What To Wear To A Wedding
It is definitely wedding season and we are all stressed about what to wear. I haven’t been to a huge amount of weddings so when I had two in the space of a month I hit the freak-out button and starting looking up what I should wear. All of the ‘Wedding Guest Edits’ I could find didn’t really suit my personal style. A silky body conscious dress is beautiful but just isn’t me. Since it may not be you either, I thought I would write this blog post with ideas on what to wear to your next wedding.
Tips before you start shopping.
Have a look through your closet first. You may not need the whole nine yards. You may already have some nice heels or flats, or a bag that you really love that you have been waiting for an excuse to take out. You may already have an outfit but lacking accessories. You don’t need to buy all new. If you love an outfit, why not wear it again?!
Don’t be intimidated by ‘cocktail’ or ‘smart casual’ dress codes. Think about whose wedding you’re attending, what type of wedding they are having & where it is. If you’re going to their wedding you most likely know what they are like. Look up the venue and see if it is on the beach or a ballroom. As long as you’re not turning up to a ballroom venue looking like you’re going to a beach wedding you’ll be fine.
Willing to spend big for something special? Spend the majority of your budget on the thing that you will be able to wear again. If it is too late for you and you have already splurged, don’t forget you can always pass it onto someone else via eBay or Depop.
Don’t leave it to 2 weeks before the wedding. You will most likely buy things you will never wear again & overspend doing so. Planning is your friend.
Lastly, just keep your personal style in mind. It is easy to sometimes get carried away or just find something last minute that looks ‘dressy enough’. By keeping your personal style in mind you also can avoid buying something that you will only wear once.
Bank account friendly
You don’t need to spend a fortune to feel amazing attending a wedding. If you’re on a budget there is so much that you can do to get the most bang for your buck. For a dress, choose something in a classic shape & colour/pattern. Not only so you can wear it again post-wedding but the more classic the shape and colour the less likely it will look like you’ve got it for a steal. Once you have a base it is time to dress it up. My secret is in vintage bags. Not only are they normally priced under $50 but they are so beautiful and will instantly add interest and elevate your look. You can easily find beaded bags on Etsy or at your local vintage, or even a vintage glomesh bag would be divine. Match your metals with some statement earrings & a hair accessory. If you don’t have some staple black strappy heels, I found some for only $79!
SHOP THE LOOK
Dress 1 $149 (shop here) / $99 Dress 2 (shop here) Vintage Bag $20-$40 (here & here) Earrings $39 (shop here) Heels $79 (shop here) Hair Tie $8 ( shop here)
WHERE TO SHOP
BAGS: Vintage, Etsy, Charles & Keith
SHOES: Charles & Keith, ASOS, Jeffery Campbell
DRESS: ASOS, Mango, Zara, Seed, Country Road
JEWELLERY: Jolie & Deen.
Not a dress
I know, florals, groundbreaking but stay with me. Firstly, don’t forget about skirts & trousers for weddings. They are super versatile and can be worn for weddings in all seasons just by a switch of a top. In winter, lean towards a blouse or fitted knit (olivia palermo wedding style) or in summer stick to a silk cami. If the wedding is outside, you may want to think about a chunky heel or flat. Remember that weddings are usually a long affair full of standing and dancing so make sure you’re comfortable in your choice of footwear!
SHOP THE LOOK
Knit $39 (shop here) Skirt $350 (shop here) Bag $199 (shop here) Headband $40 (shop here) Ivory Heels $79 (shop here) Green Flats $69 (shop here)
WHERE TO SHOP
SKIRTS Lee Matthews, Zimmermann, Ulla Johnson, Camilla & Marc, Silk Laundry, Sir The Label, Mister Zimi & Anthropologie
TOPS & KNITS: Uniqlo, Bec & Bridge & Scanlan Theodore.
The Summer Wedding
It’s over 35 degrees and you really just want to wear a bikini but the invitation says Smart Casual so I guess that’s a no? If you’re anything like me you just want something that won’t touch your body but also won’t represent a moo moo. The summer maxi is your best friend. I love this option by Matteau because you can wear it all summer long post wedding but the cut and plain colour means you can also elevate it to wedding status. It is all in the accessories. It is time to whip out an interesting bag, earrings or shoes to jazz it up. Going big on the earrings? keep it subtle on the neck & vice versa.
SHOP THIS LOOK
Dress $460 (shop here) Earrings $355 (shop here) Gold Necklace $155 (shop here) White Bag $910 (shop here) Resin Clutch $149 (shop here) Heels $175 (shop here) *ps. I wore these to a wedding and were very comfortable on the first wear.
WHERE TO SHOP
EASY SUMMER DRESSES: Faithfull The Label, Matteau, Matin, Beaufille, Lee Matthews, Rixo, Mister Zim & Steele.
BAGS: Brie Leon, By Far, Staud, Lucy Folk, Cult Gaia, The Daily Edited, Respiro
JEWELLERY: Kirstin Ash, Lucy Folk, Reliquia, Jasmin Sparrow, Holly Ryan, YCL Jewellery.
She’s Formal but she’s not boring
Where I would be really stumped is if I had a formal formal wedding coming up. I am not really one for traditional formal fabrics like silks etc so for me I would always go for a knife pleat. They instantly dress up a look without having to be shiny. If you have to go formal, inject some of your personality with the colour choice. Go a full monochromatic look or have some fun with mixing colours. Dresses from brands like Self Portrait hold their value pretty well so even though they are pricier, you will be able to sell it after!
SHOP THIS LOOK
Dress One $625 (shop here) Dress Two $350 (shop here) Earrings $182 (shop here) Heels $69 (shop here) Pink Bag $159 (shop here) Red Bag $300 (shop here)
WHERE TO SHOP
DRESSES: Self Portrait, Fame & Partners, Shona Joy, Talulah, Thurley, Lover, Stine Goya, Cecilie Bahnsen or Zimmermann.
HAIR ACCESSORIES: Lelet NY, Pixie Bows, ASOS, Avenue The Label.
SHOES: Senso, Alias Mae, Miista, By Far
Shop the Wedding Edit
Lastly, if you have found something on your online/in store shopping travels that you think needs a shoutout - add it to the comments. The way I found something perfect is from my audience tagging me in a post so share the love when you find something beautiful or a brand which you think people need to check out!