Wedding Outfits: A British Tradition?

Posted by Styloko

Former Sunday Times Style Features Editor Ruby Warrington recently relocated to New York, where she’s now based as a US correspondent for the paper.

In her weekly Styloko column, Ny-loko, she dissects NY style through British eyes – will she ever dress like one of them?

A reformed shopaholic, her wardrobe mantra these days is ‘quality over quantity’ (check out her Lust List), while her idea of shopping heaven is her new West Village apartment, complete with walk-in wardrobe.

Carrie Bradshaw, eat your heart out.
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I have been mainly following the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations by flicking between the BBC World News channel and Facebook. Between scenes of enthusiastic flag-waving on the banks of the Thames and love-thy-neighbour street party action, I’ve been reminded of two things about old Blighty: a) how rarely the sun actually makes an appearance when the world is watching (see also Glastonbury and Wimbledon), and b) how much we Brits love to wheel out a bit of a wedding outfit given half the opportunity.

Also known as ‘TV presenter dressing’, from my vantage point across the pond it looks like the Jubilee has officially marked the beginning of pashmina season in the UK – during which period even the edgiest fashionista might find herself prone to a dressy little cardigan from Karen Millen or bejewelled Accessorize clutch. Because it’s not about fashion – it’s tradition.

In America, dressy occasions like proms, presidential inaugurations and the polo are an excuse for a full on ball gown or a punchy cocktail frock; in the UK, we much prefer a nicely tailored skirt suit, a fancy hat and a pair of LK Bennett courts – inspired on some level, no doubt, by the way our royals do it themselves. Queeny et al are constantly dressed as though they might have to make up numbers on the bride’s side.

And there’s a wannabe princess in all of us after all, it’s just that in America, princesses are mainly of the Disney variety. The Yanks might love Kate Middleton, but only politicians dress like her Stateside – and who wants anyone thinking they’re channelling Hilary Clinton?

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