Too white for a wedding?

[KookyOliveSwan]

I have 4 weddings to go to this summer, so I’m looking for a dress that I can wear to all of them.
I’ve fallen in love with this one, but is it too white/cream: https://www.theoutnet.com/en-gb/shop/product/zimmermann/dresses/midi-dresses/floral-print-lace-paneled-cotton-voile-midi-dress/46376663162888639

I wouldn’t choose white or cream accessories, and for the church wedding I’d wear a sage coloured jacket with it.

It definitely isn’t bridal, but is it still too white?

What a ridiculous post. As OP says it goes up to a UK size 16 and it's designed for a loose fit.

As for your comment about the price aside from simply showing your own ignorance about this brand there's something deeply irritating about you and the other posters who have squealed about the price, telling a grown up woman what she can spend her own money on.

that the price seems to be a misprint and surely is around £500 higher than it needs to be?!

You'd be hard pushed to make any dress for £100, surely the fabric alone would be more than that and that dress is complex with lots of panels so would take time and skill to make. Just because companies like Shein produce mountains of synthetic crap by people on sweatshop wages on the other side of the world doesn't make that a reasonable price to pay. If you look at some of the greener brands where clothes are made with sustainable fabrics and in European factories so the seamstresses are paid reasonable wages you would typically pay the best part of £200-300 for a simple dress, never mind something complex like this.

Exactly, feels like only yesterday that Queen Victoria was sauntering up the aisle!

I think it's borderline OP. And borderline in a couple of respects. Borderline too cream because, despite having a lot of patches of colour, something about the design leaves it feeling like a cream/white dress. I guess those cream bits define the structure.

I also think it is possibly borderline in terms of formality, depending on the wedding. As others have said, it looks essentially like a sundress, and I don't think it will carry a warmer layer well. Many are the dresses ruined by having to put a badly accessorised cardigan, jacket or wrap over it to allow for a rainy day.

In summary, I would not be aghast if I saw you in that at a wedding but truthfully I might lazily think "Some people are going to think she chose poorly." What I wouldn't think is "What a well-chosen outfit."

Yes, I think that poster misunderstood the sizing system is a different one that corresponds across traditional size bands, and a 1 is not several sizes smaller than a standard 6!

I think the Monsoon dress is a wise choice for the wedding you are not sure about OP, and am glad you know you friends will be thrilled for you to wear the one you love!

This sounds perfect. I think it is a beautiful dress and I’m sure you will find many occasions to wear it so it will more than earn its value.
Im glad you are only wearing it to the two weddings where it will fit with the bride’s preference. Whether or not people agree with the “no white” rule , I think it is proper to respect the bride’s preferences.

Huh? Are you looking at the right sizing? Or do you just not understand that some brands size differently…?

And nothing wrong with expensive clothes. If OP can afford it, then that is a matter for her.

Envy isn’t a nice look.

I think it is proper to respect the bride’s preferences.

Well except she doesn't know the two brides so it might be that they are normal people who would never look at a pastel floral dress and think it looks white. So it's not about respecting the brides wishes so much as pandering to the people on MN (some of whom are from the US and so have a different culture around weddings) who think a bit of cream lace on a multicoloured patterned dress means it is 'white'.

@KookyOliveSwanIt’s a great price for Zimmerman. Sadly there’s a lot of posters who don’t know Brands and some understand fashion! Monsoon! Sold everywhere and boring. Buy this dress. The short jackets around at the moment are the obvious cover up. It’s not a black tie dress but it would take you to Ascot, Henley, opera or any other day dress event. However a jacket is needed if it turns colder.

I'm completely puzzled by the posts saying it's too informal for a wedding - what do these posters think is suitable? Does it have to come from the "wedding guest" sections of Hobbs and Phase Eight? The OP's choice is absolutely fine.

As for being "too white" this dress is included in Phase Eight's wedding guest section.

www.phase-eight.com/product/rakhi-scuba-midi-dress-10017100785.html

@PhaedraTwo Yes, for lots of posters! Add in Monsoon. It’s like a uniform. There will be a suggestion for a bolero soon. Zimmerman are fashionable and spot on right now. Yes, some people spend money on clothes and that’s why net-a-porter and mytherera etc exist. Look at the top London stores, they are full of better labels so women don’t have to look identikit wedding guests. Let’s celebrate taste and fashion. Go for it op!

For me it was more the lack of sleeves. The problem is the reality of British summer sends us all diving for something to cover our shoulders and the options tend to make the outfit suddenly look a bit makeshift and hence not well put together.

But the op may have sorted out a solution for this, who knows.

I think on a really sunny warm day the dress is formal enough - but will it be?!

The dress is gorgeous and I wouldn't say it's too white (or even white in general) at all. Even if it was, the florals make it safe for wearing to a wedding imo.

I’ve previously commented on your dress choice, I’ll say it again “ it’s bloody gorgeous!!” It’s an investment dress, great for christenings and many other beautiful events.

It’s absolutely stunning, so pretty, the epitome of summer, go for it, 🤗

If I were cold I would wear one of Palava's beautiful organic cotton cardigans over it. They are made, in every sense of the word, for wearing over pretty summer dresses.

I'm still puzzled by what is "
"formal" enough but on planet Phaedra a unique, obviously expensive organic cotton cardigan picking up the pastels from a Zimmerman dress is a gazillion times more well put together than a mass produced shiny piece of polyester from the "wedding guest" section of a high street store.

https://palava.co/products/vera-green-edible-flowers-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/vera-cream-butterflies-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/fern-cardigan-mineral-blue-swallows

https://palava.co/products/vera-blue-posies-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/vera-cream-prancing-ponies-cardigan

https://palava.co/products/leah-rose-knitted-cardigan

It’s absolutely fine, looks nothing like a wedding dress

I'd be really shocked to see a guest in that at a wedding and I think this thread shows that a lot of people would be the same. If I was the bride, it's not that I'd feel upstaged but I'd be disappointed that my guest had so little insight that she'd wear something that drew attention to herself and that would make most of my guests think she was disrespecting me/the day. Literally just wear any other colour - it isn't hard at all.

I remain flabbergasted at this. I cannot see for the life of me how a very standard floral print summer dress, that is a very standard choice for a wedding, is in any way drawing attention. It's beyond bizarre.

Disrespecting the day? Give me strength.

You're welcome! There really are some fab Zimmermann/Erdem/Ulla Johnson etc bargains out there.

These Zimmermann dresses are all on Vinted right now in your size & under £150/200. I especially like the black one.

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/6398795456-zimmerman-floral-dress

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/8932376819-reserved-zimmermann-poppy-frill-backless-midi-dress-100-silk-chiffon-floral-pink-red-1-uk-10

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/8362690581-floral-zimmerman-dress

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/8474661155-zimmerman-silk-dress

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/4428322654-zimmermann-size-2-uk-10-100-silk-sleeveless-maxi-dress-grey-pink-summer-frock

She literally says in the op that she’s got a sage jacket to go with it

Totally agree, the right cardigan (cropped, fitted, pointelle/crochet or embellished, obviously formal or fancy) is perfect for a dress like this. I'd always wear a cardigan as I never look right in more structured jackets. Obviously a droopy old bobbly cardigan or something that doesn't match the vibe wouldn't work, but there are cardigans that really do.

Pretty Erdem one too.

https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/6584894666-erdem-summer-dress

Yes and that may look nice. But I don't personally feel its a dress designed to wear a jacket over. Jackets over can often look "needs must."

Equally, @PhaedraTwo has posted some lovely cardigans - beautiful in fact - but for me I still don't feel as though I am going to a formal event in a cardigan.

But obviously weddings differ and people's styles and tastes differ and we can each only offer what we feel.

And in any case, I have fingers crossed for the OP it will be bright and sunny the day she wears it.

Anyone who feels any shock, disrespect or disappointment from seeing this dress is a petty guest or ridiculous bridezilla who doesn’t understand about priorities and what marriage is about! Sad lives!

They’re really lovely, I have a silk/cashmere LKbennett cardigan that has a similar feel and is a rose pink colour that would go nicely with the dress.

I think the dress with a cardigan or jacket is probably formal enough, it’s very similar in style to the dresses I’ve seen guests wear at other weddings I’ve been to (and I’m fairly sure these weddings will be the same). It was the colour/lace combination I was questioning rather than the style.

I love the cream one with pink flowers (I definitely have a specific style), sadly I think it probably poses the same issue.

I’ve got a couple of months to look though so I’ll keep an eye on vinted to see what comes up.

Erdem was a great suggestion, I love this one https://www.vinted.co.uk/items/8287235365-erdem-floral-silk-dress-vintage?referrer=catalog but I fear it might still be too much white! I really wish I looked good in dark or bright colours.