It's not newsworthy that dressing for an event with even the tiniest degree of formality in the dead of summer is hard. Add heels, copious amounts of alcohol and high-running emotions to that mix and you have an outfit equation practically begging to be solved. And the likelihood that you're going to have to rinse and repeat (a.k.a do it all over again) a handful of times within the span of a couple of months (welcome to wedding season, y'all!) is all too real. Given that we're not the secret-fantasy-wedding-Pinboard-type (you do you, though), rather than share dream dresses and shoes, we've gone the more practical route for our wedding week's edition of editor's picks: our summer wedding guest ensembles. Here goes nothin'.
Meagan Wilson
Senior Editor & Social Media Manager
In my lottery winner dreams, to my one wedding of the summer, I'd wear something like the airy cotton jumpsuit I had picked out prior to it selling out, or in its place, this Rosie Assoulin gown, which literally earns its place in any closet by functioning as not one, not two, but three dresses: each ruffled tier ZIPS! OFF! Like tearaway pants, only not... at all. I'll probably skip heels in lieu of flats that are dancing and drinking friendly; these slip-on, fur-and-feather lined leather mules from Simone Rocha will probably be ruined after one wear... especially after a wedding. Good thing they're on sale. To top it all off, I'd carry an Edie Parker clutch with chunky gold glitter. All-in-all, a totally economically-sound ensemble, clocking it at just under $4000. Thank god for sale season! LOL, JK crying onto my bank account app.
Noah Lehava
Senior Editor
I lucked out a bit this summer; I only have one wedding to attend, which happens to be this September, in Mexico. Surprisingly, it’s not at an all-inclusive (#winning), but will take place in a quaint Mexican town you’ve probably never heard of (it’s the groom-to-be’s hometown). It’s in late summer — as in almost fall — so I’m expecting it won’t be blazingly hot, right? Either way, I’m staying away from long hemlines, just in case, in this Dolce & Gabbana striped number, which is a bit inspired by the wedding’s locale (with a smidge of something reminiscent of Sicily). And how pretty and femme-y are these halter-back Giambattista Valli yellow heels? One problem: will there be cobblestone? Who am I kidding, that won’t stop me. I always like to throw one thing into an outfit that’s a bit, uh, off-balance, like the Bijoux De Famille mismatched earrings. Hell, I’ll wear these every damn day, even to bed — they are that good.
Alicia Cesaro
Editorial Assistant
I'm laying out all my cards here: until I'm in the midst of wedding planning and straight-up tying the knot, I don't really care too much about the season of weddings. That's like asking me to care about birding month when I'm clearly not a birdwatcher (unless you count that time I dressed up as Katniss Everdeen for Halloween). Nonetheless, my presence is still required IRL for some vow exchanging and I will take any and every excuse to dress up and slap on a pair of stilettos (that I'll complain about until my boyfriend subsequently pries them off my feet). Plus, this year there's one really glam wedding on the books; think black tie, nighttime city nuptials in a historic library—where everything smells of bound books, aged scotch and gentleman. There will probs be sparklers involved. In accordance to the dress code, I'll be giving the role of lady-like wedding guest a try with pin-thin heeled sandals (the PVC offsets the pink, no?), a smattering of gold in the form of this mesh clutch, and a silk-organza Oscar de la Renta cocktail (drinking) dress. Because, florals? For a spring wedding? Groundbreaking. I know.
Emily Ramshaw
Senior Editor
I have a problem with formalwear. As in, I dislike it to the extreme and have serious issues finding fancy-ish dresses that actually feel like me. Let’s just say that, for the most part, I don’t enjoy frills, excessive feminine embellishment or anything sparkly. But, seeing as the first wedding I’m attending this year is in Cabo and on a beach, the 90+ degree heat and humidity is a bit prohibitive when it comes to my usual tux or long-sleeved dress. Another caveat: it’s an Indian wedding—which means no red (bridal) or white (funeral). As it turns out, this actually works in my favor: for the ceremony a friend is bringing me a sari to wear—it’s ocean blue and stunning. But that still leaves six days of festivities during which I need to be look my sweaty best. My ideal is this satin and mesh gown (kind of like an extra-long slip dress—my summertime go-to) by Galvan, a super sophisticated and pared down eveningwear label out of London. It covers my no-frills, no-sequins bases. As far as accessories go, these gold Aquazzuras are perfect for a sandy dance floor. And I’d rather wear these Oliver Peoples than carry a clutch any day—that’s what my boyfriend is for.