Wedding Series: What's a Guest to Wear?!?

According to Good Manners: Simply Told, appropriate attire for attending a wedding in 1930 went something like this:

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  Morning - "A tailored suit or dress of soft material. The color should be the same as you would choose for street wear. Your hat should match or harmonize. Suede or kid shoes are correct" (I wonder what kid shoes are?)
• Afternoon - "An afternoon dress with satin slippers and a more elaborate hat and gloves of a light shade or white."
• Evening - "In a church, calls for the usual formal evening costume with light slippers, hosiery and gloves. If you are not going to the reception, a smart afternoon dress is correct."

"Black gloves or dark colors are practical, but not in good taste. Light gloves are ALWAYS BEST."

While styles have certainly changed, those guidelines are still applicable today. Here are some updated tips from Women's Fashion Guide writer Cynthia Nellis

• Informal Daytime: Short dress or suit (business attire OK for morning wedding
• Informal Evening: Cocktail dress
• Semi-Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit
• Semi-formal Evening: Cocktail dress
• Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit. Hats and gloves optional.
• Formal Evening or Black-Tie: Long or dressy short cocktail (beading, glam accessories, wrap)
• Ultra-formal or White Tie: Long gown, extra glitz (furs, diamonds, etc.)

The black and white issue: More recently, wearing black to a wedding has become acceptable. Traditionally speaking, this wasn't appropriate, as black is the color for funerals (Emily Post even says that women in mourning are allowed to wear colors on the day of attending a wedding).

While black has become more appropriate, especially for evening weddings, I would still recommend splashing some color into the mix. Wear a pair of bright shoes and matching purse, colorful jewelry, a patterned scarf or pashmina.

White, on the other hand is still very much a faux pas. Even with most brides steering away from a stark "true" white, the look is still reserved for the bride. White dresses with patterns on them may pass... however if there is still some doubt, find something else to wear.