When someone says the word wedding, I picture men in black tuxedos and a bride coming down the aisle in a voluminous white ball gown with a veil cascading over her shoulders.

Some people may say that my view is somewhat close-minded, since people should be able to wear what is comfortable for them, but I would say I am just a traditionalist.

This is why I’m not on board with bridal fashion’s newest trend — bridal shorts and rompers. Yes, you read that correctly. A bride wearing shorts or a romper to her own wedding.

Anthropologie rolled out a wedding romper this past fall covered in delicate lace and cinched at the waist with a silk belt. Just recently, J.Crew unveiled its new wave of casual bridal attire in the form of slouchy white track shorts adorned with hand-applied sequins.

The worst part of these shorts is their price — a whopping $450 dollars. It seems like the wedding label allows for a 10-time increase in price.

In a Feb. 3 Racked article, Molly Schaul, J.Crew’s director of wedding design, shed light on the reasons for the bridal shorts: “A lot of modern brides are always looking for something that will allow them to take a risk and be unique at their weddings but still keep that timeless aesthetic, so they’ll be happy looking back at their photographs in 20 years. The shorts are a perfect option for beach weddings, but also offer a really unique opportunity to be bold in a casual setting.”

Last time I checked, weddings weren’t really that casual. But maybe I’ve just been going to the wrong type of weddings.

I’m all for women trying to be unique — wearing flapper-style dresses that are looser than traditional dresses, or even those that are 1950s-esque and end right above the ankle.

But wearing shorts? That’s where I draw the line.

I would never wear shorts to a wedding, not even a beach wedding at the least, so why should the main lady wear a pair?

I understand their appeal. They are super comfortable, and you can still look chic, if paired with a nice flowy top and strappy heels. They will allow you to be bold and daring in your bridal fashion choice, and you will definitely stand out from the parade of white chiffon dresses that are the typical choice.

Plus, as an added bonus, both options have pockets perfect for storing a tissue — in case you need one to dry your eyes — and lipstick —in case you need to touch it up throughout the night. Totally utilitarian.

But to me, it still doesn’t scream wedding. Your wedding day is all about you, so someone will go get you a tissue or your lipstick if you need it. And sure, they may be comfortable, but what girl hasn’t pictured herself more than a dozen times walking down the aisle in a giant white gown?

The only instance of a bride in shorts that I deem acceptable is Olivia Palermo’s bridal ensemble. The fashion star wore a simple cream cashmere sweater with scattered ostrich feathers and chic white shorts. But she added a full tulle skirt overlay that cinched at the waist in layers of satin and silk, and featured a high slit in the front with floral details along the hem. It was the perfect mix of casual and traditional bridal style.

So while I admire those who wish to take some serious fashion risks, I’m not sure your wedding day is the best day to be doing so.

Church bells will keep ringing, and so beautiful white dresses should keep coming down the aisles.

 

Alexis McDonell is a junior magazine journalism major. Her column appears weekly in Pulp. You can email her at admcdone@syr.edu.

Published on February 8, 2015 at 11:52 pm