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.

I don’t understand people coming onto S&B and implying that caring about fashion is shallow either. I have noticed an increasing tendency for posters who don’t seem to understand fashion or style to share a lot of strong opinions and recommendations, so wedding guest questions will be inundated with a certain type of dress not really suitable for a daytime event, and similarly interview questions get a lot of poor advice. And a lot of derision if someone dares to consider buying a designer bag.

I didn’t see anyone in raffia wedges at the weekend wedding, but it is summer and many people from all walks of life don’t care to have their finger on the pulse of what is currently considered a crime against fashion. They can’t be worse or less fashionable than the many grotesque sandals which are recommended on this board on a weekly basis.

probably.

I have to say though that the general dowdiness of the style of the dresses definitely doesn't read as if they are trying to upstage the bride, which is the usual concern for something that is 'too white' -- Kate was wearing a peter pan collar belted short sleeved dress, very conservative really.

Is there anything else that you think people with money are better at than the majority of us, or is it just fashion sense?

I can guarantee you that no amount of money would improve my dress sense 😆

I agree.

The great British public generally dresses terribly.

You can see here in this thread the number of people marching on to a thread on the style and beauty boards to declare they don’t care about style. They seem to think there is some virtue in their declaration.

Posh upper class Brits are notoriously unkempt. We saw a lot of that at the Peter Philips wedding!

I agree. Not wedding dress style at all, but generally the consensus is - do not wear anything near white if not the bride.

It's interesting to see the poshos actively choosing (as in, they didn't just grab the only thing left in their wardrobe) something that could potentially be controversial to us mere mortals. Or was it a case of, Queen and Queen-to-be can wear what they want and rules don't apply? I would love to hear from an etiquette expert!

Nancy Mitford’s letters are hilarious on how badly dressed she finds the English in comparison to the French

Well, good that the guests wore what they liked rather than what some stylist told them to wear.

I’m surprised though that there has been so few comments about how pale some of the outfits were - namely Catherine and Camilla - the usual line trotted out on this board is that anything so pale is a no-no, because you know, you could be mistaken for the bride..

There were a number of nasty comments posted in various places online e.g. one about an older gentleman wearing trainers instead of dress shoes. The posters obviously didn't have the brain to consider that the gentleman in question might have mobility issues or problems with his feet meaning that he could only wear trainers. Also as mentioned upthread many of the guests simply may not have had the budget to purchase new shoes etc so had to go with what they already had. I've seen some howlers on S&B suggested for wedding guests so pot calling kettle springs to mind!

100% and people would have slated them for even asking.

Also, is it the raffia or the wedge that is being objected to? Mine are very comfortable and extremely practical for walking on grass, especially after a drink.

@Wtafmakeitstop , is it the raffia or the wedge that is being objected to? Both and the combination.

Forgot to clear the quote. I don't think there was any chance of QC or the PoW being mistaken for the bride.

Just goes to show this daft idea that anything vaguely pale is a breach of ettiquette. And in response to another poster nobody looked unkempt. They looked cheerful and relaxed.

It's been a very useful wedding to show that the appropriate response to most "is this ok for a wedding" threads is "yep, looks grand" and a lot of people would feel better if they chilled out and forgot about made-up "rules"

Love a raffia wedge!

I didn't think the PoW's outfit was remotely white or bridal

And the trouble with online photos is they are often very wide of the mark colour-wise. So I bet the Queen's outfit was fine.

Who honestly gives a toss about what people you don't know wear to an event that most haven’t heard about, and none of us were invited to?

Ummmm…people interested in style and beauty

It wouldn't be a traditional English wedding without a whole load of howlingly awful outfits! And it didn't disappoint. My god, we are a nation that often dress badly, whether aristo or peasant. So many poorly fitted dresses or tops or fabric that didn't sit well or just looked a bit polyester.

I thought Isabelle de la Bruyere looked stylish and PoW looked good, but it was her signature style of dress and not very interesting.

The very posh aren't renowned for being incredibly chic. A lot of their fashion is quite old school.

I wasn't keen on the Phillips bridesmaid dresses. Or his suit. They didn't look like they fitted properly.

I have to say I was a bit bemused at Anne's rig out. She somehow has a "get out" clause for being Anne, slightly eccentric and does real justice to a military uniform.

But honestly, I think she downright insulted the wedding party as MOG. She made no effort at all to look smart, not necessarily to dazzle in designer gear, just well turned out. A forty year old dress and hat, mismatched shoes and bag, a green brolly, and a rug around her shoulders. She looked thrown together. I am not sorry to say this. She gets away with it and I would be asking, did no one say anything to her before she left the house like that!

I suppose the excuses will soon follow from Anne enablers. She wasn't an outlier guest, she was MOG. Nope she didn't pass my test anyway.

I know, it’s ridiculous isn’t it. I’ve been to a fair few weddings and have never heard this in real life. I’m sure it’s a thing but I’ve always assumed it applies to not wearing a pure white bridal looking dress, not what Catherine and Camilla were wearing. I thought they all looked elegant and not contrived or over the top. Nothing tight or revealing. Possibly not the most exciting but that’s the point isn’t it, don’t upstage the bride .
I remember as a young teenager wearing a creamy coloured cheesecloth dress to my cousins wedding in the 70’s. Actually rather posh wedding too ! No one batted an eyelid. Man I loved that dress!!

I didn't see that in the least. I see a woman in a perfectly nice and wedding suitable summer dress. What difference does it make how old it is?

I find it really unpleasant to say that someone who hasn't wasted money on a new dress when they have a perfectly nice one available is letting themselves or anyone else down.

Posh people have nothing to prove to anyone . A sense of entitlement and self gives them the confidence to wear whatever they like , are comfortable in , and event appropriate . I'd rather see some quirky pale faced aristos in the damp English spring than a blinged up , fake tan , giant nails , pouty lipped , TikTok worthy outfit complete with boobs hanging out , And a slit up to the crotch .
But most every modern woman could benefit from some proper undergarments .

See I think she was doing what she always does which is please herself and pays no attention to what others think she should be doing. So what if her hat wasn’t new, good for her for not always buying new.

@sontamol , I liked the outfit. It was the hat that was over 40 years old.

I imagine the vast majority there, especially the older ones, wouldn’t have bought a new outfit, they’d have something already in their wardrobe that they’d had for years.