So you receive a wedding invitation that reads ‘formal’, but you don’t have a clue how to dress accordingly. You don’t want to be under or overdressed, so what’s a guest to do? The formal attire sits between semi-formal and black tie, but still denotes an elegant appearance. Luckily, the Wedding Etc style team and Zando are here to help:

For the ladies

You can never go wrong with a beautiful long dress where the hem ranges from knee, mid-calf or ankle, a jumpsuit, or dressy separates like suit pants and a jacket.
Formal cocktail dresses are suited for a day wedding look, whereas a longer evening dress is suited perfectly for an evening wedding.

Pairing can make or break your entire ensemble, so complete the look with a gorgeous make-up look, a pair of statement earrings and a little clutch.

Finally, slip on a pair of stunning, yet comfortable, heels in which you can dance the night away. Keep the tones muted if the rest of the outfit is louder in patterns, colour or style.

For the men

A simple black or navy suit is classic for a reason. It’s a timeless ensemble you can wear over and over again.

With the formal dress code, ditching the tie or bow tie is completely acceptable, although, the option is yours. If you do opt for one of the two, keep them simple and clean. Alternatively, keep the shirt buttoned to the top and add little pops of detail like cuff links, a time piece, tie clips or lapel clips and a classic formal black shoe.

By Amy-lee Steenkamp

All images courtesy of Zando

Feature image: Unsplash