Winter Weddings :: Guest Attire

Today, we have a guest blogger!  I met Terryl online and learned that she loves to write about fashion.  We put our heads together and I asked her to share some thoughts about style for wedding guests.  With the holidays quickly approaching, there are Christmas, New Years, and Valentine's weddings for which to prepare. 

Winter weddings are one of the very best excuses to get all dressed up and wear those pieces you probably couldn't get away with in many other situations.

The goal of dressing for a wedding is to be the second prettiest girl there.  Don't distract from the bride, but don't feel like you need to dress boringly either.  Maxi dresses in rich fabrics are refreshing and easy to pull off, so long as you mind your posture.  And leave the white at home if you lack a death wish.

 

To avoid looking like just a mass of fabric, take a cue from recent runway seasons and try a one-shoulder dress.  The asymmetrical neckline brings the focus upward, as opposed to standard sleeveless tops, which seem to scream, "Look at my arms!"  Make sure to nip that waist to create shape, get some beautiful elevation under those feet for the illusion of impossibly long legs, and sway fabulously all night.

 

A cropped shrug is a better choice than your everyday pea coat and keeps with the fancy theme of the rest of your ensemble.  Have fun with the shoes, and if you're doing heeled sandals, keep them relatively dark and match your tights.  (A quick note on sandals: heels are a necessity, however, flip flops, even with a heel, are never acceptable.)  It's always a good idea to choose between a statement necklace and earrings, but if you have an asymmetrical neckline, your neck is already fancy, so just stick with simple drop earrings that coordinate with the dress.

 

If you've got a sparkly number you're dying to show off, your best accessories will be confidence and a smile.  Keep the rest of your outfit complementary to the darker tones of the dress to avoid looking like you're celebrating the new year, but ensure you lift those items to the sass of the dress.  Try wedges instead of stilettos.  If your tights match, your legs will appear lengthened, and a dark and opaque pair will slim legs as well.  This could be the perfect outfit to debut that fancy vintage bag you found--just keep it compact.

When it comes down to it, don't be afraid to let your outfit make you feel special; you're allowed to look fancy.  So take a risk!  Break out the gown or those almost-too-beautiful shoes that make your toes hurt just by looking at them.  Most don't have many opportunities to really dress up, so if the wedding allows, you might as well go all out and flex your fabulousness a little!

Author bio:
When Terryl Banta is not busy coping with the early-onset necessity of reading glasses she can usually be found having nineties dress-up nights and trying to take pictures of her kitten, Alt, for viral tumblr content.