Wedding Guest Dressing

Is it just me or is this the year for weddings? Also babies. Maybe it’s just part of being a girl in their mid-twenties but I feel like my need to have ALL THE FRIENDS has come back to bite me in the you-know-what. JOKES. But seriously – all the weddings.

I take wedding guesting very seriously. As a former bride and frequent wedding guester, I’ve developed a set of standards when it comes to wedding guest dressing that I’d like to share with you.

1. The dress has to be comfortable.
I did the thought-it-was-just-right-but-it-was-actually-too-tight number one too many times. Sitting oddly, pulling down your dress (or pulling up your dress) is no good. You are there to ENJOY so why would you wear a dress that doesn’t make you feel like a million bucks in every way?

2. Wear a (relatively) comfortable pair of heels.
This is also kind of my motto for life, but wear comfortable heels. There will (most likely) be dancing (unless you went to the same conservative high school as me – NO DANCING FOR YOU– ahh more jokes!) and you’ll want to get down without having to sacrifice your walking abilities for the following week. Also drinking and heels don’t mix. Trust me on this one. This pair of sandals are actually amazing.

3. Dress for the venue.
I love having a location guide my dressing. When I traveled to upstate New York last year for a summer wedding in the country, you know I busted out the floral dress to match. I love the dress I’m wearing in this shoot because it can literally fit any kind of wedding. Beach wedding? Pair with wedges and a floppy hat. Rooftop wedding? Just insert a pashmina, statement jewels and killer heels.

4. Never, ever wear white.
Unless it was specifically required, don’t even think about wearing all white. Or cream. Don’t do it. Black + cream? Yes. All white? Not all right.

5. Dance’ability
This may not technically be a word, but the dress has to have dance’ability. If the dress spins, it’s always a bonus. Also I like when the dress is long enough that I don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen when I start the electric slide. Show off your moves – not your granny panties, friends.  

6. Don’t let accessories weigh you down
Let your accessories complement your outfit, but don’t let them weigh you down. I have this one necklace – and as cute as it is, it’s heavy. For summer weddings especially, heavy pieces typically equal sweaty situations. NOT optimal, friends. I love this necklace from Tuckernuck – it’s lightweight but still makes a statement. It feels modern, but also timeless.

BONUS TIP:
If your clutch is big enough, stash away a small, travel-sized deodorant. For post-dancing. You can thank me later.

Wearing The Fifth Label dress, clutch and necklace all via Tuckernuck c/o, Banana Republic sandals, Samantha Wills ring, Anine Bing bra, Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in "Candy K"

Blue

Not to be basic...but THIS WEATHER. It's killing my soul. And my health. I've had a virus for the past few days that I'm still trying to get over (getting lots of rest thanks to Making a Murderer on Netflix - who else is watching?!) So...to be honest, this has definitely been my least productive January to date.

And while I'm usually a super positive person, I'm kinda bummed out. HOWEVER, tomorrow I'll be sharing a few ways I'm going to try and get myself out of this funk. If you guys have any tips, I'd love to hear them in the comments below!

Until then, I wanted to share one of my favorite color combos as of late: royal blue, black and white. (Remember when I wore it here?!) This whole color situation was inspired by this cool vintage scarf that I found thrifting a few months back. It's been one of my favorite finds to date!

Unfortunately, all of the items I'm wearing are sold out, but I've linked to a bunch of similar items below!

Wearing Finders Keepers coat (similar), vintage scarf (love this vintage YSL find!), Rag & Bone dress (similar), and Finders Keepers pumps (similar.)

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Rachel Zoe Dress

Over the past few years, I’ve really fallen in love with the finer things in life. Luxe tablecloths, fine wines, gourmet cheeses, morel mushrooms (can you see where my priorities lay?) and clothing is no exception. It’s wonderful in that it’s helped me stop purchasing low-quality on-trend items just because they’re cool right now. Yet it’s terrible in that I can’t buy everything I want…in fact, I can’t buy most of what I want. But in focusing on nicer pieces that are lasting longer, I can keep the clutter at bay and really LOVE what I’m wearing.

With all that said, it’s still very hard to resist the urge to buy everything I want…but I may have found a brilliant solution. We’ve all heard of Rent the Runway, the website where you can rent gorgeous clothing items and accessories. I was apprehensive at first - shelling over money to borrow something seemed foreign to me. But when I had a very important meeting with someone in the high-fashion industry, I knew none of my clothes would cut it. So I scoured Rent the Runway for the perfect outfit and was immediately drawn to this Rachel Zoe dress. The lines were gorgeous and I loved the midi-dress length. I was a bit nervous about the slip underneath being too tight, but that wasn’t an issue at all. 

Originally, this dress was just south of $500. Not something I’m quite comfortable investing in at this point and time. However, it was only $75 to rent. It made such an amazing impression during my meeting and gave me a huge boost in confidence throughout the day. There may or may not have been a few tears that fell into the UPS package when I sent this baby back.

Rent the Runway is quickly becoming my go-to for events, weddings or date nights. Have you tried their services before? If not, you can get $20 off your first order - just use this link!

On Julien: Dress, Rent the Runway. Shoes, J.Crew. Jacket, Loeil. Bracelet and vine ring, She’s Unique. Circle ring, Elaine B Jewelry.

Photos by Wes Tan

Patriotic

This past Fourth of July, we ventured deep into the city for a picnic barbecue at a friend’s home in DC. I’ve had this dress hanging in my closet since I wore it to a Great Gatsby party last year and was determined to get more wear out of it. I paired it with a pretty scarf I found thrifting a few weeks ago and some of my favorite festive jewelry from Swell Caroline, Lilly Pulitzer and Three Jane NY. Even though I was a bit overdressed for my friend’s afternoon barbecue, it was just right for hitting up a few spots in Georgetown after the fireworks ended.

Come fall, I think this dress would look great with a sleek leather jacket and short booties, but I’d love to get a few more wears out of it this summer. How would you still this pretty little thang?

On Julien: Dress, LOFT (similar here.) Shoes, J.CREW Factory (on sale!) Scarf, thrifted (similar here.) Link bracelet, c/o Swell Caroline. Nautical bangle, Lilly Pulitzer. Necklace, Three Jane NY. Bag, Longchamp. Sunnies, Kate Spade (similar here.) Lipstick, Smashbox "Infrared" Matte.