“Elegance isn’t solely defined by what you wear. It’s how you carry yourself, how you speak, what you read.” – Carolina Herrera

All hail wedding season. October is one of the most popular months to be married in. In the southern states, October is the month where we finally get some relief from summer’s heat, and in northern parts of the country, winter’s wrath hasn’t begun just yet. The air is crisp, cool, and does wonders for the hair!

Determining different dress codes can be a little tricky, so I’ve decided to lay out my top picks for these different dress code categories: Formal/Black Tie, Casual, and Cocktail.

Wedding Dress Code: Formal/Black Tie Optional

In this day and age, it’s rare to attend a white tie or black tie event. And to be completely honest, I think the most white tie I’ve ever seen in my life is in watching Downton Abbey. With that said, I’m starting it off with my favorite attire – formal or black tie optional. If your invitation says either of these, you will want to wear a long gown or formal cocktail length dress. One thing to consider when determining what to wear is the weather. If it is 100 degrees in the middle of August, it is probably okay to skip the floor length gown and go for a high-low, midi, or even fancy cocktail gown. I’m a huge fan of dressing up for events and always try to wear a full length gown when the dress code requests formal or black tie. Here’s a tip: chat with someone who is in the “know” about the wedding – sister of the bride, best friend, etc. – and get their feel for how formal to go. I can think of two black tie optional weddings I attended in the past couple of years where a sibling of the bride said in passing, “It’s ok to wear cocktail length because it’s going to be so hot.”

Click through the widget below to see some of my favorite formal gowns to wear to your next black tie wedding.

As a side note, guys need to wear either a tux or formal dark suit and tie.

Wedding Dress Code: Casual

When the dress code states casual or daytime, that doesn’t mean all style goes out the window. It is still important to show respect to the the bride and groom and dress appropriately. A casual event might include a sundress, skirt, or cute jumpsuit with nice sandals or espadrilles. Casual is the dress code, not the effort put into getting dressed for the event. You’ll see I’ve listed several items below that would be perfect for a casual wedding.

Guys should wear nice slacks and a button down. A casual blazer could be worn as well.

Wedding Dress Code: Cocktail

Cocktail attire is probably the dress code I find myself in most often for weddings. A midi or appropriate mini (mini really just means above the knee) with heels and a clutch is the perfect combo for a cocktail event. This is the in between of formal and casual and you can stand out by wearing a statement piece of jewelry, having your hair and make up done, or rocking that new pair of pumps.

Guys should wear a nice suit and tie that is appropriately colored with the time of year – darker in the fall/winter and lighter in the spring/summer.

Make sure to save or pin this post to be able to refer back to in the future and click HERE to go to my liketoknow.it page to see even more inspo!

Cheers – MP