Is this dress the right thing to wear for a formal wedding - as a guest?

To be honest when I first saw it I thought it looked like a bridesmaids dress.

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Thank you so much!! ... does that mean I shouldn't wear it?.... Or is it ok since it's not the same color as the bridesmaids?... I'm struggling with what would more appropriate? I have a floral one that doesn't seem fancy enough, but a lot of the fancier ones seem way too hot.

Formal dress code and outdoor venue don’t mix because they contradict. Plus summer in SoCal is extremely hot, so you may or may not be uncomfortable in the fabric. I don’t think bridesmaid at all when I look at that dress so you are good to wear it and no one should ever confuse you for trying to upstage anyone.

A bridesmaid dress is literally a dress that a bridesmaid wears. There’s nothing proprietary or exclusive to bridesmaids. Likewise, it’s a myth that guests are supposed to avoid dressing in the same color. That’s a completely made up thing, an inaccurate spin based on not wearing white to compete with the bride.


Traditionally, bright red is a no no, but this is a darker red, which IMO is fine. I agree that it’s strange to have a black tie wedding outdoors. Did the invitation actually say black tie or did it just specify formal dress?

It looks like a bridesmaid's dress to me. I would look for something else.

I think it looks fine. If you’re really worried about potentially looking like the bridal party, you can always double check with one of them/the bride. But I personally wouldn’t be upset if someone unintentionally showed up with the same dress as my bridal party.

Hi, As long as it NOT in the wedding color scheme, I think it is fine…however, I recently saw this dress in a gorgeous wedding where the bridesmaids were able to pick out the style of the dress in the wedding colors of light green & light lavender & one of them wore this dress ..,, I did think her dress was the most flattering…

View Quoted Comment Even if this was an etiquette rule, and again, I can assure everyone it’s not, how would guests know what color dress the bridesmaids are wearing? Are guests supposed to ask what bridesmaids will be wearing? Are brides going to start putting the information on the wedding website?


I can maybe see not wanting to be mistaken for a member of the wedding party if it’s an unusual color and you just so happen to know what it is, and have to go out shopping for a new dress anyway, but that would be 100% OP’s choice. There’s no such rule that one should avoid competing with bridesmaids, though.

I love it! Personally if I have a guest wearing the same color and style as my bridesmaids, I'd want a picture of them with the wedding party. I'd think it was funny.

That dress looks perfect. You’d only seem like a bridesmaid if it was the same color they were wearing. I have worn bridesmaid dresses as wedding guest dresses on a couple occasions as they are nice, accessible formal wear. (And yes, I have , on occasion, asked what color the bridesmaids will be in— nothing wrong with asking if you’re hoping to avoid being matching!)