Kate Middleton wears black to a wedding

[Nellop]

Pretty much what it says on the tin...

Maybe I've heard wrong, but isn't it supposed to be rude to wear black to a wedding?

From the pictures I've seen it seems to look very funeral-y, too...

Thoughts?

[M-theory]

As I understand from this forum, the acceptability of wearing black to a wedding is regional.

[Lisbeth]

Traditional etiquette holds that yes, this is rude; on the other hand, many people do it.

I guess if the outfit doesn't look funeral-y (and many black outfits don't), it's okay; but if you look like a widow, it's not.  Even then, it's very subjective.  I guess one's actual manner while wearing the outfit and any accessories, makeup, hairdo, etc. would also be factors.  For example, a black strapless dress with shiny high heels and flashy jewelry coupled with a "let's party!" attitude wouldn't look funeral-y.

[Bob Ducca]

The only "rude to wear black to the wedding" rule I've heard applies to the mothers of the couple: neither should wear white (seen as an attempt to upstage the bride) and neither should wear black (seen as a protest against the marriage, as though they are in mourning).  The last several evening weddings I've attended have included a substantial percentage of women in black.

I would consider this more a matter of personal taste, not etiquette, as long as it is acceptable practice where the wedding is being held.  To some people, black always looks depressing.  To others, it looks elegant. 

[jimithing]

The only "rude to wear black to the wedding" rule I've heard applies to the mothers of the couple: neither should wear white (seen as an attempt to upstage the bride) and neither should wear black (seen as a protest against the marriage, as though they are in mourning).  The last several evening weddings I've attended have included a substantial percentage of women in black.

I would consider this more a matter of personal taste, not etiquette, as long as it is acceptable practice where the wedding is being held.  To some people, black always looks depressing.  To others, it looks elegant. 

I agree.

Although, I will add that I am a little surprised that Kate would wear black to a wedding, since the Royals tend to keep the most traditional etiquette of anyone. But I like that she will be more of a modern princess.

[camlan]

The only "rude to wear black to the wedding" rule I've heard applies to the mothers of the couple: neither should wear white (seen as an attempt to upstage the bride) and neither should wear black (seen as a protest against the marriage, as though they are in mourning).  The last several evening weddings I've attended have included a substantial percentage of women in black.

I would consider this more a matter of personal taste, not etiquette, as long as it is acceptable practice where the wedding is being held.  To some people, black always looks depressing.  To others, it looks elegant. 

In years gone by, the rule was that no one should wear all black to a wedding--that was in the days when someone in mourning would dress all in black. Either you wore a little color (white and purple were also mourning colors for the later stages of mourning), or you stayed home.

These days, black is a fashionable color (I've been to a wedding where the bridesmaids wore black) and the rules have relaxed.

[MsMarjorie]

I thought she looked very sophisticated & she did wear burgundy shoes to lighten it up a bit.  Its fairly normal here (Australia) to wear black to a wedding and make it less funereal by using lighter/coloured accessories.

I hope this isn't the start of the backlash against her by the British Press.

[Merry Mrs Martin]

The only "rude to wear black to the wedding" rule I've heard applies to the mothers of the couple: neither should wear white (seen as an attempt to upstage the bride) and neither should wear black (seen as a protest against the marriage, as though they are in mourning).  The last several evening weddings I've attended have included a substantial percentage of women in black.

I would consider this more a matter of personal taste, not etiquette, as long as it is acceptable practice where the wedding is being held.  To some people, black always looks depressing.  To others, it looks elegant. 

*cough* or ex-girlfriends/wish they had been girlfriends.

I would say if it's conservative enough to be appropriate at a funeral you shouldn't wear it at awedding witheout funning it up with some color

[Sophia]

...I would say if it's conservative enough to be appropriate at a funeral you shouldn't wear it at a wedding without funning it up with some color

Thank you for explaining why some black dresses at a wedding seems rude to me. 

[Bob Ducca]

The only "rude to wear black to the wedding" rule I've heard applies to the mothers of the couple: neither should wear white (seen as an attempt to upstage the bride) and neither should wear black (seen as a protest against the marriage, as though they are in mourning).  The last several evening weddings I've attended have included a substantial percentage of women in black.

I would consider this more a matter of personal taste, not etiquette, as long as it is acceptable practice where the wedding is being held.  To some people, black always looks depressing.  To others, it looks elegant. 

*cough* or ex-girlfriends/wish they had been girlfriends.

I would say if it's conservative enough to be appropriate at a funeral you shouldn't wear it at awedding witheout funning it up with some color

I think that's a pretty good guideline.

[mechtilde]

All black is rather a faux pas in England. If you could wear it to a funeral, you shouldn't wear it to a wedding.

I've worn a black dress with a red jacket, and peach shawl in the evening, but never just all black. (at the time, it was very hard to get a plus sized dress which wasn't to hippie-ish, or too Hyacinth Bucket)

Having looked at the outfit, I would say it was rather too black- had she worn a coloured hat, or more coloured acessories it might be dofferent.

[The Legend of Daisy]

All black is rather a faux pas in England. If you could wear it to a funeral, you shouldn't wear it to a wedding.

I've worn a black dress with a red jacket, and peach shawl in the evening, but never just all black. (at the time, it was very hard to get a plus sized dress which wasn't to hippie-ish, or too Hyacinth Bucket)

Having looked at the outfit, I would say it was rather too black- had she worn a coloured hat, or more coloured acessories it might be dofferent.

I've been living in Britain for 8 years now and wouldn't agree with this. In Manchester I have seen black bridesmaids dresses AND black wedding dresses (not even at the same wedding!) As a guest I've worn black  to a wedding and I certainly wasn't the only one. It is not uncommon.

And, of course, in Toronto wearing black all the time to everything is kind of a default.

[Cellardoor14]

All black is rather a faux pas in England. If you could wear it to a funeral, you shouldn't wear it to a wedding.

I've worn a black dress with a red jacket, and peach shawl in the evening, but never just all black. (at the time, it was very hard to get a plus sized dress which wasn't to hippie-ish, or too Hyacinth Bucket)

Having looked at the outfit, I would say it was rather too black- had she worn a coloured hat, or more coloured acessories it might be dofferent.

I've been living in Britain for 8 years now and wouldn't agree with this. In Manchester I have seen black bridesmaids dresses AND black wedding dresses (not even at the same wedding!) As a guest I've worn black  to a wedding and I certainly wasn't the only one. It is not uncommon.

I agree with The Legend of Daisy, I've been living in the UK for ten years and have regularly seen black at weddings in London and south England. 

Heck, I wore all black shirt/skirt combo to a wedding in October, because at seven months pregnant it was the only thing in the closet that fit!

[Jan74]

AFAIK, the "no black at weddings" rule is outdated. It used to be like that, but now it is just, as PPs said, "Don't wear something you could wear to a funeral". No white/ivory still stands, though.

[mechtilde]

I grew up in Lincolnshire, but have been living in the North East of England for nearly twenty years now. In my own experience all black at a wedding is still not "done". I felt awkward about wearing a black dress with a red jacket, hat and acessories to a wedding.

I do note that Debretts seems to have softened its line on black at weddings since the days of John Morgan, and that it now says that "all black, unless cleverly accessorised, may look too sombre"

I still think it doesn't look right at a wedding.