Hi, friends! Welcome back to Stylishly Good Vibes! This week’s post is another in my What To Wear series — all about summer weddings!
As I’ve mentioned before, I currently work in retail, so I get a ton of questions about what to wear to summer weddings. I figured there was no better place to discuss what you should wear than on the blog!
If you’re anything like me and automatically start scanning items in your closet when you receive a wedding invite, then I think you’re really going to enjoy this post! Dress codes for weddings aren’t meant to make you feel restricted, or that you need to buy something new in order to go. They’re all about making you think twice about what you decide to wear — which isn’t always a bad thing!
I decided to break this post up into different dress codes. Let’s dive right in!
Dress Code: Casual Outdoor Wedding
I don’t know about you, but when an invite says “outdoor” for the venue, I immediately cringe. It’s not that I dislike outdoor weddings, it’s just that I hate sweating. Outdoor wedding + summer = a bad combo for me. But alas, I’m not going to decline the invite because that’s rude! I’ll just power through the heat by being strategic about what I wear.
When people say casual for dress code on a wedding invite, that doesn’t mean you can just show up wearing whatever you want. Put a little thought into it! Think about what you would wear to meet your significant other’s parents. You want to look nice, or at least I think you would. Whatever you choose to wear, just make sure you don’t take casual too seriously.
I chose this windowpane dress from Gal Meets Glam for the casual dress code. The silhouette is perfect for staying cool at this type of venue. Because the dress code is casual, I decided to add a hat, too. Plus, if I’m sitting outside, you know I’m going to roast and I need to protect this skin from UVA/UVB rays. I chose a simple pair of flatform sandals to finish off the outfit. Let’s be real, I’m not wearing heels because I hate them. No need to make yourself uncomfortable!
Dress Code: Formal Attire or Black Tie
Of all the wedding dress codes, I personally think this one is the easiest and most straightforward. Take a moment to remember what you wore to your high school prom or homecoming. This dress code is basically like that, but for adults! I really love dressing in formal attire every now and again since it’s so different from what I wear on the day-to-day.
In my eyes, formal attire or black tie dress codes signal a longer dress. This is the moment to elevate your look in the most appropriate and fun way possible. I’ve also found that shorter dresses make me question whether or not I’m “fancy” enough for a wedding with this dress code. So, I just go for a longer dress to save myself the confusion and second-guessing.
This green maxi is my absolute favorite dress. I’ve worn it for so many different occasions. My advice: buy one formal dress you can wear for multiple events. Outfit repeating is the reality, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it! If you love a dress as much as I love this one, you’ll never question whether or not you should wear it.
Dress Code: Cocktail Attire
This dress code is right between casual and black tie, so it’s kind of a mix between the two, in terms of style. I still chose a maxi dress, but you could definitely do a shorter dress for this type of wedding. What I love most about this dress is the fabric. It’s a lighter-weight cotton, similar to a linen, which is perfect for summer + being more casual in dress.
Although this dress screams daytime to me, it doesn’t mean I can’t wear it for an evening wedding or cocktail party.
It’s all about how you carry yourself in what you choose to wear. If you’re confident in it, then who cares what anyone else has to say about it!
I chose to pair a suede blue moto jacket with this look since a good chunk of weddings have ceremonies in churches. Out of respect for the couple, I always cover my shoulders during the ceremony if it’s in a church. Use your best judgment in this situation! You could always bring a colorful or lace kimono with you if you don’t want to worry about carrying a jacket!
Well, there you have it! Three of the most common dress codes for weddings + what I would wear! I hope this post is helpful to those of you who are attending summer weddings! If you need additional insight or opinions about what you should wear, comment below or email me!
Until next time!
Alicia