What to Wear to a Bridal Shower As A Guest

True Bridal Shower Story…Did I tell you about when I went to a bridal shower for my friend’s daughter?

One of the guests was wearing such a low-cut dress that when she reached across the buffet table to get a cup of tea and an egg salad sandwich, out popped her nipple.  That’s no joke and a good example of what not to wear to a bridal shower!

Figuring out what to wear can be tricky. Here are some guidelines for what to wear to a bridal shower as a guest to look lovely and appropriate, as well as a few outfit ideas for inspiration.

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What to Wear to a Bridal Shower As A Guest: Knowing How To Dress

Bridal showers are sweet celebrations of love, romance, and the woman of honor, the bride-to-be.

Although bridal showers have become a little more relaxed over the years, this doesn’t mean you should show up in boring, everyday clothes. No matter how formal or informal, a bridal shower is an important event calling for something special. 

When deciding what to wear, think of a bridal shower as a fancy tea party, with dainty sandwiches, desserts, tea and coffee, and chit-chat because that is basically what it is. The dressing goal is to look pretty, elegant, and ladylike.

If you are the bride’s mother, you are second in importance to the bride, so honor that role by wearing something thoughtful and classy.

What is the Dress Code for a Bridal Shower?

Bridal showers can be casual or dressy. However, the bridal shower invitation often doesn’t state the dress code, which can leave you feeling stressed about what to wear. 

One clue as to how fancy you should dress is to consider the location. Casual bridal showers are typically held at someone’s home, a church hall, or a community center.

Dressy bridal showers are usually held at a nice restaurant, golf club, hotel, or reception hall. In my experience, they are generally much larger, too. I once attended an Italian wedding shower at a reception hall with 150 ladies!

In any case, there is a tried-and-true, appropriate way to dress for a bridal shower. Follow these guidelines.

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1. Wear Something Feminine and Pretty

Bridal showers are about love and romance, so the perfect dress is pretty and feminine. Leave your work power suits or your sexy evening favorites at home. Soft and ladylike is the way to go. Bridal shower guest dresses should be modest but charming. 

Classic styles like wraps, sheaths, shifts, or fit-and-flare dresses are ideal because they’re conservative. A pair of flowy dress pants can be beautiful, too, but avoid jeans or cords, which are too casual to look right.   

For a casual bridal shower, you can wear anything from a pretty sundress to an elevated casual day dress—flowy fabrics like chiffon and feminine details like lace, ruffles, and tiers work well. Wear something similar to what you would wear for a special occasion, like Easter or a Mother’s Day brunch.

For a dressy bridal shower, you can glam it up a bit (wearing cocktail attire if you like, but not as dressy as what you would wear to a wedding).

3. Pastels & Neutrals are a Natural Choice

Light, soft neutrals, and pastels in light pink, blue, yellow, and green are always lovely. If these colors make you feel too washed out, bright, cheery colors also work well.

Whichever color you decide to go with, remember avoid wearing all white. A little o.k., but an all white dress, for example, feels like you are trying to steal the bride’s spotlight, regardless of what she is wearing at the shower.

4. Florals Feel Romantic

Beautiful floral prints always look right at a bridal shower, whether you are wearing a floral dress or blouse. Flowers are synonymous with love and romance. Too small of a floral can be aging. Too large can overwhelm a small frame. Please look for a medium-size print in a modern color combo.

Pants | Blouse

5. Flowy Pants and a Blouse are Lovely

If you don’t like dresses, pants can be beautiful, too, so long as they are not too casual or too serious and stiff. The best pants are soft and fluid, such as a pair of wide-leg or palazzo pants. They give a relaxed but chic vibe. A feminine blouse in fabric that drapes nicely can also be a great choice. Add low, pointy slingbacks to complete the look.

Blue Jumpsuit

6. Jumpsuits Are Fabulous as Well

If you want to wear pants but don’t feel like you have a dressy enough top, classy jumpsuits are chic and elegant bridal shower attire. You can wear these for both winter showers and summer showers. 

7. Put on Your Pretty Shoes

A delicate, feminine shoe may be all you need to transform a plain dress in your closet into a Cinderella-like outfit for a bridal shower.

8. Bring on the Bling

Bring on the bling at a bridal shower. You can wear your fine, expensive things or some fun costume jewelry. It doesn’t matter. A little sparkle adds a lot of glam to a special celebration like this. You just don’t want something so flashy it looks more like it’s for an evening party outfit. 

9. Add Elegant Accessories

Carry a chic clutch, don a silk scarf, or buy that fancy hat you’ve fantasized about wearing. It’s a party. Have fun.

10. Layer Appropriately 

If you’re attending a winter bridal shower, you may want to bring a shawl, cardigan, or coat to layer with. This is handy if it’s summer and the house or hall is air conditioned. In winter, you might feel chilly too if you are wearing a sleeveless dress, depending on where the shower is held. I also have suggestions for what to wear to a winter wedding shower, here.

What Not to Wear to a Bridal Shower

This gets back to my little story at the beginning of this post. Forget plunging necklines and thigh-high skirts. Save those for the cocktail bar. They’re too showy and hard for an afternoon ladies’ tea party. Of course, you don’t want to look sappy-sweet, but it’s better to err on this side and not look desperate for attention.

Other things you should not wear to a bridal shower

• All White or Ivory: This color is reserved for the bride.
• Black or Gray: If you’re too sad for a happy event, try navy with a bright or light floral print or black pants with a light, pretty top.
• Slinky or Tight: Sexy or edgy is the wrong look for a bridal shower.
• Flip Flops and Shorts: No!
• Sequins: They are too glam and take away from the bride.

   

Final note:

Just so you know, if you are on the fence about your bridal shower guest outfit choice, please keep this in mind. The same dressy outfit you wear to a bridal shower can also be worn to a baby shower, high school reunion, church, date night, christening, your child’s college graduation, a special birthday party, and more. So, go ahead and treat yourself to something fresh and new. You feel good when you look good, and life is much more fun.

Make sure you’re keeping up with my LTK storefront to see all of my favorite outfit ideas, from everyday fashion to other bridal shower outfit inspo. You can also join my private Facebook group, Fabulous After 40 Dressing Room, to discuss your favorite pieces with other fabulous women!

Do you have other ideas about what to wear to a bridal shower? Let me know.

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Meet the author

Deborah Boland

Deborah, a former Fashion & Lifestyle TV host and Image Consultant, understands the style challenges women face in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. As the founder of Fabulous After 40, she helps women tweak their chic and embrace fashion with confidence—so they always look and feel amazing.

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