What NOT To Wear To A Wedding
It's becoming that time of year (and that time of my life) where it seems as though I'm invited to a wedding every other weekend. So I got to thinking, what the heck am I going to wear to all these weddings? I have a good amount of clothing, but I sometimes get worried when planning what I'm going to wear to a friend or family member's wedding and I certainly don't want to be "that" girl who everyone's snickering at.
You may not know this but there are rules about these things. You definitely want the bride and groom to be staring into each others eyes and not at your terribly tacky outfit. Let's avoid that at all costs with a few simple rules and some pointers on what to wear instead.
#1 No all-white or all-black outfits
I know I probably don't have to tell you guys not to wear white to a wedding, but I would also like to mention that cream, off-white or a light blush could also be a no-no in the mind of the bride. I would recommend avoiding any color that could look like white to an unstable bride, she may snap at any moment and you don't want it to be about your dress, even worse... an angry bridesmaid. She has enough to worry about, don't make her even more stressed with your poor fashion choice.
You should also try to avoid an all black outfit, unless you're attending the wedding of your ex-boyfriend who you want to get back. (If that's the case, then you've got bigger problems.) Anyway, an all black outfit could be misconstrued as a bad thing so I would try to avoid it.
**Instead: Wear a black and white patterned dress, also you can add in some color with a bold heel or a colored lipstick. I know we all have those LBDs that we love, but you could also opt for another dark color such as navy.
#2 No skimpy or club outfits
I completely understand that weddings are a great place to meet people, but wearing the same outfit you wore to the club last weekend is not the way to do it. Be careful not to wear anything too low-cut or with too short of a hemline, we want everyone staring at the bride not your goodies.
**Instead: Wear a classic silhouette or a body-con dress, you can be sexy without out-doing the bride.
#3 Absolutely NO jeans (pass this one on to your fella)
You might wonder why this is on here, but I have been to weddings before and seen men in jeans. I don't care how dressy the jeans are or the fact that you threw on a sport coat, jeans are unacceptable.
**Instead: If the wedding is more causal, wear your suit with no tie or wear khakis.
#4 No flip-flops (until the dance party)
I understand that weddings can be exhausting, but flip-flops are far too causal even if we live in Florida. The only exception to this rule is a beach wedding or if you bring a pair to switch into for dancing after the formal ceremony.
**Instead: Wear wedges or a lower heel, they are much more comfortable. Also make sure not to wear new shoes to the wedding, they should be broken in to avoid blisters.
#5 Never wear a prom dress or an old bridesmaid dress
Most of he time a prom dress looks like a prom dress and the same goes for a bridesmaid from another wedding. Even though your friend told you, "you can totally wear that again," they lied.
**Instead: If you don't have the money to spend on another expensive dress you're only going to wear once, you can always borrow one from a friend or there are companies that will rent dresses at a fraction of the cost, such as Lending Luxury and The Stylist LA.
#6 Don't wear the same color as the bridal party
This can be tacky and confusing to some other wedding guests. If you are unsure of the wedding colors look at the invitation.
**Instead: Wear a complimentary color or a pattern that has one of the colors in it.
#7 Don't forget about Season/Location or Weather
You do not want to be the girl who shows up to a beach wedding in 5 inch stilettos, doing a little research before a wedding can save you a lot of trouble in the end. Also make sure to dress for the weather, most ceremonies are held outdoors so knowing if you need a jacket or an umbrella will help you better prepare.
**Instead: Know the season, research the wedding and check the weather.
Hope these tips help you better prepare for your next wedding!
Tara Wikoff | CW44 Tampa Bay