For some people, wearing a big white dress on their wedding day feels as essential as the rings. For others, it does not. When Dua Lipa wore a Schiaparelli couture white skirt suit to marry actor Callum Turner in London last month, she joined a long line of women who have opted for a suit instead of a traditional gown. Bianca Jagger famously caused a stir in 1971 when she married Mick Jagger in a Yves Saint Laurent Le Smoking jacket and bias-cut skirt. But the trend goes back even further, and many brides have chosen suits for comfort, style, or practicality. Here are their stories.
Tilly Burn, 31, Moreton-in-Marsh
Tilly Burn works in local government and married nearly three years ago at the Manor House hotel. She had been toying with the idea of wearing a suit for a while, drawn by the reusability and the desire to feel cool rather than just look beautiful. After seeing an iconic photo of Bianca Jagger, she felt inspired by how effortlessly chic and powerful Jagger looked. Burn tried on many suits, from expensive Vivienne Westwood to more affordable options, eventually choosing a Me+Em suit tailored by Anwen Greenaway. She felt incredible and has worn the suit at least 15 times since the wedding, including as a John Lennon costume.
Judith Winters, 55, North Yorkshire
Judith Winters married in 1997 at Sheffield register office as a humanist wedding. She never dreamed of a white-dress wedding but wanted to dress up. She chose a pale blue Nicole Farhi trouser suit from Harvey Nichols in Leeds, which matched the occasion perfectly. The comfortable trousers allowed her to dance and pick up children at the wedding. She still has the suit in her wardrobe, hoping to pass it on to a niece.
Justine Knowles, 57, Birmingham
Justine Knowles married her husband in 2003 at Birmingham register office after living together for five years. They wanted an unconventional wedding and started by eliminating a big, expensive white dress. She opted for a white trouser suit inspired by Bianca Jagger, saying they could go more rock 'n' roll. Her husband wore a royal blue and red pinstripe Ozwald Boateng suit. She chose a white tuxedo trouser suit from Principles for just over £100, which fit perfectly and has been worn on other occasions since.
Sarah Morley, 59, near Bath
Sarah Morley married Chris at the Roman baths in Bath in September 2011 at age 44. She never considered herself a dress person and admired Diane Keaton, Bianca Jagger, and Katharine Hepburn. She wanted a suit to reflect independence and style but found women's suits lacking edge. During her husband's fitting for a Savile Row suit by tailor Richard Anderson, she realized a man's suit fitted to her was the answer. She wore it with a traditional men's formal backless evening waistcoat with no shirt, feeling fantastic.
Judith Mendes, 61, Jamaica
Judith Mendes married in 1992 at the coastguard base in Port Royal, Jamaica, where she met her ex-husband. The practical decision to wear a suit came from the need to navigate a narrow gangway and obstacles on a coastguard vessel. She bought a suit off the rack with a lace shawl collar and sequins that sparkled in the sunlight, feeling very beautiful.
Helga Saint Pierre, 71, Halifax, Canada
Helga Saint Pierre and her husband were students with little money when they married in the 1970s. They planned a simple secular celebration with university friends, a homemade meal, and cake, with champagne as the only splurge. She wore a dove-grey suit bought off the rack and a small lily of the valley antique brooch that was her first Christmas present from her future husband. The total cost was $100 in 1976.
Maxine O'Neill, 61, Harrow
Maxine O'Neill married in 1993 in Newry, Northern Ireland. Both worked in the record industry and did not want traditional suits or meringue-style wedding dresses. Her mother-in-law, Belle, a dressmaker, made her a cream silk suit, and she made a hat out of a feather boa. She no longer has the suit, as it was accidentally donated to charity by her parents, but she still has the hat.
