'Formal' wedding - what does that mean to you?

[Willow]

I'm having a bit of a fashion dilemma.

I am attending two weddings in the next two months. One is next weekend and the couple are good friends of ours, I know lots of people that are going and think it will be a pretty relaxed kind of wedding. I am wearing a nice frock and getting some peep toes on the weekend

The second wedding however is starting to stress me out. The couple are friends of DH through work and I have met them a few times. I know the groom quite well but I've only met the bride once or twice. They are a young italian couple and the invitation says the dress code is 'formal'. You can tell just by looking at the invitation that it's going to be a glam wedding iykwim? They would have cost a bomb.

I have no idea how 'formal' I need to be. I don't know anyone else that is going so I can't even get some sort of an idea that way.

What would you be wearing?

The dress I am wearing to the first wedding is a nice dress, it's black and white, with a kinda chiffony overlay. It's a nice dress and I've worn it to weddings before but I'm not sure if it will cut it for a formal wedding

Help!!

[~Trish~]

EEK, I hate dilemmas like this! Is your dress long? I think formal is usually full length? Have you got a nice jacket you can wear over your dress to make it look more formal? I can't imagine a black and white dress would be inappropriate . I'm so out of the loop these days LOL!

I remember one of DH's executive ball Christmas parties had a ****tail dress code. I tossed up whether to buy a dress with colour or not. I ended up choosing a black, ****tail length dress and was SO glad I did when we arrived! Everyone was wearing black except one woman. I hate standing out in a crowd so I said a quiet "phew!" to DH LOL!

I am no help at all haha! Hopefully someone much wiser can help you .

[Beatrix]

Formal to me is a nice dress/heels, not 100% ****tail wear but close too. and suit/tie for the male

[Willow]

Trish - My dress is long-ish, probably mid calf? I never do anything shorter than that cause I have reeeeally bad legs

That's what I'm worried about - I don't want to turn up in a full length bl**dy ball gown and be totally over dressed! I'll be socially challenged enough as it is going to a wedding where I don't know anyone

Beatrix - I wish I was a man...how easy is a suite and tie?!

[~Trish~]

Ooh, just Googled and found this:

* Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit. Hats and gloves optional.
* Formal Evening or Black-Tie: Long or dressy short ****tail (beading, glam accessories, wrap)

Wish I could lend you my ****tail dress LOL!

[Willow]

OK, if that's the case, I could probably wear the same dress to both weddings.

I'm going to buy some new heels and clutch and I have a black wrap I could wear.

To be honest, I'd rather be a bit underdressed and blend than be over dressed and stand out.

[~Trish~]

Sounds perfect

To be honest, I'd rather be a bit underdressed and blend than be over dressed and stand out.

Me too!

[~me~]

Wear the same dress and the spend the money saved on having your hair and nails done. The black wrap will glam it up perfectly

[Willow]

Heather - My hair is a whole seperate dilemma! LOL. I am growing a full fringe out atm and I have no idea what I'm going to do with it so that it looks half decent. Usually I just pin it back. I'm going to talk to my hairdresser about it next weekend when I go in for a colour.

[luna moth]

I am an over-dresser! Always! But I like to look fabulous, all the time. I feel comfortable when I look great, and if you feel comfortable, it doesn't matter if you're over or under dressed.

To me, formal wedding, Italian family is pretty formal. Chiffon is a nice fabric that handles formal well, so I say go for it. If you don't feel formal enough, go to town on your hair and makeup and dress it right up. It'll be great.

I would wear a an aqua printed satin maxi dress, with low brown heels, a gold glo-mesh clutch and beautiful bronzey make-up. I have worn it before and it's a show-stopper. Sigh. Since there are no weddings in my life in the next month, it will hang, glorious but idle in my wardrobe until year's end

Have fun. Hope you look fab!

[Willow]

I would wear a an aqua printed satin maxi dress, with low brown heels, a gold glo-mesh clutch

Wow, that actually sounds very 'me'! But unfortunately, I am a bit of an introvert, tend to be a bit self conscious especially when I won't know a single person at this wedding.

Where did you get the dress??

I didn't know if a maxi dress would be classified as formal?

[smiles4u]

OK, if that's the case, I could probably wear the same dress to both weddings.

I'm going to buy some new heels and clutch and I have a black wrap I could wear.

To be honest, I'd rather be a bit underdressed and blend than be over dressed and stand out.

Trust me it's better to be **over dressed** than under dressed especially at a Wedding, and especially at an Italian Wedding

wear what you mentioned - your dress sound lovely, with new heels & nice clutch, definitely a wrap or nice coat ... and some really nice jewellery

... and if you ever at any point feel over dressed you can always strip the jewellery off and pop them into your clutch bag

(another tip, try not to show any bra straps !!)

[luna moth]

Where did you get the dress??

I made it It is the kind that would be classed as formal - some wouldn't. I guess it depends on the fabric. Because it's satin, it's definitely an evening dress. Although I have another cheap satin one that is easily dressed down to day time, and up to evening.

This is the dress I'm talking about. I'm size 12-14, check it out and if you think you'd fit it, happy to lend. I certainly won't get to wear it and would love to see someone feel fabulous in it.

ETA: I'm the one on the left. If you couldn't tell.

[Willow]

Thanks smiles - you're really into this fashion and beauty stuff huh? I've seen you post lots in this section! LOL. I appreciate your advice, you seem like you know what you're talking about!

You know what I realllly want to wear - panty hose/stockings with seams down the back. Is that bad? I've always wanted to wear them and the style and print of my dress is a bit vintage so I think it could work...what do you think?

Only problem is I've found a nice pair of satin peep toe heels with ruffles on the toe. I know you can get toe less stockings now but I think I'd be pushing my luck to get toe less with seams.

Maybe I should go for closed in heels??

I'm getting a headache

Audax - Wow, that is so generous of you It would probably fit but I can't see the pic. Probably cause I'm not a friend on FB.

[sneakysparkle]

I think that with a nice dress, formal can be all in the accessories

Your dress sounds great! With a nice pair of heels, and some bling - and maybe a hair-dresser do - you'll look fab

[smiles4u]

aww thanks Willow, that means heaps to me ... hey you can thank my Mum for that she was a bit a glam platinum blonde bomb shell in the late 1950's into the 1960's ... although i'm far from glam like she was

If your talking vintage 50's ... yep wear them seamed pantihose & just wear closed in heels with them

(my Mum said they were so poor during the 50's she & her friends would pencil a dark line up the back of their legs to look like they had those seamed stockings on, and as she said " The boys at the dance didn't know any different ", LOL ... makes ya feel lucky we can afford some luxuries such as that in our days )

[Willow]

(my Mum said they were so poor during the 50's she & her friends would pencil a dark line up the back of their legs to look like they had those seamed stockings on, and as she said " The boys at the dance didn't know any different ", LOL ... makes ya feel lucky we can afford some luxuries such as that in our days )

My grandmother has told me the same thing! And that during the war they used tea bags to stain their legs so it looked like they had stockings on

[Glamourcide]

Ooh, I love big Italian weddings! Definitely glam it up babe Daytime, go for a shorter ****tail dress, if it's an evening do, go full-length (or at least mid-calf).
I love Grace & Hart dresses for more formal stuff with a cute party edge, google them and check out their stuff, they do a lot of cute, short dresses but also a few longer and full-length things, at the very least it might give you some ideas if you decide the dress you have isn't going to cut it Chiffon does go pretty well for formal events though so sounds like you might be on a winner! I'm a big fan of taking a, well, not really 'plain', but ykwim, dress and going OTT with hair, accessories and shoes, kwim?

Good luck hun, I hope you have a great time at both dos, and my congratulations to the happy couples!