The wedding season is upon us and I bet you’ve already been scouring the Internet trying to find something to wear to the first occasion this summer. The problem is that you can never predict what the great British weather will do so how do you pick something that you won’t end up regretting on the day? Yet, the other dilemma you face is if you leave it too close to the day then you risk choosing a duplicate outfit. This isn’t as much of a problem with menswear but no amount of styling or accessorising can cover up two identical dresses in a wedding venue!
So where do you start when seeking the perfect wedding guest outfit?
Take a stroll around the shops
One way to avoid dressing the same as another guest, which nobody except for a bridesmaid wants, is to wear an old outfit (highly unlikely when a girl just wants to shop!) or to look for something more unique in outlet stores like Next Outlet or TK Maxx, for example. By dodging the main high street shops, you can hopefully get around any ‘fashion faux pas’ by ensuring that your dress, two-piece co-ord or jumpsuit is not readily available on the rails of your local store.
Look on local sharing sites
Not all eBay or Facebook purchases have to be second-hand items. Lots of people buy clothes and then lose the receipt or fail to return something in enough time, meaning that they have ‘brand new with tags’ garments looking to find a new home. This could be something they bought in a sale the previous weekend and changed their mind about or it could be clothes they bought one or two years ago but never got around to wearing. Local sites are great if you’re running out of time as you don’t have to wait for the item to arrive by post!
Buy from smaller online boutiques
You can of course buy your dream outfit from ASOS, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Phase Eight, John Lewis or other popular chains, online or in person, but by searching the websites of lesser known stores then you could find a gorgeous and original outfit which can be delivered the next day (and often at a bargain price when compared to going into a physical shop). Just one example is Chi Chi Clothing which offers a range of occasion dresses in various styles and colours.
The most popular wedding outfits
For women, the dress remains the most common choice of outfit for a wedding, and with so many styles to choose from you can opt for a different look at each occasion you’re invited to: midi, maxi, off shoulder, Bardot, pencil, wiggle, skater, bandage, structured… the choice is yours!
While trousers are rarely worn by women attending the exchanging of vows, jumpsuits and co-ords have made a big comeback, and the great thing is that you can wear them again with flip flops for a casual holiday look. However, if you are hoping to wear an outfit that you can then re-use on holiday, it’s best to avoid any see-through beach cover-up style dresses or anything showing a bit too much flesh, as etiquette tells us that this isn’t the done thing at a wedding, even if you’re only going to the reception.
As a final note, while most guests will be well aware of the dos and don’ts surrounding what to wear, I feel I should reiterate that you should neverbe seen in white or ivory at a wedding, nor should you wear jeans even if the invitation says casual or relaxed. If you’re lacking in ideas for your wedding outfit then you could always look at pictures from our previous weddings for inspiration. You can find these on our gallery or by scrolling through our social media sites.