The envelope arrived in December carrying a Save the Date with phrasing that is peculiar to the last 15 months: ‘subject to restrictions’. Surely, these are the words that best sum up the last fifteen months of the pandemic? Where once, they may have filled me with cortisol, they now trigger general eye rolling and an exasperated sigh.
But still, despite today’s front pages, I live in hope. Hope that come June 26th I will be celebrating the love and marriage of one of my best friends to his ideal woman in the company of dozens of other friends.
In this hope, my thoughts are turning to what on earth I am going to wear. Occasion wear, or should I just say occasions full stop, have been in short supply over the last year – indeed, a gathering bigger than just 6 people also in equally short supply. And so, I’ve no idea what to wear. Where once, in the heyday of wedding summers which could mean I was attending a different wedding on a weekly basis, a new invitation often warranted a new dress.
And a special occasion justifies a significant outlay, right? At a time when most of my day-to-day wardrobe consisted of Topshop, ASOS and Gap, my wedding outfits were less high street and more high end (relatively for me at the time, of course). There was a too tight, too low DvF jersey dress worn to be deliberately provocative amongst the promised single friends – rarely, if ever, successful, I might add; two Westwood Anglomania dresses that never managed to get the weather right: one long-sleeved, that when worn guaranteed sunshine, the other hot pink and sleeveless and synonymous with rain; a Saloni printed silk shirt dress that in my head was wafty and decadent, but in reality on my 5’5” frame was just messy. With maturity (yes, yes, age), I’ve of course come to realise that this was hideous logic. The cost-per-wear of those frocks, to this day, remains (comparatively) sky high. And so, this year, I’m determined not to buy a new dress but work instead with what I already have.
For many of us, there are pieces languishing at the back of our wardrobes that we have neither looked at, nor worn in the last year, that may be perfectly beautiful, and we simply need reminding of their existence. This is the first place to start.
Then, it’s time to think outside the box. Accessories are the easiest way to update an old outfit. Adding a gold chain belt, some knockout jewellery, and a pair of strappy mid-heel sandals will instantly shift the summer dress you’ve been wearing with white trainers, from average to outstanding, thereby lowering it’s cost-per-wear. Win-win.
And whilst, yes, dresses often are the easiest go to for occasion wear - like suits for men, they are a one hit wonder - have you considered the rest of your wardrobe? A smart pair of tailored trousers in a summery colour such as lilac or red with a printed blouse, for example, or a flowy silk skirt teamed with a modest camisole can make an ideal wedding outfit. Adding some banging accessories will help take the simplest outfit from everyday to occasion.
So, instead of looking at big outlays and new frocks, I’ve done the hard work for you by scouring the shops for some jolly accessories (that look hideously expensive but actually aren’t). The Lust List this week will give your existing wardrobe a much-needed boost ahead of our Summer of Love.
