The Budget Babe | Affordable Fashion & Style Blog

Ask BB: What Should I Wear to a Black Tie Wedding?

I have been invited to a black tie wedding and have absolutely no idea what to wear. I have never been to a black tie event before, especially a wedding, so I'm stumped. I have a little black cocktail dress that I wore once before to a movie premier and was leaning towards wearing that dress. I think I should also add that the couple are religious, so I can't wear anything too revealing. The dress I wore to the premier is pictured [at right]. I added a beautiful feathered belt to the dress, which came together very nicely. Love to hear your thoughts. —Stacy-Ann M.

While I love the cocktail dress you've shared, you'll probably want to wear a floor-length dress if the invite says "black tie." If it says "black tie optional," then you can probably get away with a shorter cocktail dress. As a general rule, it's best to err on the side of being over rather than under-dressed. Besides, opportunities to get this glammed up don't come around that often so seize the chance to go floor-length and fabulous!

It doesn't hurt to do a little detective work, too. Ask friends, relatives or even the bride to help clarify the dress code expectations. Bring a shawl or jacket so you can cover your shoulders during the religious portion of the ceremony (always a safe bet at any place of worship).

Lunch Hour Shopping: The Shopping Marathon at ideeli.com


Lunch Hour Shopping: The Shopping Marathon at ideeli.com

Big summer sales are happening virtually everywhere, so allow me to narrow your focus to one sale in particular taking place today on ideeli.com - the Shopping Marathon. Find women's designer and contemporary apparel, handbags, activewear, outerwear and denim at huge markdowns. It's like ideeli's infamous red sales, ramped up. Sale starts promptly at 12 noon EST. Shown above are three of my top picks that are likely to sell out within minutes.

{1. Chloe striped skirt, $64.99 (down from $530); 2. L.A.M.B. small crossbody, $49.99 (down from $248); 3. Ark & Co. orange pleated hi-low skirt, $29.99 (down from $58)}