Looking ahead to the hectic season of weddings and other special summer events, Washington DC’s Indya Wright has had enough.
She recently tweeted: “These new age event dress codes are the bane of my existence. What happened to ‘casual’, ‘cocktail’ and ‘formal’? Now I have to google ‘renaissance after party formal attire’ at 5′ in order to figure out if you want it to go in the style of the Great Gatsby or King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table”.
Wright, 35, remains frustrated. A college roommate’s wedding specified a “smart casual, but not too dressy” dress code.
Renée Strauss, co-founder and CEO of Beverly Hills, California-based wedding planning company Wedaways, said outlandish dress codes are caused by couples trying to make their weddings personalized and unique.
“The key is to make sure there is communication behind the dress code. There is no mistaking the guests, ”she explained.
When his company creates wedding websites for its clients, it includes descriptions for dress codes like “wine country chic,” asking couples to offer a wide range of options for people to express themselves. “Tropical formal,” for example, could refer to long, flowing dresses in bright summer colors and linen suits with playful ties.
“Most of the guests have a lot of fun with it,” Strauss said.
Rikki Gotthelf, 32, of Los Angeles, attended a wedding recently and has three more this year. She was a bridesmaid for the “disco space cowgirl”-themed wedding of one of her friends, which she transported her guests to an abandoned ghost town near Austin, Texas.
“We had these Batsheva sparkly intergalactic prairie dresses. Mine was iridescent,” Gotthelf said. “Another wedding I went to was ‘funky formal.'”
For guidance, Gotthelf turned to Sophie Strauss, who defines herself as a “stylist for ordinary people.” Strauss suggests contacting the couple if it’s unclear what to wear.
“They will not be offended,” he said. “They care enough about how everyone looks that they’ve established a quirky dress code.”
One of your clients is having a “music festival formal” dress code wedding.
“He clarified with the couple that it’s more Woodstock and less Burning Man (an annual event that takes place in Nevada). It’s good to know,” said the stylist.
What is the difference? Flowy hippie dresses, flared pants, tunics, faded garments, big round sunglasses, and woven headbands for the former. For the second, something more like combat boots, rhinestones, body paint, and glasses. Her client opted for a neutral-toned linen suit with a vintage bead necklace or two.
He implored guests examining outrageous dress codes to remember: “It’s not a costume. Unless, of course, it’s literally a costume party.”
A few small tweaks might be more than enough, such as putting on a normal suit, but changing the shirt for one that is more in keeping with the theme. James Berger, 32, in Las Vegas, was one of the guests asked to express his inner spirit. He wore a multi-colored dotted bow tie and a formal suit that made him feel “slightly out of place” amidst a sea of vibrant colors.
Strauss, the stylist, regularly encounters this problem among her clients.
“I had a client who had to go to a ‘fancy ranch’ themed event a few months ago and she was thinking of buying her entire outfit, from head to toe,” she said. “But pairing cowboy boots with a sundress or swapping a tie for a bowtie works. And if you really want to do it really well, you could add a cowboy hat. You don’t need to dress like Orville Peck to fit the theme, but if that’s your style, gosh do it!”
There is often a sentimental meaning behind wedding themes. Madison Smith, 32, is getting married in May 2024 and her wedding dress code is “chic and glam for sunset”. The wedding will take place at the Bonnet Island Estate Ballroom in Long Beach Island, New Jersey.
“It is in honor of my deceased grandfather,” he said on the subject. “What he liked the most were the sunsets of the place where I’m going to get married.”
What do you imagine? Sunset dresses of oranges, yellows, purples, blues and pinks with fun accessories, and tuxedos with bows and pocket squares in the same colors.
Smith, from Arlington, Virginia, has not left his guests in doubt. He works at Pinterest and has already sent them images for inspiration. Your bridal shower guests have their own inspiration board for achieving the “chic love nest” dress code.
“There are no precedents for an unusual dress code when a couple asks for anything other than dressy, formal, cocktail or casual attire. When you get an invitation reading ‘Hudson Valley holiday chic’ or ‘tropical hipster,’ it can certainly portend more questions than fewer for those used to more traditional themes,” said Amy Shey Jacobs, Founder of Chandelier Events In New York.
“Super chic”. “Gay garden party”. “Stylish and fabulous”. “Cocktail colourful”. “Shimmer and shine”. “Red carpet ready”. Jove Meyer, owner and creative director of an eponymous organizing company of events in Brooklyn, has handled all previous dress codes.
“As much as I love a fun and unique dress code, I always suggest couples clearly specify what they want with a one or two sentence description so there’s no question,” she said.
Brittny Drye, editor-in-chief of wedding magazine Love Inc, said guests shouldn’t be averse to questioning the bridal couple about a perplexing dress code.
“We never want to bombard the couple,” she said, “but when they ask their guests to abide by a non-traditional dress code, they’re setting themselves up for questions.”
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FUENTE: Associated Press
