How to Wear a White Dress Without Looking Bridal

When we think of the stereotypical white dress, the first image is a wedding dress. And if it’s a long, white dress, we’re definitely thinking bridal.  So when I fell in love with this white lace dress, I thought it would be perfect for a bridal shower- if I was the bride. Naturally, I decided to defy fashion’s expectations and purchase it anyway. This spring, learn to embrace wearing white and follow my 5 tips to avoid looking like you’re walking down the aisle.

1.  Avoid Bridal Makeup

 When you’re choosing your makeup, avoid the classic, clean bridal look. Pale pink lips, glowing skin and big lashes are a bridal standard, so go in a different direction. White is the ultimate neutral, so any makeup look works! I chose to a matte brown lip to avoid the blushing bride look.

2. Complement with colors or textures rather than sparkle.

We’ve all seen Say Yes to the Dress and know how many brides love looking like sparkling  princesses. In contrast to the blinged-out bride, choose to color and texture to accentuate your look instead of sparkle. I wanted to maintain a natural color pallette and complemented the dress with lace up tan heels and tan belt.

3. Make it Trendy!

The trendier the look, the less you’re going to look like a classic bride. Choose a white dress with a trendy shape, texture, or pattern to keep the look modern. If you’re wearing a classic white dress, choose trendy accessories. This will give off a fashion girl vibe rather than a traditional bride-to-be.

4. Focus on the shape and structure of the dress

What ultimately separates a wedding dress from a white dress is the shape.  Avoid classic wedding dress giveaways like a voluminous skirt, sweetheart neckline, a train, ruching, or a sparkly belted waist. Look for non traditional traits like cut outs, a thigh slit, a 2 set piece, or something menswear inspired.

5. Be the Anti-Bride!

Avoid the cliche bride look by being the anti-bride! Okay that sounds kind of like a villain but just hear me out. When creating your look with your fantastic white dress, pair it with anti-bridal pieces – leather, studs, messy hair, a strong cat eye, stand out accessories and anything that smashes that ‘going to the chapel’ look.

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Not pictured: The shoes in these photos were purchased previously from Nordstrom Rack.  The dress was provided by eShakti , all opinions are my own.