Do’s and Don’t: How to dress as a wedding guest
I write frequently about what guests should wear to be dressed accordingly for a wedding. I think this is a very real issue for guests. At least it has been a huge debate for me in the past when I’ve had to attend a wedding. Weddings are big events often very see and been seenand it matters what you wear as a guest.
If you aren’t sure if the wedding is formal, semi-formal, or black-tie, it IS OKAY to call a host and find out. The best way to find out these details is to ask the mother of the bride or a bridesmaid. Of course, if you are close friends with the bride, she shouldn’t mind the call and will appreciate you asking, but in most cases contact a close family member or a bridal attendant for these little etiquette issues.
Here are some tips to follow in you need a quick reference guide:
Do’s and Don’ts for the Ladies
* Don’t wear white because it competes with the bride.
* Black and sequins are not appropriate for daytime weddings.
* It is OKAY if you are wearing the same color as the maids and moms … come on, you can’t be responsible for finding out what everyone is wearing and it really doesn’t matter.
* Be feminine, appropriate, and respectful in what you wear.
* Don’t wear anything overtly sexy.
* No clubwear.
* A pastel suit or soft floral dress for daytime or a little black dress for evening (after 6 p.m.) will take you almost anywhere.
Do’s and Don’ts for the Guys
* For men, the solutions are simple, a black tux, white shirt and black bow tie is considered the mainstream accepted dress.
* In trendier cities like New York and LA variation in the color of a tie is more accepted.
* Wear a dark suit and tie if the wedding is after 6 PM, and doesn’t say “Black Tie.”
* Don’t wear a tuxedo during the day time unless the event is specifically extremely formal.
* Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn’t specify the formality of the event. A dark suit and conservative tie will take you just about anywhere. Or…. ASK!
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