Guidance needed - wardrobe for Caribbean beach wedding this spring - YouLookFab Forum

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Guidance needed - wardrobe for Caribbean beach wedding this spring

uneasyshopper

Hello! New here! I'm 60-plus and am invited to an island destination wedding. My ongoing challenge is my feet. Very limiting. Super narrow heels and a bunion! It's a 5 pm midweek wedding. Supposedly anything goes...but...does it? I do have a pair of very casual metallic flat sandals that I wore to a wedding without suffering last summer. So I'd like to wear those. But what kind of dress? I'm a bit of a pear, but I do have a waist. 5'4, about 125, puny shoulders. I wear a 4 or 6 in a dress. And I can't bear to be hot. That said, it's supposedly quite windy at this destination, so it can't be something I'm going to have to keep tamping down in wind. I'd rather not spend a fortune--ideally $200 or less. With these sandals, I think I need to wear pants or long dress. But I def do NOT want to go the formal gown route. Grateful for any and all suggestions! TIA!

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Tanya

Jules

Veteran

Yes, I would say anything goes for the type of event you describe Starting with shoes that work for you sounds like a great idea! When is the wedding? You might want to look at resort collections to get some starting point inspiration.
https://www.nordstrom.com/sr/resort-wear

Joyce

(website)

Sounds like a fun event to look forward to. Definitely wear a dress. You will be too hot and uncomfortable in pants and the breeze will be welcome. If you are worried about the wind don't look for too full a skirt and try some different lengths. You will have to do some recon for this if you want to find comfort and style.

uneasyshopper

Jules: thank you for your thoughts and the link! wedding is in April. Just checked out Nordstrom resort wear at the link, and it seems to be mostly casual-beachy vs. casual wedding beachy. The few longer dresses that show up at the link I think would not look so great on me. And the pants there are extremely casual - jeans, mostly. I probably have to look around a bit more on the site. :-). I'm thinking any dress would have to be on the long side because of the very casual sandals... Or am I wrong?

Joyce: thank you. very true about a tailored pant being hot; was wondering whether pants that are more loose and floaty might work? That said, I'm only 5'4", so I don't know if I could carry that off. Have you any suggestions as to where to look first to do recon?

VioletMyra

Does anything here inspire or appeal?

https://tinyurl.com/Beach-Wedding-Guest-Attire

Best wishes for your hunt.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi there and welcome! I’m also 60 plus and a little shorter and a little heavier than you. I can’t help on brands since I live in New Zealand but am holidaying in a tropical location in Thailand right now and there is every style imaginable here.
Could you look up the country, resort etc where you will be and see photos on the websites of weddings? The sandals sound fabulous and I reckon could go with any length of dress from knee length to maxi. I wear mostly flat sandals now also.
For my own daughter’s wedding in the tropics 3 years ago I looked in boutiques both online and in-person but in the end bought a dress that was on sale (not my original intent) and bought sandals and clutch that matched each other plus jewellery that cost more than the dress. But as mother of the bride I was making extra effort

kkards

Veteran

I think the sandals sound perfect
As for what it wear, for me I guess the question is where exactly is the wedding? I’d wear something different if it’s on an actual beach as opposed to in a venue near the beach, or indoors. On an actual beach and what ever I wear needs to be washable because sorry sand gets everywhere. (and for the same reason dress/pants can’t be longer than ankle) if it’s in a venue off the actual beach, than I’d wear whatever I’d wear to an middle week wedding, which for me is nice but not super dressy.

Liz

Veteran

I don't think there's anything about casual sandals that inherently require them to be worn with pants or with a dress that is on the long side. When you wore the sandals to a wedding last summer, what did you wear with them, and were you happy with the outfit?

MsMaven

Veteran

We attended a beach wedding in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at least a dozen years ago.Too many cameras, too many photos.I can't find the ones I want right now. I did find a couple of what I wore.

Wedding was at a hotel outside the city, and ceremony took place out on the beach, but not on the sand. We walked along a boardwalk to a lattice covered enclosure where the ceremony took place. Mid-September and just as we went out, a rain shower hit. The hotel provided us with umbrellas.

This was when Havaiana's were popular, and the bride gifted every woman with a pair that we all wore to the ceremony. You can see my dress and the sandals. This was a Komarov dress from Nordstrom. Most of the women wore flowery dresses, mid-calf length.

Following the ceremony we had banquet inside the hotel. This was the chicken dance era and everybody danced a lot. The next day, waiting in line to board our cruise ship, a sudden pain hit my heel and calf. Plantar fasciitis back. (Had it before, so knew what to do.)

The men wore casual pants, (not jeans) and several wore Hawaiian shirts, but the wedding party wore tuxes. Overall, it was a relaxed occasion.

I'd like to find more photos so you can see the structure on the beach.`

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Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I like your floaty pants idea! Back in the day, no one but the bride wore white at a wedding. Now guests showing up in white is a thing. I’d check with the bridal party first, but am picturing wide cropped floaty white pants in a very lightweight fabric, worn with simple flat sandals.

Joy

Veteran

A beach wedding...even a small beach....is about wind and being able to walk in sand. Think of hair and footwear. And sun. In the wind a hat for sun will probably blow off. The wind can be fearce. Think of putting your hair up with extra hair pins and heavy duty spray. You may have to sit in the beach sand. Be prepared for anything. Remember, the photos of you may out live the marriage . I wore a love silk skirt to a beach wedding and it worked well in that it had motion but did not blow up. Just be sure it fits well and does not turn on your body.

uneasyshopper

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions/insights! What a wonderful group this is!!
The wedding is midweek and starts at 6 pm. I ordered a dress. Just hope it's not too youthful for me! Shockingly inexpensive. It has a lining, so if it blows around, at least I won't be overly exposed. LOL I like that it has a versatile vibe -- could be perceived as dressy or casual-ish.What do you think?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1.....9c630f6f52

Jenni NZ

Veteran

That’s beautiful! Not too long? I think that will look fantastic.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Wow, that is great! It is made to blow around, so will be just perfect in the scenario Joy described.

MsMaven

Veteran

Wow again! That dress does look perfect for the occasion.

Joy

Veteran

Pardon the typos. I never know what will actually get posted . I meant to say I wore a long silk skirt. It did not blow but was to big for me and the waist moved around. This was the time when everyone drank shots. Too much drinking. Not much dancing. The marriage did not last.

uneasyshopper

Thank you so much, everyone! The dress arrived yesterday. It's very pretty. I haven't tried it on yet...I'm a little afraid I won't like the way it looks ON ME. Either way, if I wear it, it WILL be blowing around a lot! I had visions of wearing it with clothespins or binder clips!! LOL I have short thin, curly/wavy hair, so I'm anticipating that will be a mess, too. But that's ok! It's all about the bride! I'm hoping since it starts at 6 pm that sun won't be as much of an issue. The next decision is WHAT TO WEAR OVER THIS when the evening gets cool. I have a beautiful sheer silk scarf/shawl, but it's black. Any thoughts would be so appreciated!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

The dress is beautiful and festive! I hope you like how it looks on you.

If you don't, I'd be happy to take it off your hands!

Ah, toppers. SUCH a nuisance!!! We had countless talks about this on the forum about a decade ago when every single festive, cocktail, or occasoin dress seemed to be sleeveless -- even winter dresses!

This Boden cardigan (below) might work if you like blue and want to go with the blue in the dress.

There are also cropped dressier cardigans similar to this: https://www.anntaylor.com/sale.....ceSort=DES

Or a cropped jacket. Honestly, if the wedding were on an actual beach I might be tempted to wear a cropped denim jacket.

ETA, I also found a nice wrap: https://www.jcrew.com/m/womens.....ere-wrap/M

Having trouble with the Finds, hence the link.

Cropped VNeck Cardigan

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm with Suz on the cropped denim jacket as a topper!

AGOLDE Shrunken Charli Jacket

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1

Marks and Spencer

M&S Collection Denim Jacket with Stretch

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Alexander Wang Shrunken Trucker Jacket

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2

KUT from the Kloth 'Helena' Denim Jacket

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6

KUT from the Kloth 'Helena' Denim Jacket

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3

KUT from the Kloth Amelia Denim Trucker Jacket

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Tanya

Veteran

Gorgeous dress! Second/third the suggestion of a little denim jacket.