Wedding Guest 101 / Black Tie
J.Crew dress / Deepa Gurnani necklace / BCBG clutch / Rebecca Minkoff earings / Tabitha Simons heels
Now that June is here, you know what time it is... it's wedding time to the max! As many of us prepare for the inevitable nuptial celebration or two this summer, there are a lot of fashion debates and questions that come up for wedding guests. So, over the next month we're going to be addressing them all right here! First up, what to wear to a black tie wedding? When we hear the words "black tie" we tend to picture a very fancy affair, where all the men are in tuxes with bow ties, and women are in gowns. While those looks are still perfectly fit for the occasion, the rules of black tie have evolved a bit in recent years. For the guys, it's ok to wear a black suit with a black tie of any kind as opposed to just a tux (I recommend a skinny black satin tie with a short tie clip, and a slim cut black suit - Ted Baker and Topman make great, more affordable ones). For us ladies, think of black tie as elevated cocktail. We can totally get away with a shorter dress, as long as it's on the fancier side of the cocktail realm (like lace, silk taffeta, or tasteful sequins) and accessorized with more elegant pieces like a great pair of satin heels. Or if you decide to go with a gown, you can have a little more fun with accessories. If you're buying something new, feel free to choose something that could easily be dressed down for a future event or even just a nice dinner out, like adding a leather jacket and booties. Black tie is no longer a stuffy, extra formal dress code to stress over, it's just an excuse to wear your favorite fancies and feel extra gorgeous!