what I wore: little black ruched dress (my absolute FAVE wedding guest dress- appropriate yet still sexy, figure flattering, simple yet chic, comes in all sorts of colors, & is AFFORDABLE!!) | Public Desire ‘Ace’ Heels | little rhinestone purse (from Amazon!!!)

TIS THE MF SEASON FOR WEDDINGS!!!

& shopping for something to wear was actually harder than I thought. There are some serious guidelines to adhere to… & then you have to work within the dress code of the wedding, which may or may not be obvious, make sure you’re not upstaging the bride in ANY way, & how much white is okay? White shoes? White polka dot dress at the rehearsal dinner? Can I wear all black?

After some extensive research I came to the conclusion that a lot of the wedding guest style “etiquette” I was finding was probably written 100 years ago & felt a tad outdated, so I am giving these traditional rules a little Fashionlush update…

The Fashionlush Rules for Wedding Guest Style

1. USE THE INVITE AS YOUR GUIDE: first & foremost, check the invite for a dress code (most should have one!), check to location (i.e. beach or church!), & then study the vibe of the invite itself for hints of what the wedding vibe will be like.

2. STAY IN THE DRESS CODE: if it’s a black tie wedding- don’t show up in a floral frock, if it’s boho chic- highly recommend against a black ball gown.

3. THE WEDDING COLORS: take a look at the invite again & peep the colors used- this may be a hint at what the bridesmaids will be wearing & you should def. avoid that color. Nothing more awkward than the wedding planner ushering you into a line with other bridesmaids.

4. PICK ONE, WHEN IT COMES TO SKIN: you don’t have to be covered up, but just pick one spot for skin. We don’t want a low back, low front, look at me/not the bride situation.

5. THE MODERN DAY DEAL WITH WHITE: If you wanna see a bride lose her shit on her wedding day, go ahead, wear all white. Honestly there are so many colors in the rainbow, so just avoid the unnecessary drama. When it comes to the other wedding events (welcome party, rehearsal dinner, after wedding brunch), I think a bit of white is fine, but it really depends on the bride you’re dealing with! If you are someone’s plus one, just avoid the white altogether to any events. If it’s your first cousin & you know she isn’t gonna go all bridezilla on your for wearing a white shoe to her rehearsal dinner, go for it. Just never go head to toe all white, you will just make yourself a target for gossip. I also think you should avoid any colors close to white on the big day, just to be safe.

6. BLACK IS OKAY, IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCE: for a day time wedding or a beach casual wedding, I wouldn’t reach for black just cause it can be kind of depressing & make you stand out. The wedding I went to this past weekend was black tie, started in the evening, & the weather was gloomy- making black a GO. Next month, on the other hand, I am going to a wedding in San Diego that is not black tie, starts earlier in the day, & will be WARM AF- black will def not be my first choice.

7. YOU DON’T HAVE TO AVOID ALL PATTERNS: again, all depends on the vibe of the wedding, but I am personally not opposed to a print. I wouldn’t go crazy with a hot pink leopard or a rainbow sequin moment (just avoid sequins altogether actually), but a floral pattern is pretty for a spring wedding or even an understated leopard moment like this wouldn’t be too attention seeking.

8. WHEN IN DOUBT, OVERDRESS: it’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed for a wedding.

THE EDIT | WEDDING GUEST DRESSES