Table of Contents:
- What Does “Gender Nonconforming” Mean?
- What Are Gender Nonconforming Wedding Outfits?
- Gender Nonconforming Wedding Outfit Ideas
- Nontraditional Wedding Outfit Ideas
- More Wedding Outfit Guides + Tips
Gender norms are so 2023. . . actually make it like 1923 lol. Whatever year you wanna say that gender norms should’ve stopped—my point is that they’re SO outdated and I love that as a society, we’re working so hard to get rid of them!! I mean did we all not watch Barbie last year?! The wedding industry is probably one of the BIGGEST spaces where gender norms have been enforced for, well, forever: white wedding dresses, black tuxedos, and nothing else. I’m a little bored of it, if you ask me, and would muchhhh rather see couples going their own route + wearing what makes them feel like their best selves, whether that means rocking a nontraditional wedding dress, an androgynous suit, or one of many totally gender nonconforming wedding outfit ideas.
Can you guess what this guide is going to be about yet 😉 If you’re looking for wedding outfit ideas that are totally nontraditional and/or break gender norms, then you’re in the right place! I’ve got a bunch of ideas for ya to browse through, starting out with some gender nonconforming wedding outfit ideas (including wedding dresses for male bodies!), then moving into some nontraditional dress and suit ideas + alternatives. Ready to have your mind blown at all the options that are out there for ya outside the norm?!
What Does “Gender Nonconforming” Mean?
If you’ve never heard the phrase “gender nonconforming” and are super confused right now, don’t be! It’s used to describe any sort of behavior or gender expression that doesn’t conform to the traditional masculine/feminine gender norms. So for example, a male-bodied person wearing a dress totally goes against the gender roles that society has enforced, meaning it’s gender nonconforming.
What Are Gender Nonconforming Wedding Outfits?
So gender nonconforming wedding outfits are just outfits that don’t conform to those gender norms I was talking about above! This could either be pieces or garments themselves that were designed without gender norms in mind, or this could look like a person wearing an outfit that goes against the gender role expected of them. In this guide I’m going to be giving you quite a few outfit ideas that will hopefully help you find the outfit that best fits you, your unique personality, and the way YOU want to express your gender, whether that’s in a nontraditional dress or a non-binary suit!
Highly recommend reading this article from Vogue about the rise of gender-neutral wedding attire; they interview a couple of queer designers, and it’s so so cool to hear the stories behind their work + see all the amazing pieces they’ve designed that go against gender norms in the wedding industry!
Gender Nonconforming Wedding Outfit Ideas
First we’ll start off with some gender nonconforming, androgynous, and gender-neutral wedding outfit ideas. Skip to the next section below if you’re simply looking for nontraditional wedding outfit ideas (such as colorful dresses and pantsuits)!
Androgynous & Non-Binary Wedding Suits
Androgynous and non-binary suits are becoming way more popular in the industry and I’m LOVING it. There’s an important distinction between the two; androgynous is used to describe someone who possesses or expresses both masculine and feminine characteristics, whereas non-binary is used to describe someone who doesn’t identify as either masculine or feminine. For androgynous and non-binary folks, suits are a great option for wedding attire, as they can be totally customized to fit your unique body, to be whatever color/material/pattern you want, etc!
Some of my favorite brands for androgynous & non-binary wedding suits:
—Wildfang: Wildfang has sooo many amazing varieties of suits, blazers, trousers, corsets, and even suspenders that were made to flatter any + all body types. Whether you wanna lean more masculine, feminine, or neither, you can get a suit custom-made to fit you perfectly! They even have some wide-leg shorts that would actually look killerrrr as part of a wedding outfit.
—Kirrin Finch: A badass company challenging fashion industry norms + pushing the limits of wedding outfits and other clothing. They’ve created a ton of amazing, thoughtfully-designed pieces for everybody to wear, and have so so many androgynous suiting options.
—Sharpe Suiting: A globally-recognized gender-inclusive suit brand with all kinds of amazing clothing and accessories! Fashionista called them a “destination for the queer community,” so you know you’ll be able to find pieces that call to you + your unique gender expression.
—Hautebutch: Want suits that are a little more masculine-inspired? Check out Hautebutch, who creates gender-neutral, masculine-inspired androgynous clothing and custom-tailored suits!
Wedding Suits for Female Bodies
If you’re female-bodied and you’d rather trade in the traditional wedding dress for a fitted suit, DO IT! I’m obsessed with women wearing badass suits to their weddings and showing up as their most empowered selves. You could go for a classic black suit, a neutral-toned blazer, or something totally bold and bright with colors and/or patterns.
Isadora Nim is one of my favorite brands that sells tailored women’s suits, with a focus on designing suits for YOUR unique body and not everyone else’s. Check out their luxury wedding suit options here! You could also go for a more masculine/menswear-inspired suit through brands such as Kirrin Finch or Sharpe Suiting, if that feels more aligned with how you want to express yourself.
Wedding Dresses for Male Bodies
And on the opposite side of things, what if you’re male-bodied and want to lean into the feminine + ditch the traditional tuxedo? I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines!! It’s definitely becoming more common among norm-bending designers, like Jackson Wiederhoeft, to create wedding dresses for male bodies, but it’s still fairly hard to find any that are easily accessible + that you can buy. For now, you may have to stick to finding a size that fits your body in dresses designed for female bodies, but hopefully that changes in the near future! You could also opt for other bridal-inspired pieces such as skirts, sleeves, or bridal crowns to help add a more feminine touch to your look.
Gender-Neutral Wedding Outfits
Gender-neutral wedding outfits are simply outfits that don’t really conform to either masculine or feminine norms, and that ANYBODY would wear. This could look like gender-neutral pantsuits, trousers paired with a gender-neutral blouse or button-up, a blazer, or a vest! Check out Wildfang’s guide to gender-neutral formal wear for real outfit inspo + tips.
Nontraditional Wedding Outfit Ideas
Now! If you’re not necessarily looking for gender nonconforming outfits and really just want to break out of the traditional wedding attire boundaries, I’ve got plenty of ideas for you, too.
Nontraditional Wedding Dresses
If you do want to wear a dress to your wedding but you’re tired of the traditional white gown, there are sooo many more options to choose from!
Here are some of my faves:
—Colorful dresses: Why go for a white dress when you could pick a red one? A green one? What about a super gorgeous blush pink?!
—Black dresses: Orrr if you’re feeling a little edgier, black dresses are so cool and automatically look AMAZING against any landscape. One of my fave examples of this is Ellie & Lauren, who both wore black (one fully black dress and one white dress with a black gradient on the train)!
—Patterned dresses: Patterned dresses are my favoritesss, whether it be dresses with colorful florals, minimalist designs, or even just rows of pearls/jewels. Rue De Seine has some incredible patterned dresses (like this insane pink one), and colorful ones too (like this blush pink, hazy one)!
—Short dresses: Wanna keep it a little more casual? Opt for a shorter dress, like a summer dress or cocktail dress! It could be white, patterned, colorful, whatever the vibe is, and bonus points if it has some fun textured elements, like ruffled sleeves or fringe on the bottom.
—Two-piece dresses: Two-piece dresses are an easy way to get a *little* more creative if you still want to go with a white dress—or you could go all out and find a non-white two-piece dress, of course! I looove this one from Rue De Seine that has a long-sleeve top, a cutaway midriff, and a gorgeousss skirt that hugs your body, plus it’s all covered in literal SEQUINS.
—Multiple dresses: I’ve been loving the trend of an outfit change when it’s time for your reception or evening celebration! Change into a whole new dress once nighttime hits for a fun vibe shift; this could be a second formal dress, or a more casual + comfy cocktail dress.
Wedding Dress Alternatives
Wanna skip the dress altogether? Here are some alternative outfit ideas (minus women’s suits, which we already talked about above)!
—Jumpsuits: Who doesn’t love a badass jumpsuit that allows you to move freely + not be trapped inside of a tight skirt?! Scorcesa makes some killer bridal jumpsuits and wide leg pants 🔥
—Corsets: Wanna add a little bit of a sexy feel to your look? Wear a lace corset top paired with some trousers and a blazer, and voíla—you’ll look bomb AF!
—Trousers: Trousers are sooo trendy right now, take advantage! Wide leg trousers are my personal fave, especially if you wear them with a fitted top, a flowy blouse, or a matching blazer for a monochrome look.
—Blazers: I’ve already mentioned blazers a million times hahaha but they’re too good to pass up! Throw on a blazer over any kind of top for an extra badass, professional look and literally elevate your outfit in seconds.
Nontraditional Wedding Suits
If you want to wear a suit but wanna spice it up a little + stray from the normal black/blue/gray, here are a few ways to do so!
—Colorful suits: Just like a wedding dress doesn’t have to be white, a suit doesn’t have to be black or navy or some bland shade of gray—you can make it fun! Opt for a solid or multi-colored suit, and have the color(s) coordinate with the landscape of your elopement location. Earth tones are always a win, but you could totally go with a more bright, vibrant color if that matches your personality + vibe better.
—Patterned suits: Patterned suits are also a blast! Floral suits are the trend right now and I hope that trend never goes away, cause the options are endless and literally everyone looks hot in a floral suit.
—Textured suits: You can also change up the material & texture of your suit! I looove velvet suits and the luxurious, lavish vibe they give off. You could also go for tweed, corduroy, satin, etc!
Wedding Suit Alternatives
Aaand finally, here are a few alternatives if wearing a full suit isn’t quite your style.
—Linen shirts: You can never go wrong with a linen shirt with a nice pair of pants! Linen always looks good in photos and keeps your look super minimal + can add a boho touch to your outfit, depending on what color you go for. It’s perfect for summer elopements, when you want that free-spirited vibe and don’t want to get super sweaty!
—Button-up + suspenders: Obviously you can wear a button-up with any kind of pants, but suspenders are a fab option if you want more of a unique, rustic look!
—Blazers: Jackets/outer layers are the best way to change up your look really easily, so if you’re wearing some sort of button-up, bring a blazer with you to kick the formality + classiness up a notch.
—Sports coats: Honestly I barely even know the difference between a blazer and a sports coat, but it seems like sports coats have a more relaxed vibe, whereas blazers are more formal and structured. So if you like the style of blazers but want to keep it a little more low-key, throw on a sports coat over your shirt to level up your look!
More Wedding Outfit Guides + Tips
Ok ok I feeeeel like you have PLENTY of options and ideas now, right?! Dresses, non-dresses, suits, non-suits, jackets, blazers. . . the opportunities are endless. I hope that these nontraditional & gender nonconforming wedding outfits feel a little more your style + your vibe!!
But just in case you need some more, or you just need some help picking the *right* options for you, check out two more of my outfit guides below:
A Guide to Picking Your Perfect Elopement Outfits
Ultimate Guide to Picking Your Dream Hiking Elopement Dress
P.S. I’m always happy to help ya figure out what style you wanna go for, what brands you should buy from, etc—fill out my contact form and give me all the deetz of what you’re envisioning 😉
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