YSL bag, M.Gemi heels
Happy first week of Spring! I can tell wedding season is near, based on the number of requests I’ve been getting for posts on wedding guest attire! I always recommend first looking up the venue setting (ie. beach, estate, garden) and then checking the invite or couple’s wedding website for any notes on attire. For “black tie” or “formal” I usually suggest a long dress or jumpsuit, and for “festive” or “casual” a shorter dress (above-the-knee, knee, or midi length) is a safe bet. Aside from length, fabric choice can play an important role in scaling the piece from casual to dressy – for example, a shorter dress in silk, brocade or with embellishments can pass as formal, while a maxi dress in lightweight cotton or chiffon could work in a more casual setting.
For this post I’m partnering with Modcloth’s and their new wedding page – they have so many romantic, vintage-inspired dresses and accessories for wedding guests, brides, as well as bridal party members. I love browsing the party dresses for guests, and chose this darling navy fit & flare number with pockets and an ivory colorblock. I can see it with wedges and a cropped cardigan (like this one which I have and love) for a casual beach or backyard event, or with high heels, clutch and a shoulder wrap for dressier settings.
I’m wearing a UK size 4, which feels like a US 00 and fit snugly on me with no alterations. The material is a stretchy poly blend, and the dress is unlined with two side pockets. I did have my tailor change out the gold metal zipper for an invisible-style one. This is an alteration you don’t hear about often, but is one of my favorite tips for tweaking certain pieces to your personal tastes. For a dress like this, I felt like I could get more mileage out of it personally (including wearing to more conservative occasions) if the zipper were more discreet. For a dress like my bell sleeve lace one on the other hand, I liked the exposed gold zipper against the lace fabric.
Measurements of this dress in a UK size 4: 14.5″ across the armpits, 12″ across the waist, 33″ total length. Fabric has stretch to it.
I tried on a few other Modcloth dresses and wanted to share my favorites from the bunch which are also petite-friendly! This dusty blue lace one is a simple but flattering knit dress – a size S stretched to fit well on me. The knit material, scoopneck, and swingy silhouette makes it more on the casual side. In comparison, this teal flared number has more structure and construction to it, reminiscent of some favorite floral dresses in my closet. It bodes a striking and vibrant print on sturdily-woven fabric with a little sheen (almost like brocade), and is fully lined with a slightly longer length in the back than in the front. This one ran very small with no stretch in the fabric, so I wanted to provide some measurements: size 2 measures about 12″ across the waist and 15″ across the armpits, fitting snugly on me throughout.
Do you mind sharing your tailor? I only found info in your 2013 posts. Is he still in the same location?
I'm impressed. I've never bought a dress from modcloth that didn't swim on a petite frame!
You`re so pretty! Anything looks good on you! 🙂 Love this blog and feeling inspired!
So cute! Love it.
Super chic nautical dress!!
Love the color blocking!
xo
http://www.atlasmusings.com
So classy dress! Look gorgeous! 🙂
I love the simplicity of this gorgeous navy dress. It's chic, streamlined, and looks amazing without taking attention from the bride.
Julia // Little Miss Haute Couture
You look amazing! Having just moved to a new city, I would LOVE to see a post about how to go about finding a tailor you trust, since alterations end up being so important!
Such a pretty dress! Looks so cute!
Xoxo,
Love from http://www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}
I have turned down many cute dresses due to the exposed zipper. I find that the exposed zippers tend to shift (curve) to the side like having a crooked spine, which is annoying and not flattering. I had no idea that tailors will do this kind of alteration! Do they have to find a matching zipper color to the dress? Or is it very costly compared to a other types of alterations? Glad you brought up the exposed zipper topic! I've been so disappointed in seeing cute dresses and skirts, only to turn it around and cringe at the exposed zipper. Can't wait till retailers stop marketing this trend!
You loom amazing! Lovely dress!
Love this dress! Wedding season has gotten much more complicated with a soon-to-be toddler. Love the pockets.
Gorgeous! This definitely hits the sweet spot between casual and wedding-ready. You look stunning!
Love the dress! The heels compliment so well with the outfit! ♡
Evelyn | BeautyCloud9
love the outfit! congrats on your collab.
xoxo
Mady
thegirlfromthemirror.blogpost.com
What a cute dress! Weddings are always a lot of fun!
Polly
http://gemsandjoy.com
Thank you for the post. This is very helpful as I never know what to wear to a wedding!
I absolutely love this!! I only wish it came in a tall size!
Elizabeth @ AATD
http://www.alwaysaboutthedetails.com
This dress is gorgeous on you! Love the semi-nautical look <3
http://www.pamelayaquelin.blogspot.com
Would love to see a post all about your closet organization with pics. Like where and how you store shoes, boot, sandals on season and off season. And how you organize shirts, sweaters , dresses, pants etc… Also, how you decide which clothes stay even if they haven't been worn much and which ones go
I enjoyed reading the tips! I didn't know that there were different dress lengths for different levels of formality in a wedding!
a small bit | bloglovin | twitter | latest post
Thanks for this! I've got a wedding to attend in April and May and didn't think to ask about the formality of the dress code.
http://www.dressupchowdown.com
You look beautiful! You got killer arms in pic #4.
What type of arm toning exercises are you doing?
Weight pound??
Beautiful dress! xx
Jill
http://jilldap.blogspot.ca
That dress is darling! Perfect wedding attire. I love the flared shape! 🙂
Lifestyle by Joules
So beautiful. The perfect classy, nautical dress to wear <3
Enclothed Cognition/Bloglovin
I am loving this dress, the navy is perfect to wear to a casual wedding. I loved reading about this look and how you styled it. Thank you for sharing!
XOXO
Morgan England
http://www.styleonedge.net
I love the tip about the zipper, it takes this dress to the next level! I love navy and white. the perfect wedding dress!
courtneydrew.com
Altering the zipper is a great tip! I often find dresses or other pieces that I love, but feel like are ruined by an exposed zipper. I never thought to have it altered!
http://www.affecionada.com
Nice dress and great tip about the zipper. Do you have any advice on how to find someone who does alterations?
Thanks!
Beautiful and chic dress!
Raspberry Jam
I'm so in love with this dress! It looks like especially made for you and you found the perfect accesories <3
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
This is such an adorable dress! Love it and perfect for wedding season. Thank you.
xoxo
Serein
http://sereinwu.com
Love this chic and sophisticated look! Gorgeous dress.
Avanti
xxx
Avantigarde.wordpress.com
Beautiful dress! Love it<3
Shall We Sasa