Elizabeth Holmes's Royally Great "So Many Thoughts" Series Is Becoming a Book!
Veteran style journalist Elizabeth Holmes isn't afraid to share her thoughts about the British royal family. In fact, she's been documenting (and critiquing) Meghan and Kate's fashion evolutions since 2017 in an Instagram series known as So Many Thoughts (or simply SMT). Her smart sartorial commentary quickly garnered her an audience of 100,000 enthusiastic followers.
And now, T&C can exclusively reveal that Holmes's musing are being turned into a book titled HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style. The tome, which she describes as "a dream project," is being published by Celadon, an imprint of Macmillan, and is expected to debut next fall (just in time for all your royal-themed holiday shopping).
"It will be a beautiful picture book, one I hope that readers will want to display in their homes. But that style will be paired with plenty of substance; I expect it will be something people take the time to sit and read, too," Holmes tells T&C.
"On Instagram, So Many Thoughts has focused almost entirely on Kate and Meghan. I’m excited to expand to include the Queen and Diana, because so many of their fashion choices have informed the duchesses today."
In honor of today's big announcement, T&C caught up with Holmes about how SMT got started, why Americans can't get enough of the royals, and of course, all the details of her new book.
What exactly is "So Many Thoughts"?
So Many Thoughts is my sartorial commentary series on the royal family, which began on Instagram stories back in December 2017. I was nursing my second son when the Cambridges’ holiday card photo came across my Instagram feed. As someone who has followed the royal family for years, I thought to myself: “I have so many thoughts about this.”
At the time, I was fairly new to freelancing, having left the Wall Street Journal earlier in 2017 to move with my family from New York to California. I was on staff at the paper for more than a decade, most recently as a senior style reporter and columnist, and was eager to work with new editors and try new ways to reach readers.
I’ve long admired how creative some people have gotten on social media (especially journalists!) so I tried my hand at telling a story on Instagram with the Cambridges’ holiday card photo. The first slide I posted had the picture with “So Many Thoughts” emblazoned across the bottom. The second slide annotated that photo with my commentary, while the third offer a “But Mostly” takeaway. The response was unlike anything I had ever seen on Instagram. People loved it! So I did it again with the subsequent release of the Sussex’s engagement photos, resulting in another flood of positive DMs. It was both exciting and gratifying the way it resonated with my followers.
I began weighing in every time Kate or Meghan made an appearance, and each time the thought-provoking DMs would roll in. The royal wedding, in May 2018, was especially fun; I did an exclusive with BAZAAR.com. But the royal tour to Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand last fall, is when SMT really took off. Meghan wore more than 30 ensembles in those two-plus weeks, affording plenty of opportunities for my commentary, and for word to spread.
In the last year and a half, So Many Thoughts has evolved from entertaining commentary to include informed, concise deep dives into the strategy and messaging behind styling choices. The 10 plus years I have spent as a style reporter have put me in a unique position to be an authority on the power and branding behind styling-it’s so much more than picking something pretty to wear!
How will your approach translate to a book?
I have been looking for ways to expand So Many Thoughts beyond Instagram stories and I’m thrilled that my book will be an elevated spinoff of what began there. It will be a combination of visually-driven storytelling-lots of beautiful pictures!-with informed, entertaining commentary. I love Instagram, but the format comes with some constraints. Thus far, I have crammed my thoughts into the confines of my iPhone screen. This book will allow for more in-depth, reported insights, as well as background and context of the royal family’s style throughout history.
The book, which is called HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style, will look at the style evolution of the four most important women in the modern British monarchy: Queen Elizabeth II; Diana, Princess of Wales; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
How do you think royal style is evolving?
Royal style has always been a topic of fascination, but I think social media has upped the interest considerably and made the family feel more accessible. Photos are shared worldwide almost instantaneously, and I am amazed at how quickly the clothing and accessories a royal is wearing are identified. The dissection happens in real time, and the message spreads just as fast, clearly and quickly. Take Prince Louis’s outfit at Trooping the Colour. It went from being a cute smocked ensemble to being something much more meaningful, when Town & Country and others noted it as a hand-me-down from Prince Harry.
The addition of Meghan Markle to the royal family, and her sense of style, has also opened things up remarkably, too. People who may not have seen themselves in the sartorial choices of other members of the family may now be interested because of her fashion-forward aesthetic. And as an American who has spent many years in Canada, a commonwealth country, Meghan can wear pieces from a wide array of designers. I love the new range she has introduced.
What do you make of America’s fascination with the royal family?
Americans are able to enjoy the royal family, and all its pomp and circumstance, without having to take any responsibility for it. We’re not the British taxpayers, skeptically eyeing the family’s endeavors. We can enjoy the fairytale from afar. And, with Meghan joining the ranks, we can see ourselves as part of it, too.
Why do you think critiquing the royals’ fashion is important?
Styling, and clothing, as a means of self expression and a messaging tool is something all kinds of notable people employ. But more so than other famous people, and certainly American celebrities, I think the royal family uses what they wear more intentionally and effectively. Royals don’t often give speeches, and rarely state their opinions on topics in the news. But they do make appearances, lots of them, and they choose their clothing very carefully.
What would you say to someone who thinks both fashion and the royal family are frivolous topics?
I would say you are missing the point! Styling, especially as a means of brand building, is an art and a science. It’s not about picking simply what looks pretty or flattering; it’s about telling a story and sending a message. Most of the world will never have a chance to see a member of the royal family in person, but we can all see what they are wearing on their public appearances. They know that is a tool they can use, and they use it well.
It’s also a big business, which was one of my favorite things about my time as a senior style reporter at the Wall Street Journal. When Kate or Meghan wears a new piece, especially from a more accessible designer or a new label, it more often than not sells out-sometimes crashing the brand’s website in the process.
Also, I have to wonder, are people who are interested in sports or video games asked the same question? But alas, I digress!
What are you most excited about with this project?
I am so excited to expand So Many Thoughts. My Instagram follower count has nearly doubled since I started my commentary, and those new followers have become something of a family. The discussions we’ve had reach far beyond fashion, into themes surrounding critical thinking and media literacy. We had a meet-up in New York in April that was the most wonderful night of thoughtful conversation. My followers have been so supportive as So Many Thoughts has grown, and I want them to become a part of the book process, too. I’m excited to try new ways to gather their input and insights as the project unfolds.
But mostly, with the book, I am excited to work on something tangible. I love social media, and all of the new ways journalists are using it to tell stories today. But it can feel fleeting, with the moment coming and going rather quickly. At heart, I am an old-school newspaper reporter. There’s nothing quite like holding something in your hands, to sit with it and savor it.
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