Wedding guest attire

[honda1114]

NC as I know my MIL is on here!

BIL is getting married in the summer. A little while away, I know, but I have a household full of teenage girls who are obsessing excitedly about what to wear.

Showed one of the dresses my 21yo DD said she liked for the wedding, and MIL said it was far too dressy, and next to the rest of us (who don't even know what we're wearing yet) she will stand out like a sore thumb.

I didn't really know what to say to that as I thought a wedding was about as dressy as you get!

I have been to a few weddings but my DDs haven't been to any since they were small so they don't have a comparison and I can't say I can remember what girls of that age wore at previous ones Ive been to!

I'll attach pictures of dresses similar to what she liked. She doesn't want anything particularly clingy as she is a bit weight conscious (probably due to comments from MIL)

If you saw a young girl wearing a dress similar to these at a wedding would you think she was too dressed up? And if so, what would you expect someone of that age to be dressed in?

I agree with this.

Everyone looks at the bride. Everyone watches her walk in. She’s the one stood at the front with the groom making vows whilst everyone watches.

I can honestly say I had more than enough attention on my wedding day. More than I’d like to be the object of again any time soon anyway. Why would it matter if someone else got some?

Agreed. I am gobsmacked at some of the suggestions here 😂 hope it gives OP and her daughter a good laugh if nothing else.

But why has nobody mentioned the shoes yet?! Horrendous!! 😂

The only way I could have been upstaged on my wedding day was if someone turned up in a sparkly merangue.

"Competing" with bridesmaids is a fairer point in that it's far closer to styles frequently used in BM dresses which could be awkward. Possibly avoidable with accessories (too out of touch on recent weddings to advise on that though)

21 is a wonderful age to make the most of your youth and enjoy the fun of dressing up for occasions.

Why does Phase 8 always get suggested on a wedding thread? It’s somewhere I always walk past. On purpose!

Those are definitely not suitable for daytime wedding. Unless they are bridesmaids

Lol 😆 this! Some of the suggestions for alternatives are beyond frumpy and old fashioned. OP any weddings I went to lately, 5 last year, the late teens early 20's we're wearing mostly short or midi slip dresses, nothing full length though. Yes quite revealing but honestly who cares especially at a family wedding as long as it's well fitting

😂😂😂 wtf is that? It's like a dressing gown!!

I had a simple wedding dress, not a meringue. If have been a bit put out if I'm honest if someone had turned up in that. They would have looked like they were trying to steal focus. Same for wearing white or very sexy clothing, it's just unnecessary and makes you look like you've an axe to grind or something to prove.

Weddings have different aesthetics and I would assume the mil knows more about it than the op. It would have to be a very formal evening wedding where those dresses would not look try hard and trying to outshine the bride.

In many modern weddings that would definitely look like they were trying to upstage the bride, whether it was intentional or not.

I don't think it's particularly misogynistic to let the bride shine on her own day. You can look nice without trying to be the centre of attention.

Chi chi, ASOS, boohoo all do affordable, nice wedding guest dresses. Those dresses do look very try hard for a wedding, especially when there are nice alternatives out there.

I think that style could be ok but I’d look for one with a print vs. a solid color. As is they read bridesmaid to me.

The pic is the dress I wore to a wedding last year.

😂😂😂😂

this thread is making my day (I’m full
of the lurgy) thanks all!!

I’ve just looked through some of the suggestions of wedding outfits and slightly appalled! Firstly, Hobbs, John Lewis, Phase 8 are all surely more Mother of the Bride?! Secondly there is some awful garish suggestions. Simple and classic is fine but something age appropriate! She’s 21 not 41! 😂

Did you wear a jacket or cardi with that?

Unless you're 85 or older you shouldn't be wearing 'a cardi' to a wedding

Silk wrap

I was using it to illustrate how a maxi dress could be worn to a wedding without it looking like an evening gown or bridesmaid - printed, light coloured and fabric, not hitting the floor and styled well.
The brand is Reformation, mid price fashion brand sold on Net A Porter, Farfetch.
I would wear it but appreciate it’s not for everyone. I didn’t link to it, as I wasn’t suggesting the OP buy it, just using it to illustrate my point.

Yes I thought that about Hobbs /Coast dresses. More the 30-40 age group

Wtf is that blue flowery thing? Even the model is like what the actual fuck am I wearing 🤣🤣

I'm smack bang in the middle of that age range and still wouldn't go to Hobbs or Coast for wedding guest dresses!

You shouldn't be wearing something with really thin straps and tits on show either.

Lots of people are getting really shitty on this thread. Why? Why take it so personally what others choose to wear to things?

Haven't heard from the OP in ages, I expect she's ran a mile.

I'll attach pictures of dresses similar to what she liked. She doesn't want anything particularly clingy as she is a bit weight conscious

But both of those examples are nothing but clingy & bodycon styles. Fine for an evening do, but I'm not sure they're particularly suitable for a standard daytime church wedding. Frankly, in my family anyway, they'd look a bit vulgar - too much flesh showing and not really appropriate for the ceremony and serious occasion.

Wow. Tell me how you really feel… don’t hold back!

Next time I’ll look in the sackcloth section of schoolmarms-R-us or maybe pearl clutches boutique so as not to flaunt my Gasp shoulders and tits as you say. Oh screw it I’ll just go to the tarp section of the local home improvement store.

I know little about how 21 year olds dress now but these look fun and appropriate (with maybe a fun cover up for church, although I rarely see the “rule” on bare shoulders followed now, with even many brides in strappy dresses)

www.tedbaker.com/uk/p/Womens/Clothing/Dresses/MMILLY-High-Low-Halter-Dress-With-Integral-Tie-Medium-Green/259462-MID-GREEN

www.anthropologie.com/en-gb/shop/maeve-eyelet-halter-midi-dress?category=sale-dresses&color=060&type=REGULAR&quantity=1

I’m 35 and wouldn’t wear anything from Hobbs, I don’t know anyone my age who would, not even my mother. Hobbs is where fashion dies.