What with all the wedding-wear rules in the world to contend with, we're pretty stuck when it comes to guest outfits. Stylist Laura Fantacci helps us out...
What to wear at a wedding is, at least for me, always a bit of a conundrum. Obviously white is out of the question, but what are all the other rules about skirt length and shoulder cover-ups? I’ve spent the last ten years attending weddings of all sorts and, having been a bride myself, I’ve come to the conclusion that dressing for the bride's wedding theme is the way forward.
So try and find out what the theme of the wedding is: is it a bohemian garden party or a town hall bash? Dress accordingly and the bride will love you for it and you will look great in the photos from the day. In this month’s Fashion High Five I thought I would identify five types of weddings and your perfect dress to match.
1) The city wedding
J. Crew Collection Samantha Broderie Anglaise Cotton Dress, £250
This type of wedding is often quite smart, so darker colours and longer lengths are more suitable. I love this midi length J.Crew chic dress that will take you from the church to the dance floor in perfect style. Pair it with killer heels and add a little jacket or a throw to the shoulder in the church.
2) The summer wedding
Summer weddings are all about romance, lace and soft, powdery shades – for this type of wedding choose a lace or a broaderie frock in a pastel colour. I love this Coast dress- it comes with a demure high neck which makes it really modern and expensive looking.
3) The church wedding
Zara Dress with Bell Sleeves, £39.99
If you are attending a church wedding you must consider your shoulders being covered. What I love about this Zara dress is that it is so plain and simple (whilst being super chic) that you can go wild with accessories. I would wear it with a pair of mad sandals, a sparkly pair of earrings and finish it off with a beaded clutch.
4) The boho wedding
Topshop Limited Edition Rose Embellished Maxi Dress, £70
My wedding was all about floral prints and maxi lengths so I would have loved for all of my girlfriends to wear something like this (infact, most of them did). For this type of wedding (often set in a garden), opt for the comfort of flats rather than heels, and choose billowy shapes like this dreamy Topshop number.
5) The party wedding
This type of wedding often centres around a fabulous dinner and dance party, so I say take your legs out and make an entrance in a little black frock. Add a touch of colour and always accessorise with bright shoes or sparkle - it’s a wedding after all and you don’t want to look too serious.