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Navigating The New World Of Wedding Guest Dressing
Really, the only rule now is: don’t wear white.
There’s a lot of stuff out there, and not all fashion pieces are created equal. Luckily, the ELLE editors know their way around a shopping rail, and when it comes to helping you find those perfect wardrobe building blocks, they’re up to the task. From the new and niche brands worth knowing to high-street hits of quality, and a few vintage treasures too, our ELLE Edits showcase the very best of the season.
Few fashion scenarios induce as much perspiration as trying to find a good wedding guest dress. If you’re reading this, it’s likely you’ve been dressing yourself with next-to-no drama for quite some time, yet having to clothe ourselves to witness someone else’s nuptials still seems to undo even the most accomplished dressers among us.
To be fair, it’s understandable if event dressing brings you out in a sweat. The rules used to be fairly simple – don’t wear white, don’t upstage the bride, wear shoes you can stand up in – but with today’s increasingly varied weddings it can be particularly tricky to work out what the hell you’re supposed to wear.
City weddings? Something chic, probably – but can you wear black? Really, the answer to that will depend on how chill your bride is. Country affair? Florals are always in, but shop on the high street and there’s a high chance you’ll be twinning with another guest. And as for those far-flung destination weddings? Nothing is more challenging than finding a dress that you won’t overheat in once the temperatures tip 40 degrees.
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So, how to win the summer wedding-guest dress game now? An easy option is to embrace the world of rental, where you can borrow something extra special without the investment. Platforms like By Rotation and Hurr have incredible designer options to hire for a few days or even a few weeks if you're headed abroad – perfect for an outfit you might only wear once.
Generally speaking, something party-ready fits the bill for most weddings these days – I might not know how fun your friends are, but I’m willing to bet hardly any of them will be mad at you for making a major effort on their big day, so consider ruffles, feathers and highlighter-bright hues all on the approved list. Even cut-outs are acceptable (to a point, obviously).
As for length? Pretty much anything goes these days, but a midi usually comes with maximum wardrobe mileage after the big day: a calf-skimming floral-print dress will look just as good with chunky boots at the weekend.
And finally, if your chosen look is feeling a little more prim and proper than you'd ideally like, the easiest way to bring edge to a wedding-guest look is via your accessories. Forget the traditional matchy-matchy outfit finishers and try shaking things up a little: a pair of statement sunglasses will dial down the femininity of a floral print, while letting a pair of sheer socks peek from platforms will subvert a pastel puffball perfectly. Have fun with it - at the end of the day, a good wedding is all about the joy.
So from nuptials in a country pile, modest church, local boozer or back garden, there's a wedding guest dress for each and every invite – here, see the ones we’ll all be wearing for this year’s love-in.
The Wedding Guest Dresses You'll Want To Wear Again And Again
One of the rental sites I recommend the most, Hurr really shines when it comes to special-occasion dresses – especially now they've teamed up with Rejina Pyo to offer a capsule collection of the designer's cult pieces, in every size and a host of hues.
The dress we're bookmarking for the next wedding? It has to be the shoulder-baring Dora, which comes in dazzling silver or navy lamé.
The hot-pink hue of Reiss' ankle-skimming dress feels so right for heatwave weddings. It'll work with both silver and gold jewellery, and is thoughtfully tailored so you can easily wear a bra beneath.
When an event calls for serious impact, Rat & Boa is up to the task. One of the brand's most wedding-appropriate options, the Navarra dress is made from molten lime-green silk and cut on the bias to really make the most of that beautiful draped neck. Trust me: nothing is quite as flattering as a R&B design.
Reformation’s Kourtney dress is one of those brilliant designs you’ll find yourself calling on for so many occasions. It’s the small, thoughtful details that make it look so expensive: note the gently curved neckline, adjustable straps and discretely ruched back panel.
One of the buzziest dress brands of the moment, Damson Madder creates pieces that nod to vintage styles yet feel entirely of-the-moment. The Kiki dress is our favourite, thanks to its sweet (and cleverly waist-contouring) ruffle trims and liquid-metal sheen.
A winner from the online sale racks, Warehouse's satiny tiger-print dress is slinky, sheeny, and just sultry enough (there's a plunging cut-out at the back). Pair it with strappy black sandals and switch gold for silver finishers to keep things modern.
No-one does fun, flouncy femininity quite like Aussie favourites Aje. The lime-green hue of this mini dress looks best when clashed alongside major accessories: think flashes of leopard print, or crisp optic white.
Few designers encapsulate modern romance quite as well as Simone Rocha. A new twist on a signature silhouette, this baby-pink puffy dream is defined at the waist by a contrasting red bow.
Cecilie Bahnsen’s cloud-like silhouettes are a modern classic – this is one you’ll wear for years to come, both with sweet stilettos and sturdy lace-ups.
For those occasions where you need to make a serious impact, a vintage Chanel is the ultimate fashion power move. This one, from Farfetch's phenomenal pre-owned section (if you haven't seen it, you're missing out) is a runway treasure you'll be showing off about forever.
When it comes to chic city weddings, a dazzling black cocktail dress always feels right. Rebecca Vallance's sequin-soaked midi is fluffed up with feathered and split to the thigh to ensure freedom on the dancefloor.
How to tackle the tricky 'destination wedding' dress code? With Louisa Ballou's sunset-print maxi, of course.
In the season's key bold red shade and trimmed with rippling ruffles, this is clearly one of the most on-point high-street dresses of the summer.
Your most fun friend deserves your most fun dress, so save Fanci Club's Y2K throwback just for them.
Rixo has long been a go-to for occasion dresses, but this season's collection is especially brilliant: think super-flattering silhouettes, slinky fabrics and vintage-style detailing.
Our pick is the Iggy dress, which combines classic polka-dots with lace inserts that keep things on the right side of sexy.
A megawatt dress designed for major impact, 16 Arlington's flame-red midi, with its precisely contoured neckline and shimmering ruched skirt, is the kind of trophy piece you'll be calling on for years to come.
Norma Kamali's classic super-stretch dresses are such a brilliant investment. Not only are they incredibly comfortable (even on a sweltering beach) but the all-over ruching is so flattering. You can't go wrong with classic black, but I love this neon green for a more vibrant take.
A precious Vampire's Wife find that surely won't be around for long, this Night Garden dress exemplifies why the fashion world loves designer Susie Cave so much: it's entirely flattering, subtly sexy, and will make you feel incredible.
Evening weddings call for maximum glamour, and Cult Gaia’s navy feathered mini is up to the task. Silver accessories will always look good, but try it with a contrasting pastel shade for maximum impact.
A slip dress is the ultimate wardrobe problem-solver: in my opinion, every wardrobe should contain one. Warehouse’s is one of the best high-street options I’ve tried, with lustrous satin fabric and a flattering scooped neckline.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has over fifteen years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find.
Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
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