Meghan Markle Might Have Worn Another Color, but It Is Very Hard to Tell

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I was on vacation last week, so I missed the breaking news that Meghan Markle wore a yellow Brandon Maxwell dress to the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Leadership Workshop (not a horse thing, it turns out).

This was very important on several levels: Since becoming a duchess, Markle had pretty much entirely stuck to neutral, safe tones (the “cauliflower-to-coral range”), so the bright dress marked a potential shift back to the more daring, modern outfits Markle wore before her marriage. Also, yellow is the best color, and everyone should wear more of it.

So today, another hue has caused a minor ripple across the Racked Slack. Markle showed up at the christening of her nephew, Prince Louis, wearing an olive green (khaki? ish?) Ralph Lauren dress. But the question was raised: Does such an aggressively neutral color actually count as a color? Our previously cozy staff has been torn asunder.

“I guess it’s a color,” said Nadra, whose opinion I trust because she writes about the hidden meanings of Meghan’s outfits with great regularity, “but it’s more of a muted tone, almost a neutral.”

However, argued Meredith, “I think it is ultimately NOT a color, because it is the color of camouflage, and also it is indeed so muted. But if it had been more military-inspired it might be a color.” Julia agreed, and added, “It’s not a color in the way black or white or gray (or brown!) would not be a color in this case. But you know what? NAVY WOULD BE A COLOR.” These are the ravings of a madwoman, but do with them what you will.

Rebecca, pulling no punches, said, “I think it is a dejected, half-hearted color that is a big fat quitter, but a color nonetheless,” and Nisha rounded things out with a firm: “It’s olive green, you guys. That is definitely a color.”

So help us come to some sort of conclusion: Is this shade of not-quite-green green enough to qualify as a Real Color? Could this mean that a Queen Elizabeth-approved lime green is in store? Are we headed for absolute tonal anarchy? And above all, as Meredith mused, what does it truly mean to be a color?