It’s almost September, and wedding season is still going strong. We got home from the most beautiful wedding in Northern California. Also, have another wedding to attend in a couple of weeks to round out this wedding season. 2022 saw a record number of weddings in recent history. And, it appears the wedding rush won’t be slowing down anytime soon!
Fall 2022 Wedding Guest Dresses
As a guest, the number one question is usually around what to wear and how to interpret the dress code. I really loved the dress I wore this past weekend. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so many compliments on a dress I’ve worn as a guest. It also comes in white for my future brides to be! I wanted to share some of my tips for wedding guest attire and favorite wedding guest dress picks for any upcoming fall weddings.
What to Wear to a Fall Wedding
What to wear to a fall wedding depends on two factors – the wedding location and dress code. In many parts of the country (and around the world), early fall is some of the best weather of the year. Days are often still warm (but not blisteringly hot like the summertime) and evenings are briskly cool. Regarding wedding attire – you can get away with long sleeved cocktail or formal dresses. You can also choose darker gem hues in the fall. Always make sure to check the weather and wedding dress code that is typically found on the invitation or wedding website.
Cocktail / Semi-Formal Attire
Cocktail or semi-formal wedding events are slightly less formal. You can get away with shorter dresses or even a jumpsuit. I’ve included some of my favorite cocktail and semi formal wedding guest dresses below. I usually buy my dresses from Revolve (thank you, 2 day shipping!) or Reformation (they have the best selection!), but also love to look for a good deal. For fall I love darker florals, long sleeved dresses, and jewel/autumn tones (think: sage, plum, burnt orange, navy, hunter green).
Black Tie / Formal Attire
For black tie or formal dress code weddings, I would stick to a similar color palette. This will vary though based on where the wedding is and the weather of the current locale! Also, make sure to choose a floor length dress. I love these options below!
If you aren’t looking to buy a dress, my go-tos for renting are either Rent the Runway or Fashionpass. Make sure to reserve your dresses with time to spare. I’ve noticed the most popular styles are often booked months in advance.
In a follow up to my previous post on packing for trips, I’ll be sharing here details on the outfits I packed for our wedding trip/mini-moon in Italy. We heard typically the weather in June is less hot, but this year all of Europe seems to be in a heat wave. Definitely something to keep in mind for future summer travel, in general it is probably best to steer clear of cities and head towards the water if you are concerned about excessive heat. This was definitely the case for us, as we loved our time in Puglia the most due to the proximity to beaches and water.
Most of my outfits were from Revolve – I tend to procrastinate on packing and pulling outfits, and Revolve always comes through with guaranteed 2-day shipping that is really more like 1 day because I live in LA. It’s the best and has saved me so many times over the years when I need something last minute. I buy a lot of gifts for friends from Revolve as well for this reason. You can find most of the pieces I wore from Revolve – I always update my lists to include everything currently in my closet/in rotation.
What I Wore in Italy
I would wear linen every day on vacation – it’s the best fabric to travel with in hot weather as it’s easily packable and always very chic. Also, I prefer clothes that roll up and fit into packing cubeseasily (all about maximizing space!). I wore this bucket hat almost every day, as someone who usually wears giant straw hats on vacation, it was honestly a relief to pack one that was more compact (but still cute) for this trip.
This bag turned out to be my most used summer bag, I didn’t think it would be very practical but it surprisingly holds a lot of stuff and is very sturdy. I did try to stick to a fairly neutral palette with some color mixed in for the ease of packing and mixing/matching pieces along the way.
By far my most compliment outfit of the trip! This cream plisse set is surprisingly versatile, I also wore it on the plane back home as my travel outfit.
When I first started packing for our wedding trip to Italy, I was overwhelmed, to say the least! From past trips I’ve learned that organization leads to success, so here are the packing tips I’ve implemented to make packing more streamlined and less stressful for big trips.
Packing Tips for a European Summer
+ Packing cubes
My #1 packing tip is to use packing cubes!! These are complete game changers, I don’t know how I ever packed for a trip without them. I get mine on Amazon. I have multiple sets. It doesn’t really matter the brand as long as the mesh is somewhat see-through so you can quickly see what’s inside. For my wedding trip, I was very careful with how I packed each cube. I used a large cube for each “region” or occasion of the trip (so every few days I would be using a new packing cube). For example: I packed a cube for Rome. One for Puglia before and after the wedding, the pre-wedding events, the wedding day itself, and Sicily.
In each cube I tried to group together the outfits, swim, pajamas, activewear, etc. for the set of days the cube was for. I also planned outfits in advance (more on this below) so I knew what looks were in each cube. This way, when I was in a certain destination I could just pull out the packing cube for that location. Then, unpack the outfits for that leg of the trip. I also knew once we moved to our next destination that I was “done” with a particular cube and wouldn’t need to dig into it anymore.
+ Pack versatile pieces
I always try to pack pieces that can be worn multiple ways. Don’t take up too much space (fabric is important!). I definitely overpacked this most recent trip for obvious reasons. I didn’t want to forget anything for my wedding,. But I usually try to re-wear pieces if I can, especially if I am taking an extended trip. Examples of versatile pieces I will usually pack are:
A printed scarf
Ascarf takes up little to no space and can be used in so many different ways. This is a must, especially in the summer months! You can wear it as an accessory tied around your neck or purse, as a headscarf, or my personal favorite, as a top. You can really use any square scarf, but I love a vintage one (you can find tons of options on The Real Real and other designer resale sites).
Trousers always look chic, both on vacation and at home. I’m slowly building out my capsule wardrobe to include the perfect trousers in every color. You can wear these with any top for the most part or over a swimsuit. They don’t take up much space and can be worn multiple times over the course of a trip.
Easiest swimsuit cover-up you can throw into a bag, you can’t go wrong with linen in the summer. I also will always pack an extra one to wear as an added layer in the evenings. It’s great for when it gets a little chilly but a light layer is sufficient.
+ Plan outfits in advance
A little advance planning goes a long way. I’ve seen a ton of videos of girls taking detailed photos of every outfit in advance, I have yet to do this but I love the idea for future trips! I usually just assemble pieces together. Then, write down in the Notes app on my phone the components of the outfit and what I think the outfit will be worn for. It helps to do a little bit of reverse engineering of your trip as well to really think through the different events/occasions you will need outfits for, and plan for these in advance.
+ Simplify your beauty routine
This one is sooo hard for me, I was fully convinced I needed my full skincare, haircare, and makeup routine in Europe and brought everything with me. The truth is, I am much lazier when I am on vacation and end up resorting to much more pared down version of my usual routine. When I came home, I could not believe how many skin and makeup products I didn’t even touch. For skincare, I like a more streamlined version of my usual routine and would probably limit my products in the future. These are the essentials I could probably get by with –
+ Limit the number of shoes you packfor European Summer
Unfortunately, shoes take the most space and weight (this is important if you are taking multiple flights and don’t want overweight bags!). If you’re headed to Europe in the summer, you will most likely walk more than you are used to, so practical shoes are key. Leave the heels at home (ok, maybe a kitten heel!) and stick to a comfortable (but chic) walking shoe, a couple of pairs of neutral flat sandals, and a dressier pair of sandals. This is a good foundation for shoe options, and you can add other options from here if you have more space or an extra suitcase.
Once you get in the habit of doing a little prep work before a big trip, it makes the overall trip go by so much smoother and you don’t run the risk of overpacking (nothing worse than an overweight bag fee) or finding out you packed tons of products you don’t need and forgot the ones you actually use everyday.
This past month has got me in a bit of a style rut. Although technically it’s fall, it has been almost impossible to dress for the season when it’s 80 degrees outside. After a year of not really shopping, I often look into my closet and feel like I have nothing to wear. I think some of my shopping purchases in the past are coming back to bite me. I’ve realized I need to redo the foundation of my wardrobe – aka my closet staples.
I’m trying my best to buy less and be much more mindful with every purchase. Also, I make a point to donate or throw away a piece of clothing every time I purchase something new. Instead of impulse buying whatever trend or clothing item catches my interest, I’m trying to assemble more of a capsule wardrobe. Also, I invest in quality essentials. Trends come and go, and rather than choosing to participate in every single way, I’ve decided to pick my favorite trends for the season and bet on the ones I feel will be relatively timeless and repeatable.
if you’re going to buy only one piece for fall, make it a fabulous oversized blazer. You can dress it up or down and wear it with just about anything – a la Hailey Bieber. Black, leather, white, tan, brown, sage, gray – you can justify it in almost every color. I really love The Frankie Shop, but almost everything is sold out at the moment, so I linked some other cute options below. I like to spend a little more on anything that could be considered outerwear.
You’ll really notice a difference in quality and blazers are about timeless as they get. If you’re looking to save on a blazer, I think Zara and H&M have good options (but they may only last a few seasons, if that!). If you’d prefer to avoid fast fashion, then check out vintage shops. Also, visit Poshmark – it may require a bit more digging, but the payoff is usually worth it!
+ Trousers
Taking a break from denim and living in trousers (aka elevated loungewear) this season. I’m not ready to sacrifice style for comfort, and these double for workwear as well, if going back into the office ever happens. Like everyone else, I really love the Aritzia Effortless Pant (again, back ordered!). Princess Polly also has good affordable options for well under $100. Wear with a matching or mismatched blazer for an elevated suit look, or pair with your favorite crop top.
+ Loafers
Arguably a trendier item, you can go higher or lower in your budget for loafers. I splurged on a pair this season, but Steve Madden remains one of my go tos for trendy footwear that won’t break the bank. Wear them with or without socks for an instantly polished look.
+ Boots
Every fall comes with a new set of must have boot trends, this season we’re continuing to see a lot of knee high boots and a slight resurgence of over the knee boots, but in leather rather than the suede look from previous years. For something more casual, a lug sole or rubber boot works well for day (these are super trendy at the moment). For something you’ll wear for years to come, stick with black, a flattering silhouette, and a variation on leather. I love shopping for boots at Saks Fifth Avenue.
I’ve been working from home for the past 10 months, and there’s no end in sight. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do so. But it’s definitely becoming monotonous… to say the least. I crave human interaction. And I miss being able to leave the house regularly. I even miss the travel! A few bright spots of the new work mode that stand out – having no commute, being able to spend all day with my dog and AJ, and of course, sweatsuits. This really should be a love letter to matching sweats.
Loungewear is so ubiquitous now, everyone is selling it and I am here for it. The indefinite timeline of working from home combined with the feeling of this “new normal” (whatever that means) has ushered in a solid year + of loungewear becoming acceptable attire. I’m not one to complain. I love comfort and a good matching set. My office hasn’t announced any official plans to return to in person workweeks, so I feel fairly confident I will be wearing matching sweats continuously for the next several months. And even if we go back into the office, I’m all for normalizing loungewear. I don’t think I even miss my jeans the slightest. I linked all of my favorite matching sets below so you can add to your collection as well.
Princess Polly has surprisingly affordable and comfortable loungewear. Their pieces tend to be really trendy but you can find good basics that you’ll wear all the time. I have so many tops, matching sets, and loungewear pieces from Princess Polly. It’s one of my go-tos for affordable fashion. Oh, and definitely size up if you aren’t sure what to do as their sizing runs small. I typically go up at least 2 if not more sizes in loungewear anyway, as I prefer an oversized fit. You can also use code LUXI to get 20% off your order this month : ).
If I were to recommend only one matching set, it would be this one from Aritzia. On the scale of matching sets, it’s not the cheapest but it’s also far from the most expensive. In my opinion, it’s just right. Good enough to justify getting a set in every color if you want. The fabric is SO SOFT and cozy. The quality is unreal at any price point, and it comes in every color. I have my eye on a brown crew neck set at the moment, but you can’t go wrong. Again, I prefer to size up.
I love this clean, sustainable fashion brand that focuses on minimalist basics. All of their products are made from organic fabrics, and produced in Los Angeles. You’ll spend a little more (but not too much!) on their products and it’s honestly so worth it to invest in a sustainable brand.
Not surprisingly, one of my favorite activewear brands makes really cute loungewear. I really regret not snagging this set in red over Black Friday, but the current neutral options are all basics you should have in your loungewear collection.
Revolve always has a great selection for anything you’re shopping for, at a range of price points. Neutrals, colors, prints – they have it all. I just snagged this cute pink sweatshirt and pants, and have been wearing them around the house nonstop.
And of course, with your at home loungewear look, make sure you have a pair of cozy slippers! These from Ugg are amazing, and these are really popular as well.
