Hi everyone, I'm Rachel So and you're listening to Climbing in Heels for your weekly dose of glamour inspiration and of course it's fun. It's that time of year when wedding season has officially begun and all the what should I wear A questions start rolling into my dms, and instead of focusing on bridal fashion, which can be very personal and specific, I thought this week I would focus on.
What to wear as a wedding guest.
Back to help me is my ever always amazing, dazzling, beautiful producer Mary Elizabeth. So let's dive right into wedding season styling. And by the way, the fact that she thinks we won't talk about bridle gowns is crazy, So we will touch.
On I don't want the bride. I mean, let's just kick it off. Tis this season for the wedding invites to be rolling in. I am in the season of my life where I'm past the six to seven wedding commitments a year or summer.
My nephew has eleven yeah weddings this year and actually all destination.
Yes, I think from the ages of like twenty six to thirty two, I couldn't a fortification because I was attending as many weddings as I as I could.
Can you make them vacations though, Like.
If they're a destination wedding, you can definitely tack on a day or two before or after.
It's also the time of your life where you're working, like you can't just take time off.
And let's be honest, like if it's in NAPA, right, Like, am I gonna burn a day off to be a NAPA? Right? Maybe if I don't really want to be?
You know, right, totally.
So it's you're at the mercy of wherever you've been invited to.
But these greattinations that I'm hearing now are like all over Italy every budget, by the way, they're not. What I'm actually is, it's weirdly more cost effective very often to.
Do destination I don't know how.
Yeah, I mean maybe you just keep the number so small.
Yeah, well it's an edit that is sure.
Yeah, yeah, it's going to eliminate some but then some. But again, you know, you and I were just talking about this. It's when you have big life events, it's shocking who you invite that you think are absolutely shoe ins that can't or aren't able to come, and then the people on the list that are you know, maybe not as priority will show up and half of the best time so you never know. But wedding season is here.
Everyone has RSVP'd. There's a lot of questions always on social media for you this time of year about not only the brides but wedding guests mostly.
It's a tough it's a tough conversation because there's so many variables and I've seen it go wrong. Yeah, I've seen on more than ten occasion the guests showing up in white, which.
To me is common sense, but.
Like, maybe it's not. And I you know, it's funny. Someone texted me a picture. They were in Palm Beach and they were texting me what I thought of something to go to a wedding in Palm Beach And it was white with like metallic like fringe and crystals and whatever. And I'm like, but it's white. She's like, yeah, but it's not because it has so many crystals and stuff.
I'm like, no, do white the bride. Let me tell you what. The bride won't care. It'll be white to her.
White.
Okay, let's jump into some questions people have about going to weddings they've been invited. Sometimes there's you know, a tire listed, sometimes there's not. So let's just break it down. What does cocktail attire mean? If the wedding invite says cocktail attire, what does that mean?
I think till means they want you to dress up, right, Please dress up? Don't look regular. This is not a regular day. Please dress up for us. But like, feel free to wear short. Like to me, when I hear cocktail, it means you can wear short. It means you can wear any length of dress. Yes, okay, it means you can wear any length of dress. It means you could wear like a dressy tuxedo, like a white suit.
Right.
It means to look polished and whatever your interpretation of that is. Please don't wear sneakers, right, Please don't wear jeans, right, you know what I mean? And like, put some effort in and dress up for us. But you don't have to be formal, gotcha, you know what I mean?
And there's a huge gray area there. Yeah, you could also.
Wear long, but the difference there would be you're not wearing a train for cocktail.
Right.
You could wear flowy, but I would wear your hair down. Yeah, and I would wear like fun jewelry, not like your diamond necklace, right if you should have one, if.
You should wear fau diamond necklace. Yeah, you know what I mean.
Okay, So what does cocktail attire mean for men? Because okay, as most of our listeners know, you're also you're not only dressing yourself but a wedding, but you're dressing your plus one usually totally.
I would say cocktail for men means no tie. Okay to me, that's no tie, yep, formal is tie?
So like a suit, a nice crisp shirt, uh huh, but no no tie.
Correct.
You also don't have to wear a white shirt, right. That could be like a navy jacket and a blue shirt. It could be a pink shirt and a white jacket.
Depends on the vent.
When I say there's so many variables, it's like, Okay, are you in cocktail at a beach?
Right? You in the city? Are you in Italy? Like?
Because all of those things weigh in, right, because cocktail when you're in Italy on the Amalfi Coast, like, you should wear a print, right, you know what I mean?
Like to me, cocktail the type of clothes don't change based on the venue. Just the fabric will change, right, sure, Like a man can wear a suit if it's a cocktail at the beach or whatever.
But wear cocktail for a man, you wear a jacket, Yes, you wear a jacket. You can wear kackis. You can wear trousers and like driving loafers or something.
It's like a drop a nicer shoe. Yes, yes, Okay, that clears that up. Now, what does black tie or formal mean when it's on an imitation?
Okay?
So black tie means tuxedo means a tux.
Black tie is a tux. Now, I do think there is.
Some room for guys to wear a black suit with a black tie and not a bow tie. Right, But black tie is your most formal.
Yep, formal the Great Gatsby correct.
Formal is a full suit and tie for a guy.
Yep.
For a woman, black tie means full gown, gown, gown long, not short. You're not wearing not midi.
No, but you can.
Wear midi if it's fabulous, do you know what I mean?
Like?
You can because there is like no midi sun dress like Kuriti car acts actual like sequence or sparkle of sorts, speeded something. A very dressy dress does not have to have a train necessarily, but you are your most dressed whatever that is. Like even if you look back at the Great Gatsby.
A lot of those were right, they were many MIDI right, so yeah, but it just means not short in my opinion.
Got it? So black tie?
I don't know, I'll be honest with you. In La I see short for black tie all the time. So I also think it depends on where you live. In Paris, in London, in Europe, you're not wearing short to a black tie, right, yeah, calamarian, Yeah, I mean I have literally seen people wear jeans to a black tie.
Oh yeah, shook me out.
Yeah that's not great. No, so when you see black tie, you go full gown?
Yeah, full stop.
Yeah I am in a gown for a black tie for sure, exactly.
I also think it's a great way to like.
Look at it as like a moment, you know, like how often do you get to do that? I mean some people more than others, of course, but like it's a moment. And I would say formal is one notch down from black tie. I think formal gives you a little more room for interpretation.
But the idea with formal is please dress up very much.
Yes, yeah, yeah, be dressy yes, okay, other than wearing white. What do you think are some don'ts or wedding guest faux pause that you've seen in your life?
Anything that reads bridle?
Yeah, Like anything that reads that sort of like lacey. Yeah, Like don't wear a pink lace gown. Yep, like a blush pink lace gown. I have seen someone wear like a beautiful dulce gown with the train to a wedding. Yep, it's a bridal gown that happens to be blushed pink.
I think that's a.
Little, very nice, little but because I will even ask sometimes what the bridesmaids are wearing, because I've had an experience that I come looking like a bootleg bridesmaid because I'm wearing, you know, a navy whatever, and they're a navy too, So I think that for women you should ask that too.
I agree.
I mean, I think the more information you have about the bride and what the bridal party is doing, the better if you are.
Have you ever heard don't wear red to a wedding?
No? I have not.
I saw that recently online. Yeah, to avoid wearing red at a wedding. I don't know, maybe it calls too much attention to yourself or maybe it's bad, like bad juju. I don't know, but I saw like, oh, don't wear that. It's red. You shouldn't wear red.
And I was like, Oh, that's wild.
That's interesting. So maybe avoid white and red.
Wow, Okay, No, I haven't heard that, but I mean, yeah, I guess it does call attention.
Yeah, I mean I guess red does, and maybe, you know, in a good way and in a bad way, So I kind of get that. Okay, you were talking about this earlier, But opera gloves are very much back on the red carp but ar and they're back in the bridal world there.
But I don't think they ever left. I think it's so chic.
Oh really, Okay, I mean I guess they left.
They come and go, but I think I see European brides wearing gloves.
But I'm very I'm very.
Strange about bridal things because that's where like my classic traditionalism comes out, because that day, to me, is not a trendy day.
It's not a day to fall victim to what's trending.
It's really like, when I think about anything bridal, whether it's the wedding or anything else, what are you you are going to look back at these pictures for the rest of your life?
Yes, forever?
What are you going to love forever? And not? Listen? Not everybody knows that, but I think you go to.
The Grace Kelly's of the world, Like, yes, you go to those iconic like Kate Middleton moments, you know, and you look at like, what are your most iconic favorite
bridal moments in history? Yeah, and pull off that right if that resonates with you, because you also could be Gwen Stefani and wear like a gradiated pink right Vivian Westwood, which was epic, right, it was a bit rock and roll, it was, and that's true to her and by the way, like she's still like that, So clearly I kind of feel like you have to be true to you and whoever you are at the court. But I guess my
point is, think long and hard about it. I'm also very traditional about rings because they're forever, So when it comes to forever things, I'm very I would say I'm traditional.
You're trend averse. What's the veil that's like the cap veil, the one from yeah or No, but like the short ones that are like very like forties retro but like doing somewhere Mad Hatter right to like Reese Witherspoon and Sweet Came Alabama.
Thank you?
That kind of veil. I think you should just do it, because again, when else are you doing it?
Wear a veil?
Yeah? Where the gloves? Where are the tiara?
Where the tir? Where the gloves? Wear the veil?
Yeah? If that feels right for you, because again you have to look back to your point. But if you're questioning it, yeah, just do it.
Just do it?
Okay? That's when?
When else are you wearing gloves a tiara in a veil? Yeah?
Never unless you like, well, unless you get married again yeah, or you're an actor and you dress up a lot. Okay, So you're a guest for a wedding, it says cocktail. What are some of your go to brands that you would suggest for people to look as wedding guests?
I mean, listen, it's all about budget, right, Yet I have to say, I have to say.
You have four and a summer and you are on a tighter budget.
I have to tell you I have helped so many people find dresses for weddings. I have also I don't know if you know this, but one of my clients is my sister Pamela.
Oh, yes, I do that, and my mother, but my most challenging.
Yes, but my sister.
Is always on a budget and she has found some incredible dresses. And I think because of the wonderful thing we call shopping on the internet. Yes, yes, there are so many incredible resources to find your dream dress and then shot like search around at different sites to find the dress. And my sister, yes, and so many things are on such seal and all these things so you can get dream dresses at great markdowns at any time, because wedding guest dresses are pretty seasonless for the most part.
Depending but I love Alc. Alc is great and ranges in pricing. Chummy, your momo is excellent on a budget or not. They have incredible like sparkly dresses, they have great guest of they have great bridesmaids dresses. Show me your mimo is incredible and so reasonable. I love I would say Zara because I love Zara as a go to the problem is there might be a lot of other people at the wedding wearing the dress.
Yeah, that's a really good point.
There's that brand Bronx and Bunco. I believe it's called the ANC.
I don't know if I've ever heard.
It's great.
Revolve is a great resource or guest of wedding dresses.
I'll say your office. Our team is also big, big fans of shopping on the real reel for something vintage.
Yeah.
Actually, I want to talk about that reel is amazing because you can get your dream dress and be great the environments yep, at a great price. Shoes as well, and jewelry and bags. Also rent the runway any places like that. Janet Mandel. Here in La New York Chicago, there's a lot of people that have rental.
Houses now for events like this.
Because especially in your late twenties, mid to late twenties, you're rolling with the same group of people to most of these events. You can't you don't want to wear the same dress every time.
Yeah right, yep.
I think there's some grace for repeat totally, but ideally you want to wear it one.
You don't want the you don't want the friend group picture to look the same at everybody's wedding now because everyone's wearing the same thing. No, those are great, Those are great options. I also love that brand Study. They've got really cute guests, and I think they do a little bridal collection.
Stott is great, I know the founder, and then also kult Gaya is.
Oh yeah, there's gorgeous to but it reaches a price, it does.
It really does arrange in price, and I find a lot of these designers start in the twos and go up obviously way higher. But yeah, I think you can get a beautiful dress for you know, for the prece you're looking for for sure, oh for everyone.
Okay, let's leave the listeners with some bridal inspoll. Okay, So we were talking about Sofia Ritchie's wedding, yes last year, Yes, which if you didn't see it, you might be living under a rock.
You are living under something.
But she was married at Rachel's dream location, yes, Hotel two cop in the south of France on the French Riviera.
God help me.
She wore a custom channel eight of them. Yeah, yeah, she had multiple and she.
Was just the most flushing, beautiful, beautiful bride. To be honest, I think the thing that was so epic about Sophia and Listen. I've known Sophia since she was three years old. She is a wonderful, kind, sweet, beautiful girl woman, young woman, now married and about to have a baby, to have a baby. But she approached her wedding the way you dream too, which is blissfully happy. She's madly in love
with her husband, as one should be. But there was an overall tone to her wedding weekend which was this very like Bardeux on the French riviera. But more importantly, there was an effortlessness to every single look she wore, and I think that was clearly her.
Intention, I think.
Was to not be this fussy, uptight bridal looks. I think it was really meant to be historical, classic, obviously very French for French riviera, chanel all over the place, and it was magical and it was.
Done flawless, really flawless.
Okay, So who were some of your other like bridal icons. I mean, Carolyn Bassett Kennedy Listen was a whole movement. I feel like in the nineties minimal.
Carolyn Bessett Kennedy also wore gloves, didn't she I think she might have warn Gloves.
With her right love dress.
I'm pretty sure she did.
But I have to say the thing about the thing about Carolyn Bessett Kennedy makes she rest in peace because still one of the most tragic things ever happened.
But she literally yes, you were sheer gloves.
Yeah.
And the thing about Krolyn Bassett, She's everything I'm not. And I think that's why I was so obsessed with her and her look because it.
Was like barely any makeup.
Yeah, the most simple, beautiful bride of Like it's just iconic. And I think she was iconic in the polar opposite way of like, you know, when we saw Kate Middleton with her.
I want to say, it's it's the junct juxtaposition of like they are American loyalty and to have such a simplistic, classic, clean, minimal look and feel.
Is is cool.
It's just cool, like, so don't forget.
At that time, I think it was late nineties, was also the Cape Moss era and Kate Moss would wear like a John Golliano or a Calvin Klein, you know, slip dress with her hair just like she wrote back. Yeah, and beautiful little kitten heels or whatever, and yeah, like that's it and like a sheer gloss call it a day for a red lip, matt red lip, you know, and so epically beautiful.
But I think those are iconic moments.
I think when you think of Grace Kelly, I know I do when I think of Kate Middleton.
When I think of.
Well and Grace Kelly, I mean, you were at Paris Hilton's wedding, yes, and that Oscar de la Reenta was there. It looked to be very inspired by it was, and Fernando and Laura Kim designed that for Paris along with so many of her other looks that night, and I.
Was there and she was legitimately flawless. She was the most beautiful, like handy, glowing angel of a bride and that dress was absolute perfection. It was a dream and it was a Grace Kelly moment. And that's, by the way, that's what she was going for. And truthfully, like I couldn't have imagined a more perfect moment for her, Like it's what she should look like, you know.
Okay, I'm gonna close it out with this question for you, who in the world of entertainment or pop culture or fashion or whatever, has not been a bride yet that you're excited to see as a bride one.
Day, Zendeo. I think she's gonna have a moment of moments. Yeah, and I would imagine the train would be Cathedral L.
Because I mean, you do get the sense with her that she really loves it and appreciates going for it, So you know, she would.
Write it every turn if you're not doing it because it is too much work.
Yeah, it's a lot much.
It's a lot work. And yes, to answer your question, I don't think Sanna Miller's ever been a bride yet that I know of, but my hair hero forever.
Always pulled a picture of her recent blonde for you.
Oh god, I love her blonde. She's good.
Sienna is our ultimate cool girl.
Ultimate cool girl. Okay, Well, I hope we were able to impart some knowledge wisdom help on everyone who is trying to get themselves dressed and as we mentioned, their partner's dressed for wedding season coming up. So good luck out there. And you know, like Rachel said, don't wear white, just don't wear white.
Thanks everybody, Okay, everyone, I hope this episode helped answer some of your wedding fashion questions or provided you with a little inspiration. Thank you so much for listening to Climbing in Heels. If you haven't already, please subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iheartapp, or wherever
you get your podcasts. You don't miss a single episode this season, and be sure to follow me on Instagram at at Rachel Zoe and the show at Climbing in heils pod for the latest episodes and updates.
I will talk to you soon.
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