Wedding season is upon us, so there’s a good chance your calendar has at least one nuptial ceremony to attend over the next couple of months. Still not sure what to wear for the upcoming occasion? We’ve got you covered—literally. Not only have we created The Wedding Edit, a collection that includes everything from newlywed gifts to dresses and accessories to get you prepped for the big day, but we’ve also got sage style advice from our CURATEUR-in-Chief Rachel Zoe to help you break down what’s chic and appropriate for the type of event you’ll be attending.
In fact, Rachel recently devoted an entire podcast episode to the topic, answering listener questions regarding proper guest attire including the difference between cocktail, formal, and black tie dress codes. And if you want the inside scoop on what the global fashion authority wore to her own wedding—as well as how she dealt with a henna mishap and why she’ll never cut bangs before a big event—well you’ll just have to give it a listen.
As for the basic wedding dressing “rules” to follow, Rachel says that if you receive an invite with “cocktail attire” requested, your jeans and sneakers are best left at home. “I think cocktail attire means they want you to dress up,” she explains. “When I hear cocktail it means you can wear any length of dress. It means you could wear a dressy [pant suit]. It means to look polished, whatever your interpretation of that is. You don’t have to be formal, but put some effort in.”
If the couple requests that you dress in black tie attire, Rachel says a gown is considered appropriate. While she prefers full length dresses for such occasions, midi lengths can get a pass—with some exceptions. “You can wear midi if it’s fabulous, like sequins or sparkle of sorts,” she adds. And a request for “formal attire” lands somewhere in between the two, although Rachel admits that there’s a lot of grey area, and where you live in the world might have a different interpretation of these terms.
And of course the are so many wedding styles to factor into what you’re wearing, from laid back backyard ceremonies to modern, artsy affairs. With this in mind, we took Rachel’s advice and created four separate looks for four separate wedding types. Each piece is available now in The Shoppe—including some exclusive wedding-worthy sets (The Glam Guest Set and The Bridal Beauty Set) to help you complete any look. Keep reading to get inspired for the next nuptials on your calendar.
