How To Wear White To A Wedding

Wearing white to a wedding can be a tricky thing and if it's a traditional wedding you can pretty much forget about it. But in our modern culture, a lot of wedding traditions have been subbed out. Brides are switching out their white wedding dresses for florals, blues and blush tones. Creating a more personal wedding experience for everyone including their guests. I myself opted-out of the traditional white wedding dress for a navy and floral A-line with pockets, and I must say I never felt more comfortable and beautiful. 

Wearing white is a tricky color for a lot of people because it can wash you out, so make sure you have a little bit of a tan. It's why I wait to wear white til about mid-summer or even after Labor Day.... OH YES After Labor Day. I also probably wouldn't wear white to a formal wedding even though Solange had her wedding party in white and everyone looked stunning. But for the average person, it's best to keep white away from the formal wedding. 

Wearing white can be incredibly chic and the perfect choice for the occasions, so here are a few tips I like to implement when wearing white to a wedding. I like to choose a shade of white like ivory or cream, it's soft and is a great compliment to an array of other colors.  Choose something with texture or an inlaid pattern or design. It will give the dress more character and you're less likely to look like you are wearing a sewn sheet. haha. Add a pop of color, any jeweled tone will pair amazing and move the outfit from day to night. Add a layer, spice up the white dress with a jacket or vest. Temperatures may drop and you wouldn't want to be left out in the cold.

Of course, it's all about the accessories, pair the outfit with a fun clutch to give the ensemble character and personality. Just make sure it's appropriate for the occasion, I would leave to political statements at home no matter how fun or true they may be. For a wedding, I always try to wear a nice wedge you never known how far you may need to walk or if the ceremony is outside, down a brick path, or inside a cave. Here is a great example, at my wedding, the ceremony was held on Lake Michigan but guest had to walk over a grassy slightly uphill area which was damp from the rain the night before. Then because we were in a small fishing town we walked our guest to the reception which was about 6 blocks away. Nothing too bad but the right shoes make all the difference. The last wedding I attended was in a sculptural garden and we had to walk probably a quarter of a mile to get to the ceremony site. My point is, wedges are always a safe bet. 

Speaking of accessories don't forget your biggest accessory of all, your smile! A nice white and bright smile goes a long way, and trust me you will take a hundred different pictures, some may even hang on the couples walls. You want to keep your smile bright and not be embarrassed because it's not as white as you would like it. I use a great whitening system, Smile Brilliant that's professional grade right in the comfort of my own home. As a professional blogger, I know how important it is not the feel self-conscience about your smile. There are so many other things in life to worry about, your smile shouldn't be one of them. 

But really there is only one important piece of advice I can give about wearing white to a wedding... Ask the bride. Shoot her a text with a picture of the dress and just ask. But don't do it the night before haha. Try it on a Tuesday night after she has a glass of wine. Keep it light, they have a lot going on, so make sure you come into the situation knowing that they may say no, and you just have to move on and pick a new outfit. Make sure it doesn't become personal. Weddings are stressful so bear that in mind. 

The truth is no matter what you wear, it's a celebration, surround yourself with friends and have an amazing time and you will look chic! 

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What to Wear: Day at the Beach

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One thing everyone should know about this family is we have two water babies. Midas, our golden retriever hunts out the nearest water source and jumps right in and Jame is off to be the next star Olympic swimmer.  That kid logs more bath hours than I ever thought possible. So it was only a matter of a week before we packed everyone up in the Prius and headed to the coastline. Lucky for us it's only an hour and a half drive. We decided to head over to Cannon Beach, an adorable beachside town with mountains and cliff dancing in the skyline. For all you 70's and 80's babies it's where The Goonies was filmed, I kept sitting on the beach waiting for a pirate ship to float out behind the rocks. 

Now I am not sure where some of you are at on what to wear to the beach, but I have given it some thought and I have figured out a great guideline for beachwear. I like to start off by picking one element or piece to focus on. I was fortunate enough to be sent this fun sweater dress with cut-outs on the shoulders from Tobi. Because this dress is in a soft gray, the accessories were easy to pair and the gray of the dress letting everything pop. I am absolutely in love with this dress for a couple reasons, the little details of the dress really make it special. The sweater-shirt material makes this dress super comfortable and the cut-outs on the shoulders add a chicness to the overall look. I like the way the cuffs and hem are completely finished, plus the full-length exposed zipper give that final detail for a full 360-degree look. 

Want to give the cold shoulder too?? Shop this super cute heather grey day dress from Tobi

When it comes to jewelry I love to mix metals and think it adds depth to the overall look and I cannot stand when accessories are matchy-matchy =(  I opted for a wrap around gold necklace and a grouping of mixed metal bangles. I also pulled my bracelets up my arm just because I hate it when they are just dangling at my wrist. Under the dress, I chose to wear my two-tone high waisted bikini. I absolutely love this vintage silhouette and I am grateful it made a style come back. The high-waisted bikini looks so great on a variety of body types and hides some of those problem areas, that keep us from enjoying our time on the water. I also pack a beach wrap, I love being able to throw it on after a swim or just laying out soaking up the sunshine. 

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Shop this look at www.tobi.com

For a beach bag, I kept it simple but playful, I am in love with this starfish rope canvas tote. It's so colorful and the perfect pop of color, I tend to let the bag show off the fun side of my personality. For footwear, I like to go sandal over a flip-flop, they add a little comfort and a whole lot of style. I am in love with these rose gold sandals with jewelry straps and a slight platform. The rose gold ties everything together and compliments each piece on its own from the dress to the bathing suit and beach wrap. To finish off the look, I rounded it out with a straw large brim hat and a red lip. The older I get the less and less I can leave the house without a red lip, I just feel like the look is incomplete. haha ;) I live for large brim hats, they are so fun and chic and the perfect finishing accessory to an outfit. 

Shop this look at www.tobi.com

Let me know what you think... This dress was a little out of my comfort zone and was my first attempt at introducing some west coast style into my wardrobe. I must say, I am absolutely in love with this look! Share your favorite beach look or if you like mine.