American wedding - fascinator yes or no?

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I'm attending a wedding upstate in July. I've found the perfect dress, but I don't know if I should wear a fascinator or not.

We're the only brits going, and this is my first America wedding, so I'm not sure if fascinators are worn at weddings over there. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Any thoughts

Upstate New York? I'm a New Yorker.

I would skip the fascinator (I had to google it tbh). They're not really done here and it would probably be seen as drawing attention away from the bride.

No

No. hats and fascinators really aren't a thing here.

@MissConductUS yes upstate NY and thank you for the advice! I obviously wouldn't want to take any attention away from the bride.

another no here - been to a few higher end US weddings, never seen a fascinator until I saw Sam Cam in one at the Kate/Wills wedding.

Enjoy your trip! Whereabouts upstate is the wedding?

Pretty sure Sam Cam didn't wear a fascinator to Kate and William's wedding....

@MissConductUS Lake George.

DH is from upstate NY (if that's the upstate you are referring to) and so I have been to quite a few weddings there.

Americans seldom wear head gear of any sort to a wedding and fascinators in particular would be seen as rather bizarre. Also what time of day is the wedding? Many weddings in the US are in the late afternoon or early evening with the reception at night. If that is the case, then a fascinator would look even more out of place.

Samantha Cameron did not wear a fascinator to the wedding it was just a kind of jewelled/flower clip decoration in her hair.

Nope - not needed

The wedding is late afternoon.

Also looks like Sam Cam wore a hair clip! 😉

The Lake George area is lovely and very historic. Many wealthy New Yorkers built lavish summer homes there in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Hopefully you can take some annual leave and make a bit of a holiday of it.

ah right - you see, i was so not up on fascinators at that point, i remember the flak for not wearing a hat, and then equated it with a fascinator - something small and insignifcant that you put in your hair.

I stand corrected :)

@MissConductUS I'm on maternity leave, but DH, DD and I are going for 10 days. I'm really looking forward to going.

that wedding was probably the first time I saw that head gear so I've conflated the two obviously.

Don't Americans tend to wear evening dress rather than morning dress at weddings anyway? (Source: Holywood films)

Yes, Lake George and the Adirondacks: a really beautiful part of the US, in my opinion. Also, perhaps a not well known fact about upstate New York: some of the warmest and friendliest people you will find anywhere.

No, no, no :) As an American living in the UK I get that it's traditional here, but will have everyone laughing themselves silly at you in the states if you wear any sort of the traditional UK wedding head gear.

I've been a few times as we've got family there, but this is my first American wedding and first to Lake George. We went trekking through the Adirondacks last time we visited and it truly is beautiful.

Don't Americans tend to wear evening dress rather than morning dress at weddings anyway?

For weddings in the evening or when the reception is occurring at night, yes, but not always. OP, you should be able to get some guidance on the dress from the B and G or other guests.

@SenecaFalls I've already got a dress. Which took some time as I needed something to complement hide my postpartum body. Lol

I've lived in upstate New York for 18 months. I attended my first outdoor American wedding last summer just over the border in Pennsylvania. It was a mixture of posh frocks and suits to jeans and t shirts. The only hats worn were casual caps. I felt very over dressed in my dress and heels.

Went to a wedding in San Diego a few years ago and was totally overdressed in my jigsaw dress & clarks heels! Had to bite my tongue at picking up a friend on the way as she was in what I would consider a beach dress and flip flops. NY a bit more dressy but not by much.

Best US wedding outfit I’ve seen was in Seattle though: ted baker frock with knee-high combats, total manic pixie dream girl look & pulled off very well.