MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry shares some top tips to stay stylish through wedding season with just one suit or dress
Some years, we don’t have any weddings to go to – and others, it feels like every friend we have is getting married!
If you have a busy season ahead, it could mean a big drain on your finances. That’s why it’s important to be savvy with your spending – and with just one core outfit investment, you can change up your wedding look for each event without breaking the bank.
Unless you’re in the bridal party, you don’t need to worry about looking like you’ve worn the same thing to every wedding this season. Even if several people in your friendship group are getting married this year, people won’t remember what you wore! This is even more true if you opt for a classic core piece and some budget-friendly accessories to change things up.
Invest in a core item for years to come
The first step to being money savvy is to spend the majority of your budget on one core item. This might be a dress, a skirt, or a suit.
When you pick this item, opt for a neutral colour that can be matched to lots of other tones and bright coloured accessories. Black is a bit heavy for weddings, so consider navy or blush tones. Avoid cream, white, or anything that could be mistaken for a bride or groom outfit!
Shop around and make sure you research prices. Use a cashback site like TopCashBack or Quidco to purchase, and remember to check for deals and discount codes before you buy to save extra money.
Take time to choose the right piece
This is the piece you’re going to wear to every wedding and big event for the next few years. Make sure it is comfortable – if you need to pay a little extra to take it to a tailor for finishing touches, it will be worth the cost. Getting trousers professionally hemmed, for example, costs less than £20 – and means the proportions will look good on you, without ruining the bottom of your trousers dragging on the ground.
If you’re someone whose weight fluctuates a lot or you suffer from bloating, especially if you’re drinking alcohol or standing in the heat, find something that is loose-fitting which can be tightened with accessories like belts. There is nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable because your skirt is too tight after the wedding breakfast.
Choose your shoes wisely
High heels are glamourous – but they’re also uncomfortable and tricky to walk on grass or uneven surfaces like thick carpet or paving stones. Unless you’re someone who is genuinely comfortable in your high heels all day long, consider some pretty flats or mid-heels instead. You could even opt for a sparkly trainer, if it’s smart enough!
Pick a closed-toe shoe, ideally one that can withstand summer showers. Sliding around in soggy sandals is never fun and could mean you’ll have to splash out on a new pair sooner than you’d planned.
You don’t need to spend a fortune on shoes, especially as the high street has some great bargains in shoe departments such as Primark, H&M, and New Look. Don’t rule out supermarket lines either – George at Asda is a particular favourite for many, with affordable basics and all kinds of styles.
Remember you can accessorise your shoes, too. For example, ballet flats can be transformed with a pair of clip-on earrings or even hair slides at the toe, changing a simple black shoe into something sparkly, adorned with bows, or other decoration for each event. For lace-up shoes, swapping the laces out with ribbons adds a romantic whimsical look without costing a lot.
Consider a multi-style dress
There are some really nifty dresses out there that can give you three, four, five or more looks in just one dress. They are made with large swathes of fabric that can be tied and fixed in different ways, such as strapless, halterneck, one-shouldered etc.
These dresses can be more expensive but you’ll get a lot of wear out of them.
Switch up your top half
A dress or a skirt can be radically changed with the right addition of a top. The same goes for a suit: a different shirt can make it look like a whole new suit.
Find a blouse that you can wear over your dress to make it look like a skirt, or underneath to add sleeves to a sleeveless dress. Alternatively, look for a coverup that can be worn in multiple ways, such as a large floaty scarf that can be worn over shoulders, tied into a shrug, or (for the nimble) knotted into a top.
Thrift it
You can pick up some brilliant bargains at charity and second-hand stores, particularly for high-quality clothing like occasion dresses.
Charity shops are also great for picking up cheap accessories that will change up your outfit each time you wear it, making your fit look different each time.
You could also make the most of second-hand sites like Vinted to get rid of some of your old clothes that don’t fit you or you never wear, to raise money for your wedding outfit.
Bags, belts, jewellery: Change it up
Accessories can really change how an outfit looks. They are also inexpensive and can be found to match a wedding’s theme or colours to make it seem like you’ve thought long and hard about your outfit.
Less is more, too. Rather than lots of jewellery, a large bag, a fancy belt, and bejewelled hair pins, pare things back a bit. For example, a pair of dangly earrings looks glamourous, but adding a necklace can overpower the look. Pick one key accessory and build around that.
The best places to find inexpensive accessories are: your own wardrobe! And then, if you must spend, the high street, even market stalls, and online with Vinted, eBay, and discount outlets like TKMaxx.
Swap with friends
If you are lucky enough to be similar sizes, that’s a bonus for both of you. You double your summer wardrobe options between each other for the entire season! Have a swapping party to see if you have items your friends might lend you or swap for something in your wardrobe.
Men, this one is for you, too! Borrow a waistcoat (or even a suit) to change up your suit-and-trousers look, or some cufflinks, or a silk tie, cravat, or bow tie that adds a key finishing touch.
Even if you aren’t the same clothing size as your friends, accessories fit everyone! Ask around for items that you need to switch up your core outfit for an event.
Rent your outfit
If the dress code is beyond your usual core wedding outfit, such as black tie, don’t go all out buying a tuxedo or ball gown. Renting your outfit is entirely acceptable, and easy to do thanks to online sites like Hirestreet, HURR, and By Rotation.
You can also rent accessories like designer bags and shoes, if you really want to come across as super stylish and fashionable – but remember, you can buy high-street dupes for most designers at a fraction of the cost.
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