Choosing a wedding guest dress is much trickier than choosing a wedding dress itself. Wedding dresses are all about being the epicenter of everyone’s attention. Being all shiny and fabulous for everyone to marvel at. So naturally, brides go big and shiny with their dress.
But what about you, the wedding guest? You need of course to dress formally and elegantly, but then, not too much right? You don’t want to be dressed too perfect, because that would still away the bride’s shine. Believe me the last thing you need is a cringing, life-threatening look from the newlywed bride.
So, as paranoid as this might sound, you need to look great, but you also have to dial your shine down; you need to be elegantly invincible, acting more like the blurry background, the bride uses for her own devices. Let’s find you a dress.
Wedding Type
Beach weddings, cocktail weddings, evening weddings and the list is never-ending.
- Time of the day
- The level of formality
- The wedding party venue
These three should be taken into consideration when choosing a wedding guest dress, as they tell you a lot about what’s appropriate to wear and what’s not.
You want a wedding guest dress that doesn’t overshadow the bride’s, and also a dress that is in harmony with the wedding style. Light floral patterns, feminine fabrics such as chiffon and silk are good places to start with.
Let the bride shine!
Price Tag
Chances are that if a close friend is getting married you’ve already put aside some money for purchasing a proper wedding guest dress. But what about those unexpected, nobody-believed-she-would-get-married weddings?
You don’t really want to sacrifice style and quality just because you’re short on money.
Plan A: The best thing to do is scavenge a stylish friend’s closet (everyone has that amazing formal dress that can’t find an occasion to wear to). No one’s your size?
Plan B: smart-shopping. This includes from renting a wedding guest dress to finding one that’s on sale. The good thing about formal wedding dresses is that they (usually) involve classic lines and styles and are not that fashion trend-sensitive.
Versatility
Since you’re inescapably going to spend a small fortune for a dazzling wedding guest dress, it might as well pay off it’s worth. Choose something that’s timeless, chic and has that extra something that will make it useful and wearable for many other formal events.
Match personality and own sense of style
Ultimately this is what will make your dress unique, while (of course) maintaining the bride’s glamor intact. Find a color other than white and its variations, so that you don’t fatally collide with the bride.
Opt for dresses that are feminine but not overtly sexy, discreetly charming and suited to the formality of the wedding ceremony. Avoid being too glitz-y, try instead to match the wedding’s theme and character.