Influenced by... Meghan Markle
Hey there, I’m Jess ✨. On The Signature, I share reflections on beauty, routines, travel, wellness, culture, and everyday life. For those drawn to a calmer, more intentional way of living, I send a free newsletter each month on the 7th. You're welcome to join.
Over a decade ago, when the show Suits was all the rage (I am, to this day, a massive Jessica Pearson fan), I went on Wikipedia to know more about the actors. As a foodie myself, I was intrigued that Meghan Markle was just like her character on the show, Rachel: a foodie and an overall lover of the finer things.
That was when I discovered her blog The Tig and it instantly became one of my favourites, in an era where I was detaching myself from the lusophone blogs I had led for many years.
I enjoyed The Tig's graphics, pastel hues, travel guides (some curated by friends such as Vicky Tsai) and the women focused interviews. These latter have inspired by "Women I'd have a meal with" series.
Ever since, Meghan's life has evolved and although she is not a blogger anymore - which is a pity - her ventures have tremendously inspired me and I see many similarities between us, from...
- being in an interracial marriage
- moving countries for love (and it turning out to be a poor decision...)
- loving aesthetics and being surrounded by beauty
- living internationally and calling several corners of the world home
- carrying yourself professionally
- and positively impacting those around you
I have also come to learn a few things with her, such as...
Transforming Hosting into an Art
Her Netflix show With Love, Meghan inspired me to elevate the art of hosting. I don't host often at home, but I love beautiful tables and aesthetics. If someone invites me and the table isn't beautiful, I just pray the conversation will do all the work. I applied a few of my learnings when hosting my girlfriends for a bookclub in May 2025, with beautiful plating and rose ice cubes for our passion fruit cocktails.
More recently, I bought a pack of square white towels which I dip into boiling water and add a soothing essential oil spray on. It's a great welcoming gesture for my husband as he comes back from work and for myself, as it also acts as a great makeup remover. Those are just great yet simple things she shared in her Netflix show's first season.
Speaking of Netflix, I just read on Elizabeth Holmes's So Many Thoughts blog that Meghan and the mega producing company are parting ways in regards to her brand As Ever. To be honest, I don't know the impact it had on the first place. I adhered to As Ever's emails and I follow the launches but I am unable to purchase those outside of the US. Hence, I don't know all it'll lose or gain in the partnership with Netflix. I would just be curious to know if there will be a 3rd season? Season 1 was a success but Season 2 was more timid in ratings, and I confess I have not yet watched the Holidays Special (leaving it for the end of 2026 now!).
Jess
Making Cooking a positive Experience
Both my parents used to cook. My father cooked once every blue moon, when he wanted to impress, never caring about the state he would leave a kitchen in, leaving that task to my mother or to any daughter around. My mother used to cook almost daily and she hated it. She always did it in a bad mood, closing herself for hours in the kitchen only to come out of it with steak, rice and potatoes which I only discovered in adulthood did not take 3 hours to make. Then at the table, she would be in the worst of moods, berating us at every bite, either for eating too loudly or not enjoying the experience too much. Henceforth cooking became traumatic for me and eating very fast became my modus operandi at every meal. I loved food but eating homemade meals was just not enjoyable. A few years ago, I was visiting my mother and she had invited one of my siblings for a meal, and there she was, screaming at the pots and pans again. It took me right back.
Fast forward to my daily life, where my husband cooks most of our meals, either through weekend meal prepping or some quicker meals during the weekdays. As I started watching her show With Love, Meghan, I got immediately inspired to head to the kitchen. One of the first dishes I did was a ratatouille. She doesn't cook a ratatouille per se in the show but her love for a fresh harvest and cooking transpired and inspired me for a little bit. As I rarely cook - my husband Bruno does it every day - I had to jump right on it before the inspiration expired!
Jess
Speaking volumes through every Attire
Meghan has impeccable style and one that suits my corporate life perfectly. That was most noticeable when she got engaged to Prince Harry and started doing engagements with him. We don't see as many engagements from her since leaving the royal family, but when we occasionally do, we know to expect very elegant and monochrome looks that fit any board room around the world. But what I appreciate the most is how she balances neutral colours with structure, amazing fabrics with modern takes on fashion. She also has very nice casual looks but I adhere to a bit less to these as I am not a "barefoot in jeans" kind of girl at all. I am more into loungewear at home, with comfy and fuzzy slippers.
Here are a few of the looks and items that The Duchess of Sussex has inspired me the most with:
Here are a few of my inspired or copied looks:
