Is white pants appropriate for a wedding?

The Emily Post Institute recommends wearing white as long as it doesn’t interfere with the dresses of the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Table of contents

Wedding guests should not wear white attire. Madeline Gardner, a wedding dress designer, says that guests should not upstage or cause any problems at a wedding. You should stay away from white, cream, or ivory-colored clothing.

What Colors Are You Not Supposed To Wear To A Wedding?

  • White.
  • You can use white or ivory as your base.
  • Black. All Black.
  • All Red.
  • Gold.
  • Sparkle or shimmer heavily.
  • A bridesmaid’s dress is in a color that is similar to the bridesmaids’ dresses.
  • A mother’s dress color is the color of the bride or groom’s dress.
  • Should A Man Wear White Pants To A Wedding?

    She says that if a man showed up to a wedding wearing white, it would draw attention just as if a woman wore that symbolic color. As a result, the rule is not gendered, but rather an all-inclusive one.

    Can I Wear White Jeans To A Wedding?

    In this INSIDER, Pexels offers a few simple style guidelines for every wedding guest. INSIDER spoke with Chandelier Events’ Amy Shey Jacobs about what guests should avoid wearing to a wedding. Jacobs suggests guests wear white, jeans, sweatpants, or distracting outfits when attending events.

    Can Guys Wear White Pants To A Wedding?

    It may seem strange to wear white to a wedding, but you can wear a white dress with a white print to a wedding. A white dress shirt looks just fine with a tuxedo or suit jacket. In general, it’s also advised not to wear too casual pieces like t-shirts, flip-flops, jeans, or sneakers, as well.

    Can You Wear White Pants To A Wedding Shower?

    You should avoid wearing anything that may mar the wedding day, such as white, black, or anything that looks like it. Dressing for a bridal shower can vary from formality to location and season, so be sure to choose the right outfit.

    Is It OK To Wear Pants At A Wedding?

    If you don’t like dresses, you can wear pants to a wedding. Meredith Stoecklein, founder and designer of Lein, tells TZR that bridal wear is evolving, so is what guests wear. “I like pants because they are comfortable, but they can also be elevated and still be worn.”.

    Why Is It Disrespectful To Wear White To A Wedding?

    In reality, white is still the color you cannot wear to a wedding because of its exclusivity. The majority of brides wear white to their weddings, and it’s important for them to stand out. It is still considered an attempt to upstage the bride if a guest wears white, regardless of whether the intent is to do so.

    What Color Is Disrespectful To Wear To A Wedding?

    In addition to black and white, pastels, jewel tones, and earth tones are excellent choices. As the guest, you should dress in a way that blends in with the surroundings and lets the bride shine.

    What Color Is Not Appropriate For A Wedding?

    “Do not wear white, off-white, beige, cream, white lace, or any dress that looks like a wedding dress,” Stafford advised. You shouldn’t wear white to a wedding; look for an alternative if there is one. White is still the most common color to avoid.

    Is It OK To Wear Light Blue To A Wedding?

    It is not a good idea to wear white or black to a wedding (unless the hosts specifically request it). If you want to add a classy touch to your wedding indoors, you can choose a cool lavender or pastel color. Summer garden weddings are perfect for all-time favorites like yellow and blue.

    Can You Wear Light GREY To A Wedding?

    Gray or silver dresses are an elegant choice for wedding guests, but they can be tricky to find just right for weddings given their color.

    Is It Okay For The Groom To Wear White?

    It’s not a rule that says the groom can’t wear white at your wedding, but it is not a rule that says your guests shouldn’t wear white.

    Can A Guest Wear White Trousers To A Wedding?

    “Even though it is considered ‘bad form’ to wear all white to a wedding, it is still considered acceptable. Jo says it’s a big risk since it could be used as an upstage tactic. In addition, you may appear too prominent in group photos. “With so many other colors available, I would suggest avoiding the light hue completely.

    Watch is it ok to wear white pants to a wedding Video

    We've lost count of the number of times we've been asked about wedding guest outfits, namely what's appropriate and what's not. Traditionally, wearing white to a wedding was off limits, because you were running the risk of upstaging the bride. But these days, do the same rules apply? Can you wear white to a wedding? Well, that's exactly what we're going to find out today!

    But First, a Disclaimer!

    Our advice on this subject is based on years of experience and thousands of chats with brides, couples and guests, and we stand by it. That said, we're acutely aware that some people are more sensitive about wedding traditions than others, and that this can be impossible to predict, regardless of how well you think you know them. So while our official stance on wearing white to weddings is that it's OK in certain situations, the safer option is always to avoid wearing white to a wedding. In 95% of cases, it's easy to find a suitable alternative to the white dress you were hoping to wear, and, by doing this, you can bypass this outfit dilemma entirely!

    Can You Wear White to a Wedding?

    Can you wear a dress that's white to a wedding? In short, yes. But can you wear a dress that's white and bridal to a wedding? Absolutely not! In our eyes, a white dress is OK, but a wedding dress, or anything that could possibly read as a wedding dress, is simply not. This is a really important distinction to make, which is why we've come up with a handy method for determining whether your dress has a bridal look to it.

    If you're wearing white to a wedding, your outfit should also tick at least one of the following boxes, ideally two or three:

    • It's a jumpsuit or playsuit
    • It's short, knee-length or midi-length
    • The fabric contains a second colour, or multiple colours
    • The fabric features a print, even if the pattern is fully white, e.g. polka dot, floral
    • The fabric is a bit more casual or fashion-forward than you'd typically find in a wedding dress, e.g. cotton, wool, linen, laser-cut leather
    • The style is particularly fashion-forward or unbridal, e.g. tuxedo-style, button-down, T shirt-style
    • It's not particularly eye-catching, daring or voluminous

    Here, we must stress that it's not worth taking a chance on a dress you're not sure about. You should be 100% confident that your outfit isn't at all bridal. If you're still feeling unsure after working through the above list, we recommend cutting your losses and looking for a different dress. Believe us, finding a non-white dress that you like will be much easier than worrying about your outfit for weeks on end!

    There are two instances when you should feel extra confident wearing white to a wedding, although, you should still avoid something that's white and bridal:

    • When you know for sure that the bride isn't wearing white
    • When it's a same-sex wedding with two grooms (and you know for sure that neither of them is going to wear a white dress!)
    • When you've been asked by the couple to wear white (which is quite unlikely!)

    In these cases, you should still absolutely avoid anything that could take the focus off the couple, as we've said above. A really eye-catching outfit, the kind that might go viral if a celebrity wore it, is never appropriate for a wedding guest to wear.

    NOTE: Very light pastel colours can read as white or cream, particularly at a sun-soaked wedding outdoors, so be sure to apply the above logic if, for example, your dress is very pale yellow, grey or pink.

    Can You Wear White to a Wedding? An Important Exception

    There is one huge exception to this rule, and it's when the wedding is going to be reasonably casual affair, a city wedding featuring a registry office ceremony is a perfect example. In this situation, wearing a short white dress is risky, because the bride is likely to wear a short white dress. Ask yourself how formal the wedding is going to be (the invitation, the venue and the dress code, if any, should help you figure this out), and if the answer is "not at all", we recommend avoiding wearing white entirely.

    Wearing White to a Wedding: A Note on Styling

    If you're wearing white to a wedding, it's important not to echo bridal styling with your accessories, so headpieces and veils are out of the question (unless, of course, the dress code requires a headpiece, in which, a traditional hat would be best!) A brightly-coloured bag and shoe will help take your look in a less bridal direction, as will colourful jewellery.

    Wearing White to a Wedding: What if the Bride Says it's OK?

    We don't recommend asking the bride about wearing white to her wedding, because if she's not OK with it, it's going to be very difficult for her to say so. This also means that you'll never feel totally sure that she's being honest with you. The way we see it, if you're so torn about wearing white that you're dying to ask the bride's opinion, the best option is to simply find an alternative outfit.

    Featured image credit: Natalie Pluck Photography via One Fab Day

    Looking for wedding guest styling ideas? We've got oodles of them right here!

    What pants are OK to wear to a wedding?

    For a wedding, dress pants are almost always best. You can further dress up dress pants with the right top and accessories. A matching suit jacket always ups the fancy factor.

    Can a male guest wear white pants to a wedding?

    Here are a few notorious fashion errors at weddings men should avoid: White: You don't wear white to a wedding. Sure, you're not going to be confused for the bride, but just don't. Not casual, not formal, just never.

    What color should you not wear to weddings?

    Traditionally, the only off-limits color for wedding guests has been white, for obvious reasons—no one wants to take attention away from the bride. But times are a-changin'. Now, many people simply don't see wearing white as a big deal. Some brides and grooms are totally cool with it.