Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Ideas For 2025

Going to a wedding in 2025? Not sure what to wear? We’ve got some gorgeous ethical wedding guest outfit ideas for you!

By Bec Gregory

Yay! You just got a gorgeous wedding invitation. But as soon as you send the RSVP to confirm your attendance, you’re faced with the issue of what to wear.

When choosing wedding guest outfits, there are many factors to consider. These include:

the season and location of the wedding
appropriateness of the outfit
what makes you feel comfortable
what’s within budget
and if you care about people and the planet, the ethics behind the outfit.

So, what do we mean by that, exactly?

Our clothing decisions either help or harm the planet, people, and animals.

As most of us know by now, the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. But it’s also known for exploiting workers, particularly women and children in developing countries. Additionally, the use of animal products, such as fur and leather, involves cruelty.

Fashion labels that create ethical outfits prioritise the following:

eco-friendly, sustainable production
reducing the industry’s environmental impact
looking after their workers at all stages of production, paying fair living wages, providing safe working conditions, and offering training and career development opportunities
animal welfare is also prioritised by using animal-free materials.

Image below: this dress is almost the same as Taylor Swift’s Grammy dress, but it would be a great outfit for a wedding guest to sport! You can find such high – quality yet budget – friendly dresses at AW Bridal . Image credit below here.

What to look for in ethical wedding outfits

The first thing you should do when looking for ethical wedding guest outfit ideas is to check out the websites and socials of the brands that caught your eye. Because when labels are doing good, they will shout about it!

Below are the kinds of questions we ask to see if a brand is ethical.

What materials are used?

Look for clothing made from sustainable materials with a lower environmental impact. These could include Tencel, organic cotton, linen and hemp, or recycled/upcycled materials.

Who made the outfit?

We’re talking about brands that look after their people. Ethical clothing brands are transparent about their labour practices, pay fair living wages, provide safe working conditions, and offer training and career development. Some certifications and awards to look for include Fair Trade Certified, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) or WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production).

Were any animals harmed or exploited?

Look for ethical wedding guest outfit ideas that have been created without harming or exploiting animals. Opt for clothing made from vegan and cruelty-free materials.

Does the brand support small-scale, artisanal production?

Supporting local artisans preserves age-old techniques, and supports handmade one-of-a-kind pieces. Plus, it helps to move away from homogenised mass production. Look for clothing produced on a smaller scale that reduces the environmental impact and supports local economies and region-specific crafting techniques.

Ready to check out some of the best ethical wedding guest outfits ever? Read on!

Image below: Gaala

10 Ethical Wedding Guest Dress Ideas We Love

1. The Sadey Dress

Kicking off our ethical wedding guest outfit ideas, the ‘Ziggy’ dress by Reformation is sexy-yet-chic. It perfectly balances comfort and style. Flattering and elongating to the leg, the side slit also lets you show off statement shoes. And it gets better; Reformation has teamed up with Hemster to offer a free hemming service that ensures a flawless, tailored fit.

Price: Around $248

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: This dress is sustainably made in Los Angeles using lightweight linen.

2. Serenity Wrap Dress

This dress by Gaala is super cute! Its wraparound style offers a flattering fit for all body types. The belt at the waist creates a beautiful shape with every movement. And those ruffled sleeves? Simply adorable! Plus, unlike many wedding guest dresses, this one allows you to wear a normal bra with it. Whew!

Price: Around $270

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: This dress was sustainably made under fair wages and safe working conditions in Belarus. Sustainable production methods result in zero waste. It’s packaged and delivered in 100% recycled materials.

3. Rose Garden Painted Sleeveless Black Gown

The rose has been a symbol of love for millennia, making it the perfect flower to feature on a wedding guest outfit. This stunning jewel neck sleeveless ball gown by Tiny Ink offers a contemporary twist on a classic look.

It’s adorned with a large rose design hand-painted directly onto the dress by a professional artist for a striking, feminine look. And the best part? If you can’t find a size that totally fits your body, you can get it made to measure.

Price: $1100

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: All Tiny Ink’s dresses are sustainably handcrafted in Saigon, Vietnam. This is also a made-to-order garment.

4. The Bianca Suit

So, you’re off to a summer wedding and you want to wear something light. And white. But you obviously don’t want to clash with the bride. Amani Saab has the perfect solution: the Bianca Suit!

Its slit linen sleeves and trouser hems ensure you’ll be cool no matter how hot it gets, and the shimmering metallic shine of the fabric adds a hint of glamour.

Price: Around $1100

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: All Amani Saab’s collections are released on a pre-order basis, ensuring that every garment is crafted with purpose. In addition, the brand repurposes deadstock fabrics sourced from world-renowned designer brands and incorporate low-impact, recycled and recyclable fabrics of exceptional quality.

5. Kastoria Dress

Be careful you don’t show up the bride in this stunning dress! The Kastoria features back smocking, a straight neckline and optional spaghetti straps. But the best part? Those gorgeous pockets! Ideal for anyone who’s not sure what to do with their hands whilst standing around at a reception.

While we love the floral pattern and soft colour scheme, this also comes in three solid colours, if you prefer.

Price: Around $338

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: It’s made from organic cotton. And the sustainable production methods used to make this dress saved 7 lbs of carbon dioxide and 32 gallons of water.

6. Eco Knit Dress

Not all weddings take place in the summer or spring! So if you’re invited to one in the fall or winter, this eco knit dress would be ideal! With its ribbed texture, mock neck, and thigh-high slit, it hugs your curves perfectly! Made with a stretchy blend of high-recovery materials, this body-conscious dress would pair perfectly with delicate sandals or tall boots, depending on the weather.

Price: $59

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: It’s made with Lenzing Ecovero. These are viscose fibres derived from sustainable wood and pulp, coming from certified and controlled sources.

7. The Bergen Dress

This dress by Christy Dawn is a carefully crafted long-sleeved maxi dress with a wrap closure. A delicate array of earth-tone leaves and flowers dance across a soft white backdrop giving the look a free-spirited feel. The beautiful, full-length balloon sleeves add a touch of romance whilst providing extra coverage. We love how the V-shaped neck helps to create the illusion of a longer, leaner torso. In addition, it’s bra-friendly (whew!), flattering on all body types, and a joy to wear!

Price: Around $350

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: This dress was crafted from deadstock rayon, naturally dyed using flowers and berries. But that’s not all! Christy Dawn does much more than treat her people ‘fairly’. She says she has formed loving, lasting relationships and brought financial growth to her community of workers.

8. The Elaina Dress

The Elaina is the perfect dress for rose lovers. It comes in a dusty rose hue, and features the flower in the form of appliques on the shoulder straps, breast and hips. Its slinky, short cut is perfect for evening weddings, but its flowery vibes also makes it suitable for daytime ceremonies.

Price: Around $125

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: The dress is made of polyester, yes. But that polyester comes from recycled bottles. And in addition, it’s only made to order: so put your order in well before the date of your event!

9. Picnic Dress

The ‘Picnic’ dress by Zimmermann is far too pretty to wear on an ordinary picnic. But it’s the ideal sustainable wedding guest dress!

Made from a linen fabric, the dress features a midi-length A-line silhouette, fitted bodice, side pockets, and adjustable straps.

Price: Around $750

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: Zimmermann is driven by their mission “to make beautiful clothes in a beautiful way”. They use eco-friendly fabrics and donate leftover fabric to smaller labels. In addition, they digitally print their designs onto fabric, which uses around 60% less water than screen printing. Finally, Zimmermann also engages in collaborative projects to advance sustainability in the industry.

10. River Classing Dress

And now for something completely different! This River cutout dress is by Johanna Ortiz. Her unique designs are made in Cali, Colombia which is her home town. She only uses teams of female artisans to craft her garments.

This ‘River Classing’ dress features jacquard flowers woven throughout and a plunging V-neckline framed by a subtle cutout and voluminous kimono-style sleeves. Perfect for summer weddings!

To keep this looking elegant (as opposed to too ‘beachy’), add some elegant jewellery and gorgeous heeled sandals.

Price: Around $700

It’s An Ethical Wedding Guest Outfit Because: As mentioned above, Oritiz is all about giving back where she grew up. She employs nearly 500 female artisans to produce her line. Each women is paid fairly and well supported by her company.