How To Wear Pants To A Wedding With Confidence
Summer wedding season is in full swing, and some of you may be wondering what to wear. Can you wear pants to a wedding? Yes, you absolutely can. If you don’t like dresses or your legs are not your best feature, pants are totally acceptable, so long as you keep the time of day and venue in mind. I’ve had a lot of requests lately for what to wear to a wedding, so I’ve updated this post with ideas about how to wear pants to a wedding with confidence. I’m also sharing three different wedding guest outfit ideas with pants that I hope will be perfect for your upcoming weddings.
If you’re looking for more wedding outfit inspiration, I recommend reading these related posts:
- Best Special Occasion Pant Suits for Weddings and Events
- What to Wear for a Summer Wedding
- Winter Wedding Outfits for Women Over 50 and 60
- Best Black Dress Shoes for Women Over 50 Your Feet Will Love
- Comfortable Gold and Silver Dress Shoes for Older Women
What type of pants can you wear to a wedding?
When you’re deciding what to wear to a wedding, take a look at your invitation as it often spells out the wedding dress code. If you’re still unsure, check with the bride, mother of the bride, or a member of the wedding party for some guidelines. In a pinch, it’s always safer to be overdressed than underdressed as a wedding guest.
I know when most ladies get an invitation to a black-tie optional wedding, our brains skip over any type of pants as a possibility as we immediately begin searching for a floor length dress or gown. Dress pants in silk, soft crepe, or overlaid with chiffon have a nice flowy look that is elegant enough to work for a black-tie optional wedding.
These Alex Evening pants are a popular option. They come in several color and fabric options, with or without an overlay, in regular, petite, and plus sizes. There’s also a wide-leg option here. These low-heeled sandals come in narrow, medium, and wide sizes 5-13. A matte shoe is dressier than shiny leather, so opt for fabric or suede to up the level of formality. Unless you want your feet to grab the spotlight, match your shoes to your pants.
This sophisticated twin set has clean lines and a subtle shimmer, so you could actually wear these pieces after the wedding. Picture the tank under a denim jacket with a pair of casual pants or the cardigan over a cotton tee and a pair of dark-wash jeans. The pearls are a forever classic and the clutch has a chain strap you can stow inside.
Sometimes the attire isn’t spelled out for you on the invitation, and you have to use your best judgment when putting together a wedding guest outfit. I like looking at the time of the wedding, as well as the location, to help me determine how formal I would like to dress. You wonāt want to wear a sequined, fussy option for a midday casual wedding. In this case, try pairing a nice tailored pant with a blazer jacket. This combination has a classic vibe that works for many venues, including country club weddings, city hall weddings, nice restaurants, or church weddings. These are pieces you can wear again and again, so your cost per wear will be low. I included a nice flat that will keep you comfortable for a long day on your feet, but you could dress this outfit up further with a heel like this one.
Beach weddings are more popular than ever. If you have one of these on your calendar, your invitation may say resort casual or something similar. A beach wedding calls out for loose and lightweight pants with natural accessories. Think shoes when planning this outfit. Any sort of heel is a nightmare in the sand, so opt for flats. Assuming the beach is a warm one, pretty sandals with a fresh pedicure are totally acceptable. Plus, it makes it much easier to shake the sand out of your shoes. If itās a daytime wedding, plan for sun protection, and the best way to do that is with a hat. Straw is fine, but a finer weave than youād wear to the farmers market.
Can You Wear Jeans to a Wedding?
Jeans would only be accepted at the most casual ceremony, with the full knowledge and agreement of the bride. Opt for dark wash denim with no distressing and dress them up with a pretty blouse, feminine footwear, and nice accessories. Jumpsuits have also become popular options in either print or solid colors in a flowy fabric that elevates the look.
Benefits of Wearing Pants as a Wedding Guest
Although dresses do have their own perks (like keeping your legs cool on hot summer wedding days), there are certainly some benefits to forgoing a formal dress in favor of wearing a quality pair of pants. Pants give you the option to wear flat shoes, which many ladies find the most comfortable for long days on their feet and dancing at the reception. You don’t have to worry about wearing pantyhose, which is outdated looking and uncomfortable at best. Pants also often have pockets which can be super handy for carrying tissues, lipstick, and so on.
Other Tips for What to Wear to a Wedding:
Hints of white are acceptable so long as it’s in small touches in part of a pattern or in your accessories. Black is acceptable, especially for an evening wedding. Very pale colors can photograph as white, so avoid it if you’ll be in photos with the bride.
Small handbags are a must. The most practical ones can be carried as a clutch or a shoulder bag. They look most elegant as a clutch and don’t interfere with your outfit during the ceremony. They then transform to go over your shoulder at the reception when you need to keep one hand free to shake hands, hold a champagne flute or hold a plate with hors d’oeuvres.
Do you have any upcoming weddings to attend?
Thanks for reading, and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
I purchased the Fermented Complex 94. I love it! However, could you take some time explaining how you use it. I am always confused about the order in which cosmetics should be applied. You would think by age 77 I would know this! I use a night cream and a day cream and light foundation when I feel I need it! And then, there is the sunscreenš„“. Love your blog! Thanks so much for the ideas and advice.
Itās the first thing I put in after I wash my face. My dermatologist told me to apply from thinnest to thickest product.
So Iām the am, itās the Fermented splash on, then Vit C, them moisturizer, then sunscreen. I leave a few seconds in between for things to dry and soak in.
I have 2 pair of the Alex Evening trousers that I love for special events. One pair has the overlay and other doesn’t. Both are very comfortable and elegant. I have to agree that his glittered tops and jackets shred horribly. My car seat covers had to be replaced because they were coated with red and silver glitter from the set I wore to a Valentine’s Day dinner dance. I was able to minimize the shedding (nothing prevents it entirely) on the other set I bought by following advice my grandmother gave me years ago. Put a plastic bag down on a table or your bed, have someone hold the glittery garment over it while you use a soft clothes brush to remove the loose glitter (my sister says that a sticky roller will work as well, but I’ve had better results with a brush). Carefully fold the plastic bag to trap the glitter once you are done and dispose of it. Now spray the exterior of the garment with a coat of Aqua-Net hair spray (I usually can find it at my local dollar store). It will “fix” the rest of the glitter to the fabric.
Briliant tip, Christine!
I think these dressy pant suits are just as beautiful as a long skirt.
So glad you told people jeans are only appropriate at a very casual wedding.
Someone attended our daughters wedding in cut offs and a tank top. Not good!
Thatās so rude of them Lin!!
I have been wearing pants to weddings for years. I buy the Alex Evening tops from our Dillards department store. They always have a sale rack on evening tops , etc. I love being able to wear low heeled shoes or flats. If you don’t have a Dillards, you can shop a number of stores for a dressy top or jacket as well.
I really enjoy your posts and have ordered some items. But I am finding by the time you post and I try to order the items, like the blazer, is out of stock.
Anyone else having issues with this?
I know it does happen often. Sorry about that.
I echo your advice about avoiding pale colors, especially if in the bridal party photos. I wore silver sequins to my sonās wedding and was mortified that my gown read as white in the photos. Luckily the bride did not care and didnāt understand my mortification and apology.
The first outfit, the Alex Evening set, I would -not- recommend. I brought it home to wear to my sonās wedding with a chiffon long skirt, and there was glitter everywhere in the bag, on the floor, on me. Every time I moved my arm, I rained glitter. Itās literally just glued on. Their chiffon separates are great, however. I returned the set for an overlay top with soutache trim from the same brand, and it was good quality.
Sequins are often better than glitter, but they’re also more expensive so there is a trade off.
Thank you for the pants post for weddings. I will usually opt for a dress. Of the pant options the soft wide legg is my choice.
I love soft wide pants.
I beg to disagree that pantyhose is outdated looking. There is nothing classier than good-looking legs. We all have scars, uneven coloring, or lumpy knees and pantyhose evens all that out. Very few women, really only a few of the younger ones, can go bare-legged and still look good. If you don’t have exceptionally good legs (scars, coloring, whatnot) and wear a too short skirt, bare legs can even look tacky. In my opinion pantyhose, especially for special events, is a matter of being well-groomed. Want to give yourself the luxury look? Wear pantyhose. Make the effort – it’s worth it.
Mary
I agree that pantyhose are appropriate for anyone who does not feel comfortable wearing bare legs. I also read somewhere that they were coming back in style??
Love the first outfit! I have have wedding coming up up on October so might have to look for those pants.
The goodnews is, they are coming back in style but I would avoid overly opqaue ones in the nude shades.
Yes I read that too although I still have one or two packages of pantyhose way back on my closet shelf with evening bags I’ve accumulated over the years. I am thinking that Princess Kate wears them and therefore the new trend.
She wears them all the time.
I agree with this. I have had very visible veins on my legs due to the translucency of my skin for most of my life. Hosiery has always been a must for me, whether tights, pantyhose, or stockings. Lately, I been wearing stockings and a garter belt with my skirts and dresses as it makes for one less layer to deal with in the ladies room. There are a number of online vendors that sell beautiful and well-made garter belts and stockings for many different body types due to the increasing interest in vintage-style lingerie.
I havenāt seen anyone wear pantyhose in years. I donāt like my legs so I wear maxi dresses or pants!
At first glance, ( to be honest. I was reading on my phone) I thought the outfit inspiration looked too casual for my taste ( as a wedding guest).However Iām so glad I took a closer look! Every outfit contained items I would happily wear and I especially love the ability to wear flats or low heels with all of them!
Thank you!
I don’t have any upcoming weddings this summer but these are great options. This info really helps with decision making as to what’s appropriate. Thanks!
I wish I had a wedding to wear one of these outfits! I especially love the first one with it’s long flowy black pants and ivory twinset. It always surprises me when I find some of these pieces are at Amazon for such reasonable prices. Love the accessories, too! the pearl jewelry is such a classic elegant accent. You really nailed this outfit.
Iām increasingly impressed with Amazon fashion. You have to pick and choose carefully but there are gems to be found there.
On this same theme, I’ve never forgotten your previous post from just over a year ago, “Monday Musings- A Woman Who Inspired Me With Her Luxe Wedding Outfit And Flat Shoes” (June 6, 2022). I pinned it, which is how I managed to ‘recall’ it here. I just haven’t had any wedding invitations nor any other suitable events to recreate such an outfit!
I still remember how fabulous she looked when I saw her. Really fabulous.
I could definitely see myself wearing the twin set and straight black pants. This is actually a signature look for me these days. It offers a classic look with ease of wear. If Iām at an event that may require hours of movement, the last thing I want to do is fuss with my clothing. No weddings on the dock today but the possibility is definitely there for a few to pop up.
This informative blog offers me some piece of mind when the time does arise. Thank you!
Classic and easy to wear is always my go to these days too.
Iāve never considered pants as wedding guest attire, but am open to the idea. Gives me more options.
Iād like to add to check with the bride or family members on colors to avoid for weddings associated with non Western cultures. If invited to a Hindu wedding (and I hope you are- they are marvelous), black is considered an unlucky color and white the color of death. The bride will wear red, so avoid it to give the bride the day.
Iād love to attend one some day. I know theyāre beautiful extravaganzas.
Great post! A pair of dressy pants in your wardrobe can go far! I resent having to buy something to wear to a wedding that I wouldnāt wear again unless itās family/close friends. Also for those who have Dillards they carry that Alex brand if you want to try in person. Whenever I walk by I think I should get one of those dressy tops/sweater sets to have on hand. And thatās my best advice to myself: when it comes to dressier stuff I try to buy when I see something I love, in my colors, even if I have nowhere to wear it at the moment. How many times have we needed something for an event and āsettled,ā with the item being worn exactly once.
Thatās a very clever idea Shari. Having a few pieces in your wardrobe for fancier events ensures you wear something you love when the event arises.