Is black appropriate for a wedding? As an editor who has now attended numerous weddings, in my opinion, the answer is yes, but with a few restrictions, guidelines, and limitations. Over the past few years, I’ve personally worn black to three weddings, and it hasn’t yet caused any issues. In reality, the solutions I’ve developed have evolved into incredibly reliable, fail-safe costumes for weddings and other occasions where you really don’t know what to wear.
Weddings can frequently come with a specific set of rules and requirements from the happy couple, unlike many other social events, but many of them have altered and evolved over time. The proper wedding guest dress can be tricky, just like many etiquette regulations concerning vows, engagements, gifts, and more.
The answers will vary depending on the specific event and the people getting married, and when I’ve been unsure of my choices, I have asked the bride in advance. (All times it’s entirely not an issue, and they were surprised I even asked.) I’d say always do the following: Try to break up the black with fun accessories, don’t go OTT on flashing a lot of flesh, and be careful to opt for something that definitely feels “dressed-up” rather than your go-to work shirt dress.
In addition to my own tips on how you can navigate wearing black to a wedding, I asked a few cool fashion girls about their thoughts on the matter: “Anything but white is fair game, and black, in my book, is always chic and practical. I’ve lightened up a black cocktail dress for a summer wedding with coloured shoes, statement jewellery or red lipstick,” says super stylist Rachael Wang, echoing my thoughts entirely.
