A woman who dressed up for her friend's wedding was left baffled when the bride later implied she had overdressed.
The woman and original poster (OP), Reddit user ThrowRA49594, shared her story on r/AmItheA******, explaining that she had never attended a wedding before and usually didn't dress up due to her demanding 16-hour workdays.
Excited for the occasion, she saved up and bought a dark green silk dress inspired by Kiera Knightley's iconic gown in Atonement, paired with heels that made her feel confident and beautiful.
The wedding for her friends Matt and Susan went off without a hitch, though she noticed Susan ignoring her throughout the event. She brushed it off, thinking the bride was simply busy.
However, at a post-honeymoon dinner, the reason for Susan's behavior soon became clear.
"During the dinner, Susan kept making snipes at me about what I wore, just incredibly passive-aggressive," the OP recalled. "It was very clear she thought I overdressed.
"I didn't say anything at the time because I felt terrible. None of my friends corrected or stopped her either. But looking back on it I feel... wronged? She didn't give me the benefit of the doubt and I don't feel like my dress was over-the-top.
"I do think I likely look very different from how I normally dress and present myself, so that might be part of it?"
Redditors React
Reddit users quickly voiced their support, with one noting, "You're tall and you don't normally 'girl-up'. If the bride felt like you were trying to 'steal thunder', it's likely due to her own insecurities.
"Your dress was appropriate for the event you were at, it's just that you probably were stunning and that may have shocked people who never look at you that way. Either way...not your problem."
Another user suggested jealousy might have fueled the bride's reaction: "NTA unless it was a casual semi-casual dress code. I googled what the dress might look like and it's a regular pretty/fancy dress.
"My guess is since you don't wear makeup a lot or dress up she wasn't prepared for you to actually be attractive and her hubby probably said something that pissed her off. I'd text the friends you care about and be like why did you not say anything about her talking to me like that."
Wedding Attire Etiquette
While the Reddit community largely defended her, wedding attire etiquette can sometimes blur lines between personal style and unspoken social expectations.
According to Shelby Living, guests should dress appropriately for the formality of the event but avoid anything too flashy that could draw attention away from the couple. The simple, elegant dark green dress that the OP chose typically wouldn't violate these norms.
Strict dress codes have caused similar friction in other weddings. One Newsweek article detailed how one bride's rigid rules on guest attire sparked backlash, reflecting how controlling dress expectations can create unnecessary tension at events meant for celebration.
Newsweek has contacted ThrowRA49594 for comment via Reddit.
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