What to Wear, Wedding Style Part 2 - the semi formal wedding

Ok ladies, the semi formal wedding. This concept seems a little easier for people to understand, though there is still a discrepancy in women's minds on what cuts and fabrics are acceptable for a semi-formal event. What's nice is you have a few more options because you can play more freely with lengths and cuts, and the lines are bit blurred when it comes to looks for evening and day events. Basic rules apply when deciding on looks for an evening or daytime look. Just like with the formal wedding, lighter colors for day are always great, while deeper and richer colors should be reserved for the evening. Of course rule can be broken, but if so do it tastefully. More modest looks for day while riskier looks are fine for evening.

Here are some evening looks:

When the Night Comes Dress in Smoke - ModCloth $99

I like this dress for many reasons. I love the smoky color which is perfect for an evening event. It's fun, subtly sexy, and the lace detail gives is the right touch to make it  appropriate for a semi-formal event. The hemline is not too short which is a mistake I've witnessed too many times. Here is another one from the same company:

Moonlight Marvel Dress - ModCloth $177.99

 This again is a great color for an evening event. It has a classic one shoulder design, not too short hemline and with the right accessories is definitely elegant enough for any semi-formal event.

David Meister Long Sleeve Sequined Cocktail Dress - Neiman Marcus $560

Here is an example of a long sleeve option. I love the elegance of this dress. Now, some may think, it's a nice pastel color which is great for day time, but the sequins and illusion neckline make it decidedly evening. It's not just about the color. The details determine when and where and outfit is acceptable.

Tess Strapless Bustier Dress - BCBG $268

This look is definitely one of the sexier looks I've chosen for a wedding. With this look, classic accessories and a great bolero jacket for the ceremony will keep it from being too sexy, though this bustier look is subtle enough and completely acceptable for evening. Also I love the playful high-low hem. It's elegant without being too formal.

Now for some day time looks:

Kristin Dress in silk taffeta - JCrew $250 (online only) 

This dress is daytime wedded perfection. It's a great formal fabric, the perfect hemline, the perfect daytime color, and the design is simple. This dress is all about the fit. Wear a patterned shoe which picks up the color in the dress, or a solid pump or sandal depending on the time of year.

Delphine Pleated Cutout-Back Dress - BCBG $338

This is such a cute dress. The details in the fabric and the ribbon and bow make this dress special. The neckline keeps it modest. You don't have to do much with this dress because it stands on it's own. A pair of nude shoes as pictures is a perfect pairing. You could also do a metallic such as gold or bronze. Because of the classic look of this dress I wouldn't go too crazy with the color in the accessories. 

Albert Nipon Metallic Jacquard Skirt Suit - $415

This look is very specific to the semi-formal daytime wedding. Suits are not acceptable for a formal wedding. Again, the suit should be special. A beautiful color and/or interesting details should be a part of the construction. Something you would wear to the office is NOT semi-formal. Accessories with a suit should be very classic and minimal.

All of these looks are meant to inspire ideas. I am not advocating spending $500 for anything unless you have it. If you plan accordingly and take the time, you can put together an appropriate look and look like a million bucks without breaking the bank.

I hope you found this post helpful. Remember to check in for the next post in the wedding series, The "Casual Wedding". And remember to follow me on twitter @amandastylesyou. Till next time ;)

What To Wear, Wedding Style

The last few weeks I have spent styling many clueless clients for weddings. It's sometimes astonishing how little I've found people understand about dress etiquette for the most common events. I can't tell you how many times I've asked the first basic question "how formal is the event?" to be answered with stammers and blank stares. I feel bad because this lack of knowledge ads to the frustration that already lies in simply trying to find something that fits the figure, let alone searching through stores and traveling from shopping center, to boutique, to malls to find something appropriate. For many women this is like trying to find a location in a 5 mile radius with vague descriptions, and no address. For these reasons I've decided to dedicate the next few blogs to wedding guest attire and etiquette. For many people this will kill many birds with a pebble as I'm learning how few people understand the real differences between Formal and Semi-formal. We are going to work our way from fancy to casual. Today's blog is focused on the formal wedding. For assistance I have turned to the almost hundred year old stand by and expert on Etiquette, Emily Post. Emily Post has guided American's in the early 1920's on, and the tradition is now carried by her relatives. For more information on Emily Post, you go to the website here at www.emilypost.com.

Guest etiquette is extremely important. When you don't dress appropriately for events, you not only risk standing out for all the wrong reasons, it can distract from the guest of honor or be considered a sign of disrespect. Yes, dressing appropriately is that big of a deal. It shows you care. For this post I have utilized  www.nordstrom.com which has a section titled Wedding Guest Attire. The link I provided will direct you to the that section.

 Formal attire for women after 6 pm means long cocktail gowns or dressy evening separates. These need to be floor length and consideration for the venue must be taken. If the ceremony takes place in a house of worship, be sure to have an appropriate cover such as a jacket or shawl to show modesty. Here are some examples.

St. John satin gown Nordstrom $1,395

 I love this gown because it has everything you need. It's a beautiful color, it's sexy and has an interesting shape, but it's still modest enough to not distract from the occasion. Remember, you're a guest and you want to look great, but it's all about the bride. Here's another example:

Pisaro Lace Evening Gown Nordstrom $178

 This gown does not go all the way down to the floor, but is still considered formal as the hemline is at or just past the ankle. Here's one more. Evening doesn't have to mean strapless or sleeveless. Here is a cap sleeve option. This example isn't necessarily for color.

JS Collections Cap Sleeve Chiffon Dress - Nordstrom $378

This last example is light and airy and great for warm weather occasions. Now I'm a traditionalist when it comes to attire. I may push the envelope with color, or a print, but I like to stick to convention when it comes to attire length and fabric. A wedding is no place to make too personal of a statement. It's not about you. There are some women however who just do not feel comfortable for whatever reason in a long gown or separates. Today you might hear reference to the formal cocktail dress which in my opinion is an oxymoron. If you go this route it needs to be a truly special dress. You might be able to get away with it if it's formal, but if it's black tie I say stick with the longer styles.

Daytime formal offers many more options with regard to style and length. It is daytime and therefore lighter colors are encouraged. For the formal morning or afternoon wedding, cocktail or dressy afternoon dresses are considered acceptable. Here are some examples:

Adrianna Papell Strapless Lave Peplum Dress - Nordstrom $228

I love this dress because it has all the elements of a formal daytime wedding dress. The length is perfectly acceptable for the time of day. It is a beautiful sophisticated style with interesting elements. Don't be put off by it being strapless if need be the shoulders can be covered with a simple shawl or shrug, or jacket which can be taken off at the reception. This dress is feminine and a great light color, perfect for the time of day. Here are two more examples:

Tadashi Shoji Embroidered Lace Sheath Dress -  Nordstrom $368

I like this dress because of the fabric, and the color and it offers a bit more modesty. The right accessories will make you wedding ready. Here is a long option:

Calvin Klein Embellished Strapless Chiffon Gown  - Nordstrom  $198

The print makes this gown a little less formal making it and the color perfect for a formal, or semi-formal daytime wedding. Remember, when it comes to dressing, fit and appropriateness of style always beats out cost. If you don't have cocktail dresses or formal gowns in your closet, opt for styles that are versatile and can be worn year round.

Check back soon for the next Post in the series of What to Wear Wedding Style where I identity styles for the Semi-formal wedding.

Sophisticated Sunday Style

This Easter Sunday I had the pleasure of attending service at the historic Mt. Joy A.M.E church in Monkton, MD with my family. Service was great. The dancers were incredible, the word of the day was on point, and I'd like to think the music (two songs performed by yours truly) went over well. The pastor Rev. Rae-Lynn Kingeter is a great leader for her church and I must say one stylish lady. After service I insisted on getting a photo of her. By the way she is to be honored as Maryland State Employee of the Year!!!!! Let's see, successful state employee, great pastor, wife and mother of two, and always stylish..... great personal style and success. I see a connection here!!!!! ;) Oh and she's a fashionista who finds time to work part time at Ann Taylor to feed her fashion obsession. She's also a fan of Kate Spade, Nordstrom, and Saks.

Pastor Rae-Lynn Kingeter in her church Mt. Joy AME in Monkton , MD looking  fabulous

I love this dress and topper together because of the mix of textures. The dress is lace, and the topper in navy and beige has a beautiful sheen to it. Unfortunately the Pastor's look is from a past Ann Taylor collection and no longer available, but bellow are some options for how you can achieve similar looks from current collections at Ann Taylor and beyond.

Graphic Floral Topper - $198 Ann Taylor

Pique Flounce Dress - $138 Ann Taylor

 I love these two together. I keeping with the classic look, the attention is on the topper but the dress is special on it's own. Here's another:

 Ponte Zipper Jacket - $29.99 Target

French Stripe Column Dress - $178 Anthropologie 

This take further from Rae-Lynn's look but it's still a classic, eye catching outfit. It can also easily go from "work to after" which is a phrase that I came up with when referencing versatile looks to my clients. Also this look contains a classic color combination of blue and yellow. You can NEVER go wrong with those two.