Is this too obviously a wedding dress?

[cinnamonandnutmeg]

DH and I have been invited to a ball in the summer. I don't want to spend a lot on a gown that I'll probably only wear once, so I was wondering if I could get away with reusing my wedding dress. Before I got married a few friends commented that it didn't look typically bridal to them, but I'm not sure if what they really meant was "not bridal in comparison to other wedding dresses." Is it too obvious?

That is one gorgeous dress!
Could you maybe add some kind of floral/summery embellishment to make it less bridal? Corsage or sash at the waist perhaps?

Could you remove the lace?

It is bridal but it’s just stunning and I would wear it as it’s summer so white is fine for a summer ball

That's a stunning dress, really gorgeous. But it looks a lot like a wedding dress to me! Would you consider dyeing it?

yes just do it xxx

Perfect!

Well, unless you're planning to add a veil...

It's fine for a ball gown.

After all, that is in essence what a full-skirted wedding dress is: a Victorian ball gown.

Wear it.
Someone might say it looks a bit like a wedding dress in the same way that someone may have said your wedding dress looked a bit like a ball dress.
It's absolutely gorgeous.
If you love it, wear it. The world needs to see this dress, and you smiling in it having a great time.
If you don't want to wear it to a ball, wear it to the library and the supermarket. Release the gorgeousness!!

It's normal for brides to wear their wedding dress to balls within the first year if marriage anyway, so just stretch that tradition a bit!

Wow that is a gorgeous dress!! I'd be wearing it every day, its so stunning.

Wear it!
It's lovely. Perhaps add some colourful accessories.

It is not another wedding you are attending, it's a summer ball. Perfectly fine with a white dress.

Wear it!

Beautiful dress! Could you wear coloured heels and a coloured belt to make it look less weddingy? Or dye it?

It’s gorgeous! Definitely wear it. It doesn’t look too weddingy unless you wear it with sparkly bridal type jewellery like pearls or diamonds.

I wonder if you might want to add a splash of colour, like maybe red shoes and red earrings or a colourful necklace or something. One if the things that makes bridal outfits look bridal is that its all so white.

Would you consider dyeing it? It really does look like a wedding dress.

Yeah I agree, totally a wedding dress. It is beautiful though, I can see why you would want to wear it again! Can you find a dressmakers who would dye it for you? Someone skilled could just colour the skirt which would look amazing.

I think it will look odd. Summer ball gowns nowadays will generally be sleeveless or short sleeve and without such a full skirt and layers of tulle which your dress has. It’s going to be very different to the other dresses there.

I'd dye it a different colour or add some coloured beading/motif/embroidery to the top.

It's the top half which is unmistakenly bridal imo.

@Hmmmbetterchangethis

Could you remove the lace

Yes, if you could get the lace top and sleeves off, it would look less like a wedding dress and more like a ball dress IMO.

Please don't dye your wedding dress!!!

It's beautiful as it is, wear it to the ball!

It’s a beautiful dress and I would not remove the lace, the way it’s cut at the back is one of the dress’s loveliest features.

Just try out different colour shoes (deep suede colour?) and maybe similar toned hair accessories with it. (changing the belt looks like it would be quite a big job).

But it’s fine as it is.

Second that!

Exactly.

Wedding dresses aren't panto costumes. Traditionally they were the bride's best dress, intended to be worn on special occasions for many years.

I'd wear some deep red accessories with it - shoes, jewellery, hair accessories maybe. It's beautiful.

I worked at two very formal balls last summer. The dress looks gorgeous and absolutely suitable to me.

I’ve just looked at a picture I took, and someone is in a short white dress which looks more bridal than yours although not as interesting.

I think it's absolutely fine, but I would add a chunky necklace to take away the demure-ness of it.