Wedding bells are bangin' on
So let's get dressed and get dancin'!
Hi and happy Friday!
This week’s edition of RGV is a little different than the norm, and it was totally by accident. I found a fabulous Bill Blass dress for which I thought, “this would be such a fun wedding dress” and then as I clicked through my saved items on my various resale sites, I realized I had created a collection of cool dresses that could double as wedding dresses! Also, a friend of mine is getting married in August and as I’ve talked about it, I've realized everyone has some upcoming weddings to dress for. So! To help me and you figure ourselves out, this is a wedding-themed edition of RGV!
Below you’ll find three styled looks for wedding guests, with lotssss of exposition, and then a collage of some fabulous wedding dresses for brides who want their dresses to do double duty. This is in no way exhaustive, and if I had more time I could find a million other styles for us, but it’s a place to start. Enjoy!
This is a general summer wedding look I would love to see out and about! It’s fancy enough without going the usual dress route. I love this tank because it gives sleek from the front and sexy from the back. Especially paired with this gorgeous rust and black striped skirt for $9 (the auction ends in less than a day so you could actually snag this at that price, otherwise it’s $75)!!!! I feel like a belt is too cumbersome here, and because the waist of the skirt is so clean you don’t really need anything once you tuck the tank in. The shoes, though, is where we have some fun. To mimic the satin of the skirt, the warmth of the rust, and give an unexpected pop of color, please please add these quilted heels! A reasonable height, too, so you can stand and dance comfortably for hours. Then I would add lots of warm gold: first with the chunky hoops with black rhinestones (love); a simple bangle pulled up on your forearm (love); and then a fun Rabanne-esque linked shoulder bag so your hands are free for cocktails and gesticulating.
In lieu of a dress I would wear some flowy separates for a beach wedding milieu. This beaded tank is weighty but that means when worn, it hangs really nicely off your tanned shoulders! I would wear it loose over top of these faaaaab Ungaro pants. They’re a soft, romantic pink to match the sunset but the chiffon ‘fringe’ is like a little axolotl which sounds like I’m mocking them but I’m not at all! What a fun detail that elevates a simple pair of pants. Would then pair with some simple (with a twist - literally) clear/suede heels, pulling the red from the tank. Then I’d add some ocean-blue double hoops that play off these fab cocktail rings! You’re holding a clutch - keep those fingers interesting! I’d wear the big blue one on my middle finger and then stack the two gold ones on my pinky finger. And with this fun magazine clutch, you’re pulling in all the colors but also your surroundings (I love the nature scene they’ve used rather than the usual magazine cover). All thoughtful but easy breezy.
This would be my go-to look for a very nice wedding - possibly black tie? The whole look started with this silk, ruched strapless top. This would look amazing with a black column skirt (like this Armani one), but I wanted to work some pants into the scenario, of course! So I found these sequin pants wherein the sequins are so subtle that they look like scales, which really elevates them from something that could lean garish. These sequins are also weighty like the pink striped tank, so these will flow beautifully when you walk in them. I’d keep jewelry minimal and a simple gold collar would be my go-to. Then I’d add a nice big belt to cover the seaming because the top is ruched, you want to keep the line as clean as possible. Then some minimal heels from Celine (for a steal!) and this confetti lucite clutch that is also a steal! I love a good vintage clutch for weddings because if you’re seated at a table with people you don’t know, you automatically have a topic of conversation (sounds silly, but people love accessories and it’s an easy small talk arena). Finally, I would prefer to keep this jacket-free but if you need some extra coverage, I would add this collarless Helmut Lang blazer which has the best back detail. I’ve seen this in the wild and it is very, very chic.
As I said before, this wedding theme was wholly accidental, I just collect white dresses because I love neutral colors! The benefit to not searching “wedding,” though, is that you can find some phenomenal pieces that would be appropriate for a wedding but with more everyday prices. So whether you’re looking for a wedding dress or if, like me, you don’t have a wedding coming up soon but love white dresses, any of these pieces could work for your life and closet!
Top left to right:
1. Puff sleeve/open back, $60. This is for your Cecilie Bahnsen lovers! What a fun and joyous little dress for a fun and joyous day.
2. Paisley halter, $40. This would be so effin cute for a post-wedding brunch. The halter! The paisley! The ability to wear this for anything non-wedding, too!
3. Ungaro tie-sleeve, $138. I mean, it’s vintage Ungaro Paris. This looks like what I imagine a cool Parisian bride would wear (and rewear).
4. Smocked eyelet, $65. Got a casual backyard wedding going on? Hello here you go and enjoy wearing this any other day of the summer, too!
5. Gunne Sax eyelet strapless, $59. This is like if Saint Laurent went country and I love it. Such a good little summer dress that was made for reception dancing.
6. Bill Blass sequin, $80. So fun! This one would be so amazing for a late night twirling on the dance floor, with all the twinkly lights hitting those sequins.
7. Palazzo jumpsuit, $62. If I did a courthouse wedding, this is what I would wear. Cool, chic, but oh-so-easy.
8. Chiffon palazzo jumpsuit, $75. This feels like it could fit in a Molly Goddard runway pretty easily. Lots of chiffon and lots of volume with those palazzo pants!
9. Cache sequin halter, $30. This is like those black sequin pants - almost scale-like in their construction and would cling to your hot bod. And as a separate would be easy to rewear anytime. Pair with #9.
10. Pleated palazzos, $78. It’s clear I love a palazzos because it’s simple but *DrAmAtIc* and I personally love cream and white together, so these pants with #8 would be understated and yet not. at. all.
11. Strapless disco queen, $23. This is just crazy fun and requires a bride who loves an accessory, a slip, and a disco ball overhead at all times.
12. Neiman Marcus scallop embossed flower, $89. Click this link! The photo doesn’t do this thing justice. The entire bodice is embossed flowers and the roped scallop on the hems is soooo cool.
13. Cowl neck bias cut, $28. While I would love to see a bride get married in this, this is also an excellent rehearsal dinner dress that’s so romantic but not fussy.
That’s it this week! Have a great weekend and if you need help styling a wedding look or finding a specific style, drop it below! I’d be happy to help!
xx Maggie
I can’t wait to see your fabulous stylings at our August wedding! <3
Another great issue!!