On Friday 28th May, on a balmy Dubai afternoon, I tied the knot – in an upcycled ivory suit.
I am not a very wedding-y person; I haven’t enjoyed any of the planning process and laughed all the way through my vows. Whatever the opposite of Bridezilla is, I’m that.
But the biggest roadblock I hit throughout my engagement period was finding the right dress, one that actually spoke to my personality and personal style. I didn’t want something that I would wear once and never wear again. I have also worn a dress throughout approximately 90% of my adult life, so nothing I ever tried on quite felt ‘special’ enough.
And so, I decided to dip my toe into the world of pre-worn wedding suits.
While classic white gowns can, of course, be beautiful, elegant suits and separates are not only a smart way to subvert tradition, but they serve as statement pieces in your closet well after (or, in my case, before) you say “I do”.
Bianca Jagger’s iconic YSL skirt suit, Audrey Hepburn’s pale-pink Givenchy mini, Olivia Palermo’s cashmere jumper – sometimes the best bridal outfits don’t involve long trains, lace bodices and fussy tulle layers.
I even found myself agreeing with Emily Ratajkowski (who also tied the knot in trousers and matching jacket from high-street heros Zara), who said, “I also just loved the idea of a suit, especially at City Hall because it’s like you’re taking care of business.”
Both wedding suits for women and conscious consumerism are on the rise, so there felt like no better time to dust off this Mango purchase, which I’ve been the proud owner of for nearly three years (and, admittedly, only worn as a full suit once), and take it for a trip down the aisle.
Lyst’s 2020 wedding report found a 38 per cent increase for searches including ‘vintage’, ‘second-hand’ or ‘pre-owned’ – and with wedding dresses being one of the most expensive, extravagant, and single-use items a woman will buy, it’s no wonder.
Tailoring and sustainability are two sartorial buzzwords taking over womenswear jargon, throw a pandemic and a five-person wedding guest list into the mix and you’ve got a whole host of reasons for women opting for a more low-key — and sustainable — choice for their big day.
The best decision I made that day (apart from marrying my husband, I hasten to add) was choosing an upcycled suit in favour of a single-use wedding dress.
No one-hit-wonders here!
