The material of the envelope alone is a major indication of the type of wedding you’re about to be invited to. The soft, thick paper, intricate lace peeking out from underneath, crazy 3D art…Let’s just say if you know, you know. Chances are, this wedding will require black-tie attire, and there are two types of people when it comes to approaching this. One type will be so stoked to be classy for once, act richer than their two-digit bank account, and look fancy af. The other type, aka me, tends to feel like Nick Miller:
The term “black-tie” may seem daunting and super expensive at first, especially if you have no idea what it means to begin with, but rest assured, I gotchu, fam. Long summary short, most colors are fair game, you don’t *have* to wear a floor-length gown, and there are more than enough budget-friendly options to choose from. Here, I offer you some inspo under $200 for your next black-tie affair.
1. NBD Trent Gown
Stuck on which color to lean towards? I mean, white is clearly a hard no. F*cking duh. Just stay away from the color the bridemaids will be wearing and you’re good to go. A good rule of thumb is to go for a gemstone color like this gorgeous, silky-looking emerald green.
2. Eliza J Cascade Ruffle Gown
If you’re not one who is up for wearing a ball gown, opt for a floor-length dress with a trumpet- or mermaid-shaped skirt. Billowing ruffles are bound to make your night extra classy, playful, and flirty. In a color that’s just as cute as Caesar black, you seriously can’t go wrong.
3. Laundry by Shelli Segal Off-The-Shoulder Bell Sleeve Dress
4. BHLDN Jones Dress in Black
Back to the whole temporarily-tune-your-mom-out-thing, “no black” is also another fake rule that is always questioned for weddings. Your favorite color is definitely fair game, and in fact, it’s low-key encouraged. Why? Because literally everyone looks amazing in the color, especially when it’s in a flattering silhouette, and black goes with any color scheme, so no stress about upstaging any brides or bridesmaids.
5. Jarlo Harlow Off-The-Shoulder Gown
Here’s another color risk people are always afraid of taking: red. Old-fashioned people, and I say that nicely, typically say the bold color is attention-grabbing and therefore, takes away from the bride. LIES. When you style a somewhat muted dress in a classier color like this ruby, you’ll fit right in and only bring attention to yourself on the ‘gram. This off-the-shoulder dress has a fold-over bust and boned bodice, but the fluted skirt and pooled train keep it v modest and tasteful for the occasion.
Obviously, go with whatever makes you comfortable, as long as you’re safely within the specified dress code. Dressing for someone else’s wedding can be tricky, but you shouldn’t be scared about black-tie. What are your wedding guest go-tos? Let us know in the comments!
Photo: Andre Hunter / Unsplash; Giphy; Revolve; Nordstrom; Lord & Taylor; BHLDN; Bloomingdale’s
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