Happy Friday! This week went by so fast and I couldn't be more glad that it did.
So one of my friends from high school is getting married next weekend. She's the first one of my high school friends to get married, so it's a pretty big deal. And it's the first wedding I'll be going to since I was 7 years old. So I knew that I had to get the perfect dress for my first wedding as an adult. It took me forever to find one because a lot of the dresses I found online sold out very quickly and then I couldn't find anything that I liked at most major stores. And then anything I found at boutiques wasn't appropriate enough (too low cut for a church wedding-big boob problems) or they didn't have it in my size (the struggle is REAL). So it was LITERALLY a miracle that I found a dress and loved it as much as I did.
So this is the dress I'll be wearing. I got it from Francesca's and it was a score (it was only $44 and it was on sale when I bought it, so it wasn't even that much). If you like it too, get it here. I wanted something flowy (read: I didn't want to wear something tight so I can eat all the foods at the wedding) and this dress is just that. It's a simple silhouette and is really flattering and I liked the fact that it's sleeveless. I know it's going to be hot, so I really didn't want to wear sleeves or a maxi dress (that Ohio humidity is real). This dress is definitely going to keep me cool during the wedding and then if I get cold, I'll just plan on wearing a shawl or scarf.
So, if any of y'all are going to weddings any time soon, here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Some people are against wearing white to a wedding because they believe that the bride should be the only one wearing white. Originally I agreed, but I changed my mind because I think white dresses can be worn to weddings if you wear them with patterns. White dresses with a floral pattern, like the one I got, are very feminine and will look especially nice for summer weddings. And if you don't want to go with pure white, go for a cream color. The only white dress you should avoid is a white maxi dress - that's wayyyyyyyy too close to a wedding gown.
2. Stay away from bright colors. The only thing worse than wearing white on a wedding is wearing a bright color that will take away from the bride. I love red dresses (and actually really wanted to wear one to this wedding), but imagine taking a picture with a bride wearing a bright red dress - you'll be the one standing out in the red. All eyes should be on the bride, so stick to neutrals (especially for winter weddings) and pastels (for summer weddings) and even deeper colors like mauve or an olive green are also nice.
3. Same rule applies for patterns. A harsh chevron might not be the best pattern for a wedding. Floral prints can be either large or small, both will work, but when it comes to other patterns, like polka dots, geometric patterns, or aztec-type patterns, stick to smaller prints.
4. Know the type of wedding you're going to. I'm going to an evening church wedding, so I knew I needed to dress in something more dressy and it couldn't be overly revealing. If you're going to a church wedding, dress is definitely more conservative. Stick to dresses with higher necklines and lower hemlines, like a simple A-line or shift dress. If it's a day wedding on a beach or outdoors, dress is expected to be more casual. Go for a more daring wrap dress or a chic jumpsuit.
If you're in need of some inspiration, here are some dresses that I considered that could also be perfect to wear for weddings.
Free People, $168 | Lulu's, $58 | Topshop, $125 | ASOS, $45 | Zara, $19.99 | Sabo Skirt, $64 | TOBI, $78 | Francesca's, $44
xoxo,
Lex