Bridal Separates, Suits and Jumpsuits: A Style Guide

In May 1971, Bianca Pérez-Mora Macías married Mick Jagger in Saint-Tropez, first at the town hall and then at the Chapel of Sainte-Anne, wearing a white Yves Saint Laurent jacket, tailored from the house’s Le Smoking tuxedo, with nothing underneath, over a long bias-cut skirt, and a wide-brimmed hat with a veil. It was not a gown, and it made most gowns look overdressed. More than fifty years later it remains the reference point for every bride who has chosen a jacket over a bodice.

Separates

Bridal separates are a top and a skirt, or a top and trousers, bought as pieces rather than as a single dress. They give you three advantages.

Fit. Many brides are a different size on top than below. Separates let you choose each piece in the right size, which can mean fewer alterations.

Flexibility. A long tulle overskirt worn for the ceremony can come off for the reception, leaving a slimmer skirt or trousers underneath. A lace top can be exchanged for a simpler camisole. One outfit becomes two without a full second dress.

Afterlife. A silk skirt, a beaded top or a pair of wide ivory trousers can be worn again in a way that a gown rarely is.

What to look for: Match the whites carefully, since two fabrics from different makers can look different in daylight. Check the waistband: it should sit where the top meets it without gaping when you raise your arms. A cropped top with a high-waisted skirt looks polished; a small band of skin between them is more relaxed.

Suits

The jacket. A single-breasted jacket with one button is the simplest and most flattering. Double-breasted jackets are graphic and more formal. A tuxedo jacket with satin lapels, in the Le Smoking tradition, makes the most sense for an evening wedding. Worn with nothing underneath, as Bianca Jagger wore hers, it needs to be fitted closely and secured with fashion tape. A silk camisole, lace bodysuit or a crisp blouse are alternatives.

The trousers. Wide-leg or palazzo trousers move beautifully and read as elegant rather than businesslike. A straight or cigarette leg is sharper. For the ceremony, most brides choose a high waist and a full length that just skims the shoe.

The skirt. A jacket over a long skirt, the original 1971 formula, is a graceful middle ground between suit and gown.

Famous examples. For her civil ceremony at Venice’s Ca’ Farsetti on September 29, 2014, two days after her wedding ceremony with George Clooney at the Aman hotel, for which she wore Oscar de la Renta, Amal Clooney wore a cream Stella McCartney jacket with wide trousers and a wide-brimmed hat. In February 2018 Emily Ratajkowski married at New York’s City Hall in a mustard-colored Zara suit; see courthouse and civil wedding dresses for more city hall looks.

Jumpsuits

A jumpsuit gives the length and line of a column gown with the ease of trousers. In November 2014, Solange Knowles married Alan Ferguson in New Orleans in a plunging ivory jumpsuit by Stéphane Rolland with a matching cape.

Fabric. Crepe drapes and skims; silk satin is glamorous but shows every line; heavier fabrics such as mikado give structure. Fabrics and lace explains each.

Neckline. Halter, one-shoulder and deep V necklines lengthen a jumpsuit. A high neck with long sleeves is elegant and works well for a winter or religious ceremony.

Practicalities. Ask how you will get in and out of it, especially for the bathroom. A long back zip you can’t reach alone and a one-piece that has to come off completely are worth thinking about before you buy.

Add drama. A detachable overskirt, a cape or a train gives a jumpsuit the formality of a gown for the ceremony. Remove it for dancing.

Tailoring

A suit needs a tailor as much as a gown needs a seamstress, and the rules are different.

• Shoulders first. The shoulder seam should sit at the edge of your shoulder. Shoulders are hard to alter, so buy for your shoulders and have everything else adjusted.
• Sleeves should show a hint of wrist, or a little shirt cuff.
• Trouser length is set to the shoes you will wear. Wide trousers usually look best almost touching the floor; buy your wedding shoes first.
• The jacket’s waist can be taken in so it doesn’t look boxy, especially if you’ll wear it closed.
• Allow time. Plan two or three fittings, just as you would for a dress. Wedding dress alterations explains the schedule.

Tailored bridal suits come from bridal designers, from ready-to-wear designers whose suits come in white and ivory, and from tailors who make to measure. A made-to-measure suit can be cut in any fabric, including silk, wool crepe, linen or velvet.

What works where

City hall and civil ceremonies. A suit or a jumpsuit is ideal. It feels festive and looks right in a small room.

Destination and beach. A linen or silk suit, loose trousers and a lightweight top, or a jumpsuit in crepe or chiffon.

Evening and black tie. A tuxedo jacket, satin trousers or a long skirt, or a jumpsuit with a train. Formal fabrics and a long line work best. Wedding dress codes explains what the invitation implies.

Religious ceremonies. A jacket with long sleeves and a high neck can satisfy modest dress codes well. Check the rules of the house of worship first; modest wedding dresses covers them.

Winter. Wool crepe or velvet, a long coat and a warm lining. The winter wedding has more ideas.

The finishing touches

Veils and hats. A veil pinned into a low bun softens a suit instantly. A wide-brimmed hat with a veil, in the manner of 1971, is chic. Veils and headpieces has more.

Jewelry. Bare necklines under a jacket suit a single strong necklace or statement earrings.

Flowers. A boutonnière or corsage on the lapel is a natural alternative to a large bouquet.

Partners. If both of you are wearing suits, decide together whether you will match, complement or contrast. The groom’s suit covers colors.

For more of the looks that shaped modern bridal style, see celebrity wedding dresses and wedding dress styles.