Meghan Markle Looks Unrecognizable In Isolation

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, the outlet reported.

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 an hour or days. 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.

Intrigued to see Markle's new look? We reveal her transformation after the jump.

On a video call on April 29, 2020, Meghan Markle spoke with the charity, Smart Works, which she has been a patron of since January 2019, according to Yahoo. The charity 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.

Although Meghan Markle seems to be scaling back high fashion-wise, it doesn't necessarily mean she has abandoned her affinity for designer duds, a passion she discovered during her time on Suits. "I think it's really changed because my sensibility had always been relaxed California girl style, and on any given day I was in jeans, cut-offs, and flip-flops," she told Glamour about her style evolution during the show. "The fashion on Suits is gorgeous, so it also became my education of designers and really knowing what fits my body well."

She also spoke about getting glammed up for nights out on the town, sharing, "I love the opportunity to get properly dressed up. I've worn three Lanvin dresses and they've all been a dream. They're so well made, with the most beautiful craftsmanship." She added, "I don't tend to go with things that are ornate – just beautifully made pieces and some classic jewelry. Let the work speak for itself. I love that."

Now that the Duchess and Duke of Sussex are in Los Angeles, we have a feeling there will be plenty of opportunities for Meghan to show off her incredible fashion sense. In the meantime, however, it appears she's taking this period of downtime to revisit her roots.

If Meghan Markle isn't spending as much time on her makeup and hair routine, she may be focusing on her well-being. Markle has long been vocal about the importance of self-care, telling Best Health's Melissa Greer in May 2016, "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." She added, "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 keeping things low-key despite her public profile. "On my perfect day, I would wake up late, take my dogs for a walk, do some yoga, and have a great sashimi lunch," she admitted to Greer." 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."

While Meghan Markle enjoys her newfound quiet with Prince Harry and Archie, let's take a peek inside the couple's new life.