Wedding wardrobe dilemmas solved

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It's mid-summer, and wedding season is in full force! After buying the perfect gift for the happy couple, the next item of purchase for any fabulous guest should be an outfit that looks great, whether you're planning on scrambling to catch the bouquet, hanging out by the bar or standing guard next to those tiny, monogrammed cupcake mountains. This can be a difficult event to get dressed for, but never fear, this article is here to help with tips and suggestions. 

When deciding how to dress for a wedding, the first thing to consider is the style of the invitation: is it scrawled in calligraphy on expensive paper using fancy formal language? You can guess it will be a formal wedding, and just the opposite if you are invited to a “shindig” or to watch a couple "jump the broom." Look for the language used, description given and the overall style of invite.

Sometimes the invitation will give you a clue on what to wear based on location. If it's outdoors, stick with a loose cotton dress that's not too light to blow in the wind (it's their show, not yours), and if it's indoors at a restaurant, go for a dressier vibe and a more tailored fit. A nice skirt and jacket set could substitute; just make sure that it’s not a Monday morning office suit.

Check the time - is it a daytime wedding? Try a pretty floral dress or some other light-colored number; avoid blacks and severe business attire like suits - no one wants to sit at the table and eat those scrumptious cupcakes with the uptight lawyer-looking lady wearing a dark blue pantsuit and a French roll. Add a fun hat, loose hair, colorful jewelry and wedges (heels might sink in the grass if any part of the wedding is outdoors) to complete the look.

The wedding could be an after five event; if so, dress as if you were going out to dinner or the theater. I am not talking about a buffet and a $5 Sunday show, I mean an actual fancy restaurant and a play. Here is where you can get dressier; a nice dark colored cocktail dress in a satiny finish, or a dark jumpsuit or pantsuit (black is fine) in an equally gorgeous fabric - think sophisticated but not overly sexy. 

If the wedding is a black tie event, then this is the time to be extraordinarily extravagant! Think long black gowns, expensive (or expensive-looking) gaudy jewelry, and those otherwise hideous-looking minaudiere purses. Look for anything with beads, sequins or feathers, and be prepared to dance, so don't wear anything too form-fitting unless you plan on holding up the wall while devouring those cupcakes. (I guess it's obvious that I can't wait to inhale those darn things in twos!)

If you don’t have items in your closet already, or if you are like me and you feel required to buy a new outfit for every single occasion, there are many boutiques available in the area that can help you find the perfect dress. Try Audrey’s Sweet Threads, located at the Eton Chagrin Boulevard in Woodmere, or shop at Sanity, a trendy boutique located in Chagrin Falls. 

Don’t stress if you are on a budget, Charlotte RusseForever21, and H&M have gorgeous dresses at great prices, and they can be versatile enough to wear on more than one occasion. You don’t have to spend all your coins to look amazing; buy pieces that compliment what you already have and use the extra money for a fabulous wedding gift.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010