FASHION TIPS FOR WEDDING GUESTS

Spring is the season for weddings, and you may find yourself with invitations to more than one. After deciding on a gift, the question then becomes, "What am I going to wear?'It really depends on the wedding. Weddings range from very formal to super-casual so the best fashion ideas would be to gear your outfit towards the formality of the wedding. Often the invitation will give you a clue, but to be certain it's easiest to simply ask the bride or the bride's mom.Guests are part of the wedding and, as such, you will want your look to blend harmoniously with the theme of the wedding without distracting from the bride and her party. It goes without saying that wearing white to a wedding is a privilege reserved only for the bride.You can often plan your outfit around things like if the wedding is inside or out, during the day or in the evening, at a church or on the beach, and where the reception will be held.During spring and summer, a little dress of some kind will generally work very well. For daytime weddings, a floral print that doesn't look loud or overstated is always pretty. Unless the wedding is very casual, choose a dress that's not too short. Knee-length or longer, or just above the knee, is always appropriate. Dresses are great for weddings because they are easy to dance in and comfortable to wear.

For evening a little black dress, accessorized with gold or silver jewelry and a French twist, will look simple but elegant. If it's cool in the evening, add a light shawl in a pastel or bolder shade. A small bag, preferably a clutch, and some strappy sandals will complete your look.For black-tie or black-tie optional, simply substitute a floor or ankle-length dress and high-heeled sandals to match. As long as you are reasonably festive and use good taste, you will make a good impression and add to the beauty of the celebration with your outfit.For men, a lightweight, light-colored suit with a pastel shirt works well for daytime, but if you don't have a summer suit, a summer blazer will work just as well. For evening or formal wear, just substitute a dark suit and add a tie. If an evening wedding is casual or semi-formal, you can get away with a blazer, tie and dress pants instead of a suit.

An optional black-tie wedding requires that you wear a dark suit, although by all means wear a tuxedo if you wish. But black-tie means you must wear a tuxedo. Sorry guys, no exceptions!