Q. My son will be getting married in a few months. The bride’s attendants are wearing black dresses as is the Mother of the bride. The bride’s and attendants’ flowers will be a mix of fuchsia, orange and yellow, and the colors at the reception will be chocolate brown and fuchsia, with accents of orange and yellow. I have been told I can wear any color, but not a pastel. I don’t want to wear black, but am wondering what colors I might consider. I was originally thinking some shade of brown, but I don’t know how that will look with the black and the floral accent colors.
-Dress Decision
A. Stop wondering about the colors of the flowers, the tablecloths and the bridesmaid dresses and start immediately thinking about you and what will make you happy and look good. Skip the pastels and start picking out dresses with colors that make you smile and add a warm color to your skin. Head to your favorite stores with formal dress departments and enlist the help of a personal shopper (they’re free at most department stores and they’re there to help). Bring along a savvy, stylish friend or two to help you make a decision. Shop online to get a sense of what you’re interested in. If you find a dress you love, buy it online and you can bring it to a tailor if you need some adjustments. We’re fans of edressme.com, saks.com, nordstrom.com and bergdorfgoodman.com. For store shopping, make it a fun day with a plan of action, list your stores to visit, bring along pics from magazines and online sites and be sure to stop for lunch with your girlfriends to destress.
Q. I stumbled across your site recently, and I think it’s great! I purchased this dress to wear to a summer wedding and I was wondering what shoes and bag you recommend wearing with it. Do you think accessories will be too much?
