Like many women, I put a lot of thought into what I’m going to wear to weddings. But normally my priorities are finding something affordable that I love. I don’t worry about upstaging the bride because of one simple fact.
She’s THE BRIDE.
Yet American television personality, fashion designer, and author Lauren Conrad is worried about exactly that. Upstaging the bride at weddings she’s invited to.
Normally I love reading about Lauren Conrad and her fashion tips. She has exceptional taste and a stunning Instagram account that makes me want to urgently redo mine, but on this one, I think she’s got it completely wrong. That’s because you could never upstage a bride on her wedding day, no matter how “loudly” you dressed.
Lauren Conrad at her 2014 wedding to guitarist William Tell. They recently announced they are expecting their first child together. Post continues…
In an interview with Who What Where, Conrad was asked to provide some tips ahead of wedding season. When asked about appropriateness and what someone should never wear to a wedding, she said:
Also, wearing anything loud—that could be anything from colour to hemline—is usually not appropriate. I think anything that distracts from the bride is good to avoid.
And that just makes me feel sad.
How can you upstage the woman standing up the front, wearing a big white gown who’s getting married? You can’t, that’s why wedding guests should just wear whatever they like.
There was a time when weddings were all about the bride. They still are aren’t they? Maybe. But I like to think we’ve been moving away from that. Weddings should be all about a marriage, love, and the uniting of two people (one of whom is a beloved family member or friend).
They shouldn't be an opportunity for women to act like princesses for a day, for everything to be about them. Weddings are about so much more than the bride and how she looks.
That's why I think Lauren Conrad got it so wrong when she detailed her list of rules when it comes to choosing an outfit when you are a wedding guest. Her advice comes from a place where wedding guests are meant to blend in, fade into the background, and merely make up the numbers at a wedding reception.
Instead, we should be allowed to dress however we please. This is assuming we have been invited due to an existing relationship and whomever we know best - the bride or the groom - understands us well enough to know that we will a. dress how we like and b. attend for the right reasons.
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If I wear an outfit that is deemed "loud" by the Lauren Conrads of this world, it's not because I'm trying to ruin anyone's day, let alone the bride's. It's because we want to have an awesome time and a big part of being able to do that is by dressing in something that we are comfortable in, that we love.
We shouldn't be worrying about upstaging the bride.
If any bride is every bothered by an outfit one of her guests is wearing at her wedding then I'd say she's worrying about the wrong things. Who cares how the guests are dressed. You have just married someone you love, today is the first day of the rest of your life...
Aside from rocking up with an equally lavish wedding gown of their own, guest outfits are their business and nobody should ever dress down for anyone.
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Top Comments
While I don't agree you have to try and blend in, I think there are reasonable boundaries:
1) No mainly white/cream dresses. Just no. Irregardless of length, just don't do it.
2) if it's a church wedding, goes easy on the skin showing. Even if you're not religious yourself, you're visiting another group's religious place so try to be a little respectful.
Other than that, knock yourself out I say.
I had a friend want to wear a long white dress to my wedding, I'm sorry but there are thousands of other options for just one day can you not wear white. It really selfish to say I will wear whatever I want at someone else's wedding when it is just a day in your life it is such an important day in theirs and I am all for being accommodating so that they have the day they want. That being said I have no problem with colourful and loud clothing options. My only issue is women wearing white dresses to weddings (or the same dress as the bridesmaids). It doesn't hurt you to be considerate of how the bride feels and yes weddings are still all about the bride AND GROOM - as it should be it is their wedding day!
Agreed! I was at a wedding recently of a young couple (for many of their friends this was the first wedding they'd attended as adults) and one of the young guests was wearing what can only be described as a figure hugging, low backed white ball gown?! As far as I'm concerned it's basic etiquette. I may be old fashioned (despite being in my late 20s) but I would never wear a majority white dress, a ball gown, or anything with sequins/glitter to a wedding. I'd personally also avoid wearing the same colour as the bridesmaids if I knew ahead of time what colour they were wearing.
Lauren Conrad also has the problem that due to being well known, she probably draws a bit of attention wherever she goes so she's probably trying to blend in as much as possible if she's at a wedding.
Absolutely. Well said.
I 100% agree. I went to a wedding where a close friend of the brides was wearing - and I am not kidding - a white SEE THROUGH lace slip with nothing but a bra and panties underneath. Like excuse me??? I wouldn't even wear that to a club, let alone to a day time wedding. Not just in white, not just in lace, but also half naked. Talk about wanting the attention on yourself!!!