Wedding Guest Outfit - BOLD dress code

[RascalQueen]

Wedding in August. Garden wedding, not going to be huge but one half is Irish.

I'm planning on wearing some gold block heels (no stilettos becuase of the garden).

The dress code is BOLD. Now, I'm more of a classic wedding guest dresser so this has thrown me a bit.

I'm 5'4'', blonde balayage hair, blue eyes (do not suit purples, yellows or orange). Late 30's, size 12-14 with a bit of a mum-tum.

I have ordered this jumpsuit but I don't love it - very heavy polyester which might not be great in August: https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/nc-x-lisou-pink-crepe-one-shoulder-jay-draped-jumpsuit-p255571pnk?_gl=15643js_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgr_NBhDFARIsAHiUWr4LtMTBA6jYu3cfM27m_iEhgVf8WFMb3aHtg4MEN0RaQE522HBYUqkaAjP_EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&gbraid=0AAAAADQCJIUMRZZKn5E7qngOHFvwhROfq

There is also a part of me that's considering turning myself into a human disco ball:

Option 1: https://www.asos.com/arrange/arrange-disc-sequin-halter-trapeze-maxi-dress-in-lilac/prd/209489937#ctaref-product_share_native

Option 2: https://www.asos.com/arrange/arrange-embellished-sequin-cami-midi-dress-with-full-skirt-in-soft-pink/prd/209554508#ctaref-product_share_native

I know some people hate dress codes, but they are such a fun couple that I really want to do the dress code proud and have some fun.

I quite like the asos dresses but the models are nearly 5 ft 10 and at 5 ft 4 they will be floor length on you and probably can’t be taken up. Th jumpsuit is lovely, I’d go with that

I love the jumpsuit.

Just seen the dresses now. They're far, far better than the jumpsuit although possibly not right for a garden.

I don't like the jumpsuit at all. The colour is bold but the jumpsuit itself is a typical jumpsuit.

Me too ! I love the sequinned dresses. Those huge sequins catching the light as you dance, fabulous.

Disco ball!!! Love this one. You’d look phenomenal especially with some very oh-la-la sunglasses.

Friend of mine had her sister turn up in her own old wedding dress altered to add visible underskirts in neon orange and green netting. Now that was bold.

But ignoring that as too bold then surely anything that is anything other than a pastel colour qualifies as bold.

It's not as bad as some dress codes but would still make me want to wear the most insipid pastel I could find in protest.

Wow!! The last one is fabulous!!

I have the jumpsuit and it’s fabulous but really bloody difficult to do up by yourself so I’ve not worn it

If you want to look like a tomato!

Completely agree - love the jumpsuit!

I love the first dress, and hate the jumpsuit. I think the idea of the human disco ball is fun, and would look great with the heals! Maybe a midi or mini sequin dress would look good?

https://www.asos.com/prd/208728273?acquisitionsource=pasteboard

Or

https://www.asos.com/prd/207720103?acquisitionsource=pasteboard

Well, generally I can't abide dress codes - too controlling or too vague & confusing. Or both. But this is fairly self-explanatory & fun!! And could cover anything from someone just wearing a bright colour (if they feel a bit cautious), through to a bit of bonkers-ness - because why not?!

I think the sequin dresses are great (love disco balls, being a child of the 70s!) but, as a PP said, they may well be too long for you, even with heels. The jumpsuit I think needs someone with height/long legs to balance out the long sleeve - it will make you look shorter IMO, especially as you'll probably need to have it taken up. (I also think really strong blue-pinks don't suit blondes or paler colouring than that of the two models.)

Is your maximum budget is around £220 (the price of the dresses)? And are you perfectly happy if it's an outfit that you'd hardly ever/never wear again? As (apart from the jumpsuit perhaps) I'm assuming that would be the case with your choices?

I ask, as I always think it's a bit of a pity when people buy something they know they'll only ever wear once. (And yes, I count wedding dresses too!) Would you wear these again or just re-sell? What about a more wearable but still bright & gorgeous dress? Or a suit or separates? Even a sequinned top & skirt could be split & worn as part of more low-key but still going out outfits?

Oh, I forgot to ask. What does this mean??!

"Wedding in August. Garden wedding, not going to be huge but one half is Irish."

I've wanted that red Metamorphoza dress forever and would love an excuse for something bright from Farm Rio or Alemais!

Heritage Clothings is another great call. On a more whimsically extroverted note, have a browse through https://selkiecollection.com/

I bought the red dress for a wedding two years ago and recommended lots on here. It’s really nice to wear and beautifully made. Really inexpensive for the quality too.
My caveat was everyone wore blue at the wedding I wore it too so the group photos look a bit odd ( even though I hid at the back).
It’s a perfect Christmas Day / party dress. Looks fabulous on Valentines. It’s been abroad and to the theatre. It’s also really good just out and about because it’s cotton.

😻

Wowza! All eyes must have been on you at the wedding in that huge bright-red number. As my mother used to say, "We won't lose you in that!"

Thanks everyone! Lots of options to look at. So fun seeing everyone’s different opinions 😂

Oh and in response to this one - Irish weddings that I’ve been to tend to be formal/dressy than a typical English garden wedding (half my family is Irish so this has just been my experience of weddings in Ireland)

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I always think most of the outfits that are posted in wedding-guest threads are just hideous. Maybe I'm just a casual-clothes person. There's nothing linked here that would inspire me to buy, and I think most of them aren't nice. Perhaps I'm just fussy or out of touch with what's in style.

So would the Irish wear stuff more like evening wear, whereas the English are more likely to wear day dresses?

DP's family are Irish. Collectively they are much more dressed up than you get at an average UK wedding. Think Ladies' Day at Ascot type dressed up although the guys wear lounge suits.

And why are so many dresses soooooo long these days? It's like we're going back to the Victorian era. I blame Kate Middleton. Her dresses are usually down to her ankles, like a nun.

And if you don't want to dress like someone from an oil painting, then you have to have something that only comes down to mid-thigh! All the normal-length dresses and skirts seem to have disappeared. I'm five foot four, and thirty years ago you could easily get lengths that touched the knee or were just an inch or two below - i.e. a normal length - but now you have to either drown yourself in fabric or show the world your contours!!! And don't get me started on how foul most patterns are. Virtually all of them look like granny's curtains.

I've clearly woken up on the wrong side of the bed!

But while I'm at it, why do they make the models do so many silly poses? I can't see what the clothes look like when the model is jumping or flinging her arms or crouched over or photographed sideways. AND, Boden and Marks are shocking for Photoshopping models to look insanely underweight. Quite apart from all the health and societal issues that this creates, I CAN'T SEE WHAT THE CLOTHES ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE WHEN THE MODEL IS DISTORTED BY FUCKING PHOTOSHOP!

Here's an example I just grabbed from Marks. Look at the distortion.

The shape is fine irl. but it is very red!

In fairness the invite, guest list and invitation actually asked guests to wear some different . Just everyone seemed to wear blue even if it was in sequins.

They do other versions for people that don’t suit red.

Oo that stunning!

I’m reading ‘bold’ as bright and loud. Being glittery in a muted colour doesn’t quite fit the description for me. The jumpsuit is perfect with some metallic esska shoes perhaps