CONSCIOUS FASHION - Conscious Wedding Guest Fashion: 5 Tips For Reworking Your Wedding Season Outfit

20th May 2020


With so many weddings sadly postponed, wedding guests have a little more time to prepare their outfits - why not encourage yours to do so with sustainability in mind?

Where to start if you're wanting to limit the number of new things you buy? You're in luck. Here, Rachel Clinkard from footwear retailer Charles Clinkard, shares her top tips for reworking your wedding season outfit.

ADVICE - Conscious Wedding Guest Fashion: 5 tips for Reworking Your Wedding Season OutfitBeing invited to celebrate a couple's wedding is a great honour. And, while it may fill you with excitement to see your loved ones get married, you'll no doubt be wanting to plan ahead with the outfits you wear to each celebration.

Although it may be the simplest option to go out and buy a new look for each wedding you attend, if you're trying to be kinder to the planet, you may want to rethink. The fast fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to the amount of waste we produce, so considering how to rework your outfit for multiple occasions will be better. Here, I will be sharing my top tips to help you do so. 

Keep it simple and versatile

ADVICE - Conscious Wedding Guest Fashion: 5 tips for Reworking Your Wedding Season OutfitWe all love to experiment with brighter and bolder colours when the sun's out but doing so can mean your wedding season outfit isn't as versatile as it could be. So, when shopping for a new frock, make sure you opt for pieces that are subtly designed in versatile colourways. This doesn't have to mean choosing neutrals and whites, but sticking to muted tones like pastels will ensure your dress is versatile enough to re-wear, and you'll still look the part at any wedding.

For men, buying a new suit can be an exciting time, but these can certainly be pricey. Reworking one you already have won't only spare your bank account, but it'll also mean you won't be supporting fast fashion, which will help to preserve the environment. If the suit you currently own now doesn't fit right or has become a little worn over time, make sure you purchase one that's simple and versatile. It's likely that you'll also be invited to some winter weddings at some point, too, so finding one that will be comfortable and appropriate for both colder and warmer months, like pure wool versions, will be a good idea. 

Choose comfortable and breathable footwear

ADVICE - Conscious Wedding Guest Fashion: 5 tips for Reworking Your Wedding Season OutfitWeddings are the perfect opportunity to dust off your dancing shoes, but choosing ones that are ill-fitting, too high or worn out can mean you have to call it a night earlier than you might want to. When choosing shoes to go with your wedding outfits, you'll need to prioritise comfortable and breathable shoes that will support your feet through the ceremony in the day and the party during the evening. 

If you like to dress up your outfits with heels, consider getting some stilettos or block heels in a versatile colour such as nude, or a metallic that goes with most of your accessories or the colours on your outfit. If you prefer a flat sole, structured ballet pumps that are made with real leather will look beautiful when chosen in a versatile colour. 

Depending on the formality of the weddings, men may be required to wear dress shoes with their outfits, so having a polished pair that can be worn to any celebration is essential. These should match your suit well, but be aware that while black shoes might look great in the winter, they might look a bit too dark for the summer. So, slightly lighter alternatives may be better. 

For more casual occasions, pairing your suit with some sleek brogues will tie your look together and ensure you're dressed to impress during the celebrations. 

Change up your hair and makeup

ADVICE - Conscious Wedding Guest Fashion: 5 tips for Reworking Your Wedding Season OutfitGetting experimental with your hair and makeup styles for each wedding is an easy way to create a different look using the same outfit. For example, you may choose to have your hair up and curled for one wedding, and straight and sleek for another. Similarly, when it comes to makeup, use this opportunity to hone your artistry skills and try a new look. 

Perhaps you'll go for a muted, natural look for one event, and a more dramatic and bolder style for the next one. Whatever you choose to go with, just make sure that it matches with your outfit. A floral pastel dress probably won't keep its elegant aesthetic when paired with heavy, dark eyeliner and vice versa. 

Mix up your accessories

ADVICE - Conscious Wedding Guest Fashion: 5 tips for Reworking Your Wedding Season OutfitJust because the main bulk of your wedding outfit will be re-worn, it doesn't mean that you can't mix up the smaller details to create new looks. So, consider taking a different bag to each celebration, or switching between decorative hairbands and bobbles, to hair slides to help you create more options from a single outfit.

Similarly, switching up the jewellery you wear can help you to achieve many different looks. For example, with Bardot or lower neckline dresses, changing from elegant drop pendant necklaces to statement chokers will be an easy way to mix up your outfit. 

Similarly, for men, changing the ties and pocket squares you are wearing for each occasion will give your suit a new edge each time you wear it. If you have more than one watch already, wearing each of these for different events will help you to switch your look up. 

Invest in quality pieces

ADVICE - Conscious Wedding Guest Fashion: 5 tips for Reworking Your Wedding Season OutfitThe most important thing about living a greener lifestyle is to avoid purchasing anything new as often as you can. But, as weddings are classy affairs, if you don't have anything appropriate, it can sometimes mean you have to head out and buy something new. As long as you are making responsible buying decisions, you can help to tackle the environmental crisis and work towards a more sustainable way of shopping. This could include buying from second-hand or charity shops or selling through online marketplaces like Depop. 

If you can't find what you're looking for in a pre-loved shop, then buying shoes, accessories and clothing from quality retailers will be the next best thing. This is because those that have been crafted with good attention to detail and with the utmost care will last you longer, meaning you will need to replace them much less often. To ensure you're buying from an ethical retailer, you should also check out each company's eco-credentials before buying from them.

We all love to look our best, but this shouldn't come at the cost of the planet. So, if you've got a stack of wedding invitations, simply follow my top five tips for re-working your outfit for a style that'll be kinder to the environment.


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