I Have 6 Weddings I’m Going to This Year, Here’s What I Plan On Wearing (2024)

A show of hands if you're tired of defaulting to the samelittle black dress or floral numberfor all of your wedding invites. Lack of funds for semi-formal or formalwear aside, it's hard to feel inspired by wedding attire limitations, especially once you've hit the age where the summer wedding season becomes a legitimate affair. With a myriad of "I dos" to sit through over the upcoming few months, I'm already feeling burnt out on what to wear. My Facebook timeline will tell you I've worn the same dress to the last threeblack-tie optional shindigs.

But the good news is I don't have to come up with an outfit all on my own. I've discovered some of the bestwedding guest outfit inspovia a simple scroll through my Instagram feed. Some of the most creative looks come from formal events thataren'tweddings, and I'm not too proud to steal styling tips or re-create an entire ensemble when my own imagination is lacking.

So I give you six chic-to-death wedding guest looks sitting in my Instagram "Copycat" folder. And since I'm in my mid-20s banking on using up my miles to get to all of the destination invites, I'm throwing in cheaper alternatives for good financial measure. If I have to dance to "Y.M.C.A." this many times until October, at least I'lllook good doing it.

Casual

Ballerina pink is a color I've failed to add to my wedding guest dress lexicon—the hue has always felta tad too bridesmaid-y to me—but I'm remedying that ASAP thanks to this look.This pretty puff-sleeve ankle-length dress looks put-together enough to beappropriate for a mid-day wedding, yet casual enough that I could wear iton a weekday dressed down with sneakers.

co*cktail

I typically steer clear of sleeved dresses when it comes to co*cktail attire, usually opting for a strapless or spaghetti strap dress. But Ali Tate Cutler's floral bodycon dress is convincing me that I need to give sleeves a try. Between the cat-eye sunglasses and the diamante adorned strappy sandals, I already know I'll be testing this look out for an LA-based wedding come summer.

Creative

Maybe it's a reflection of the industry I work in, but invites calling for "creative" attire have become increasingly common. It's a great opportunity for guests to display their personal sense of style without specific limitations. Sadly, this stunning vintage housecoat isn't mass-produced, but trust that I've set up alerts on eBay and Etsy in hopes of finding a similar jade green version. In the meantime, I'll be dreaming up alternate ways tochannel this brilliantensemble.

Black Tie Optional

Any invitation that lists "black tie optional" at the bottomis, in my book, a sin that causes nothing but confusion. The optional aspect, especially when it's an afternoon event, results in a big gray area where you'll find yourself either underdressed or overdressed. That's why I'm opting for amini dress, but one that can easily look more dressed up with the right added accessories. If I start to feel too overdressed the minute I arrive, I can easily remove the tights and statement earrings andvoila. In two easy steps, my look has gone from full-blown formal to a more co*cktail appropriate affair.

Black Tie

I'll always abide bya dress code,but I'm not one to sacrifice my personal sense of style in lieu ofit. And while a traditional gown may not be my cup of tea, I still enjoy dressing up in a maxi length dress whenever I get the chance. This bold blue dress is just the energy I'm looking for as an alternativeto anotherho-hum formal look. The gold chain belt and square-toe heels only add to this outfit's playful edge.

White Tie

While my bank account doesn't exactly love it, I live for a white tie wedding. How often do you get an excuse to wear the ball-appropriateget-upof your dreams? This summer, I'm taking notes from this two-piece silk set. I love that the rest of the black and white look is keptcleanwith asimple pair of mesh-toe heels.

Up next,the official dos and dont's of co*cktail attire for women.