Meghan Markle Wears a Carolina Herrera Dress to the One805Live! Benefit Concert with Her Husband

All eyes turned to the Duchess of Sussex as she stepped out in Santa Barbara, looking every inch the California royal in a controversial outfit.

On September 20, 2025, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared at the One805Live! benefit concert for first responders, hosted at none other than Kevin Costner’s exclusive Santa Barbara polo field.

While the charitable evening aimed to support local heroes, it was Meghan’s Carolina Herrera halterneck dress that ignited a fashion frenzy online, and most of it was not flattering.

Style Spotlight Turns Scorching

Harry kept things casual, donning dark jeans, a black button-down shirt, and a black jacket. Meanwhile, Meghan wore a figure-hugging stretch-cotton sateen ensemble, detailed with faux tortoiseshell buttons, front hip pockets, and a waist-cinching sash. According to the website, it costs $2,490.

This sent social media into a tailspin of fashion praise and fury. Some were enchanted. "She still look beautiful 😍👏nice dress too [sic]," one fan gushed on Instagram.

But others? Far from impressed.

"A gap looking [sic] dress for $2500 is insane," one critic snapped, echoing a sentiment that would ripple across X in the hours after her appearance.

Wrinkled, Wide-Shouldered, and Wrong?

The harshest reactions zeroed in on fit, fabric, and form. "It doesn't even fit right," one netizen declared, as another added, "And it’s unbuttoned down past her breast, and was ment to be worn buttoned and it might of elongated her torso [sic]."

Others attacked the style entirely, saying it didn’t flatter her frame.

"This style of dress doesn’t suit her body type. She needs to wear a dress with sleeves. She is very wide in her shoulder area," one fan remarked. Another agreed, "The dress doesn’t even fit her well. It’s wrinkled. The area near her breasts is too big."

"I don't like this type of dress. Besides making the person look older, the dress doesn't suit their body," one netizen claimed.

A Royal Comparison

The brutal fashion commentary didn’t stop with Meghan Markle. One fan dragged the US First Lady into the conversation, writing, "Meghan's dress was ill fitting [sic] and wrinkled. Melania looked impeccably beautiful, as always."

The reference? Melania Trump's regal turn at a state banquet in the UK, where she stunned in a Carolina Herrera floor-length yellow gown with long sleeves and a baby pink belt, during her visit to Windsor Castle with President Donald Trump for a royal dinner hosted by King Charles III.

Critics Tear Into the First Lady

Yet Melania's look didn’t escape scrutiny either. As previously reported, her ensemble stole much of the attention, and not all of it for the right reasons.

One person wondered, "What in the world is Melania wearing [sic]…." while another echoed a similar sentiment, "Melania's dress didn't fit the event."

Someone else penned, "This belt is just….nuh-uh. I may be mistaken but isn't it inappropriate protocol to wear off the shoulder to such a function [sic]?" and another observed, "It's a state dinner not [sic] a night club. So embarrassing…" "What is Melania wearing? She looks very out of place," opined another spectator.

And the takedowns didn't stop there. One critic commented, "Looks like a banana and the belt seriously." Another stated simply, "The belt ruined the look."

Meanwhile, the images showing the FLOTUS, POTUS, King, and Queen all together seemed to spark discomfort for some. "This is such an uncomfortable photo," remarked one viewer.

A Lonely Voice of Praise, and a Vogue Contributor's Take

Conversely, a rare note of praise surfaced in the sea of scrutiny. "She always looks so stunning 😍," gushed one admirer, offering a lone voice of appreciation for Melania's bold fashion choice.

Still, even fashion experts weighed in with reservations. Marian Kwei, a celebrity stylist and Vogue contributor, shared that Melania's gown was "not the expected colour [sic] to see at a high state banquet."

She went on to say, "Although it perhaps is in keeping with state dress protocol, the strapless gown is a little on the daring side," suggesting the look teetered dangerously close to fashion faux pas at such a historically formal event.

Did She Break Protocol? The Truth Behind the Dress Code

Despite the uproar, as the celebrity stylist had already suggested, Melania's ensemble technically did not break royal protocol. According to the Daily Mail, while the FLOTUS' bright yellow gown may have raised eyebrows, it adhered to the State Banquet's official dress code.

The traditional white-tie dress code for such events requires female attendees to wear a full-length ball gown — preferably one featuring a fitted bodice and a full skirt. Though long gloves were once considered customary, modern interpretations no longer deem them essential.

As for male guests, the requirement remains clear: full evening dress, including tails or a dress suit — the most formal level of attire.