Sharon Tate married in London on January 20, 1968, in an ivory silk moiré mini with an empire waist, a high neckline and puff sleeves, worn with white tights and Mary Jane heels. Small flowers and tiny bows were scattered through her loose hair. As a stylist, I like this reference because every part of it can be adjusted: the hem can drop, the fabric can change, the sleeves can shrink, and the outfit still reads as hers. The twenty looks below are complete head-to-toe outfits, from a faithful copy to versions built for winter steps, a plus-size fit or a reception change, with notes on where each one tends to go wrong.
Where an Empire Seam Should Land on Your Body
The babydoll shape is unforgiving in exactly one place: the seam under the bust. Placed right, the skirt drops straight and the dress looks intentional. Too high and it rides up onto the bust when you raise your arms; too low and the shape loses its 1960s lift and starts to look like a nightdress. At a fitting I have the bride hug someone, lift a bouquet to chest height and sit down, then I mark the seam wherever it stayed put.
Sit down before you settle on a hem
A mini that looks fine standing can be very short at a signing table or on a low sofa during portraits. Sit on a chair in front of a mirror during your fitting. If the hem lands well above mid-thigh when seated, decide now whether you want tights, an extra inch of length or a different plan for seated photos. Tate wore opaque white tights, which is part of why her short dress looked so composed.
What each fabric does in this cut
- Silk moiré: closest to the original. The watermark pattern shifts as you move and holds a crisp, standing-away skirt, but it marks easily with water.
- Crepe: matte and close to the body, hides creases well, gives a softer and less structured outline.
- Heavy satin: holds the A-line shape and reflects light, but shows sitting creases across the lap.
- Organza over a lining: light enough for tea or midi lengths, though it crushes if you sit on it for hours.
1. Original Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
This is the faithful version: an ivory silk moiré mini with a fitted empire waist, a high rounded neckline and elbow-length puff sleeves, with the skirt falling loose from just under the bust. Opaque white tights and ivory Mary Jane kitten heels finish the legs, and the hair stays down in soft waves with small pastel flowers and narrow ribbon bows instead of a veil. Jewelry is pearl studs or nothing. The detail I fuss over at fittings is the sleeve head. If the puff is gathered too high, it pokes up toward the ears when she lifts her arms, so I always test it with arms raised. A compact ivory top-handle bag is the only extra I’d add.
2. Sharon Tate Wedding Dress With Modern Puff Sleeves
Crepe instead of moiré is what stops this one looking like a costume. The dress is an ivory crepe mini with a raised waist, a clean high neck and softly gathered puff sleeves finished with slightly longer cuffs, which look more tailored than an elasticated edge. Bare legs or sheer ivory tights depending on the season, pointed slingbacks, a pearl-trimmed headband in place of scattered flowers, a structured mini bag and fine drop earrings. I like crepe for a civil ceremony because it doesn’t show seat creases the way satin does after the car ride.
3. Sharon Tate Courthouse Wedding Dress
Courthouse days involve more standing, queuing and stairs than couples expect. A high-neck ivory mini with three-quarter puff sleeves and a softly flared A-line skirt in matte crepe or heavyweight satin keeps its shape in photos, and low block-heel Mary Janes handle steps and pavements. Carry a small bouquet of daisies or white ranunculus, set two tiny velvet bows near the crown of loose waves, and wear pearl earrings. Make sure the cream box bag really fits your phone, lipstick and the paperwork. Nobody is holding your things while you sign.
4. Sharon Tate Tea-Length Wedding Dress
Tea length, somewhere between knee and ankle, is the version I suggest most to brides who love the original but don’t want their knees on show in a family church. Keep the high neckline, fitted empire seam and puff sleeves, and choose silk organza over a smooth lining for the gathered skirt. Organza moves without adding bulk, though it crushes if you sit on it for a long dinner. Ivory ankle-strap pumps or low Mary Janes keep the vintage note, and a short blusher veil can stand in for flowers in the hair. Pearl studs, a slim bracelet and a small satin clutch are plenty.
5. Sharon Tate Lace Mini Wedding Dress
Lace shifts the mood from mod to sweet. Look for ivory lace with a high scalloped neckline, a raised waist, a full lining and semi-sheer puff sleeves. The lining matters more than people think: unlined lace on a short babydoll shape hangs limp and turns slightly see-through under flash, so I want a lightly structured underlayer. Add opaque ivory tights, low satin Mary Janes, small pearl earrings, a plain cream clutch and miniature fabric flowers in loose waves. On a cold day, a cropped ivory coat that ends near the hem keeps the proportions intact.
6. Sharon Tate Square-Neck Wedding Dress
A square neckline is the most modern change you can make to a 1960s-inspired babydoll dress, and it helps brides with a shorter neck or a fuller bust who feel closed in by a high collar. Keep the fitted empire bodice, elbow-length puff sleeves and an A-line skirt that skims rather than clings, and let the open neck hold a fine pearl pendant. Sheer white tights, ivory block-heel Mary Janes, a few tiny blossoms tucked behind each ear with narrow satin ribbon, and a structured top-handle bag. Square necks gape when the straps sit too far apart, so have your seamstress check it while you lean forward.
7. Sharon Tate Wedding Dress With Detachable Train
A detachable train gives you a ceremony look and a party look from one dress. Underneath is an ivory moiré or satin babydoll mini with a high neckline, puff sleeves and a defined empire waist; the overskirt fastens at the back of the waist. Ask for hooks or hidden snaps rather than buttons, because someone will be taking it off in a corridor in a hurry. Wear pointed ivory pumps, and choose a shoulder-length veil or a cluster of small flowers, not both. Pearl studs and a compact satin bag. With the train off, the mini is easy for greeting guests and dancing.
8. Plus-Size Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
On a fuller bust, a seam pulled tight right under the bust can make the whole skirt tent outward from the chest. I set the raised waist where it lies flattest on that particular body, sometimes an inch or two below the textbook empire line. Choose an ivory mini or knee-length dress with a structured lining, defined shoulders and softly gathered puff sleeves, then ivory tights with wide-fit block-heel Mary Janes or pointed flats. A supportive longline bra disappears under the high neckline. Finish with a pearl headband, floral stud earrings and a medium top-handle bag scaled to your frame rather than a tiny one.
9. Modest Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Coverage is already built into this silhouette, which is why it adapts so easily. Pick an ivory knee-length dress with a high collar, elbow-length puff sleeves and a softly flared skirt. Crepe, jacquard, or silk-blend fabric covers without looking heavy. Opaque tights, closed-toe Mary Janes on a stable block heel, and hair loose or in a low bun with tiny white flowers and ribbon loops. A short capelet covers the shoulders outdoors. Test the collar with your head tilted down; a stiff high collar digs in every time you look at your rings.
10. Winter Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Winter is where the mini leans hardest on its accessories. An ivory jacquard mini with a high neck, raised waist and full-length puff sleeves, thick cream tights, and ivory ankle boots with a low block heel for icy steps. The coat should fall slightly below the hem; one that stops above it makes the dress look like it’s escaping out the bottom. Fresh flowers brown quickly in frost, so I’d switch to a pearl headband or a narrow velvet bow. Try the coat over the sleeves before you buy it, since a narrow armhole will flatten every puff.
11. Spring Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Spring flowers do most of the work here. Use a lightweight ivory mini with a high neckline, empire waist and airy puff sleeves, with sheer ivory tights and low satin Mary Janes. Space small pink, yellow and white blossoms through loose waves instead of building a heavy crown, and repeat those colors in a compact bouquet. I cross two bobby pins in an X behind each bloom, because single pins slide out of soft waves by mid-afternoon, and I ask for sturdy stems like waxflower or spray roses that cope out of water. Pearl studs and a pale ivory mini bag complete it.
12. Summer Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Heat changes what goes under the dress more than the dress itself. Choose an ivory cotton-silk or linen-blend mini dress with a raised waist, short puff sleeves and a neckline that sits high but loose at the throat. Skip tights, wear ivory leather Mary Jane flats or low heels, and pull the hair into a loose half-up style with small fabric flowers that won’t wilt. Linen creases the moment you sit in a car, and I tell brides to accept that rather than fight it all day. A petite woven bag, simple pearl earrings and a handful of daisies.
13. Fall Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Texture gives the mini enough weight for an autumn celebration. Pick an ivory moiré or subtle jacquard dress with long puff sleeves, a high neckline and a clean empire seam, cream tights, and ivory Mary Janes trimmed with small velvet bows. A cropped cream coat or structured cape keeps you warm without hiding the short proportions. Ivory ribbon and muted blush fabric flowers in loose waves are a seasonal take on her hair. Velvet bows on shoes collect lint and leaf dust fast, so put a lint roller in someone’s bag.
14. Sharon Tate Midi Wedding Dress
Midi length makes the reference workable in a large venue or a formal reception where a mini can feel underdressed. Choose an ivory dress with a high rounded neckline, fitted empire bodice, puff sleeves and a flowing midi skirt in a smooth silk blend; stiffer fabrics at this length start to look like a tent. Pointed ivory heels or low slingbacks keep the line clean, with miniature flowers and narrow bows at the crown, small pearl earrings and a satin clutch. Set the hem on your own leg with your actual shoes on. Mid-calf moves a lot depending on heel height.
15. Sharon Tate Pearl-Trim Wedding Dress
Pearl trim works best when it traces the structure instead of covering the fabric. Look for small pearls along the collar, cuffs and empire seam of an ivory mini with a high neckline and puff sleeves, and keep everything else plain. Satin Mary Janes with pearl buttons or buckles echo it, worn with sheer ivory tights. Hair stays in relaxed waves with a single ivory ribbon. Before buying, I tug gently at the pearls on the cuffs; they take the most friction from bags and hands, and loosely stitched ones fall off during the day. Tiny studs and a smooth satin mini bag.
16. Sharon Tate Wedding Dress With Cape Veil
A cape veil turns the youthful mini into a proper ceremony entrance. Start with a streamlined ivory babydoll dress with a high neckline, subtle puff sleeves and a softly flared skirt, and attach a sheer cape, shoulder or floor length, at the neckline. The fastening has to lie flat. A bulky clasp sitting on top of puff sleeves looks crowded in every front-on photo. Ivory slingbacks keep the legs uninterrupted, and a smooth half-up style with small ribbon bows replaces flowers. Pearl earrings, a structured clutch, and one practice run taking the cape off in front of a mirror before the day.
17. Sharon Tate Wedding Dress With Hair Bows
Bows are the detail people recognise first from her wedding photos, so they can carry an otherwise simple outfit. An ivory silk mini with a high neckline, raised waist, elbow-length puff sleeves and a softly structured A-line skirt, opaque white tights and low Mary Janes. Wear the hair loose with gentle volume at the crown and clip narrow ivory or pastel ribbon bows through the lengths, with no more than one or two flowers so the bows read. Pre-tied bows on small snap clips hold far better than ribbon knotted straight into hair, which loosens as waves drop. A plain satin bag and pearl studs.
18. Sharon Tate Wedding Dress With Bridal Flats
Flats are the honest choice for a long day, and this dress doesn’t need height to look finished. An ivory mini with a high neck, puff sleeves and a raised waist releasing into an easy skirt; pointed satin flats look current, while flat Mary Janes lean harder into 1968. Sheer ivory tights smooth the line, or go bare-legged in summer. Add a pearl headband, small floral earrings and a structured mini handbag. A short skirt shows the whole bouquet, so carry a compact one held low. A big round bouquet hides the empire seam in every picture.
19. Sharon Tate Reception Wedding Dress
A second dress for the party is where shimmer belongs. Choose an ivory satin or finely sequined babydoll mini with a raised waist, high neckline and short puff sleeves, keeping the sparkle small and even so it reads as 1960s rather than disco. Bare legs with ivory block-heel Mary Janes or champagne metallic flats, and small velvet bows or pearl pins in loose waves instead of the ceremony veil. Mirrored sequins flare white under direct flash, so I point brides toward matte or tonal ones. A compact beaded bag and plain studs finish it.
20. Minimalist Sharon Tate Wedding Dress
Strip away lace, sequins and trim, and the proportions have to do all the talking. A smooth ivory crepe mini with a high neckline, gently puffed sleeves, a precise empire seam and a clean A-line skirt, sheer ivory tights, pointed low heels and a small geometric top-handle bag. One narrow satin bow at the back of soft waves and tiny pearl earrings. Plain crepe hides nothing, so construction has to be excellent: a wobbly seam or a puckered zip shows straight away. From across a room it reads modern, and close up the short hem and rounded sleeves give away the 1968 source.
Moiré Marks Easily, So Plan the Day Around It
The watermark on moiré is pressed into the fabric with heat and rollers, and moisture can flatten or blotch it. That’s why I keep a moiré dress well away from handheld steamers on the morning. Any wrinkles should be dealt with a day or two earlier by whoever altered it, using dry heat and a press cloth. Rain is the other risk, so arrange a clear umbrella and a coat for the walk from the car.
After the wedding, take it to a cleaner experienced with silk and say the word moiré out loud, since a wet-cleaning process can wash the pattern away. Store it folded with acid-free tissue in a breathable cotton bag, never sealed in plastic, and keep it out of the light so the ivory doesn’t yellow unevenly along the folds.
A true late-60s original or a new make?
Genuine minis from that era do turn up, but they were cut for a different body shape and different underwear: narrower shoulders, shorter bodices and small, high armholes. If you find one, plan for a seamstress who can let out or rebuild seams, and check the underarms and the fabric in daylight for brown age spots. A new dress cut along the same lines is usually easier to fit and far less nerve-racking to wear for twelve hours.
Your Own Version of That 1968 Mini
Keep the shape first: empire waist, short A-line skirt, high neckline, puff sleeves. Then change one or two things at a time, whether that’s the fabric, the hem, the shoes, the hair accessories or the coat. A faithful moiré mini is the nostalgic option, while lace, midi, minimal or a detachable train move it further from the original. At your last fitting, put on the tights, shoes and bows together and walk around the room. You’ll see quickly whether the outfit hangs together or needs one piece taken away.
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