How to dress for a wedding? It’s a headache for most of us because we want to make sure we wear the right outfit without spending too much. And above all, in slow fashion, we want to avoid buying an outfit that will only be used once…
A few weeks ago I accompanied a client to find her outfit for a wedding. She also wanted to reconcile with dresses and finally understand the shapes corresponding to her body shape to get out of the “trousers reflex” on a daily basis.
So I coached her so that she could independently identify the ideal dress shapes for her and never be afraid of making a mistake again. Result: not only did she find the ideal wedding dress for her event, but she also let herself go by stocking up on dresses to go to work. Her colleagues also complimented her on the change by congratulating her new femininity Long live dresses!
She suggested I do a post on this topic “how to dress for a wedding”, since if it was “the mission” for her, many other women must be in trouble too. A very good idea since it’s seasonal!
Here are my top 7 tips for answering the thorny question of how to dress for a wedding:
1- Respect the dress code: yes, but which one?
Of course, if the dress code is explicit in the invitation, you will comply with it. If it is not indicated, just ask yourself a few common sense questions:
- where the wedding takes place, in what type of context (beach, castle, countryside, etc.)?
- What is the bride and groom’s style, what is their family environment?
- The invitation card often speaks for itself: what kind of wedding does it imply?
You should know that it is no longer customary today to wear a very long dress (like a gala dress) for a wedding. The only case would be for bridesmaids, when it is the dress code given by the bride. Or if it is a “princely” wedding!
On the other hand, there is no better time to bring out your most beautiful jewels… and your diamonds ^^ If we can fear going ‘too much’ on a daily basis by wearing our most beautiful finery, this will not be the case on a wedding day.
2- Colors? Yes, but not just any!
It’s a happy event so colors must be part of it! I often tell you that you have to pay some attention to the language of colors… It’s even more true and important for this type of occasion.
The symbolism of colors varies depending on the culture. This is why it will be important to take into consideration the French codes but also the cultural codes of the family concerned. Here are the main symbols to know in order not to make a mistake.
For example, if the bride and groom are of Egyptian origin, it would be more respectful to avoid wearing red.
Traditionally in France, we avoid wearing pure black and white to a wedding. Black is a symbol of mourning and austerity so it is not the most appropriate. As for white, be careful, many might be indignant: “they say” that it is reserved for the bride. From my point of view, I would not be as strict as that because everything also depends a lot on the cut and style of the dress… But there is no question of upsetting anyone on that day, so it is better to avoid Unless it is in touches or in two-tone black + white = the two compensate each other.
I also recommend avoiding brown. It is a color that does not have a very joyful symbolism and does not appear in the “dressy” register.
3- How to dress for a wedding? With a dress that makes the difference of course!
We don’t go to a wedding like we would go to work. The dress (or the top + pants or jumpsuit) must have something unusual, a little special detail to honor the event. We have so few opportunities to dress well in France… If we neglect weddings by choosing banality, we definitively lose the noblest meaning that there can be in the fact of “dressing”.
A lace insert, an asymmetrical cut, veils and semi-transparency… Treat yourself!
Otherwise, if your dress (or outfit) is very simple, you cannot do without accessories carefully chosen for their particularity.
Out of respect for the people who invited you, you cannot decently arrive without being a little different and more chic than usual. It is to honor them to rack your brains a little
Here are some examples of dresses that can make a difference.
4- Don’t look for accessories before finding the dress!
You will waste your time for nothing. Possibly a furtive reconnaissance but know that your accessories will really depend on the style and colors of the dress so it is difficult to be able to anticipate, under penalty of making a mistake.
Once we have found the dress, we can then start looking for shoes + bag + jewelry.
Heels are of course ideal, but if you can’t stand them, then opt for beautiful jeweled sandals. Indeed, if you have to be flat, make sure your feet are “dressed”.
As for the bag, it’s very simple, bet on the chic of the clutch! Absolutely forget your everyday city bag, shoulder bags and satchels. To be elegant at a wedding, the ideal is to carry your clutch between your hand and your forearm.
5- Dress + accessories: how to achieve the right color combination?
To find the accessories (clutch/shoes) that will match your dress, you need to start with its color:
- either you search in its complementary colors , or in its analogous or monochrome colors.
- either your dress is flashy and you then opt for nude accessories to calm things down.
- either you bet on metallic, very dressy and which works for sure: if your dress is in warm tones, you will choose gold accessories – if it is in cold tones, you will choose silver accessories (this is what we did in Sophie’s case).
- either you take a color that is “in touches” in the prints or other details of your dress and you choose the accessories according to it, to recall this color.
If you are worried about your wedding dress then I am ready to help you, visit Goddiva, they have beautiful wedding dresses and outfits for all kinds of occasions at affordable price.
