What to wear for a wedding – Moments from a beautiful Bavarian party
Beatrice Lessi
What NOT to wear
Summer is wedding season – how to be a well dressed guest?
First of all, by not rushing to a fast fashion shop like Zara, H&M, Shein, Mango and the likes. Yes, they do have nice clothes for the price. But their business model is a total disgrace, and we don’t want to spend money to fuel it. At least I don’t. So there are mainly three solutions: 1. Shop in your closet and use what you already have, 2. Rent a dress or buy second-hand, 3. Invest in high quality, sustainable clothes (but this is the most expensive option, and there is also always the suspicion of green washing. How do we know is something really is sustainable?).
Check the dress code
Last weekend I was invited at a gorgeous, traditional Bavarian wedding of two friends of mine, Cecilia and Stephan. I asked if I had to wear a traditional Tracht or Dirndl, typical of this beautiful area of Germany. The bride told me everybody could dress the way they wished, and I am glad I asked, because when I arrived I noticed that many of the guests – and the bride and groom itself – were indeed wearing the Bavarian traditional outfits. If I didn’t ask, I would have thought something was wrong. So it’s always a good idea to check out with the bride herself what her wish is. In this case it wasn’t so specific, and the result was fresh and authentic.
With her immaculate skin, black shiny hair, perfect eyebrows and beautiful contageous smile, Cecilia was the most Southern looking “Bavarian” (she is actually from Ticino, Switzerland) I’ve ever seen. No wonder her nickname is Stromboli , after the the island off the North coast of Sicily, whose wild volcanic nature might erupt at any time!
Consider renting a dress
My choice was a violet Ralph Lauren dress I rented at Ragfair. Browse through the gowns and cocktail dresses of their website and it’s impossible you don’t fall in love with one. I know the founders personally, Lena and Natalia, and highly respect the way they are working. They are practical, efficient, fast, super friendly and always helping with a smile. Often they even come to your house, the first time you order, to get to know you and take measurements.
Below, some impressions from the wedding on Schliersee. Thank you Cecilia and Stephan for being wonderful hosts and giving us such a fun, beautiful and heart-warming weekend.
