Last-Minute Wedding Guest Shopping

Mostly secondhand finds for when you want to look a little bit different.

The thick of wedding season is upon us, and with it, the challenge of figuring out what the heck to wear. There are a handful of brands that often appear to have cornered this market, mainly ones in the business of designing brightly patterned, often floral-print maxi dresses in flattering cuts that can flit between cocktail and black-tie — the Rixos, Agua Benditas, and Zimmermanns of the world. It’s not uncommon to see multiple people show up at the same wedding wearing the same exact dress, which obviously isn’t that big of a deal, but still an outcome most would probably like to avoid. Since shopping secondhand is a pretty ironclad method for doing so, I’ve compiled a round-up of mostly pre-loved pieces below, all priced under $300. If you still have a few wedding dress codes left to crack this summer, I hope it offers some last-minute inspiration.

Separates

Styling note: When shopping for wedding guest attire I often gravitate toward separates (generally a top and a long skirt) instead of a dress. This allows for more optionality when it comes to styling, and also for repurposing the items in different ways and for a variety of outfits and occasions after the event in question. Any of the below tops could also be worn with a pair of jeans, the two midi-length skirts could be styled with a simple ribbed cotton tank and flip flops, etc.

1. Etro silk top (size 12, $115) and Helmut Lang silk skirt (size 10, $121.50).

2. J.Crew cotton blouse (sizes 00 - 24, $109.99) and Diane von Furstenberg silk skirt (size 2, $131.25)

3. Raquel Diniz silk top (size XL, $132.75) and skirt (size L, $105).

4. Handmade cotton skirt (sizes 0 - 20, $125.10) and Farm Rio cotton top (XS - XL, $81)

Colorful Dresses

1. Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini silk dress (sizes 2 and 6, $209)

2. Diane von Furstenberg silk column dress (size 12, $168)

3. Vintage cotton dress (XS/S, $99.43)

4. Escada silk dress (size 6, $295)

Neutral (But Not Boring!) Dresses

1. Sportmax silk dress (size 6, $125)

2. Diane von Furstenberg silk dress (size 0, $155)

3. Alexis linen dress (size L, $196)

4. Vintage black and white silk polka-dot dress (S/M, $180)

Before I sign off, I’ll also add that my favorite summer wedding guest shoes (in terms of both versatility and comfort) are espadrilles — either plain black ones like these or raffia ones like these (I actually just bought another pair because Manebi is having a 25% off sale with the code HOLIDAY25 and I’ve worn the identical pair I already own practically into the ground). My favorite summer wedding guest bag is either a mini straw bag with handles like this or this or a satiny bag like this. I avoid clutches like the plague. Both hands must remain free to grab mini quiches as they pass me by.

See you next week for my last pre-maternity leave newsletter — a shopping guide for the only summer trend I care about.

xo Harling