CAN YOU WEAR WHITE TO A WEDDING?

FOR

Annette Blacker, Creative Brand Manager

I think that in this day and age, it’s absolutely fine to wear white to a wedding, so long as if you make that decision, you don’t go for something that is overly bridal in appearance. For me, steering clear of a white lace dress is a must – a white wedding guest outfit should be something along the lines of smart trousers and a blouse, a summery dress that falls above the knee or a tailored suit. Naturally, I think it makes more sense for guests to wear white to a summer wedding, or a wedding abroad as I think the colour makes its way into our wardrobes much more naturally when the sun comes out. My top pick from the collection is the Moon suit blazer and trousers.

At the weddings that I have been to in recent years, the dress code has been fairly easy going and guests have worn whatever they feel comfortable in. I think a lot of people are much more relaxed when it comes to etiquette than they used to be – not because they care less but just because traditions and priorities have changed. I love that attitude and I would want guests to feel as relaxed as I did if it were my own wedding, but I think it’s about knowing the bride and groom and understanding what’s important to them.

At the end of the day, a wedding should be a celebration and any beautiful, happy bride on her wedding day would not be upstaged by anyone, regardless of what colour they wore.

Shop the Moon blazer, Moon trousers, Lily lace top, Warren printed top, Kate shoes

AGAINST

Eleanor Searle, Senior Marketing Manager

As a fan of muted neutrals or all-black looks, I face the same outfit dilemma every time summer (and therefore wedding season) comes around. The invite arrives and I’m already mentally scanning my wardrobe trying to find something that won’t look more like funeral attire than that of a wedding guest. But one rule still stands for me, traditional as it sounds, and that is that I must steer clear of anything that is – or resembles – white.

Whilst I’m an advocate of staying true to your personal style, I feel as though there are so many alternative options that I just don’t see a reason to wear white on someone else’s wedding day. This definitely doesn’t stem from worrying that I might outshine the bride – that isn’t going to happen unless I turn up in a wedding dress myself – but instead it’s because it’s almost a certainty that at a traditional wedding, the bride will be wearing white. Some may not mind what you wear, be it a colour that’s branded typically ‘bridal’ or not, but you never know how important this might be to them, and after all, it’s the bride and groom’s day.

This season, my top wedding guest picks are the Ray jumpsuit and the Juniper dress. The navy hue of the jumpsuit is a colour that I’m comfortable wearing and I like the idea of choosing something other than a dress. This would be especially great if my invite was for the evening and I’d add the Swarovski Lissandra earrings for extra sparkle. The Juniper dress is much more traditional which I also love, and I would put a relevant spin on it by making sure I kept my accessories in line with the season’s head-to-toe nude look.

Shop the Ray jumpsuit, Rhiannon shoes, Juniper dress, Farah bag, Gaia shoes