Wearing black to a wedding - solve my oufit dilemma please.

So, I bought a maxi dress to wear to a wedding, but as the event gets closer I get less and less comfortable with the idea.  i do have a black dress I like, and a little shrug/cardi thing to wear with it, but I don't know what the etiquette is these days about black at weddings.  I've got some brightly coloured, bold glass jewellery to wear with it if I do go for that, so there will be a flash of colour.  My shoes are also black, as is my bag. Whadderyerthink?

I wore a black and white skirt to the posh wedding a few weeks ago. I decided to go with red jewellery, fascinator comb, shrug (M&S cropped 18 cardi, worn as a bolero, shoes (clarks flats, 5.5) and bag as I was a bit worried about the black thing in the end (was going to wear black shoes, bag and shrug). You would be fine, I'm sure. Is it very formal? I think ettiquette has always said that black shouldn't be the main colour but who says that has to be followed?

I would be happy to send anything to you if you would like?

Both Mr P's daughters wore black to our wedding.  I did wonder if they thought they were in mourning!

Have to say both looked stunning, and actually, against the bright sunshine background, they looked really good (looking at a wedding picture of them and us together as I type)

I'd vote for yes to black, especially with bold accessories.

Lumpy Golightly:

So, I bought a maxi dress to wear to a wedding, but as the event gets closer I get less and less comfortable with the idea.  i do have a black dress I like, and a little shrug/cardi thing to wear with it, but I don't know what the etiquette is these days about black at weddings.  I've got some brightly coloured, bold glass jewellery to wear with it if I do go for that, so there will be a flash of colour.  My shoes are also black, as is my bag. Whadderyerthink?

I think nowerdays black is very in for weddings, Even bridal parties are wearing it. At the end of the day so long as you are happy then go for it.

I did attend a wedding afew years where the bride TOLD us not to wear black and after spending the best part of 3k on her hen do ( 2 nights in Dublin inc flights etc ) OH going to the stag do ( 5 days in tenerife ) and two nights in a hotel here, new outfits, food and drink. I wore black as i thought it was very rude of her TELLING rather than aking us what not to wear !

I`ve just got back from my SILs wedding in Italy, where I wore a black empire line chiffon dress and I accessorised with gold strappy sandals and a fascinator in black and gold. (I did have a bit of a wobble at first but I think if you accessorise well, it looks really smart)

Thanks everyone - really reassuring

I want to see the maxidress! Some of my friends recently wore them to a wedding, and I want one.

I have to say, wearing black to a wedding (as the main colour) is a no-go for me.  I'm with Doughnut - lets see the maxi dress - I love them!

katrowley:

I did attend a wedding afew years where the bride TOLD us not to wear black and after spending the best part of 3k on her hen do ( 2 nights in Dublin inc flights etc ) OH going to the stag do ( 5 days in tenerife ) and two nights in a hotel here, new outfits, food and drink. I wore black as i thought it was very rude of her TELLING rather than aking us what not to wear !

So a bride specifically asked you not to wear black and because you had to fork out all that money in the run up to her big day, you wore black anyway just because you were peed off at the money you chose to spend...?  That's not very nice.

I think black is fine for a wedding. there are some elegant black outfits out there and, if accessorised correctly it will be fine.  I'm sure you'll look lovely.

I recenly wore a black dress to Sherry's wedding in May. However my accessories were cerise pink, a short sleeved shrug, handbag and fascinator. A cerise rose pin and fabulous black and cerise killer heels. No one complained about it, in fact a couple of people said I looked rather nice

I wore a black maxi dress to the SIL wedding last year, I accessorised with a turquoise pashmina, turquoise fasinator and bag.

Had many comments on how lovely the outfit was, I'd go for it!

I wore black to a wedding recently.....partly because I had little choice as I only own one dress (the perils of working in a mans profession and always wearing trousers). Surprisingly I wasn't the only one. I don't think it matters these days and as someone rightly said, you can accessorise to give a flash of colour.

I think black is fine but would consider non-black shoes and bag which, IMO, always look either worky or eveningy.

Katrowley, I can't get my head round your logic at all

Knownowt:

I think black is fine but would consider non-black shoes and bag which, IMO, always look either worky or eveningy.

Katrowley, I can't get my head round your logic at all

The black shoes and bag are staying - they're the two things I'm happy with

The maxi dress is really a no-go - I just don't feel comfortable in it because I'm too short and too dumpy.

I am now considering wide-legged trousers (black) and a top in one of the colours in the jewellery.

Does the maxi dress look at all '70s style? If so, do you want to sell it to me? I need something '70s for a work do.

Trousers and a top will be fine. I would wear what you're most comfortable in, because otherwise you won't enjoy yourself at all because you'll be worried about how you look.