 

• Shirts: Madewell Relaxed Button-Front Shirt in Poplin, $74.50 (orig. $85): madewell.com
• H&M Cotton-Blend Shirt, $17 (orig. $19.99); hm.com
• Everlane The Relaxed Oxford Shirt, $88; everlane.com
• Jonivey Button-Down Blouse, $18.99; amazon.com
• Jeans: Gloria Vanderbilt Classic Tapered Amanda Jeans $24.88–$30.99 (orig. $48); amazon.com
• Kensie High-Rise Slim Jeans, $29.97 (orig. $78); nordstromrack.com
• Levi’s Ribcage High-Waist Straight-Leg Jeans, $98; nordstrom.com
• Flats: Dream Pairs Sole-Flex Ballerina Flats, $32.99; amazon.com
• Vivaia Almond-Toe Ballet Flats, $97; vivaia.com
• Jeffrey Campbell Dancerina Flats, $135; anthropologie.com

Madewell Relaxed Button-Front Shirt in Poplin

Sometimes, the simpler the outfit, the better it looks. This Madewell button-up is made from 100 percent cotton, so it shouldn’t look flimsy when on, resulting in a closet mainstay for years.

“The cuffs have extra buttons to secure the sleeve open and stylishly cuffed upward/outward,” one shopper shared. “Genius detail, truly!”

Gloria Vanderbilt Classic Tapered Amanda Jeans

Since building up my own closet, I’ve learned that it really is hard to outdo denim. A pair of classic jeans is, at most times, unbeatable. This full-length pair tapers at the bottom, so while looser on the thighs, it ends up having more shape than wider, billowy bottoms. The jeans have earned more than 43,000 five-star ratings and are up to 48 percent off right now.

Jeffrey Campbell Dancerina Flats

The Jeffrey Campbell Dancerina Flats have, hands-down, been my most-worn pair of shoes since I got them last October. They don’t have much support, but they’re surprisingly comfortable — even my mom thinks so. I even recently wore them while I was abroad and averaging 20,000+ steps a day.

I also absolutely adore my Vivaia flats, a brand that’s worn by Emma Roberts, Katie Holmes, Selena Gomez, and Scarlett Johansson. I have yet to try the round-toe silhouette, but the Chanel-like color blocking and rave reviews from shoppers is tempting.

Keep scrolling to shop more button-up shirts, classic jeans, and ballet flats inspired by Meghan Markle.

H&M Cotton-Blend Shirt 

Everlane The Relaxed Oxford Shirt

Jonivey Button-Down Blouse

Kensie High-Rise Slim Jeans

Levi’s Ribcage High-Waist Straight-Leg Jeans

Vivaia Almond-Toe Ballet Flats

Dream Pairs Sole-Flex Ballerina Flats