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Megan Markle "loved" her Suits wardrobe and wanted to "live" in Rachel's clothes

Photo credit: USA Network - Getty Images
Photo credit: USA Network - Getty Images

From Harper's BAZAAR

As well as giving us an insight into the high-drama world of the American legal system, female characters that were as straight-talking and accomplished as their male counterparts, and one of the greatest office romances in television history, TV series Suits was also a goldmine of formal workwear inspiration. While Harvey Specter demonstrated just how good a man can look in a perfectly tailored suit, the women proved that you don't have to sacrifice personal style in an effort to appear office appropriate.

This was of course down to the show's accomplished costume designer, Jolie Andreatta, who by "watching, listening and collaborating, along with constant treasure hunting and a little day dreaming," she says, was able to come up with a work wardrobe for each of the characters that also allowed their personalities to shine through.

"Working with Gabriel [Macht], Harvey's look came naturally," she told us. "Inspired by classics, throwing in a hint of trend, and great tailoring - he easily makes it look romantic."

Of the female characters, the stylist said, "Sarah [Rafferty] is like fireworks, and so is Donna, which is such a joy; she brings a spark when assembling the look for the show. Gina Torres, aka Jessica Pearson, is my pièce de la résistance. Truly. Can anyone blame me?"

As for Meghan Markle, formerly Rachel Zane and now the Duchess of Sussex, Andreatta said, "Meghan and I loved Rachel's clothes. We’d always say that, if we could, we would live in Rachel’s clothes. Designing Rachel's look was like being a kid in a candy store."

And there's no doubt that a lot of Rachel Zane's look can be seen in Meghan's personal style today, from form-fitting dresses with flattering cuts to chic tonal colour palettes and sky-high court shoes. When you've worked on a show for seven years, you're likely to pick up some style tips from your daily wardrobe, and with Meghan's new role in the royal family requiring a formal dress code, it's unsurprising that she might, like us, have been inspired by Rachel's look. Here's how...

A sharp shirt

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

A crisp collared shirt was a mainstay in Rachel Zane's wardrobe, often paired with a pencil skirt or tailored trousers. For the Invictus Games in Toronto Meghan followed Rachel's lead and wore a crisp white shirt, albeit with skinny denim jeans, and at this year's Wimbledon tennis championship she added a striped shirt to wide-leg trousers.

Neutral hues

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

Perhaps Suits gave Meghan an education in flattering colours because, like Rachel, the Duchess of Sussex often opts for a muted palette of caramel, soft pink, cream and brown, which she looks beautiful in.

A trench

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

Meghan has worn a number of trench coat-style dresses, including the beautiful pale pink House of Nonie number that she wore to the The Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition in July. Perhaps she first fell for the trench silhouette on set?

A fluted pencil skirt

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

The beautiful green, fluted pencil skirt that Meghan wore on her visit to Ireland with Prince Harry in March of this year was not unlike something she'd previously worn on the show.

Off-the-shoulder styles

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

While Rachel Zane proved that bare shoulders can be office appropriate if done in the right way, the Duchess of Sussex did the same (despite courting a little controversy) in the chic Carolina Herrera dress she wore to the Trooping of the Colour in June.

Monochrome

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

The Duchess of Sussex has been seen in a number of monochrome looks, from a black suit worn with a simple white T-shirt, to a white dress worn with black accessories for Ascot and - our favourite - this belted dress and jacket. The same colour combination was frequently seen in Rachel Zane's wardrobe.

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