Wedding Nice- what do a French women wear?!

[bitchinofhitchen]

We are going to a wedding in the south of France in Late July. I think it'll be a lovely little affair. My question is what do smart French women wear to weddings? What's the style?!

I have no idea, sorry. But I would love to know...

Often more than one outfit! Friend went to her cousin's wedding recently, she wore a pink fairly short smart dress to the ceremony and a lovely long floaty strappy dress to the evening do. But she is in her 20s!

My experience is out of date but the wedding I went to in France was a very mixed affair. Ranged from smart dresses and jackets and some outfits similar to ‘mother of the bride’ here through to pedal pushers and trainers! It was a rural wedding and a typically working to middle class crowd. So not much help but I think if you pitch your outfit at what you’d wear for a British wedding, you wouldn’t feel out of place.

@AnnaBegins

Often more than one outfit! Friend went to her cousin's wedding recently, she wore a pink fairly short smart dress to the ceremony and a lovely long floaty strappy dress to the evening do. But she is in her 20s!

I'm more 40s than 20s but I'm not adverse to a costume change... thank you .

I don't know, is the first answer. But my second, is that it won't be trussed up or over decorated, and there's unlikely to be a hat involved. It will be simple, and cost an eye-watering amount to look that way. But unless you are MOB or MOG, it would probably be something you already own. French women don't buy new clothes for every occasion, and certainly not for a wedding, unless they have a summer of wedding invitations.

@XingMing

I don't know, is the first answer. But my second, is that it won't be trussed up or over decorated, and there's unlikely to be a hat involved. It will be simple, and cost an eye-watering amount to look that way. But unless you are MOB or MOG, it would probably be something you already own. French women don't buy new clothes for every occasion, and certainly not for a wedding, unless they have a summer of wedding invitations.

I think what I already own wouldn't work in. The climate but i get your point totally.

Jewellery!
And as above an enormous range from mob style to casual. I haven’t been to an English wedding in years but if they’re still a thing and your dress suits it, consider a hat. The French know we wear hats and will talk to you about it!

I guess what I am saying, if you don't already have anything you like to wear for a special occasion, is that this is an opportunity to shop for one, with the intention of wearing it several times.

Otherwise, I would probably hire something I would love to wear once with due note to the likely weather and return it, job done. The advantage would be that feeling of glamour, and sound sense that you haven't bought a one-trick pony. £50 -100 on hiring an outfit that costs £1000 something is a lot cheaper and more fabulous than looking at that costly outfit for the next 20 years wondering when you will wear it again. Small bag, in a toning colour with the dress, very contrasted shoes and any favourite jewellery. In France, you almost certainly won't encounter anyone else in the same dress, and if you should be so unlucky, you congratulate each other on having such impeccable taste! It did happen to me once in France, and we were wearing the same belt. The French lady indicated the belt (a TKMaxx cheapie) smiled widely and said, such a great belt and we both left the encounter feeling good!

I also like hats and am fortunate to look good in them, but in Provence I would choose to wear one for sun protection. No fascinators, ever.

@XingMing

I also like hats and am fortunate to look good in them, but in Provence I would choose to wear one for sun protection. No fascinators, ever.

Thank you!! And I'd already figured no fascinators; your help is perfect.

Not much help... I haven't delivered your perfect outfit, but hopefully you have a little time to decide.

When is the wedding? How close are you to the wedding parties? Do you have thoughts or opinions on styles? Are you trim? Which parts of your body would you wish to emphasise or downplay? Are you 20 or 70?

It interests me because I have a wedding to attend in the South of France this summer too, and I am pondering the same dilemmas. I am 67 and the aunt of the groom, so likely to be roped in for a few pictures.

And I would prefer not to look too stout or staid in the photos.

Hi, I'm French. Compared to England we wear more casual clothes to weddings. Something like this, for example: www.lilysilk.com/media/catalog/product/m1/9476/navy_blue/stylish-overlapping-design-silk-dress-navy-blue-xs-01.jpg?quality=80&bg-color=255,255,255&fit=bounds&height=&width=&canvas=:

Wear flat shoes and have a simple handbag. Simple, discreet jewellery.
Often I notice that British people/people in Britain do things like fake tan, gel nails, and elaborate hairstyles for weddings. This is not typically the case in France.

In Nice at the end of July you can wear a hat but keep it very simple, like a lowkey straw hat. Take it off in the church. Do not wear a 'fascinator'.

Bring a jacket or scarf for the evening. I hope this helps, enjoy your visit to Nice, it is a beautiful city.

I went to a wedding in France a few years ago and it didn't even occur to me to consider what the French women would be wearing. I just wore what I would wear to any wedding. I couldn't even tell you now what they were wearing so it can't have been that memorable!

This earlier MN thread might be useful www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/2125963-French-wedding

I live in France and tbh the wedding guests I've seen outside the Mairie (equivalent of registry office) look very casually dressed.
@Happy36 dress example looks perfect to me.

Remember even in summer in Provence there can be sudden strong winds so have a jacket handy.

Be ready for the guests to hoot their car horns as they drive to the reception.

I went to a wedding in France at least 35 years ago. It was relaxedly chic and unstuffy. 7 course breakfast though.

That's a really pretty dress @Happy36. Something like that, perhaps with a bit of sleeve...

I'm rather thinking of a olive green maxi-dress I bought 23 years ago, for DS christening. It's one of those dress up dress down garments that goes to almost any event. And I love it paired with a Perry Ellis plaid linen jacket from a summer suit I bought (gulp) in 1984. Very 80s, very on trend and very recycled. It probably needs dry cleaning as it hasn't been out for years.

Depends on who is getting married I guess. French women, like women of any other nationality are a diverse lot

I've only been to one French wedding but the outfits were very varied. Typical UK wedding attire wouldn't have looked out of place but there were also women in trousers and jumpsuits and dressed more casually. It's not unusual for French weddings to go on until 6am, so I guess comfort is important

Yes, I suppose it depends on the family but I have been to around ten French weddings (fortunate- enjoyed them all!😊) and found them to be slightly less formal (more understated) but chic. So a lovely but unstructured dress, low or flat shoes, a decent bag and nice hair plus simple make up would be great especially if it is hot.
However, I have ‘dressed up’ for a few weddings in Paris and that seemed to be appreciated so just depends. Some of the women remarked (nicely) on our English style so I wouldn’t worry too much but you need to feel comfortable as some of the weddings I have attended didn’t finish until 3 - 5am! (I was young then though).

@Happy36

Hi, I'm French. Compared to England we wear more casual clothes to weddings. Something like this, for example: www.lilysilk.com/media/catalog/product/m1/9476/navy_blue/stylish-overlapping-design-silk-dress-navy-blue-xs-01.jpg?quality=80&bg-color=255,255,255&fit=bounds&height=&width=&canvas=:

Wear flat shoes and have a simple handbag. Simple, discreet jewellery.
Often I notice that British people/people in Britain do things like fake tan, gel nails, and elaborate hairstyles for weddings. This is not typically the case in France.

In Nice at the end of July you can wear a hat but keep it very simple, like a lowkey straw hat. Take it off in the church. Do not wear a 'fascinator'.

Bring a jacket or scarf for the evening. I hope this helps, enjoy your visit to Nice, it is a beautiful city.

Oh gosh that's like my ideal colour and style.

I'm 40, 5ft7 weight 65 kgs and blond hair blue eyes if that helps! I tend not to buy fast fashion I only own about 10 outfits mostly long lasting clothes and natural fabrics .

Hope the wedding is a lovely occasion. @Happy36 that is a lovely dress.

I've not looked at any of the linked dresses, but do bear in mind that it can be very hot in the south of France in July, and midday is not necessarily the hottest part of the day. In my bit of southwest France 5pm is the hottest part of the day and it can easily be nearly 30 degs at 10pm if there's a heatwave. So avoid wearing anything that will be unforgiving with perspiration.