What would you do?

I bought a beautiful phase 8 dress for DD1 wedding in 2015 - never spent so much on a frock but I felt lovely in it. Wore it to 3 more weddings and a cruise. Still have it, still fits and would wear it in a breath to DD2 wedding next year, alas it is a winter wedding and besides, I've changed my hair colour so it no longer suits me. Bought another phase 8 dress from ebay for a 5th of the price - worn once (apparently) and I love it, and will wear it many times I hope.

If you're like me and HATE shopping with a passion it is such a relief to have a go to dress/outfit that you know you look lovely in.

Enjoy your wedding Shelflife - you will look and feel a million dollars and not a bit of shopping stress to dread!

Definitely wear it again, and the accessories. You know it looks and feels good and that’s not an easy combination to achieve for ‘occasion wear ’. No need at all to look for something else! If the Royals are happy to be seen in the same outfit several times it shouldn’t bother us! And you’re helping the planet.

I wouldn’t wear it again.

Why not? You don’t say. I loved the outfit I bought for my son’s wedding and would jump at the chance to wear it again but he’s my only child and I don’t go anywhere posh where I might wear it again.

Don’t think for one moment people won’t remember it. Mother of the bride/groom…come on! Nobody I know would ever wear the same outfit to two of our children’s weddings. ‘Never look poor!’

I think it would be lovely to wear the same outfit , you felt a million dollars then , so wear it and feel a million dollars again best wishes .

Aquagran, I can’t believe your comment, it comes across as very shallow.

As a matter of interest will your husband be wearing the same outfit ?

Good grief aquagran! I don’t know what elevated circles you move in but being seen in the same outfit again is good enough for senior members of the RF. ‘Never look poor’ my foot, what an awful thing to say. You will ruin the OP’s confidence with such an unkind statement. I certainly wouldn’t think I looked poor if I had another big occasion to wear my outfit to, nor would I think it of anyone else.

Ha ha! Shallow maybe, but dress well!

Aquagran,, , Shelflife , Will be dressed well, as she was when she wore the outfit the first time.

I thought about that, but then realised it would be obvious in the photos, which are there forever. This was all pre covid, the last wedding being five years ago.

I wouldn’t worry about it for now. You’ve got until March. Wait and see how things pan out.

The Duchess of Devonshire, the famously beautifully-dressed Mitford sister and chatelaine of Chatsworth house (so very far from poor) wore a 200+ year old dress to the The Queen's coronation in 1952. It had previously been worn by an earlier duchess to William the fourths coronation in 1831.

She was said by many to be the best dressed lady at the Coronation (HM excepted of course).

Seems like Shelflife will be following a very smart trend at her son's wedding.

www.sothebys.com/en/articles/treasure-of-the-week-peeress-robe

Sorry, just re-read that and see my maths have let me down yet again. That's a hundred years old.

Ahhhh! Vintage…stylish! Definitely not poor.

aquagran

Ahhhh! Vintage…stylish! Definitely not poor.

I think you are being deliberately unkind, for some reason. To suggest that 'vintage' is automatically stylish is simply snobbery. It may be, or it may not - it depends on the dress and the wearer, not the age.

Wearing something more than once is not a sign of poverty. As has been pointed out, the RF do it all the time.

Having to buy cheap and getting something that can only be worn once because it's worn out is often all that people in poverty can do, as long-lasting clothes are expensive. The poor have to replace their clothes more often than the rich.

The OP has an outfit that is not only suitable for a wedding but makes her look and feel good. Not to wear it seems daft to me. If it matters (and I don't think it does) at least half the guests won't have been at the first wedding anyway, as they'll be from the bride's side or friends of the new couple. It will only be Shelflife's own family who will have seen the outfit, and if they remember a dress from 7 years ago, it will be because it made an impression, which is all the more reason to wear it.

I've just been thinking - I can remember what my mum wore to my wedding, but have no idea what she wore to my sisters, which was six months earlier. I don't make a habit of looking at my sister's wedding photos - who does?

The OP doesn’t mention that she is short of money. She asks for opinions. Mine is, she will regret wearing the same thing again. Don’t think for one moment there won’t be people thinking as I would. But, more relevant is when in future years she looks at both sets of wedding photos and thinks, ‘Wow I looked young there, look how slim I was, how beautiful the bride looks,but…I’m wearing the same dress!’
So, not for me!
Hope the wedding goes well and I wish you and your family all the best!

wear it

The OP doesn’t mention that she is short of money.
I know. It was you who brought money into it

?

all very well to say Kate Middleton wears things again, the op says she wore the outfit for her sons wedding 7 years ago and asking should she wear it for her daughters wedding...

So I'm with aquagran8

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Oooh, nasty!

I’m afraid German… you have brought this discussion to a level to which I will not stoop. I have never been offensive, just voiced an opinion. .

Of course you are entitled to your opinion aquagran . Whether I can afford a new outfit or not is of no importance. - just for the record I can afford it ! but don't relish the thought of chosing a new outfit ,one that I really love and fits well . So looks like a repeat performance in March !!