How to wear white without the bridal look

There is no question that white is still a popular colour this season, particularly in formal wear. But if you are like most people you are somewhat reserved about wearing it in case you look like a bride turning up for her wedding.

Before you give up on that dream of being a gorgeous white vision, here are five tips on how to wear white without looking like a bride.

1. Use accessories

One of the quickest and easiest ways to ditch the bridal look is through your accessories. Depending on your dress and personal style you could opt for bright or deep colours for your shoes, clutch, jacket or wrap, or metallic for a slightly subtler party look.

You can also differentiate through your jewellery by being a little bolder in your design choices or go the opposite way with no jewellery for a simple, fresh look.

2. Choose modern styles

Look for embellishments, fabrics and dress designs that stand out from the normal wedding gown look. High low dresses, paneling, cutouts, stiffer textures, and sharp angles can make the perfect non-bridal white dress.

3. Mix your colours

Adding a splash of colour to your white dress can also do the trick. It could be subtly on the hemline, piping or paneling, or more obvious with the bodice or skirt in the different colour.  A great example of this is our Lightning Ridge dress that uses patterned paneling to add colour and flair.

4. Avoid lace and ruffles

Wedding gowns are often associated with lots of lace and ruffles, so it is best to stay away from these styles. If you do have your heart set on something lacey, look for a shorter length or a broderie anglaise style that is not typically worn by brides.

5. Opt for white that’s not quite white

To avoid the bridal look completely why not go for an ivory, off-white or cream outfit, you may even find one of these colours will compliment your complexion more than white. Our Cream and Ivory Vintage knee length dress is a great example of this. It still gives you the white look without the bridal feel and what’s more the dress is easy to accessorise and wear again and again.

Do you like wearing white formal wear? What are your top tips for avoiding the bridal look?

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