It’s one of the hardest questions any wedding attendee will ever have to answer: Can I wear white to a wedding? Will I upstage the bride?
Brides suffer enough stress leading up to the big day, let alone having to worry about a distant cousin rocking up in a white floor length gown that steals all the attention.
Traditionally, it has always been frowned upon if anyone other than the bride wears white, but as time goes on and fashion evolves, the lines are blurring quickly. Brides are opting to wear non-white dresses, or even making their whole bridal party a sea of white.
Suddenly, a fashion no-no has started to become a very real possibility.
If you want to pull off that possibility like Pippa Middleton did all those years ago, there are just a few rules to go by. According to Australia’s leading wedding boutique White Runway – who just happen to be experts in the bridesmaid dress department – these are five tips on what to do (or not do) if you want to wear white.
1. Know the bride.
If the bride is a certified bridezilla, then don’t even think about it. If you know she’s going to hate you for it, bury the idea of wearing a white dress as far underground as possible. Your friendship will thank you later.
2. Don’t wear a solid white dress.
There’s plenty of colour schemes to throw around with white – white and pink, white and gold, white and blue, white and literally any other colour possible. Surely we don’t have to tell you that white goes with everything. Capatalise on that.
3. Avoid anything that resembles a wedding gown.
Turning up in a white maxi-dress or floor length frock isn’t going to do yourself many favours. Are you interested in some side eye from the bride’s mum, or a shake of the head from her sister? No, you certainly do not. Say no to the white maxi.
4. Avoid certain fabrics.
You can wear white, just steer away from princess-esque fabrics. Refrain from wearing lace, tulle or silk dresses.
5. Don’t wear bridal accessories.
Yes, that means you have to put down the diamond earrings, veil-like fascinators, pearl bracelets etc. That extra sparkle is reserved for the bride, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sparkle without them.
So, can you wear white to a wedding? The answer is yes, just read the terms and conditions first.
If you need inspo, take a look at some white dresses White Runway deems appropriate to wear to a wedding.
White Runway dresses to wear if you're wearing all white to a wedding.
Would you ever wear white to a wedding? Or have you worn white to a wedding?
It’s official. Wedding invites are over.
Top Comments
I think wearing white to a wedding is really REALLY selfish. Like really selfish. Unless it was specifically chosen for you by the bride (i.e. you're a bridesmaid) then there is no excuse for wearing white. Don't get me wrong - I'm not married here, nor have I been in the past. I'm young and I probably will get married in the next few years... but I have attended weddings where people have worn white and it never goes down well.
Don't be selfish people. There is only one occasion where you can't wear white (ok maybe 2 including funerals), so just don't bloody do it.
My narcissistic mother wore white to my sisters wedding and said she was going to do the same to mine. She had found this white lacy number that she wanted to wear and since she had no plans to marry for a 4th time she wanted to wear the dress to my wedding. I told her a glass of red wine would be poured down the front of her dress by me very early in the evening if she wore that dress. She wisely chose another outfit.