Timeless wedding suits perfect for civil ceremonies (or if you hate dresses)
Wedding suits for women are having a moment. Again. We all know Bianca Jagger kicked off the trend back in 1971 when she married Mick in Saint Tropez.
She made headlines for her daring outfit choice, a white Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo jacket which she wore over a long bias-cut silk skirt. Instead of a veil, she chose a huge hat with decorated with flowers and a bit of tulle covering her face.
Fast forward a few decades, and the suit is officially back, thanks to a slew of fashion-forward celebrities like Millie Mackintosh and Emily Ratajkowski.
For her civil ceremony in July 2018, Millie purposefully recreated Bianca's look, by choosing an ivory draped wraparound top and matching trousers from under-the-radar French fashion brand Les Heroines. She too accessorised with a floppy hat.
Meanwhile, in February 2018, Emily shunned tradition altogether. She got married in secret to her love Sebastian Bear-McClard, and wore a mustard Zara suit, paired with a black hat. So rock 'n' roll.
Wedding suits are ideal if you're just not into dresses: they're still chic enough for a special occasion, are timeless and you'll be more likely to wear them again. You don't even have to go for a white one: a pale blue or vintage yellow like Emily's will age just as well.
With so many more weddings abroad, they're also ideal for your civil ceremony, a more paired back options that will keep the focus on your second wedding outfit, usually a wedding dress.
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As for how to style them, roll with your suit's style. Wear a silk, flowing suit with a pair of statement gold earrings, a veiled hat and some platform sandals for a modern 70s throwback.
Opting for a tailored suit instead? Keep things minimal with a mum mule and delicate jewellery.
Shop my edit of the best wedding suits for women below.
Penny Goldstone is the Contributing Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK. She writes about catwalk trends and the latest high street and Instagram sartorial must-haves. She also helms the Women Who Win franchise.
She has worked in fashion for over 10 years, contributing to publications such as Cosmopolitan, Red, Good Housekeeping, and Stylist.
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