After senior prom, there are only a few true occasions to dress up in formalwear.
You might get to attend a captain's dinner on a cruise ship or the occasional professional
gala, but the most likely reason you'll have to get gussied up is RSVP-ing yes to someone's
wedding.
Even if you're not in the wedding party, there are still some basic ground rules for how
you should style yourself for the festivities.
So, to keep you from making a major fashion faux pas during someone's ceremony, here are
some major missteps you should avoid when picking out your wedding wear.
Always avoid white
This may be a no-brainer, but it's also a major no-no.
The only person in the wedding who should ever wear white is the bride.
There is an exception for the wedding party if the bride or groom chooses their escorts
to wear white, but otherwise?
Steer very clear from wearing anything white during someone else's wedding.
That includes any variations on pure white, too, like cream, pearl, beige, and off-white.
"Take off that white dress right now or I'll take it off for you."
Unless you're planning to make mortal enemies out of the New Mrs. Whoever, you better make
sure your clothes have color.
"I thought you weren't supposed to wear white to a wedding."
I know, but there was an emergency."
"I look really good in white."
Skip the sequins
A lot of formal dresses, and even weddings gowns, have sequins.
Be sure to steer clear of sequin overload on your gown.
The reason?
Because they reflect light, they could easily disrupt the photographs that are inevitably
going to be taken at the reception.
Basically it'll turn you into a walking disco ball, and if you happen to be in a crucial
shot of the bride and groom, you could ruin the picture by skewing the view.
Chances are, your thank you note from the newlyweds won't be very happy if you cost
them the perfect picture.
Skin isn't in
It might be fun to slip into something sexy when the occasion calls, but when you're attending
someone's wedding, err on the side of modesty.
After all, all focus should be on the happy couple, not your naughty bits.
Not only that, but weddings should be treated as a family affair where children and grandparents
and co-workers are going to be gathering en masse.
So, no one needs to see your … you get the idea.
Go lean on accessories
While it's nice to find a few statement pieces of jewelry or other accessories that go with
your gown, the best rule of thumb is to keep it simple.
The bride might have a tiara, a veil, something borrowed, and something blue, but you should
still keep your jewelry and accessories game to a minimum.
Dance floors are notorious for becoming lost and found bins during attempts at "Hitting
the Quan" - and boisterous pieces can make you an accidental standout from the crowd
during what should be a blended image of partygoers.
In other words, this is one occasion when it is decidedly okay to be basic.
Ya basic."
Don't recycle your prom dress
Whether they have sequins or not, prom dresses are a no-go for weddings.
While it may be a shame that you'll never have a real reason to re-wear that lovely
gown that made you feel like such a star back in the day, weddings aren't the place to wear
them.
For one thing, they'll probably end up looking a lot like a bridesmaid's gown and confuse
people.
And for another thing, your prom dress was probably picked for how much it made you shine,
and, again, this just isn't your day to be at the center of anyone's attention accept
the fact that you're a guest.
Skip the giant handbags
While you might ordinarily walk around with a purse full of makeup, medications, sewing
kits, and the kitchen sink, you simply do not need to tote all that to a wedding.
Instead of bringing a satchel full of your go-to gear, lock that up in a car trunk and
come inside the wedding with just a small clutch containing just the basics like lipstick
and tissues.
Not only is there likely to be nowhere to keep your big bag among the already-tight
seating at the reception hall, but you're not gonna wanna lug around a big bag once
the "Electric Slide" kicks off.
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