Smart Casual - with a side of fabulous.
'Tis the season to be married, fala lala laa la la la laa.
Wedding season is finally here! And since I've been invited to 3 weddings (yay!) before the year is out, I thought I'd cover the ins and outs of the 3 main dress codes. Those being: smart casual (in this blog entry), semi-formal, and formal. I find there is usually a bit of confusion and debate when it comes to dressing appropriately, so in the coming months I'll help you decode the dress codes :)
The first of the weddings was over the weekend. Congratulations to my very proud Godfather/Uncle David and his wife, Cathy. xx
Here is my take on smart casual. I gave myself a limit of $100 to put together this outfit, from head to toe - lets see how I did... :D
When dressing for a smart casual look the first thing you need to do is have a think about all of the casual items in your wardrobe... Take a moment to go through them.. your everyday jeans, thongs, t-shirts, polos, singlets, shorts, joggers etc, and then absolutely RULE THEM OUT :) Do not be led astray by the word 'casual' on your invitation.Instead, think along the lines of blouses, pastels, florals (especially for this spring/summer), capri pants, well cut dresses/skirts either maxi or knee length (no minis!) , tailored pants and button up shirts (for men). The best way to dress up your outfit for this look is to add some stand-out accessories, or some cute heels.
As you can see I've opted for a pretty cream dress with intricate embroidery and lace. Its simple design meant that I could dress it up easily with accessories - the fun part!
Dress: Best & Less - $29.95
Shoes: Mimosa - $30 on sale!
Statement animal print clutch bag: Zellows - $14.95 on sale!
This clutch bag clashes with the detail in the dress just enough to stand out as a statement piece, but not too much where it looks like it was an accident ;)
Set of bangles: Equip - $5
Cocktail ring: Equip - $5
Instead of pairing drop earrings with my up-do, and risking taking attention off the embroidered neckline of my dress, I chose this fabulous feather hair piece with scattered diamantes over it. A pair of matching sparkling diamante earrings tied the accessories together nicely.
Statement animal print clutch bag: Zellows - $14.95 on sale!This clutch bag clashes with the detail in the dress just enough to stand out as a statement piece, but not too much where it looks like it was an accident ;)Set of bangles: Equip - $5Cocktail ring: Equip - $5Instead of pairing drop earrings with my up-do, and risking taking attention off the embroidered neckline of my dress, I chose this fabulous feather hair piece with scattered diamantes over it. A pair of matching sparkling diamante earrings tied the accessories together nicely.
The animal print detail on the feathers subtly compliments my animal print clutch bag - ahhhh I just love when everything works!Fabulous feather and diamante hair piece: Equip - $5
Matching diamante earrings: Equip - $5
Giving the handsome groom his congratulatory cuddle xx
...and then I pinched his bum for good luck...
...and then I pinched his bum for good luck... The mens smart casual: dress pants, button up shirt (no tie!), matching belt with shoes and accessories (if any)... perfect.
My sister wore a striking maxi, with a superb neckline that adds a touch of elegance to an otherwise simple cut. Stunning.
And of course, an arm full of accessories!
My sister wore a striking maxi, with a superb neckline that adds a touch of elegance to an otherwise simple cut. Stunning.And of course, an arm full of accessories!
So all together: dress, shoes, bangles, earrings, cocktail ring, and hair piece = a grand total of (drum-role please!) $94.90
Not only was this smart casual outfit within my budget, but every item can be re-used time and time again to create completely new looks :)
Hope this helped!
Love and Inspiration K x