Is It Ever OK to Upstage the Bride (Even a Little Bit)?

Meg DonohueMon, April 27, 2026 at 7:18 PM UTC

0

How Risky Is Too Risky for a Wedding Guest Outfit?HBO

This Memorial Day weekend, I have a wedding to attend. It’s in Florida, and I’m good friends with the couple. I have a dress in mind, but here’s the thing: It’s cheetah print. Does that make it inappropriate wedding attire? The jury is out (the jury being the three friends/coworkers I’ve polled), but after watching last night’s Euphoria episode, I’m feeling kind of untouchable. If Maddy and Jules can get away with showing that much skin at Cassie and Nate’s wedding, can’t I get away with a little animal print? But that’s a big “if,” and the question stillstands—is it actually okay to show skin at a wedding?

For anyone who missed it, Hunter Schafer’s character, Jules, wore an asymmetric/nude illusion dress from Acne Studios’ spring 2023 runway. Maddy, played by Alexa Demie, wore a slinky olive-toned number, an original design courtesy of the show’s costumer Natasha Newman-Thomas.

Alexa Demie as Maddy in Euphoria.HBO

Personally, I don’t think there’s a cover-all response to the question. It depends on the couple. What’s the mood of their wedding? I know someone whose wedding theme is “Try your best to upstage the bride” (a level of confidence I’ll never be able to understand), in which case, I think you could do your worst. But for 99 out of 100 weddings, it’s probably not appropriate.

Stylist Liat Baruch tuned in, too, and she had thoughts. For Maddy and Jules, she thought their dresses fit the vibe. But what about in the real world? “I think it depends on the wedding, the host, the attire—all that. I don’t think I can say blanketly, ‘No, you can never wear that.’” (In case you’re wondering about credentials, Baruch famously styled Sofia Richie for her wedding.) I asked around the office to get other ELLE fashion editors’ thoughts, too. Here’s what they had to say.

“It’s a no from me,” says Claire Stern Milch, senior digital director. “Eyes on the bride.”

Advertisement

Madison Rexroat, assistant accessories editor, takes a similar stance. “Wedding dress codes need to be handled with more etiquette than most events, but I’d approach it as you would a professional event or gala—if you think there’s any risk to what you’re wearing, it’s probably best to avoid it. If you wouldn’t wear it around your boss or your grandparents, you probably shouldn’t wear it around other people’s [grandparents]. There are some instances where you might know there’s a little leeway with the vibe depending on the crowd or the bride, but ultimately it’s not about you. If it’s going to distract from the bride at all, it’s best to avoid the potential drama.”

“I love a good cutout situation, but respectfully, you’re an extra in someone’s absolute main character day—and while you have every right to look great, this is not your time to draw attention,” says Dale Arden Chong, senior fashion commerce editor. “I personally wouldn’t want to get questionable looks from someone’s older relatives, either.”

I suppose that’s three tallies against my cheetah-print dress, but remember that LBD Kendall Jenner wore to Lauren Perez’s wedding? Oh, what’s that you say? “But Meg, you aren’t Kendall Jenner”? Fine, point taken. I guess I’ll submit and wear something tasteful. How boring.

Why Trust ELLE

Every product featured on ELLE.com is independently researched, tested, or editor-approved. We only recommend products that we stand behind, and the merchandise featured on our site is always driven by editorial and product testing standards, not by affiliate deals or advertising relationships. Any content created in partnership with advertisers is marked as such.

You Might Also Like

Here’s What 40 Celebrities Looked Like as Teenagers

Is Collagen Banking the Answer to Younger-Looking Skin?

Trust Us—These Editor-Approved Fragrances Will Have You Smelling Like a Dream

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”