Remember Its A Wedding Not A Night Out
Even if youve spent the last six months in the gym, youve lost a ton of weight or youve got a great pair of legs and want to show them off, you really shouldnt wear anything skimpy to a wedding. So no hot pants, no super-short minis and no bras on display.
Guests should dress for weddings in an outfit thats going to add to the occasion in a positive way. If youre wearing a dress, ideally you want something below the knee or just above.
Mango Asymmetric Neckline Dress
RRP: £49.99 | Sizes: 6-14
Minimalist and modern, this fuss-free style is incredibly versatile and one that is certain to stand the test of time. The asymmetric neckline and midi length keeps it fresh yet modest, making it suitable for a formal wedding. You can get away with flat sandals for a casual daytime affair but swap them out for something more glitzy in the evening, such as these Kurt Geiger sparkly slip-ons.
Winter Wedding Attire For Guests
When dressing for a winter wedding, its important to consider both the formality of the event and the weather. To beat the cold while looking sophisticated, opt for a long dress or suit. Try choosing designs with sleeves as well as styles in heavier fabrics to ensure youre kept warm throughout the ceremony and reception. Those in deep hues, such as navy and burgundy, make particularly chic options. It may also be ideal to bring a smart coat or shawl with you.
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Beach Wedding Attire For Guests
Are you heading to a beach wedding this summer? Embrace the gorgeous setting with a lovely dress or jumpsuit. When shopping, look out for relaxed cuts, light flowing fabrics, and summery colors and prints. As it can be windy at the beach, maxi dresses are often more appropriate than short dresses. But, if youre keen to show off your tanned legs, go for it. Just remember to ensure your footwear is suitable for walking on sand. In other words, no stilettos.
Dress For The Weather
While summer calls for light, breezy fabrics and winter definitely commands a few extra layers, fall can be a little trickier to figure out. There are so many different factors to consider before you decide on an outfit. Is the wedding taking place earlier or later in the season? Where is the venue located? Is it indoors or outdoors? Will the celebration be held during the daytime or in the evening? These are all important questions that’ll help you properly plan for the occasion.
If you’re attending an outdoor fall wedding, the possibility of chilly temperatures should be top of mind. Outdoor fall wedding attire should be a little more versatile, meaning layers are your new best friend. “Dress in layers for any outdoor weddingyou might be shivering outside one minute and sweating on the dance floor the next,” warns Lee. A dressy pashmina, cropped blazer, or bolero could work depending on the look you’re going for.
When it comes to choosing a suit fabric, location is a big deciding factor. Handspiker recommends sticking with lightweight fabrics, including cotton or a wool-linen blend for warmer destinations, like the Southern states. “As temperatures cool further north and the weather becomes less predictable, all-season options are a good idea, as well as textured, brushed fabrics such as flannel,” he adds.
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What To Wear To A Black Tie Optional Wedding
“Black tie optional” is understandably confusing. Think of it as a toned-down version of black tie, and a dress code that mostly refers to what men should wear: A tuxedo or suit is allowed hereversus black tie, which means all men should wear tuxes.
Women Should Wear:A floor-length dress or cocktail-length dress. As for styling and accessories, the black tie tips apply for black tie optional too.
Men Should Wear:A tuxedo or a dark suit and tie with the dapper additions of a vest, pocket square, or tie clip.
A Casual Beach Wedding
DO: Choose something airy and light, like a maxi dress or a crochet skirt with a silk cami. Dress simply, yet elegantly. Dont wear too many layers, and choose flats or shoes you can easily get on and off if youll be in the sand, Hovhannisyan suggests. DONT: Overdo the accessories. This setting calls for a light, natural look. Choose stud earrings or dainty dangly ones instead of big statement jewelry.
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Tips On Your Beach Wedding Look
While getting married with the sand under your toes is the dream of many, it can cause some confusion amongst guests concerning what to wear. As opposed to traditional dress codes such as cocktail, semi-formal, or formal, the beach element means you can think a little more comfy, cool, and casual when dressing for the event. Naturally, the time of the year, the weather, and the venue will all be deciding factors when choosing your look.
Attending a beach wedding can feel like taking a miniature vacation. But if you get an invite to a tropical ceremony, you might be unsure of what to wear. Beach wedding attire for guests varies depending on the venue and wedding style. While your first instinct might be to grab a sundress or shorts, its a good rule of thumb to know beach wedding attire has a sense of formality. While you likely wont need to wear a full suit or evening gown, your outfit should still be appropriate for a wedding. Regardless of how casual the beach wedding may be, its still best to skip the T-shirts and flip-flops to be sure youre tastefully dressed for the occasion.
What Colours Should You Not Wear To A Wedding
White is still the biggest no no, but some may say black is also a bit controversial. We don’t believe this is the case anymore, and these days black is a popular choice for men and women. A black cocktail dress teamed with silver or gold accessories is a perfect combo for a winter wedding. The same goes for red: once seen as a no go for weddings, a red dress worn with pared-back accessories works well year-round.
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Dont Match The Bridal Party
A post shared by Bari Jay on Jul 14, 2015 at 1:17pm PDT
Its one thing if the bridal party will be wearing black or navy because those two colors are probably going to pop up quite a bit among guests. But if you happen to know the ladies will be wearing a more unusual shade like lavender or gold, dont do the same or youre going to confuse the photographer when it comes time to take family photos . If you can, find out your bride and grooms color scheme and either complement it or stay far, far away from it.
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Allow the season to help you make great choices when it comes to the color gown or dress you select. Depending on the season you should opt for lighter pastel shades for spring through summer, and for autumn and winter, darker, jewel tones are a go-to option, McGinty said. Some fab color suggestions include: lavender, powder blue, mint green or peach for spring bold coral, yellow, pink and sapphire blue for summer emerald greens, metallics and dark florals for autumn and deep reds and satin and velvet materials for winter weddings.
Watch Out For The Pantsuit
When it comes to wearing a pantsuit to a wedding, it isn’t necessarily something you need to completely avoid, but there is a relatively fine line with what is wedding formal and what is going to come across as business casual. If you’re going the route of a pantsuit, Stafford suggests keeping fit, fabric, color, and accessories in mind.
“Proper fit is a must and a wide leg that is flowy for pants will come across more formal,” she said. “Black, gray, and navy will certainly seem business. Choose a color other than white or ivory.” She suggested wearing a lace blouse under the jacket and choosing some nice accessories to enhance the overall formal look.
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Don’t Show Too Much Skin
Remember that people’s family members will be at the wedding and regardless of whether you want something that you can party in at the reception, it always pays to stay on the safe side regarding both hem lengths and dress styles.
David Grutman’s wedding saw a lot of stars opt for skin-heavy outfits
Do Experiment With Colour
No one wants to mistake a wedding guest for someone attending a funeral! Bright colours look great in wedding photos and makes it look like you’ve gone to an added effort with your outfit for the day. Bonus points if you’re boarding a boat to George Clooney’s wedding, a la Emily Blunt.
Emily Blunt wore a stunning, blue dress for George and Amal Clooney’s wedding
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There May Be Exceptions
There will obviously be exceptions to many of these rules. If the bride and groom request a certain attire or mention a specific theme, some of these tips may fly out the window, but for the majority of weddings you may attend, these rules are tried and true to follow.
For me, this means having that one dress hanging in my closet that I know is always a safe and acceptable option for nearly any and every wedding I attend. When in doubt, if you find yourself stressing and texting your friends about whether or not your outfit is appropriate, chances are it may not be and you’re better off picking something that fits within these safe guidelines.
Casual Wedding Attire For Guests
Many relaxed, outdoor ceremonies and receptions call for casual attire. The dress code, which is the most informal of all wedding dress codes, allows you to wear something comfortable. However, that doesnt mean you shouldnt also look chic. So, be sure to avoid jeans and tank tops unless they are stated as acceptable. Instead, opt for a sundress in a casual fabric or smart pants and a cute top if the weather is cold. When it comes to your feet, keep things laidback by swapping your usual stilettos for dressy sandals or low wedges.
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Take The Venue Into Account
As we mentioned earlier, the type of venue can alter dress code expectations slightly. For example, it’s safe to assume that the dress code at an outdoor summer wedding is going to differ slightly from an indoor eventboth in terms of style and functionality. But don’t worryso long as you’re not underdressed or uncomfortable, you should be fine.
What Shoes To Wear To A Wedding
With the majority of the outfit picked out, the next step is to choose a pair of shoes that tie the whole wedding outfit together. Dress shoes have their own level of formality which can sometimes be hard to navigate. Throw that in with dressing up for a wedding, and sometimes the options available can be daunting.
Credit: unitedarrows_official
The basics of dress shoes are that black shoes are the most formal, followed by brown shoes. Black dress shoes usually come in either leather or patent leather, and the shinier the leather shoe, the more formal it is. Opera pumps and black patent leather dress shoes are the go-to shoes if the wedding dress code falls under one of the higher formality codes.
Credit: Soxy
Brown dress shoes, paired with a blue suit, for example, have a wider range of options as far as color and style, and this affects the formality of the shoe as well. Brown dress shoes also are a better option when it comes to experimenting with suit colors or patterns, as the different tones in brown shoes can complement the different tones of fabric that have been selected. Like every other formal rule, the darker the brown shoe the more formal it is. Dark brown shoes are great for dark suits that are not black, like navy, grey, burgundy, eggplant and even forest green. Many of these colors have earthy tones, so its always a good idea to stick to brown shoes that appear to have a more natural, wood-like color.
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Steer Clear Of Anything Too Casual
We get it, especially after spending most of the past year at home. No one wants to quit their coziest clothing like yoga pants, slippers, and jeans. But these have no place at a wedding. Even if a wedding is casual and relaxed, still dress with respect. No flip, flops, shorts, or jeans should be on your list of options to wear. Instead, ladies find a casual dress, and men wear a nice pair of this with a relaxed shirt.
Keep those shirttails tucked in, and wear a belt regardless of how casual the wedding is.
Lulus Fashion Find Ruffled Faux
What’s not to love about this black-and-white wrap dress? A trendy high-low skirt puts this at the top of our list of the best fall wedding guest dresses for this year.
Azazie Justina Dress
Score this affordable formal fall wedding guest dress for under $70. Though it looks like a classic sheath dress at first glance, the gathered hem skirt offers a delightful upgrade to this timeless silhouette. And, with plenty of available colors, this stunner is bound to become a staple in your formalwear rotation.
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Be Careful Not To Over Accessorize
While it’s nice to find a few pieces of jewelry or other accessories that go with your dress, the best rule of thumb is to keep it simple. Schweitzer suggests avoiding “jewelry that symbolizes your own faith when attending a wedding of another faith or religion.” She went on to add, “Accessories should be a subtle embellishment. Overly large, bright, or colorful accessories can be a distraction from the ceremony.”
Looking for an excuse to buy a large feathered hat? A wedding is not the time or place.
If I Wear A Cocktail Dress How Should I Style It
You can only wear a cocktail dress if it’s very formal. It can fall above the knee, but it shouldn’t get much shorter than that for a black-tie wedding. For this occasion, it’s not recommended to show too much skin. Rather, keep the hemline modest and keep any cleavage to a minimum. Steer clear of anything that looks like you’re going to a club. Instead, opt for sophisticated cocktail dresses made from rich fabric and fine details.
As a finishing touch, pair your cocktail dress with sleek heels, gorgeous jewelry, and an elegant clutch so the overall look is formal. You can’t go wrong with diamonds or pearls. You can also opt for bold statement jewelry, especially if you’re wearing a more muted dress.
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