Washington: A fashion blogger from New York, Sharon Joan, perfectly recreates the designer wardrobes donned by Meghan Markle for a fraction of the price.
Joan, 37, started her Instagram account, @royallyinspired, to help other Markle and Kate Middleton fans to find designer outfits worn by the duchesses, or at least close replicas, Insider reported.
There is no denying to the fact that the Duchess of Sussex has become a global style icon, with even Vogue editor Anna Wintour calling her fashion choices "inspiring", but it is unlikely for an average person to afford Markle's pricier outfits. It has been recently estimated that Markle's pregnancy wardrobe alone cost an estimated USD 630,000.
Joan, a financial director from New York, creates her own royal-inspired wardrobe by scouring eBay and Poshmark for second-hand items. She also finds low-cost alternatives on the high street and looks for designer pieces worn by the Duchesses when they are on sale.
"You need to be both patient and persistent in the pursuit of royal clothes," Joan told Insider. "Sometimes it can take years before you find the actual piece you want, but you shouldn't give up hope," she was quoted as saying.
"If there is something you want, don't stop looking for it. Keep searching online, keep popping into stores, just keep your eyes open. Don't forget to check for sales -- sometimes super expensive designer pieces are dramatically discounted," she added.
Joan further stressed that customers should try online discount stores before even looking at the designer retailers. "The dream goal, of course, is to find a piece that has been worn by Kate or Meghan and the seller doesn't realise it," Joan said.
"Given the proliferation of social media and all the images that are shared there, this is now harder and harder to come by. "It happened to me recently, when Meghan wore a striped Equipment Femme sweater in Morocco. I found the exact one on eBay for USD 59.99, which was pretty exciting!" she added.
Although Joan admits she started her Instagram blog as a "fun pastime," the hobby has grown to be much more meaningful. "As a person, she seems really strong, focused, and committed to the ideals she believes in. I love how confident and vocal she is about her beliefs and how she continues to prioritise girl's and women's issues, something she has supported long before she met Harry," Joan said.
