I’m the sister of a 26 yr. old bride and I am attending her after 5 wedding in Biloxi, MS in August. The wedding is at an inside venue on the beach. Her colors are fuchsia and navy blue. I am 39-years-old 5’5″ and a curvy size 14 with a tiny waistline and small bust. My sister did not specify a formal wedding; but, I am thinking an above- the-knee cocktail dress would be appropriate??? Any suggestions on the color? I have 3 other sisters who will all be in attendance for our baby sister’s wedding…we were thinking black but not sure.
–Michelle, Mississippi
I agree, I'm not so sure about wearing black in August to a beach-style wedding. The attendants usually wear one of the wedding colors, so why not find a navy blue dress that accentuates your curves, and one that you can wear again. Look for a blue crepe A-line dress.
To illustrate the kind of dress I'm recommending, I use the website renttherunway.com where you can rent, buy or just get a sense of dresses available in stores. I did a quick check under dresses choosing the color blue and found:
ML Monique Lhuillier: We Belong Together Dress
Nanette Lepore: Navy Lace Crew Dress
Lilly Pulitzer: Navy Bernadette Wave Dress
Vera Wang: Bicolor Power Sheath
Lilly Pulitzer: Derby Girl Dress
Blumarine: Lady Pep Dress
Carolina Herrera: Navy Metropolitan Club Dress
ML Monique LHuillier: Never Let You Go Sheath
If you find a dress at a site such as renttherunway.com, have your other three sisters check it out. You wouldn't necessarily have to wear the exact same dress, because we want all of you to wear the dress that flatters you most. Choose a length, such as knee-length or above, in one of the wedding colors (navy blue may be more practical for future use) and don't worry about matching the style. For one-on-one advice, go to what2wearwhere.com, where Hilary Dick is willing and able to help you further
My daughter is going to a wedding in Maine on Labor Day weekend. One of the party invitations says, “Coastal Cocktail” attire. I know what that means in the South (Lilly Pulitzer, e.g.), but I’m not so sure what that might suggest for Maine.
–Anonymous, Palm Beach
Blue stripes are coastal, or any color stripe for that matter. Lilly Pulitzer is not RI, MA, NH, ME coastal. These places prefer J McLaughlin to LP. Go to jmclaughlin.com and look at the summer sale. Labor Day weekend, however, can be cold, so she'll need a pair of pants and a sweater. For the wedding weekend I like the following dresses on sale on the JMcLaughlin website: Emma Cap Sleeve Dress in Stay Sail, Sage Sleeveless Dress in Marble, Sage Dress in Deco Knot, Edie Dress in Mod Garden, and Nicola Dress in Black Portsmouth Stripe, Nicola Dress in Blue Riviera, Nicola Dress in Coral Mixed Media Stripe, and Maria Halter Dress in Jazz. Not on sale, I like Sage Dress In French Lace, which is lovely.
