I Tried On 24 Wedding-Guest Dresses. Here Are My 9 Favorites.
I’ve been a fashion writer for over a decade, and I have hands-on experience designing, patterning, and sewing clothing. I have degrees in fabric styling and fashion merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, where I interned at both mass retailers and designer houses during my time at school.
For this shopping diary, I tried on dozens of dresses with silhouettes and fabric that would work for guests attending a summer wedding. I focused on brands that had nationwide availability, and I aimed for options that were available in wider size ranges. I also sought dresses with interesting details that elevated their look.
Versatility was also a factor: None of these dresses are cheap, and I wanted to recommend dresses that would double as wardrobe workhorses once the dance floor cleared.
Since fabric and fit can look much different in real-life conditions than on a company’s website, I captured photos and videos as I shopped.
In the end, I found nine dresses that I recommend for guests going to an upcoming wedding, with ideas for casual, semiformal, and formal occasions.
This article was edited by Jennifer Hunter and Leta Shy.
