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How To Dress For A Wedding
Hi, it’s wedding season and I’m at that age where I get invited to a lot of them. So I thought I’d share my tips with you on how to find the perfect outfit.
Where to start
A good place to start when you want to look amazing for any occasion is assessing which shades suit your skin tone and which shapes flatter your figure. It’s my step 1 as a personal stylist as it’s the foundation of style.
If you have access to a stylist near you who can help you, it’s quite a game-changer. Knowing which palette has the right hues for you will help you whittle down your options to just the best. Wearing the wrong shade for your skin tone can make you look unwell or even highlight the shadows under your eyes and you don’t want that!
Shape is also a vital starting point. Imagine shopping and knowing exactly the what works for your body. You’ll waste less time returning things if you’re shopping online or trying on things that don’t work for you in person. This is something I can definitely help you identify or you can asses this yourself.
Think about what you like about yourself and want to show off vs what you’d prefer to cover up. Are you in proportion? If not, where do you need to add more or less drama to balance your proportions.
If you’re on the taller or smaller than average side, you don’t have to settle for a regular fit. Shops have gotten better at having ranges for different heights but I tend to find more selection online.
Remember with prints: Taller bigger person = bigger print. Smaller petite person = smaller print. And it’s a similar rule with accessory style too. Bigger people can jazz up their outfits with some chunky accessories for a bit of fun. Dainty jewellery will get lots on them. Whereas the chunky accessories will overwhelm a small frame so dainty jewellery is best.
Same goes for the size of bag you choose to carry. Try and harmonise things like this with your height. Sorry smaller person if you need to carry lots of things! But at a wedding you only really need bare essentials.
Most brands will let you send things to a store to pick up if they don’t have it there which can be a nice way to still try that piece you want. Try it with other things you’ve found there in person too and make a day of it. I recommend bringing any accessories/ shoes you know you’re wearing to see a full look.
How will I know what’s appropriate
I find it hard to tell from the wording on invites. What I would say is if you know host and what kind of circle they may invite, it’s easier to get a vibe and of course ask them anything if you can.
I’m sure a lot of us agree that it’s best not to wear white to a wedding. No need to upstage the bride on their day and you don’t want to be the person being talked about. You may also find that by wearing a dress in one colour, you could end up in the same colour as the bridesmaids. Double check this if you can! And patterns are always safe.
We probably don’t want to take sexiness too far – this isn’t the oscars. I understand that we need to let our busts breathe, show off our lovely legs and other areas but find a balance. If some areas are out, it’s actually sexier to hide others.
Also think about your comfort. It’s nice to dress up once in a while but do this to the right level for you. No need to make yourself uncomfortable in something you wouldn’t normally wear if it’s not you. If you’re not someone who enjoys high heels then don’t force it too. You can check if there’s a cloakroom or bring flats if needed.
Warmth is also important. Many people have weddings in the colder months or England haha! I don’t know what it is about weddings I find people tend to have a ‘wedding temperature’ where them seem to be able to withstand being a little cold for style.
You can still look nice and not have to sacrifice style in my opinion. Could be a jacket, cardigan, shawl, shirt, kimono, or even a top that can be worn under your dress that becomes part of it.
Wear those tights if you need to, make them part of it if you want! A fun colourful leg, whether that’s a colour or pattern can be a fun way to pep up a look in a unique way.
How to I make it my own?
I know that there’s always a worry shopping high street with wearing the same outfit as someone else. And honestly it’s hard to predict and avoid. What I would say is that if you wear your pieces in a combo unique to you then it won’t matter if it’s the same and you can both sit a little more comfortably.
When buying that piece, try and avoid getting the matching jacket, shoes, hat, bag etc. People buy the whole look from one store on one rail or on one mannequin. Because it’s easy and they trust whoever put that together (used to be me as a visual merchandiser). We do this as shoppers tend to buy everything they can see at once.
Mixing brands will make your piece look different and trying colour combinations that the average person may not have tried. Doesn’t have to be all one colour too. Try some vintage with your new or borrow something from someone. You can also customise your pieces by shortening or adding to them.
Suits don’t have to be matchy matchy. Experiment with mixing a pattern and a plain. A fun waistcoat, unexpected shoes. What goes under it can be anything nowadays as long as you feel dressed up.
Also simply hair, makeup and accessories can make something look totally different. It may be no one has thought to put a belt like that where you have. If your combination is uniquely yours and styled in a way different from you’d see on the mannequin you can feel more assured even if someone happens to have one of the same things.
I hope you enjoyed this blog! There’s also a video version I’ve made on YouTube which you can check out here.
Still need some more personalised help? Book a free discovery call with me and we can have a chat about how I can work with you ahead of the occasion to find the perfect look for you.
