Colour me contentious. Choosing a wedding outfit would break your heart with all the rules

We're doing a lot of talking about weddings this week - Assumpta tackled a wedding (non) gift problem and now I'm looking at the  issue of what to wear if you're a guest.  When that invite (or er "bill in the post" as my mother calls it) blams on to the mat it sends most of us into a holy tailspin about what to wear.  Wedding outfits you see have more "rules", spoken and unspoken, than the bride will have mickey fits over the flowers.

You can't wear white.  You can't wear black.  Stay away from red.  Don't be too sexy.  And god forbid - GOD FORBID - you might turn up in the same dress as someone else.  Which is why Coast may be a danger area - but the thing is they do really good wedding clobber, as do Debenhams.

At last there is some relaxation in the wedding outfit rules though.  We're in recession and our dire economic straits mean that it's  now perfectly acceptable (as it should always have been) to wear an outfit multiple times.  It is also ok not to spend ridiculous amounts of your hard earned cash on the rig out, the bag and the accessories.

But of course you can spend whatever you want if you can afford it.  So with that in mind I've chosen a selection at a variety of price points for us to have a gander at.

Blues in all their glory

Redlane.ie €120 * Dolce & Gabana at Saks €1830 * Coast €140 * Dress €70 Shoes €66 Pamela Scott Whitewater Shopping Centre * Coast €250

Redlane.ie €120 * Dolce & Gabana at Saks €1830 * Coast €140 * Dress €70 Shoes €66 Pamela Scott Whitewater Shopping Centre * Coast €250

Ladies in reds - CONTENTIOUS!

Alice & Olivia At Saks €395 * Littlewoods Ireland €79 * Next €69

Alice & Olivia At Saks €395 * Littlewoods Ireland €79 * Next €69

Girls in pinks.  Now this is wedding gear at it's finest and most trad.

Coast €175 * Top Shop €130 * Fran & Jane Top €159 Skirt €155 * Coast €230 * Julien Macdonald at Debenhams €77

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Coast €175 * Top Shop €130 * Fran & Jane Top €159 Skirt €155 * Coast €230 * Julien Macdonald at Debenhams €77

Yes I know that wearing pale colours to weddings is also contentious - but I do love these neutrals and nudes.

Littlewoods Ireland €64 * Coast Top €85 Skirt €148 * Dress and Bolero €190 Richards Shoes €66 and Bracelets €8 at Pamela Scott Whitewater Shopping Centre * Jenny Packham at Debenhams €271 * Debut at Debenhams €124

Littlewoods Ireland €64 * Coast Top €85 Skirt €148 * Dress and Bolero €190 Richards Shoes €66 and Bracelets €8 at Pamela Scott Whitewater Shopping Centre * Jenny Packham at Debenhams €271 * Debut at Debenhams €124

Elegant blacks.  Also contentious.  But just look at the beautiful skirt on that Littlewoods frock!

Gucci at Saks €3190 * Julien Macdonald at Debenhams €63 * Karen Millen €240 * Littlewoods Ireland €99

Gucci at Saks €3190 * Julien Macdonald at Debenhams €63 * Karen Millen €240 * Littlewoods Ireland €99

Are these monochromes weddingy enough?  Or are they too severe?  Can't decide.

John Rocha at Debenhams €73 * Tommy Hilfiger €270 * Next €82

John Rocha at Debenhams €73 * Tommy Hilfiger €270 * Next €82

 

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So what are you feeling wedding wise?  Have you seen anything nice lately and have you worn the same frock to more than one wedding?  I have!

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