The Best Dresses for Wedding Guests for Spring and Summer 2023

Peak wedding season is almost upon us, which means a slew of invites is about to hit your mailbox (if they haven’t already). And once you’ve RSVPd accordingly, then comes the hard part: what do you wear? Not all nuptials are created equal, so finding the best wedding guest dress for each event is no seamless feat. You need an effortless and breezy dress (opens in new tab) for the sand-set destination, a polished gown for your friend’s black-tie affair, and an in-between style for a semi-formal ceremony. Where’s one to begin?

Arielle Siboni (opens in new tab), Ready-to-Wear Fashion Director at Bloomingdale’s, advises you first take a deep breath—inhale, exhale—and then look to where you would for any other shopping decision: the fashion trend (opens in new tab) cycle. She shares with Marie Claire that the industry’s method-behind-the-madness is a great starting point for you to consider when seeking a wedding guest dress. “And there are so many fun, more emotional trends to try this season in formal wear: bright colors, paillettes, fringe, and new exciting details like bows, ruffles, and rosettes are the trends I’d try to incorporate into my wedding guest look this year,” says Siboni.