Welcome back to So You Want To…, the column wherein I give you outfits, ideas, inspirations, etc for various moments in your life! Well, no, let me be honest, 96% of the time, this column is often inspired by events or things I have to shop and or dress for in a given month.
Which means you will likely not be shocked to hear that I am going to a wedding at the end of the month! And, look, maybe it’s just me, but shopping for weddings tends to leave me a…underwhelmed. Oh, you mean I can wear a dress if I feel like being super femme, or some sort of suit? That’s what I got? It gets a little old after a while! This time, I was determined to jazz it up, or at least bring something a little more interesting to the table. So I present to you some items that might inspire you, should you be invited to a wedding or similar dress-up event and you are sick of reaching for the same two or three things. I will say, if you are invited to say, a black tie wedding, these options might not be quite level of fancy required. But you know what else I say? Anything can be fancy if you wear it with confidence!
Throw on a Bodysuit!
1. Faux Leather Keyhole Bodysuit, Eloquii ($80) // 2. Sequin Panel Bodysuit, Nordstrom Rack ($50) // 3. Pointelle Me About It Bodysuit, Nordstrom Rack ($35) // 4. Abielle Bodysuit, Thistle and Spire ($118)
I think this is the route I will be going, some kind of slutty lace bodysuit under dress pants and big blazer. Am I already a little annoyed by the bathroom situation I am signing myself up for? Yeah, of course! But I am just vain enough to be a little irritated in a bathroom. I was also thinking about how fun it would be to witch this look up a little? Imagine a long drapey skirt paired with one of these? Or tossing a sheer cape over it a bodysuit and pants? Dramatic and elegant, yes please!
Never Underestimate The Humble Jumpsuit!
1. Beaded Sleeve Wrap Jumpsuit, Nordstrom Rack ($100) // 2. Tie Strap Wide Leg Jumpsuit, Eloquii ($120) // 3. Topshop stripe sequin jumpsuit, ASOS ($123) // 4. Floral Print Jumpsuit, Zara ($80)
When I moved away from wearing dresses to weddings, I did not pass go, I collected $100 and went right to jumpsuits. Pros: easy to pack if you are traveling, they often have pockets, and you can wear them over and over and people are always gagged. There are many options for jumpsuits, from the elegant and sedate like this yellow one from Eloquii, to the bright and demanding (perhaps for the fire signs out there) like this sequined number.
Jazz Up a Suit!
1. Printed Shirt, Zara ($50) // 2. Twisted Tailor muir shirt, ASOS ($113) // 3. Satin shirt with pussybow tie neck, ASOS ($40) // 4. Closterman Long Sleeve Button Front Woven Dress Shirt, Nordstrom Rack ($90)
Now, I don’t want to go too wild making assumptions, but I have a feeling if you are a person who is butch and or masc of center, you probably have a go-to suit for dress-up moments. And if that is the case, I can see being…a touch bored with reaching for the same thing over and over. Have you considered throwing on a jazzy dress shirt? If not, please do! Personally I am obsessed with this silk printed one from Zara — it’s giving very much dandy! Or this incredible “is it sheer or is it an optical illusion” number from ASOS.
Lean Into A Bold Pant!
1. Wide Leg Menswear Style Pants, Zara ($50) // 2. Flared Crushed Velvet Pants, Nordstrom Rack ($21) // 3. Narcisco Rodriguez Satin Effect Pants, Zara ($169) // 4. Zip Front Pant, Eloquii ($100)
Look, I know pants can be…less than inspiring sometimes. But what if instead of reaching for the same dressy pants we usually do, we leaned into something a little bolder? Perhaps a classic high waisted pair, but in a bright pink? Or a cranberry velvet? And bold doesn’t have to just mean colors, bold can mean detailing and fabric too! This gorgeous satin pair might seem sedate at first glance, but then boom! Surprise drama! And this zipper leg? Edgy biker but fancy? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
Christina i would love your take on the wedding cape! is the cape making a comeback in general or is it doomed to the realm of wizards and supervillians? or is there hope for a dramatic butch attending a january wedding?
I am not Christina but I have successfully worn a cape to a semi-formal wedding and received compliments. I think the trick is to go with a jacket cape, the kind made in modern suiting material and tailored like a modern suit jacket
I in fact almost included an entire cape SECTION but I did not find enough i liked for the honor! Which is to say, absolutely yes to cape!!!
capes are definitely making a comeback (went to a fancy wedding earlier this year where the bride wore a shimmery gold one, it was incredible) and I would love to see them become a lasting part of winter formal wear!
I am on board for capes making a comeback! Even if they are terrible choices for me considering I live in a windy country and usually ride my bike places. They are just too much fun. Who needs practicalities when you can run away over the moors, cape bellowing like a period drama heroine?
I’m usually a suit person, but wore a femmier-than-I’d-normally-be-comfortable-with jumpsuit to a wedding out of town and it did kill. I may have matched the photography crew, but I still got a ton of compliments. And I had pockets and a flowy sleeveless fit instead of suffocating buttons and long sleeves.
But I would really love a mock jumpsuit. Like with a zipper or some snaps or buttons to make the bathroom trips less awkward.
Awesome choices!!! I can’t help but picture how I’d look rockin’ a body suit or jump suit!
Literally just came home from an unsuccessful wedding outfit shopping trip to find this article. How did you know exactly what I needed??
Thanks for the article, these are some neat fashion selections.
I know you said you said you’ve moved away from dresses but I still wanted to ask if you had any ideas for dresses that might be nice to wear. (I don’t really like jumpsuits that much, even though they’re a nice idea.) Thanks!
I’m more of the suit type myself and I do like mixing that up by having them in different colors. But what I hadn’t thought about, was having a bodysuit underneath instead of a shirt. I think that would look hella cool, so definitely checking that out.
the pussybow and closterman shirts are really nice! I love that light purple
“is it sheer or is it an optical illusion” – were literally my thoughts when I saw that shirt
Also I had a wedding the other week and I wore a cravat, can recommmend. I was inspired by a fanfic in which someone was observed to be wearing an “honest-to-god cravat” and I had to know what it was, and then I needed one pronto. They’re really great, like a tie but fruity. I feel like with weddings I always do wedding-LARP and end up in the 1920’s/30’s somehow.