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Is this dress too white for a wedding guest?

164 replies

NewbieSM · 24/10/2023 07:25

Hello all, I'm attending a good friend's wedding in couple of months and have purchased this dress as an option for the big day. For context the wedding is in Australia at a beach location so not super formal in dress code and a lot of the other guests will be wearing similar styles, so please no comments about it being too risqué for a wedding. Aussie weddings tend to be less traditional than British ones and slip dresses are commonly worn. My concern is that there is a lot of white on this dress so not sure if appropriate and I do not want to offend the bride. I would ask her but I'm friends with her fiancé and don't know her very well.

www.johansenofficial.com/collections/dresses/products/lilou-dress-hibiscus-print-blue?variant=44110010155230

OP posts:
whenindoubtgotothelibrary · 24/10/2023 17:20

It's a lovely dress, not remotely bridal, and sounds very appropriate for the kind of wedding OP describes.

It's hardly Aunty Sarah on Derry Girls territory.

Mrburnshound · 24/10/2023 17:28

The first dress is ok but i dont think very flattering on the gorgeous model, not too white though. Maybe could work with those sticky bra cups

My mil wore a 90% white dress to my wedding and my SIL wore a cream lace dress, i didn't care - it was impossible to upstage my ultra fabulous dress haha.

Isthisasgoodasitis · 24/10/2023 17:42

The dress is lovely from a bride who had people turn up in jeans 🤣🤦‍♀️

Completelywornout · 24/10/2023 17:57

Just checked the sizing and they only have it in an xs so if that’s your size I’d order it quickly before it sells out.
Ask the bride her opinion after you’ve tried it on and know for sure you like it otherwise it could be a moot topic

GreatGardenstuff · 24/10/2023 18:07

The white background/print wouldn’t have bothered me at all as the bride.

I’d have been a bit taken aback by the amount of skin on show, but you know the etiquette for what’s appropriate at the event better than I do

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 24/10/2023 18:13

It’s fine.

eapecially if combined with blue accessories!

I personally really like the print! But the fabric looks very uncomfortable, which is something I would keep in mind.

Firebug007 · 24/10/2023 18:18

Honestly, it's a horrible cheap looking dress that shows too much cleavage for a wedding but you'll be glad to hear it's not too white 🤷‍♀️

jmx3 · 24/10/2023 18:19

Lovely dress and fine for a wedding.

GodDammitCecil · 24/10/2023 18:31

To be honest, this thread is odd.

It wouldn’t occur to me to ask if the dress in the OP was ‘too white’ for a wedding down this way, because I’d know it wasn’t.

And asking on a UK forum where most people will say it is? Even odder.

AmyOscar · 24/10/2023 18:31

It's absolutely fine!

Big blue flowers are not remotely bridal - it does not look at all like a wedding dress :-). Also - as you say - you're styling it with non-white accessories to further distance yourself from a bridal look.

As for the cut, fabric, etc, if you feel good in it, then that is the only thing that matters - enjoy!

x

AxolotlEars · 24/10/2023 18:34

Wear it..it's fine. I really can't understand why people would get their knickers in a knot about the colour of a dress. Bad taste to turn up in a wedding dress 🤣 but even then it reflects badly on the person wearing it!

BestieBunch · 24/10/2023 18:36

I think it’s beautiful and would be great for an Aussie wedding, the large flower print distracts from the whiteness of the dress and I love the back. I’m sure it’ll look lush on you.

user1471267414 · 24/10/2023 18:59

I think this is really lovely and perfect for the type of wedding you describe. Its not too revealing at all. You weren’t asking for people opinions on if it’s too revealing etc but they give them anyway? I find it astounding how women on here just love putting other women down! Stop it please! It’s just stinks of jealously

TrackerBar · 24/10/2023 19:04

Both lovely, but I would go for the second one with lighter fabric.

CinnamonJellyBeans · 24/10/2023 19:28

The product description reads: "A show stopping maxi dress that is bound to turn heads, features a flattering bias cut that softly skims the body and dramatic open back cowl drape"

I don't think it's too white for a wedding..

Hibiscrubbed · 24/10/2023 19:47

So many catty twats on here who clearly do not understand the Aussies.

Wear the frock, OP. Or the next one. Your figure sounds cracking and you’ll look lovely, which is why I suspect you’re bringing out the nastiness in some posters. 😂

PassTheNuggetsPlease · 24/10/2023 20:15

GodDammitCecil · 24/10/2023 17:11

Just a reminder that the wedding is in Australia, where things are a lot more relaxed.

People often wear pale colours to summer weddings down this way, and nobody bats an eyelid.

And there have even been a fair few English people on this thread who say this etiquette is not accepted / known / religiously adhered to across the board, even in the UK.

I do think this whole notion of upstaging the bride reflects very badly on women, and only someone deeply insecure and/or churlish would ever be worried by anyone upstaging them on their ‘big day’. It absolutely is about this age-old idea that women are supposedly in completion with each other. Well, plenty of us aren’t, and so stuff like this is not an issue.

Did you even bother to read my post properly? I stated that this dress looks fine and I also find that MN going overboard with loads of rules pale etc is silly. Not sure how you somehow misconstrued that as my disapproving of pale colours.

My reply to PP was around cultural norms and again you miss the mark going on about women upstaging each other. That's not the point.

If you Googled 'chinese wedding' and they said not to wear white - would you insist on wearing white anyway? I bet most people wouldn't because otherwise they'd be accused of disrespecting someone else's culture. If they're not Chinese that is.

As a foreigner fresh off the boat here , upon receiving my first wedding invite I Googled, most sites said to avoid white so I did! Problem solved. The reason why didn't cross my mind as I respect all cultures so I respect the UK norm. Here, people are trying to rationalise it claiming it's about upstaging the bride blah2. I did come across some articles saying that it was a clear signal of disapproval. Don't know to what extent that's true.

I'm quite baffled as to how this poses a problem for so many people on MN. It's even more hilarious that most posts are people considering buying a new dress so they can't even claim that they had it already. Friend, if you are unsure. Wear another colour. It's that simple. No need for the opinion of strangers 😂

Ilikeyourdecor · 24/10/2023 21:16

As a bride, I wouldn't have been offended by the colour of this dress. I would have raised my eyebrows at the low cut because it shows WAY more skin than most people I know show off at weddings here and most don't wear full-length. But sounds like that's not an issue in Oz.

As a guest, I considered wearing something very very eye-catching to the last wedding I went to. Absolutely nothing offensive about it, but I eventually decided that I'd feel too "Look at MEEE!" in it to feel comfortable. If I was angsting over the outfit and posting online about it, personally I'd just choose something else. There are millions of other dresses out there.

DietCokeNaPizzaPlease · 24/10/2023 21:19

Why not wear a dress with absolutely no white?
There is a world full of gorgeous dresses.
There's no need to risk something that could offend if there's a rainbow of other options.
Why skirt the line when you could wear something you'd be confident wouldn't be rude or inappropriate?

Anonymouslyposting · 24/10/2023 21:22

I like the first dress but I wouldn’t wear it to the wedding. I think the white in it would be fine if it was shorter but I think anything full length with any white is too close to bridal for a wedding.

However I think the second dress is nicer anyway!

Montegufoni2017 · 24/10/2023 21:27

I think that is 100% fine. The blue flowers are very obviously not bridal. Not at all. Even more so as you’re doing blue shoes!
it a lovely dress

Waitingandwaitingg · 24/10/2023 21:41

Bluetrue · 24/10/2023 07:47

If you have to ask if a dress is appropriate, you already have your answer.

There are so many colours, why do women do this?

Its not your day.

Agree!

Daffodilwoman · 24/10/2023 21:50

It’s fine to wear.

Hop27 · 24/10/2023 22:15

Queenslander here !
Completely fine for a wedding, it will look fabulous. Have fun!

justanotherparrot · 24/10/2023 22:30

It's gorgeous, worn with blue accessories what's the problem? Have a beautiful day, you'll look very pretty. The second dress is not as nice.

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