Do posh wedding guests have any more clue than we do?

[MontyDonsBlueSuit]

Looking at the coverage of Peter Phillips’ wedding I’m amazed by some of the outfits. Clearly a lot of these people have money but it really doesn’t show - some of the choices look very unstylish to me. Creased dresses, raffia wedges, mismatched accessories. I appreciate it was a rubbish day weather-wise so may have needed a few last minute rethinks but what hope is there for the rest of us when even those with access to the best designers and a presumably healthy budget look pretty average at best.

It's not remotely true that posh people don't care or always look rumpled. Some care, some don't- I've never got the impression that the Princess Royal is particularly concerned about clothes, for example. But overall I think the guests look great.

I find that clothes people suggest on here for weddings are sometimes things that look more like evening wear- slinky dresses etc. That's not the sort of thing that the upper classes would wear to a church wedding. I also think that maybe there's more of a feel on here that every wedding requires a full new outfit with matching accessories- again, that's not really the vibe at Peter Phillips' wedding. But of course there are exceptions, as always.

Being too ‘done’ at a wedding would be considered frightfully common in certain circles, including (I suspect) many of those attending this sort of wedding. Evening wear or anything too matchy-matchy at an English country wedding would be particularly frowned upon. This is the ancient land rover and muddy Labrador and crumbling country estate community - being slightly rumpled (albeit in a specific way that has certain class markers) is The Thing.

I enjoy looking at what other people wear (hence being on this board) but I didn’t mean this to be a bitchy post. I’m struggling to dress for a wedding this year myself so found it surprising but quite refreshing that even those with money don’t always look amazing.

When I said mismatched I didn’t mean they should be matchy matchy, more that I don’t think eg raffia heels (quite casual) go with a smarter bag or dress - personally I don’t love the mismatch of styles.

Watching the English is one of my favourite books ever!

Oh and I really dislike the black tie/satin nightie look that’s becoming popular and also a lot of ‘traditional’ wedding wear. It’s all a bit of a minefield!

I’m having a nightmare trying to find an ok wedding outfit so it was nice to see some of theirs.

In one of the photos there’s a guest in a green dress (not one of the princesses) with white at the bottom. I can only see it from a side shot so if anyone e has seen it in another photo I’d be interested. It looks really nice. Most likely not in my budget and probably far too long for me but nice all the same.

I’m not finding anything decent to wear to a wedding at all this year. I chucked out most of my wardrobe last year so I have no older outfits to fall back on.

I mean, I don’t think anyone sits around thinking about accessories all day every day. But when you’re invited to an event you might give it a thought.

I really hate the inference that caring about your appearance is somehow shallow. Nor do I understand why people come onto S&B to say so 🤷‍♀️

I found it really refreshing seeing some of the other guests and how they dressed but yes I thought the same , you had your top tier dont put a foot wrong so Kate and Zara and Anne - who just carries anything off - and then a delightful range of frocks , some new, some pulled out of the wardrobe and the perennial it’s too cold not to wear tights so I don’t care black tights it is. It looked like a normal wedding which is good to see when we get these Instagram perfect shots sometimes.

I think a lot of posters are being unfair to the original poster, so I’ll come to her defence.

This subset of Mumsnet is used as a style resource for all sorts of people, seeking advice on weddings/christenings/graduations. I agree that there were some frights at Saturdays wedding, so I actually take heart that not everyone gets it right. I do think all the guests made a huge effort, which is credit to them.

If you have no time for us, why are you on the S&B board?

Exactly. These posters pop up spouting things like ‘appearances aren’t important’ on here all the time and it’s tedious. You don’t see this inane muscling in on other boards. I wish they’d bog off.

Probably not the point of this thread, but the lady in yellow has been roundly slated in many online posts. Whatever anybody thinks about what she was wearing, I thought what a fabulous smiley lady she was who looked over the moon to be there. I bet she’s a lot of fun and a good friend. I feel sorry for her reading all the negative comments about her lack of style the next day

It’s really boring isn’t it. And I don’t think it used to happen as much as it does now.

"Clearly a lot of these people have money but it really doesn’t show - some of the choices look very unstylish to me"

To you. I daresay there are outfits that you think of as very stylish that others would wince at. It's very subjective.

And whether not not something is costly has absolutely no bearing on whether it is 'stylish'.

It looks like a completely normal wedding to me. I like lots of the outfits.

I think many of the frocks would have looked better if they had been worn with proper undergarments. Beatrice and Zara were the only ones wearing clothes that fit and flattered.

Beatrice’s dress was a bit marmite. I liked it. Lots didn’t. It’s the sort of dress (if I had the money) I’d wear. My sister wouldn’t be seen dead in it. Horses for courses.

I'm not usually that interested in the royals but what I liked about this one was the (relatively!!) normal family nature of it all - King and Queen getting out of an unassuming car, brollies and aunties, slightly mismatched handbags etc.

(My only minor irritation is bridesmaids in white, and I don't really know why. Maybe because it feels like it slightly undermines the normality of the day by essentially saying, don't forget we're posh though!)

But I do think it's a bit strange that there are so many people on S&B that forget style is so subjective. Otherwise we wouldn't need an S&B board, surely?! We'd all just be wearing the same stylish thing!

I feel a bit sorry for one of the guests in particular who is being repeatedly shown on TikTok and the comments are really harsh.

The downside of attending a wedding where there’s press interest.

Justice for raffia wedges!

They have always been in style IMO and back and trending right now!

Were they all aristocrats? She's not one - maybe some guests were her nurse friends from work?

Do you think if Kate and Camilla had asked outfit opinions on here prior, the resounding response would have been 'no way - too white?'

Yes, the French would deffo like a word! (More ref espadrille wedges but still)

That's one of the aspects I really like about weddings, all human life (well a lot of it) is there. People are gathered for a happy occasion (hopefully!) and to celebrate. I have been to so many weddings and can hardly recall what the brides at each wore let alone any of the guests including myself wore. I do remember one bride had made her own dress and it was stunning and have a lovely memory of them travelling to the reception in an open topped limo with her veil blowing in the breeze and passers by waving and cheering.

quite a lot of the guests are quite old, really -- the parents of the bride and groom are in their 70s/80s. In real life would you ever judge what someone that age was wearing?

Also, this is quite a casual wedding in the grand scheme of things for most of the royals -- it's a second marriage in a village church with the reception at their aunty's/sister's house, it's not a grand occasion for them.

@ViciousCurrentBun There is a great book called Watching the English written by a social anthropologist called Kate Fox it's not that good. I found it to be what I knew already and the author annoying.

@Poppingby , it was Beatrice's hat.

@Cheesecakeismeesecake , raffia wedges are dreadful.

@notantordec , Judging by what some people on here link for suggestions I would agree these guests at society weddings are much better dressed.
So many sleeveless dresses. It's the UK and you're going to be standing around outside having photos taken.