| On Friday, The Duchess of Sussex visited Robert Clack Upper Schooll in Dagenham and there, she attended a special assembly before International Women’s Day to take place on Sunday. During her visit, The Duchess gave a speech in connnection with International Women's Day. For many years, The Duchess has worked to support issues such as women's empowerment, social justice and gender equality. (The Duchess of Sussex wore a new belted fringe boucle jacket by ME+EM.) |
| During her speech, The Duchess said: "It is such an honor for me to be here today,". "When we thought about what I wanted to do for International Women's Day this year, for me it was incredibly important to be with the women of our future. And that is all of you young women here, as well as you, the young men, who play a very large part in this." "I think specifically coming to your school made a lot of sense for me because of this social justice and the impact that it's rooted in,". Dagenham is a significant place because there, female sewing machinists from the Ford Motor Plant held a strike for equal pay in 1968. Their struggle gave result and helped pass the Equal Pay Act in 1970. |
| The Duchess continued her speech as the following: "It's not just on Sunday, not just on IWD, but every day to remember the value that we all bring to the table,". "Being in Dagenham is incredibly profound because with Geraldine and the other women who had the strength to really stand up for something that needed to be some. It's the best example of no matter how small you might feel, or how low you may feel on the ladder or the totem pole. No matter what color you are. No matter what gender you are. You have a voice and you certainly have the right to speak up for what is right." |
ME+EM Belted Fringe Boucle Jacket
Rejina Pyo Nane Cotton Bag Jennifer Chamandi Lorenzo Pumps
Look élégant avec cette veste bouclée à franges ceinturée, associée à un beau pantalon noir ; superbes les escarpins à bride bicolores miel et noir !
ReplyDeleteShoes are to die for, gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteFully agree
DeleteFabulous - sleek and elegant. How wonderful for those pupils.
ReplyDeleteShe seems so happy! Good for her tot choose a school in East London, not a pash one in ritzy neighbourhoods. She touches a group of people that few royals do. Giving them a voice. Remarkable in my opinion. Fashion wise, nice , nothing about spectacular, just appropriate for the occasion. CH
ReplyDeleteShe is more than a breath of fresh air in valuable and multidimensional ways, for example as a feminist. Good job, well done Duchess!
ReplyDeleteI hope the students really welcomed Meghan.
ReplyDeleteThat jacket is very adorable! I want it - but I have decided not to buy textile anymore.🙁/Dorothea
ReplyDeleteThis interests me, Dorothea. Due to sustainability or because one has enough anyway? Frieda
DeleteThat makes two of us. Same decision made 9 months ago, still keeping to it. Chrissy
DeleteYes, I know how much the textile industry harms the environment. I will use what I have and not buy anything until decency forces me! I will not go naked! I will mend things which actually is fun. But if someone thinks I am poor - that’s fine by me. I do not need to impress with my style etc. /Dorothea
DeleteClassique et élégant .
ReplyDeleteI love her Rejina Pyo bag !
ReplyDeletemetoo :)
DeleteOn dirait qu'elle s'est fait refaire le nez. Moins arrondi, moins plat....
ReplyDeleteVery, very proud of this lady today. He work in empowering and supporting women of all backgrounds and social classes is equalled by few Royals. Sadly it is also many women who pull her down. I can only see her good work in this area increasing without the confines of the royal spotlight. Her look today is smart and chic, bold and confidant, perfect for inspiring audience with young people. Love her jacket and shoes, and the quirky handbag. I'm looking forward to hearing her speech online, and I'm sure the students were happy to have her there. She is no Stepford wife, that's for sure, lol - and good for her too.
ReplyDelete- Anon 9:13
This outfit is spectacular. I’m not a big fan of Meghan’s and I’ve been disappointed lately how ill-fitting her outfits have been but from these photos it looks like her outfit is tailored beautifully to her figure. Flattering but not too tight and clean lines in the pants, she looks feminine but powerful. And her shoes are gorgeous! Makeup is soft and flattering too. Good job, Duchess!
ReplyDeleteA business like outfit for this type of event. A compliment buried under a layer of criticism. Must be fun to meet u at parties. Ana.
DeleteI just love the fact that so many people claim not to like Meghan yet flock to the posts about her. So many other post about other royals barely have any comments.
DeleteBlack Alien Musings, I agree with you when you say "so many people claim not to like Meghan yet flock to the posts about her. So many other post about other royals barely have any comments."
DeleteI couldn't have said it better.
Magnifiques escarpins bicolores avec une fine bride !
ReplyDeleteLire : "avec une fine bride" et non "avec une belle mariée" qui est une femme qui se marie !
DeleteThis is very stylish outfit. Boucle jacket is a real classic and trousers together with those amazing shoes looks simply beutiful. And Meghan is a real beauty. - Siri
ReplyDeleteI must say I miss her in Europe. She could have done a great job here. The royal Family is not the same without her.
ReplyDeleteI must say I will not miss her. I do not think she would have done a good job. The royal family will be much better without her.
DeleteMagnum Lady
Completely agree with you Simone. She would have done so much good here. And I really do think that the Royal family missed out on an important opportunity for greater outreach within Britain and the commonwealth in the changing world of the 21st century, through this confident and empowering lady who could have helped to build important bridges.
Delete- Anon 9:13
I agree 100%!
DeleteI totally agree. But it was meghan and harry's wish to leave. Not the BRF
DeleteMb
She chose to leave. No one forced her to do it.
DeleteThe RF cannot be represented by an activist: their neutrality keeps them in their position
DeleteShe was just what the old fashioned royal family needed. Surprising, open minded, stylish but that's not done in the UK. Boring years ahead without Harry and Meghan. I wish them good luck far away from the UK. For Harry it will not always be easy but I hope their couple survive the change.
DeleteI disagree with you, Simone. Meghan had the chance to do a great hob - but instead of showing some modesty and cooperation, she wanted to be some Superstar on her own and comercialize Sussex Royal, what the Queen forbid.
DeleteI agree with you Trudy on everything you said. A missed opportunity for fresh change.
DeleteYes, it will be different for Harry and for both of them, but I think they will be ok. He seems resolute in his decisions and their commitment to each other will see them through.
- Anon 9:13
I utterly and completely disagree, Ladies, Frieda
DeleteP.S. Coralie nailed it! Frieda
DeleteBeautiful jacket, but I don´t like to see the high-waisted trousers underneath. And I don´t like the cropped length. Shoes are great but a bit too delicate, both for the outfit, the occasion and for the season. The bag is ridiculous. Her make-up too heavy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to read that the UK passed the equal pay act in 1970 - 50 years ago - and still the feminists go on about equal rights. I´m tired of it. I´m sure that pupils in the UK today have other, more pressuring issues than women´s rights.
I suggest you read the statistics on domestic violence, rape as a weapon of war, the continuing pay inequality faced by women and so on. We need to keep fighting for equal rights. I am a feminist. Kerya
DeleteI agree with you. I think this is an issue that would resonate with North America rather than Europe. She should not carry Hollywood MeToo movement baggage to a country that according to her own speech has passed the equal pay act 50 years ago. Her speech should fave focused on current problems that these particular pupils are facing empowering them in their current every day struggle.
DeleteFashion wise I am pleased how appropriate the outfit is for the occasion. It looks chic and fits her perfectly without screaming "MeMeMeMeMe".
Zuma
Good grief. Do you mean to say that you think that just because the Equal Pay Act was passed 50 years ago, that women have been earning pay equivalent to their male counterparts for the past 50 years? That because an Act was passed, employers said "Ok, ok.. fine."? Perhaps it's time you picked up a newspaper or a law court circular from the past 49 years and do some serious reading. And I'm not being facetious. Pay inequality is rampant in the UK and everywhere else in the world despite local legislation. Employers with crafty excuses and clever lawyers are pleased and thrilled to have employees who are delusional about their basic pay discrepancies, lack of bonuses and zero perqs compared to male equivalents in similar or lower positions. You don't have to be a feminist to fight for your rights. Unless you're OK with being paid less to do as much or more work than your male colleagues - which is your prerogative to accept - remember that not all women are content with that sort of treatment.
Delete- Anon 9:13
So... you think her speech had anything to do with me2? And women in Europe are paid equally to men same job, same salary ? OMG!!!
DeleteIt would be so good if your just bother to listen instead of going to a forum to bring up stuff that is not germane to the issue at hand.
Her speech has everything to do with Metoo. In fact, she is a self-proclaimed women activist. She is probably THE most high-profile feminists around, at least when it comes to media attention.
DeleteOf course we should all fight for our rights, but I don't see the point in fighting for rights that have already been granted.
Regarding equal pay: Yes, men earn more, but they also work more. And while that may not be true for every individual, it is certainly true for society as a whole. Claiming otherwise is simply ignorance. Women get paid less because they claim certain freedoms which account for the difference. Their lower availabilty to the labour market (again, on average!) means a competitive disadvantage for the employer. Of course that is compensated by the lower wages they pay to women.
I don't want to start a huge debate here. Just saying that the so-called pay gap is not a result of someone's ill-will or society's alleged attempt to oppress women. Instead, it is a result of market mechanisms. Just think: if all women earn less, then of course, they are the cheaper employees. Logically, employers would then employ all women before employing the first man. If that was the only difference between men and women, we'd have full employment amongst women. But we don't. Why? Because other factors play a role, one of which is the women's availability to the market (as described above: a certain percentage CHOOSES family over income, part-time over full-time etc.). Another one is the difficulty of the jobs typically chosen by men and women respectively (almost all high-demand, dangerous, heavy, outdoor jobs are done by men).
It is always easy to call for more money and more rights. But the discussion is terribly charged and it over-simplifies the matter.
Anyway, my point remains that pupils in the UK very likely have more pressuring issues than feminism. This engagement does more for Megan's feminist agenda than for the pupils the visit. If she had given the same speech in, say, Saudi-Arabia, I'd give her major credit. But since she plows already plowed paths, I cannot help but find this engagement a lame excuse for publicity.
Glamorous, but still looks like everyday chic. The shoes and bag are divine. The children will remember this for a long time. MB
ReplyDeleteMust have been a nice visit from what one could see from the pictures. Very nice outfit, love the shoes. the bag is not my taste.
ReplyDeleteconjunto sencillo y elegante, ella sabe vestir como una mujer actual sin exagerar. Katerine casi siempre se viste muy antigua.
ReplyDelete@ Vanessa, I couldn't disagree more with you statement about feminism, because a country has legislation on equal pay, doesn't mean by any stretch that the private sector pays men and women equally. As a woman working with women all my adult life, I can attest to the fact, that there is still much to do about equality.
ReplyDeleteLove everything about this outfit. The cropped pants that show a fantastic pair of shoes, perfectly combined with the a jacket that is so contemporary, and still evokes a little Chanel. I am not a fan of such long hair, not just in Meghan, but in general. Final result is businesslike and feminine at the same time.
Fair enough, Cherry Blossom. My point is that it´s all a matter of perspective.
DeleteI found this very thought-provoking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eieVE-xFXuo
Vanessa, not all things are a matter of perspective — unless one wants to use that as an excuse to defend morally questionable issues. Human rights, animal rights, anti-slavery, anti-trafficking, gender equality... Those are not a matter of perspective, IMHO.
DeleteThe amount of hateful and bitter comments on her (not just here) is absolutely mind-boggling. She was a much-needed breath of fresh air in the BRF, and it’s sad to see them leave the UK, but I hope they will find peace and happiness in the future as well as ways to promote important issues close to their hearts.
Kara
I completely agree with you Kara. Some of people criticize just because they feel better (as if they have the moral ground for it, so ridiculous!). I will take criticism from someone who spent months in Africa helping women and empowering them. I won’t pretend I have special insights, but I am convinced girls from East London neighbourhoods don’t have the same opportunities as those who grow up in Chelsea or Belgravia. They need to hear that being poor doesn’t mean you don’t have a voice. Megan is connecting with them in a way that should be celebrated, not derided. Especially by those who likely have no direct experience.
DeleteLily A
Lily A - but that´s not what Meghan´s message to them is. She never talked about empowering the poor. Her message is about empowering women and people of colour. That´s different. And that has never been an issue in the UK.
DeleteAnd how exactly has she made a difference in Africa, I wonder? She´s visited and held a few speeches, but is anyone better off because of it?
@ Vanessa, Lily is saying that the children of East London do not have the same means as those of Belgravia. These children are being encouraged to put their best foot forward in their studies and to stand up for what is right in terms of equality. Empowering people of color has never been a problem in the UK?? How can a visit to Africa yield results overnight, especially when they are limited by the politics and finances of the countries they visit? The projects that she has highlighted have been given visibility that they did not have before. No matter how small, every improvement means something to someone. Being obtuse is not pretty. MB
DeleteIt's a great outfit. I like her in white/off-white. Shoes are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI know her hair is long but I like it on her. Clearly she enjoys it!
This is a superb jacket, very chic, beautiful soft colour. Love the two tone shoes, the bag is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteJoann
ReplyDeleteMeghan looks great here. As I've said before, she interacts well with people. And I predict they will return to Britain sometime in the future. Both will find their dreams of financial independence will require giving up the privacy they want. And both will have matured and they will begin to refine their goals. Meghan will realize she can do more good inside of the royal family than outside of it. And they both will decide they will want their child raised within the royal family. I'm serious. Take a deep breath. This is not goodbye. They will be back. The Queen knows it too. That's why there will be a "review" about everything in 12 months. Hurt feelings will have calmed down and the public will be more than happy to have them back. Distance brings perspective. And that's what is needed here on all sides - perspective.
Finally someone has put my thoughts on paper.
DeleteTala
Sie passt einfach nicht ins Hause Windsor !!
ReplyDeleteThe Duchess of Sussex looks beautiful. The height of a heal is perfect and the shoe itself is gorgeous - I only wish it could have been a more solid (thicker) heal, purely because I can't walk in heals :(
ReplyDeleteTala
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