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?

@Patienceisntvirtuous we must have been to different weddings! It's not the slit I'd be surprised by, it's the fact it's an evening dress.

I love when people post their recommendations on posts like this!

It really shows how out of touch they are but they think they are so stylish and cool.

Hobbs or coast for a 20 year old 😂

Depends on the style of wedding - what kind of venue, is there a dress code? If it’s black tie or in the evening then these are perfect!
In a less formal wedding, they are going to look like bridesmaids.

A dressy summer maxi dress is fine like the below, but these are very ‘gown-like’ cos of the solid colours, necklines and full floor length. Let them wear what they like but what they’ve chosen is maybe a touch over dressed. Also don’t check in with your MIL about teenage girl fashion..

Sorry - see pic.
i think this is a more suitable maxi option. Not quite floor length, print and fabric less formal.

I have been to some American weddings where it was black tie and evening dresses and one English one but it’s unusual to wear an evening dress to an English wedding and there was a dress code for that wedding.

It is a prom type dress as well and some women could look great in that dress but it’s unforgiving.

I used to go to a lot of black tie events and it just look like it lacks substance material wise.

This is quite a good steer aimed at teens you could share with them www.teenvogue.com/gallery/summer-wedding-dressing-dos-and-donts

Kitri, Rixo, Reformation, Zara, Mango, Other Stories are good for a 20 year old (kitri, reformation and rixo are slightly more expensive)

ASOS if you’re on a budget.

GoodOnPaper

I think it’s American. There’s a lot of talk of evening weddings.

has anyone on here been to an evening wedding in the Uk?
I’ve never even heard of anyone having one or going to one let alone attending one myself.

I think they are fine , add a fascinator and they won’t be mistaken for bridesmaids

Phase 8 do nice dresses for weddings.
i don’t think the bride would be impressed by anyone showing up with that much cleavage and leg on show…

I’ve a friend who always tends to wear eveningy type dresses to weddings, she’s very full on glam at all times though and it suits her.

Yes it’s slightly different to what other guests are wearing but it doesn’t stand out to the extent people are describing here, nobody faints from shock or clutches their pearls - it’s just a different style of dress!

I got married a couple of years ago, and had another family wedding since, and the teens/ 20 year olds in the family wore dresses similar to the Ted Baker one posted above, but honestly I wouldn’t be surprised to see the type your DD likes either. I do think the colours you posted are more eveningy and maybe something lighter or with a print would make it seem more ‘summer wedding’ but then I’m 43 so probably way out of touch!

Get them to have a look at pics of people at the races - that's a good source of suitable outfit fodder. Something like this maybe? www.oasisfashion.com/floral-embroidered-tiered-strappy-midi-dress/BAA04874.html

The dusky pink Cost dress linked on the first page of this thread is lovely and very suitable.

I’m in my 40s and find Phase Eight a bit frumpy!

Also I was a bride recently, plenty of cleavage and legs on show amongst the guests - I didn’t give a shit, why would I? They’re my friends and family, I only cared that they were having a nice time! Everyone looked great.

Mumsnet is so weird about weddings. If the biggest thing you’ve got to worry about on your wedding day is whether one of your guests looks a bit too sexy then something is wrong surely.

Really depends on the theme.

For a wedding in my culture, those dresses would be completely acceptable. A standard British wedding, too dressy.

These replies 🙄

You're only young and gorgeous for a short time. Let them wear what they want!

I think people overthink wedding attire. Will the bride care what everyone wears ? I bet not. If your DD's feel comfortable and happy then they should go for it.

Just to add lots of dresses suggested on this thread aren’t great either. You do dress up for a wedding and lots of dresses on this thread are plain and boring.

Really depends on the timing and venue of the wedding. I had a winter wedding with a 4:30 ceremony and a black tie dress code — these dresses would have been totally fine. However, for a summer time church ceremony, no (although I went to a 2 pm Catholic wedding last summer and lots of the young girls were wearing similar or more risqué, but that was in the US).

They are quite evening wear, nothing wrong with them but not the style typically worn at U.K. weddings - think more summer dress 3/4 length and not too revealing

They're absolutely perfect OP, no idea why people are saying they're too formal. Any wedding I've been to has been full of dresses like the ones you posted.

Depends on the bride and groom really and the tone of the wedding. Maybe the dresses below would be slightly less risky but still age appropriate if they want to play it a bit safer.

Not what I would wear, I prefer more of a midi slightly boho look, but I think the dresses below are a bit more their style?

@JackieDaws

My dd loves coast, she's 21. She went to a wedding last summer in a coast dress

Nice dresses (and sure she looks great!) but not for a wedding - too black tie

I think there's a wee bit of jealousy on this thread. With a jacket on of some kind for the actual wedding bit - they could look fabulous and wouldn't look at all out of place at weddings I've seen recently with young ones a them.