Long Live The Wedding Guest
On always the guest, never the bride, re-wearability, and my new favorite socks.
There are so many statistics saying basically the same thing. Everybody’s getting married. As an individualist, is it hard for me to be planning a wedding smack dab in the middle of what’s been coined “The Wedding Boom?” Sure. But it’s sort of nice that everyone’s talking about their own wedding, complaining about a wedding they have to attend, or earning their right to officiate from a sketchy website, all at the same time.
I’ve been to an inordinate amount of weddings in my life. Somewhere in the 30s, if I had to guess. There are two reasons. The first is Iowa. People tend to get married quite often and at much younger ages than they do in New York. Fine by me. I learned at an early age the importance of pacing yourself with the illusive wedding cake to dancing ratio. I let the older girls catch the bouquets. I brought grandparents coffee with cream and screamed along to the lyrics of “I Love It” like any good bridesmaid. The second is my stint as a wedding photographer. I started as an apprentice, sent into the groomsmens suite to capture “getting ready photos” (read as: pictures no one ever really wanted). Then I started shooting my own, which lasted for a few summers.
All this to say, I get the pressure of dressing for a wedding. Dress codes! Weather! Will your crush from high school be there? Those sorts of things. As a photographer, I defaulted to all black, which was straightforward, in the best way. Since I Love To Get Dressed, I saw weddings as an opportunity to bust out some of my more eclectic pieces. I favored vintage dresses with no real appropriate occasion and skyhigh heels that had me towering over the groom.
Recently, I’ve been to a few much chicer weddings (shoutout to my Raho family). The “challenge” of what to wear still feels fun for me, but I know that’s not always the case. Here are some of my favorite looks.
The Slip Dress
Out of college, I worked for a brand called Galvan London, which specialized in slips. Over the years, I’ve collected three slips from them—on eBay and at a closet sale, never paying more than $120 for each. Wedding season is a great reason to stalk a higher end brand you love on eBay or Poshmark. What’s great about a slip is the vertisility. I love wearing mine with blazers. Wilfred makes a great option at $118, but look for it resale, as well.
Power Trousers
I knew I wanted a fun pair of pants for dressing up. I started scouring The RealReal, since pants are a little harder to take a chance on, sizing-wise, than a dress. These Valentino flares came up, and I was sold. Notice the bows going up the leg! I think having a pair of pants that feels more festive than plain trousers—maybe made of silk or cut in a wide flare—can be a great instant outfit. Also, matching the top to the pant color is a simple trick for a chic silhouette.
Matching Set
Or a jumpsuit! Or a suit suit! I’m pictured here in a jumpsuit I no longer own and AF1s? Not a wedding look for a formal dress code, but my closest guy friend from high school was tying the knot. When he saw me, we hugged, and he said something like, “I knew you would wear pajamas.” Invest in a suit you love or a set with lots of personality, like this one, and watch it pay dividends.
Clutch That Does It All
This is the best part. There’s no shortage of brilliant vintage clutches online for less than $20 that feel super special. I’ll link a few below. If you know you like to be hands-free, aim for a thin strap. My favorite’s a chain. If you’re into the look of tucking something under your arm, then the sky’s the limit. Just make sure the clutch can hold your phone, and you’re good to go.
Archived Outfit
Mary Tyler Moore photographed in 2017 for Vogue where she says, "I'm offhand and casual about makeup," and calls tennis "a way of life." Obviously, I'm smitten. This outfit is the kind of outfit tailored exactly for an 8 pm summer dinner reservation. The shorts, much too short for office life, indicate you had time to stop by home and change. The open button up feels preppy in the most festive of ways. And something about a large scale necklace like this just brightens the mood. Plus, Moore's breakfast, "a half grapefruit, a poached egg, and a slice of bacon," sounds like a dream to me.
Honorable Mentions
Here's a recommendation that costs $0 and takes less than 3 minutes. Take out your journal. Write one compliment about yourself. Sounds weird, but today, mine was, "I like your outfit," so sky's the limit. Then, write one thing you're grateful for. Write one thing you're hopeful for. And then write the name of a person you love. That's it. That's the whole journaling exercise.
I know, I know. How many favorite socks can I have? The answer's two. You know I'm a Paper Project loyalist, that much has been established. But upon refreshing my partner's white tee stash, I impulsively ordered a set of Costco socks. The socks that arrived are a cushiony dream with just the right amount of slouch. Thank God it was an eight pack, because we're both vying for the majority.
A weird, sort of old fashion beauty pick, but here we are. Do you own a nail brush? If you don't, I love this $6 one I picked up a year ago. It might feel, well, not that sexy, but trust me, you'll use it.
Last thing! Coming this summer, I’ll be featuring guests on Long Live. If you or someone you know is a secondhand clothing maven or just a general clothes-lover, respond to this email. I can’t wait to get into other people’s closets.
Thank you so much for reading. These past two weeks, I wrote about small tables and faux fireplaces. See you next Thursday! x
I was waiting for this newsletter all week long 🥰
obsessed with that gold wedding clutch