Source: flickr
With my cousins wedding now imminent (I'd be scared if I was her!) it has been getting more and more imperative that I find an outfit. Well, I have done it. I have found a lovely (and might I add an incredible steal) dress. I have found a gorgeous feather headpiece – more on that in another post very soon, I hope. I have hunted through my shoe collection and found a pair. And I have even got the perfect eye shadow and liner in my make-up bag. I’m not going to give anything away though until after the event as I don’t want to spoil the effect! Instead I am going to give you my tips for finding the perfect wedding outfit on a budget:
1. Don’t forget about the high street. If you’re on a budget then the high street is your friend. There are some gorgeous dresses out there and they aren’t all dull and poorly made. My dress is from H&M and is pretty simple really – a good base for my complete outfit.
2. No need to stick to a dress. As a dress addict, it is always my go-to but it doesn’t have to be. I think that a pair of tailored trousers and a pretty top can make sophisticated and stunning wedding ensemble.
3. Likewise, if you are going to go for a dress, why keep it short/knee-length? I was at a wedding recently and one of the guests was wearing a gorgeous maxi dress with flat sandals and it looked perfect for the occasion. In fact this is the look that I hope to pull off next summer when friends of ours are getting married in Malta.
4. Remember to check your wardrobe. Sometimes the perfect dress/outfit is hanging in your wardrobe just waiting for you to remember it is there. My sister has found her outfit for the wedding next weekend in her wardrobe! And I am wearing shoes that I have had for years and that happen to go with everything else.
5. Whilst a hat is the typical choice of the female wedding guest, it doesn’t have to be. I am awful at wearing hats, particularly when it’s not cold. So this time I have gone for something a bit different. Something that I hope to be able to share with you in the next few days as I think it is a little bit special!
6. Just because it is a more dressy occasion than you are perhaps used to, doesn’t mean that you have to forget your own sense of style. I’m a bit of a cocktail ring addict and fully intend to wear one of my biggest and bestest rings to the wedding. I might also be sporting a lovely chunky bangle – I just haven’t decided yet!
7. I am a massive fan of the clutch bag - always elegant, often quirky and a favourite of Carrie Bradshaw! I will always choose a clutch over a big bag if I can manage it. But if you need a big bag, don't worry, just take it in your stride and make sure it goes with the rest of your outfit.
8. Shoes. Shoes. Shoes. So much to say and so little time!! Heels always feel right when you're getting dressed up but as I already said, one of the guests at a wedding I was at recently went for flat sandals and they looked just right. If you aren't going to be comfortable in heels, don't wear them. Alternatively, put a spare pair of flats in your bag for later in the evening but, make sure they go just as well with your outfit, don't make it look as if you have had to change. Make it effortless!
Come back next week for my "How to... buy a thoughtful wedding gift on a budget". And if you have missed any of the previous "How to..." posts on the blog, you can find them here, including "How to... dress like a Parisian" #1 and #2, "How to... give thoughtful presents for your girlfriends" and "How to... do Paris on a shoestring".
Come back next week for my "How to... buy a thoughtful wedding gift on a budget". And if you have missed any of the previous "How to..." posts on the blog, you can find them here, including "How to... dress like a Parisian" #1 and #2, "How to... give thoughtful presents for your girlfriends" and "How to... do Paris on a shoestring".