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. (We have a whole other post on whether it's okay to wear black to a wedding!). 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? Especially when brides themselves are throwing out the rule book when it comes to bridal wear. So, can you wear white to a wedding if you're a guest? Well, that's exactly what we're going to answer here!

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 the bride. Not to mention that it is becoming very popular for bridesmaids to also wear white. So while our official stance on wearing white to weddings is that it's okay 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 white dress 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 okay, but a wedding dress, or anything that could possibly read as a wedding dress, even a more casual one, 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 or linen
• 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 unlikely, but it hey, if it's good enough for Solange Knowles...)

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 Okay?

We don't recommend asking the bride about wearing white to her wedding, because if she's not okay 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.

Want more inspiration? Check out more wedding guest styling ideas!