Meghan Markle Wore the Controversial Sandal Trend I Used to Hate

It’s rare that we see Meghan Markle at all these days, so when she arrived in Nigeria to celebrate the anniversary of the Invictus Games over the weekend, I’m sure you can imagine our shared excitement over the prospect of getting multiple days (and, therefore, multiple outfits) with the famously well-dressed Duchess of Sussex. Now that photos from her trip have arrived, I can say with absolute certainty that she didn’t disappoint.

To view a volleyball match at Nigeria Unconquered—a charitable organization in collaboration with the Invictus Games Foundation that helps wounded, injured, and ill service members—Markle, who attended alongside Prince Harry, wore an especially noteworthy look that included an already-viral striped, cutout sundress by Johanna Ortiz, oversize sunglasses by Heidi Merrick, and a bevy of Cartier jewelry. Those weren’t even the pieces in the ensemble that stood out to me most. Rather, it was the actress, entrepreneur, and philanthropist’s choice of footwear that caught my eye.

For the occasion, Markle ditched her usual Aquazzura and Manolo Blahnik footwear for a controversial pair of thong sandals courtesy of Emme Parsons. Recently, flip-flops and other elevated takes on thong sandals have begun creeping back into fashion’s eyeline, with pairs by The Row being especially popular. Proenza Schouler featured pairs in its S/S 24 collection, and Bally followed suit for fall/winter 2024. Now that Markle’s given the regularly debated shoe style her stamp of approval, I can only assume that worldwide fame is on the horizon for the split-toe trend. Scroll down to see her look in Nigeria and shop the growing thong-sandal trend.