Website design By BotEap.comWith the start of the wedding season just a few weeks away, I thought this was a good time to give some tips and advice to help you put together some amazing outfits for these lighthearted celebrations. As is always the case with fashion, age is a factor in deciding what to wear … but you might be surprised how far that consideration falls on the list.

Website design By BotEap.comFIRST CONSIDERATION: Dress code or No dress code.

Website design By BotEap.comThere are six dress codes that a couple can choose to have for their wedding guests. To understand each of these, I am using the information found in the invitations on Dawn’s website.

Website design By BotEap.comDress codes: what to wear

Website design By BotEap.com1. Informal: informal dress adapted to the season

Website design By BotEap.com2. Cocktail / Semi Formal / Elegant Casual Attire – Cocktail Dress

Website design By BotEap.com3. Themed attire – Determined by the couple (see # 5 Vintage below)

Website design By BotEap.com4. Formal attire / Black tie Optional: floor length dress or evening pantsuit

Website design By BotEap.com5. Black Tie – formal dress

Website design By BotEap.com6. White tie – full length ballroom dress

Website design By BotEap.comIf there is a dress code that will narrow down your options, but there is still room for a lot of imagination! If there is no dress code, you can move on to the next consideration.

Website design By BotEap.comSECOND CONSIDERATION: Wedding theme or style

Website design By BotEap.comThere are many themes / styles, but I will mention the eight most common. Understanding the theme / style can help you decide what to wear if the invitation doesn’t have a dress code.

Website design By BotEap.comTheme / style (ranked from most formal to most informal): Suggestions for what to wear

Website design By BotEap.com1. Classic or traditional: from cocktail dress to full length dress

Website design By BotEap.com2. Contemporary or elegant: cocktail dress or wide leg jumpsuit

Website design By BotEap.com3. Romantic or Patio / Vineyard: cocktail dress or wide leg jumpsuit

Website design By BotEap.com4. Industrial inspired: any of the above

Website design By BotEap.com5. Vintage: depending on the period chosen by the couple

Website design By BotEap.com6. Rustic or country: summer dresses, long casual dresses or jeans and a lace blouse

Website design By BotEap.com7. Beach: summer dresses, full-length casual dresses, swimsuit with pareo

Website design By BotEap.comYour possibilities are endless – use these tips to get your creativity flowing.

Website design By BotEap.comTHIRD CONSIDERATION: Time of day

Website design By BotEap.comA general rule of thumb is that the attraction gets a little more formal as the day progresses into the evening.

Website design By BotEap.comNow you can narrow it down even further and start thinking about garment details as well as starting ideas for accessories.

Website design By BotEap.comFOURTH CONSIDERATION: Adjustment for inclement weather

Website design By BotEap.comWhichever outfit you choose, make sure you have a secondary option ready in case the weather turns bad, or have a blanket or shawl … even a fancy umbrella to help you weather the weather!

Website design By BotEap.comFIFTH CONSIDERATION: What are the wedding colors?

Website design By BotEap.comIf you know the colors that the couple has chosen for their wedding, you can choose to wear something that goes well with them. Generally, you don’t want to exactly match the colors if you’re not part of the wedding party. However, something a little lighter or darker than one of the colors or a simple pattern that has one or more of the colors are good options.

Website design By BotEap.comCONSIDERATION SIX: What do you look best at?

Website design By BotEap.comThis one is a bit tricky, because even though you want to look your best, you should never outshine the bride or bridesmaids. This is the day for the bride to shine and her bridesmaids with her, so consider what looks best on her and then tweak it a bit. That could mean that instead of wearing a skinny, very short dress with high heels, you choose a fitted dress just above the knee length dress and any heels OR a slightly looser dress that is short with killer high heels. Another example would be instead of wearing a low-cut, off-the-shoulder jumpsuit, you could wear a slightly higher neckline with a low back. The modifications are endless …

Website design By BotEap.comDO NOT skip this consideration. It will prevent you from being the one everyone is gossiping behind your back at the wedding and for weeks afterward.

Website design By BotEap.comSEVENTH CONSIDERATION: Appropriate for age

Website design By BotEap.comThis is not good for my younger readers and bad for my older ones. Again, these are modifications. You want to look elegant as well as age-appropriate. Those of you who are younger have more options, although I would recommend EVERYONE, regardless of age, to study yourself closely in a standing, sitting, walking, and bending 3-way mirror. The word modest means to show grace to the observer and that should be your goal when attending a wedding. You don’t want to be a distraction to other guests or anyone else at the wedding party. Those of us who are older need to spend even more time thinking and studying how we look in an outfit … no matter how impressive it is on the hanger or on the mannequin. As we age, we can lose sight of (or sometimes choose to lose sight of) how our clothes look from different angles and in different body positions. Show no mercy in any outfit that doesn’t look its best in all angles and in all body positions. Don’t wear something that you regret later. Always opt for the most classic pieces.

Website design By BotEap.comA good rule of thumb for those of us old enough to be a parent:

Website design By BotEap.comCombine classic pieces with one or two trendy pieces

Website design By BotEap.comEIGHTH CONSIDERATION: Your accessories

Website design By BotEap.comAccessories are what turn garments / pieces of clothing into sets. Never underestimate the power of accessories. Here are some things to help you make good decisions.

Website design By BotEap.com1. Weddings are not the best place to wear oversized jewelry or brightly colored jewelry.

Website design By BotEap.comFor. Choose more moderate-sized earrings, bracelets, and necklaces

Website design By BotEap.comB. Parts that are mostly metal with bits of color and shine are best.

Website design By BotEap.com2. Make your jewelry or your shoes / purse / belts / outerwear the main focus … not all of the above.

Website design By BotEap.com3. Choose shoes that are comfortable for hours on your feet and dancing OR bring another comfortable pair for dancing that complements your outfit and is in excellent shape.

Website design By BotEap.comMy husband and I have two weddings to attend this summer. One is a rustic wedding and the other is traditional, so I can choose two very different outfits in different colors with different accessories … some of which I already have in my closet and some of which I will have to buy. I’m already gathering ideas for what I’ll wear both days based on everything I’ve written here.

Website design By BotEap.comSo, I leave you now with your own creative juices. TO ENJOY!