Last weekend we attended our first wedding of the summer in Pittsburgh. The short trip was a welcome opportunity to get out of town for a few days and rediscover a city we once lived in – and now love from afar. Despite to occasional downpour, the weekend was lovely. Pittsburgh is incredible in May, with flowers blooming (the street we stayed on – just a few blocks from our old apartment! – was filled with the scent of wisteria), lots of outdoor dining options, and with so much NEW happening – so much has popped up since my last visit in 2017. I said it on Instagram and I'll say it again, if you want to be completely seduced by Pittsburgh, visit in May. (Conversely, if you want to be horrified and never visit again, go in late November). The utter green-ness is enough to cause amnesia, making me (almost) forget why the city wasn't right for us – but damn, it sure is wonderful to visit. And what a perfect weekend for a wedding.
For practical reasons, I almost always wear long dresses to weddings. They're comfortable, easy to move in, easy to dance in, and you don't have to worry about flashing any uncles when you bust a move. We typically have one or two weddings to attend each season, and I like to choose a dress that I'll wear to all of them (usually). There are a few things I always look for in dresses – I don't always strictly adhere to this but as a general rule I like them midi-length or long, low cut or wrap, with a darker color or print. Determined to pack light and not break the bank, I went in search of the perfect wedding guest dress. Ideally, I wanted Reformation, because who doesn't? And because I know their dresses work for me and my style. I ended up finding the perfect one secondhand – score! And – double score – it packed down small and didn't wrinkle, so I could stick to my carryon-only policy. I kept the rest of the look simple, with a woven bag from Etsy, simple earrings my mother gave me forever ago, and basic black heels I got way back from Sole Society. Makeup-wise, I bought myself this lipstick and basically haven't stopped wearing it since.
I love finding dresses (and all my clothes) secondhand – but you know I'm not above buying something new if it's perfect so I thought I'd share a few of my faves. Because the second wedding is coming up and it's more casual... and to be honest, I'm thinking of wearing something different!
Wedding guest dresses:
... and all the accessories:
