It’s the unofficial start of summer, and you know what that means? Wedding season. We only have one this year (phew!), but I’ve had as many as six in a summer. One of your friends gets engaged, and it’s like someone lit the fuse on a stick of dynamite. The timer starts, and suddenly everyone is getting married that summer. But just because you want to celebrate their happiness and commitment, doesn’t’t mean you should go broke doing it.
Dear Abra:
I have four weddings this summer with virtually the same people at each one. I have two dresses that I can recycle from last summer, but I need two more. They MUST be under-$100, $125 at the most. No fooling. All I see in that price range are dresses I wore clubbing in college. Where do I look?
Coco I Am Not
Well, you look right here, of course. In that price you should be able to find some non-club things, you just have to be discerning about skirt length, the dip of the neckline, and embellishments. Obviously the other rules apply: no white, no pale/pale blush, etc.. Here are some options.
Michael Kors Ruffle Dress ($122)
Tahari Sleeveless Crepe Sheath ($70)
Flare Sleeve Tie Waist ($115, sizes 14-28)
Alli & Jay Stars Sheath ($118)
Isabel London Maxi Dress ($57)
Lane Bryant Lace Swing Dress ($80)
F21 Chiffon Cold Shoulder Wrap ($30)
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OMG – that Tahari dress is stunning!
I’m a HUGE fan of Rent the Runway Unlimited for this sort of thing. Get to have lots of different dresses and other fun stuff too! I keep mine on hold most of the year and then turn it on whenever I have a few big events grouped together.
If you have a brand you like, or generally know your size, I’ve found some GREAT almost brand new dresses on Poshmark. I think so many women have so many dresses they’ve worn a handful of times and can no longer wear, since it’s been ‘seen’ too many times. I’ve gotten some gorgeous DvF dresses and Rebecca Taylor dresses from $20-$65!!
I would highly recommend trying Rent the Runway Unlimited. The first month is only $99 and you get 4 items at a time. I started my membership during the holiday season because I had over 10 holiday work functions. I’ve kept my membership because its caused me to be more mindful of my shopping habits. Ultimately I’m spending less on clothes.
Even just regular Rent the Runway would be a good alternative. The Pro membership pays for itself pretty quickly and you can rent decent accessories for as little as $5. I’ve always figured I could pay $50-75 for a not great quality dress I’ll maybe wear one or two more times or I can pay $35-50 for a more fun and interesting $200-400 dress I’ll wear pretty much just as often. Even when I’ve gotten dresses that I’ll swear I’ll wear more often, I never do.
I second the recommendation for Poshmark, but I’m more partial to eBay and brick-and-mortar consignment stores myself – I don’t like that Poshmark doesn’t let you see if sellers receive bad feedback. I attend a LOT of weddings, and I’m tough to fit and can’t risk Rent the Runway (which otherwise would be a good option). Using ebay and consignment stores, I’ve bought dresses for far less than the exact same dresses simultaneously rent for on RTR, and over the years, I’ve worn all of them more than once. Some ebay sellers offer returns, which certainly helps if you’re not confident of your size in a particular dress. Always ask questions, of course – and to the letter-writer, enjoy the weddings!
I bought the WHBM dress for a wedding and it is STUNNING! Highly recommend!
Love the suggestions! Especially the first two.
If you have a TJ Maxx near you with either a Runway or Contemporary section, you can find some awesome deals either full price or clearance! For weddings lately, I’ve found some dresses for about $50 there that are still full price on Revolve.