Wedding season isn't over yet and Duchess Sophie’s rose-pink dress proves why you should never dismiss one-shoulder designs

Wedding season isn't over yet and Duchess Sophie’s rose-pink dress from 2012 proves why you should never dismiss one-shoulder designs.

Summer is one of the most social times of year and whether it’s weddings, garden parties or family gatherings, many of us can often find ourselves eyeing up our wardrobes in desperate need of outfit inspiration. Many of the best wedding guest dresses would easily double as beautiful occasion wear pieces more generally but it can be hard to find something a little more formal that still feels comfortable and, dare we say it, fun. 

If there’s anyone who’s used to dressing for formal events it’s the Royal Family and Duchess Sophie particularly enjoys pushing fashion boundaries. She did so in 2012 when she wore a one-shoulder gown to a Paralympic Ball and we can’t help feeling one-shoulder designs are great for weddings.

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The royals typically prefer modest designs and don’t show a lot of skin at official events, but Duchess Sophie’s one shoulder dress was something a little different whilst still being very sophisticated. The piece was by Emilio Pucci and fell right to the floor, with delicate ruching over the bodice that accentuated its asymmetrical shape.

The Duchess of Edinburgh styled her own one-shoulder dress in just this way swept upwards into a single strap over her left shoulder which had a gold metal detail in the centre. The material flowed downwards, creating such an elegant silhouette and the rose-pink colour was something else. Whilst so many royals are frequently seen wearing blue, pink is one of Duchess Sophie’s most-worn hues.

For the Paralympic Ball in 2012, the choice of a rosy-pink dress was perfect. This shade was a bold pastel, which added a sense of fun to her outfit, but wasn’t too much for this event, especially given it was a maxi dress in one block colour. 

Although not every wedding or special party will call for a floor-length dress like Duchess Sophie’s, a one-shoulder design is something that Woman&Home’s Digital Fashion Editor Caroline Parr believes would work perfectly for weddings.

"One shoulder dresses are great for elongating your figure, and are a really nice option for hot weather weddings, when strapless dresses might feel a bit too bare," Caroline says. "Style with swept-up hair to make the most of the statement neckline, and choose earrings over a necklace."

Duchess Sophie styled her pink dress like this and wore pearl drop earrings and swept her hair back into a bun fixed to one side, which echoed the asymmetrical neckline of her dress. 

Sadly, we didn’t see her footwear as she arrived with Prince Edward, but if you’re inspired to recreate a similar one-shoulder look for an event, a lot of the most comfortable wedding guest shoes have block or lower heels.

If Her Royal Highness’s shoes matched her wrap then there were probably cream heels as she carried a simple cream wrap with her in case she felt chilly, as well as a pastel pink clutch bag. White or cream accessories work seamlessly with any outfit colour and so are handy to have in your summer capsule wardrobe. Altogether her look for the ball was beautiful and would look amazing for other special events too.

Prince Edward is the Royal Patron of the British Paralympic Association and he and Duchess Sophie will likely be looking forward to the start of the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games on 28th August.