wedding + party attire
SUNDRESS
& other stories
Banana Republic
Mango
Anthro
Sika
Banana Republic
Clare V
DVF
just a time, a little inspiration for those social (gasp!) events this summer. Thanks Joanie! All links are affiliate.-Rachael
Have you ever had this experience: you don’t have an event or party to go to and you see 50 fancy things you’d love to wear to party. but as soon as you have a reason to buy something fancy, suddenly not an item in sight interests you?
This nameless phenomenon has happened to me more times than I can count (which is why I’m an advocate for always buying something you love, even if you don’t have a specific occasion for it!). However, there are some tips that can help with the major outfit block that can happen around events that have a looming deadline, i.e. ‘I have to have something to wear for a July 15th wedding.’ If you’re attending a wedding/party this summer and are looking for some ideas on how to find something to wear, this post is for you! – Joanie
For starters, I always like to have some frame of reference for what I’m looking for before I start shopping. Even if it’s vague. If you have no idea what you want, it can seem like an endless fruitless scroll. Reference points can be anything, here are some ideas:
– It can be the shape of the dress, maybe you want long and flow-y, or short and straight, or fitted at the waist with a skirt. Knowing the style of dress you’re looking for is helpful because you can narrow searching down by maxi, midi, mini, etc.
– If you have something you’ve worn before and want a different version of that, maybe you wore an off the shoulder dress and felt like a million bucks and want something similar. Or you know you have a yellow dress that you always love in photos. Those are great jumping points. You can search by those key words too, i.e. yellow maxi dress.
– Using other people as inspiration is also fun. I’ll often clock something that I see someone wearing and make a note to myself to visit it in my own life at some point. This could be someone in real life or a pinterest photo you saw. Recreating a look you love is fun and can narrow down your choices quickly which is great.
It also helps to shop broadly and early. It can feel tempting to put the task off hoping that something will just magically fall into your lap to wear. Unfortunately, that will most likely not be the case and you’ll end up panic shopping closer to the date which usually ends up being more expensive and less satisfying.
Borrowing a dress from someone is also a great option especially if you remember something they’ve worn that you’ve loved. “Hey, remember that green dress with sleeves you wore? Can I borrow that please.” I’ve loaned clothing to countless friends and I’m always happy to do so and I’m pretty sure the friends in your life will be happy to as well. It’s a compliment, you like their style!
I also want to recommend pushing yourself just a little bit and trying things outside your comfort zone. It can feel soothing to wear something familiar but it can also feel liberating to wear something outside of your norm. If there is something you’ve always loved and thought you can’t pull off now is the time to give it a try. We didn’t live through a global pandemic to come out on the other side wearing black knee length dresses to every party!
Here are somethings I’d wear to celebrations this summer!
a/ Banana Republic
b/ & other stories
c/ SUNDRESS
a/ Hot pink is the color I love to see anyone in. It’s vibrant, fun and looks great on everyone. Banana Republic has some really great dress choices right now. I love this dress and the fact that it’s an extra 30% off right now.
b/ If you feel like trying out the oversized trend, this yellow dress is such a cute option. Also a great one for high heat days as nothing sticks to the skin. I recommend ordering one to two sizes up with items from & other stories. This dress from Free People is also a very pretty oversized easy fit option.
c/ This linen dress with sequin detailing is so beautiful. I love the dramatic sleeve and the color palette. An outside the box option!
d/ DVF
e/Anthro
f/ Sika
d/I have a soft spot for DVF dresses. There is a reason she’s such a legend, she really knows how to cut a flattering dress. They are classics and something you’ll keep in your closet forever and also hold their value if you want to resell it. I love the bodice detailing on this one and the print. So much of what we’re shown these days is the same cut and style over and over so anything that branches from that is welcomed.
e/ Short and structured is a great option, especially if you like to show some leg. When you’re shopping it’s nice to think about what body part you want to show off. That can help to narrow your options and buy something that feels fun and exciting to wear.
f/ This is a great style if you like to show collarbone but don’t want any cleavage, something I’m always looking to find. This has a very structured bodice with a full skirt which makes it a great dancing dress. Make sure to read size chart as it’s in UK sizes. Also love this one shoulder option.
g/ Banana Republic
h/ Clare V
i/ Mango
g/ I love that Banana has two bias cut dresses, it’s a surprisingly hard cut to find. A slip dress should only exist in bias cut. It shouldn’t be cut straight up and down, it doesn’t lay right against the body correctly. This dress is beautiful and if you want the bra friendly one get this version. These dresses are easy to dress up or down, you can tie a sweater around your waist and head out for the day or pair it with a shawl and strappy shoes for evening.
By the way, for a good strapless event bra, this is a good option!
h/ I have to throw in one accessory because I love this Clare V. strawberry print bag as your party bag of the summer. I have this style in purple and it fits all the important things like phone, lipstick and wallet and has a very chic chain strap which make is a great evening option.
i/ Let’s not forget separates! I personally plan to wear wide leg pants with a a high opened toed shoe to some parties this summer. I also love a good skirt moment, something with a soft drape that you can wear with a t-shit and a sparkly or denim jacket depending on the occasion. Like this one.