Need help, ladies: Going to a wedding 9/29/01-Destin, FL
 

I know what the weather will be in Destin at the end of September - low 80's and high 70's (per weather.com) BUT - can I still wear a summer dress? Here in the Midwest, it is TABOO to wear white or anything summery after Labor Day - does the same hold true for Florida? Sorry if you think this is a silly question, but I don't want to look like a hick/outsider.

It is NOT a stupid question!!! Although the beach areas are a lot more laid back than the surrounding south I advise you NOT to wear a white dress. Also some people think it is tacky to wear white to a wedding if you are not the bride. Older people think it is not appropriate to wear all black as it is the color of mourning but I see a lot of young people wearing black expecially at night weddings. What you wear will be a matter of practicality and local custom. Is it a beach outdoor wedding or inside? Inside will be airconditioned and sometimes sleeves feel good. Will it be a church wedding - likely to be more formal dress. "Fall" clothes in the deep south (September can be one of the hottest months)s are usually darkish or patterned cottons or other light weight material. ie not bright yellow, white, middle of summer looks. Polyester is very hot due to humidity. This custom is usually somewhat more lax at the beach areas, but again, how formal is the wedding? If it in a large formal church many women will hear stockings, if not still appropriate to wear open toe sandals (no white shoes after labor day please though you will probably see some). NO HEAVY COTTON OR WOOL YOU WILL DIE OF THE HEAT!!!! Take your cues from the wedding location. Outdoors - sundress of darkish material and dark sandals fine. Indoor formal wedding - day probably the type of thing people wear to church anywhere but not heavy materail. Night wedding? More bare clothes ok - kind of cocktailly but not too low cut.etc. Destin atmosphere is more like the deep south than South Florida. It is a beautiful place for a wedding, pretty laid back - unless the bride opts for a really formal wedding - and wonderful food. You will have a great time - not too commercial yet, beautiful beaches, etc. Y'all have fun and don't worry about your clothes too much - but not middle of the summer OR too heavy. It is still summer. Wear sunscreen or you will be sorry. Have a freat time. I have been to Destin lots of times and you will love it. From Alabama

Thank you, Ann -- the wedding WILL be formal - afternoon church, followed by a reception at the Officer's club in Niceville. Appreciate all your help. Now, God help me find an appropriate dress - all the stores up here have their winter line out!!!

Midwesternenr-Don't know where you live, but there are summer dresses galore on the sales racks. I was in Marshall Field's last week and they have a ton of summer fashions on sale, seems with the slow economy and the cool weather in early summer people were not buying summer clothes....

Midwesterner, Oh poppycock! Black is fine. So is white. Those no-no days are long gone. Toned bare legs are vogue. If it were me, I'd look for a neat little black dress, sleeveless. <BR> <BR>The more out-of-towners coming to the wedding there, the more summery the dress will be. People see "Florida" and automatically think tropical, doesn't matter if it's the Panhandle or South Beach.

Oh come on Fiddle, no one wants to show up at a formal wedding and look like a geeky tourist! What a faux pas! <BR> <BR>Midwesterner-the poster above gave great advice pay no attention to the polyster loving fiddlefaddle.

Yes, you can wear a summer dress. In fact, I would advise it. Probably what you're going to find in the stores in the Midwest will be suffocating for Destin in the summer. The white/summery taboo is stupid and being ignored more and more - especially in climates such as you'll find in Destin. However, being late September, although you'll find a summer weight dress more comfortable, subdue the colors somewhat. For a formal wedding with a reception at the Officer's Club, I'd forgo a sundress altogether. Actually, the weather will be awesome. You won't be melting outside. Hey, this far south, they're still wearing short sleeves outside past Thanksgiving. Be prepared to need something with sleeves inside - they'll keep the airconditioning on for another month at least! Down South, EVERY public building is airconditioned! (That's not true up north - my nephew had his high school graduation ceremony last summer in an unairconditioned FANCY historical building in Pittsburgh.)

Suzie Q, there hasn't been polyester in my closet in over a decade, dear. Kindly turn up your reading comprehension skills and note what I said I would do in her shoes (ie, the little black dress). And while at it, please note I wasn't advocating that she wear tropical, I was telling her what she would likely see there on *out-of-towners*, and if you frequent FL, you know she'll see alot of it on locals as well. The no black no white etc is, plain and simple, out of step with the times. <BR>A Floridian.

Ann gave you excellent advice. I agree that wearing white to a wedding is still something of a faux pas as is black unless it's an evening wedding. You may be able to order a summer-y dress from a catalogue since your stores have already switched to their fall line.

Sorry, ladies, didn't mean to start a clothing war. I guess I just wanted to know if clothing was more relaxed in FLA, because it is so much warmer there & it just seems to have a more laid back attitude. <BR>By the way, Gina, I live in a 'burb outside of Chicago - so, I will head over to Fields - I checked out Lord & Taylor & because I am a size 12 - there was nothing left; except some god-awful 70's-looking numbers - which I didn't mind 25 years ago when I was a size 8 & in my 20's, but now they're hideous to me. Which actually makes me want to ask this: has anyone in their 40's been able to find clothing they like???????

I found some fun and flirty clothes and shoes at Chico's. They sell party wear/casual wear for adult women with adult women curves.

Midwesterner-I am in the same age bracket as you and I like Marshall Field's, Talbott's, Lands End for casual clothes, Ann Klein. I like classic clothes, not the tight Brittany Spears stuff. I also have bough Kahkis and shorts at Old Navy. Have fun!

Am in my 40s too. It seems that everything is either the Brittany Spears look or that the 60+ women are wearing it - unless you want to go for the dressy classic look ALL the time. AArrrgggghhhhhH!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I guess my wedding was a major faux pas since all the bridesmaids wore black and the ceremony was at 11:30am.

ilisa: <BR>I love a black & white wedding - no matter what time of day - mine was too!

S: <BR>Could not agree with you more! What's wrong with the clothing industry? The boomers seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place. Too old for Brittany/too young for moo-moos. <BR>Gina: <BR>While I also shop occasionally at Talbotts & Lands End - they border on the conservative side - I want something between trashy & suburban matron. <BR>

But you know what? When they come out with anything that would hit at our age range, the "matrons" adopt it to court that younger appearance. Then we're back in the same situation.

White is a no - no! So is ivory, if that is the color the bride is wearing. Trust me, the bride will NOT like it if you show up in the same color she is wearing. (I agree, it's silly, and if you don't care about the glares from her or her family, wear white or ivory...) <BR> <BR>On the other hand, black is fine and perfect for a formal wedding. If the wedding is formal, then you can wear a classy black (silk?) shift (knee or below) with pearls. (No black hose.) There are tons of summer dresses on sale now in the stores that you can wear in Fla in September.

I just wanted to say that I am 23 and have the same problem finding things to wear (especially to work, where I'm expected to be in a suit and heels) that aren't suits made for 15 year olds (i.e. very very short skirts) or suits that have styles that are too old for me. It's frustrating!! With my job, my age already works against me, I can't look like a hooker on top of things! I have found nice dresses (and they also have good sales) at Casual Corner. I'd try there- good luck!

Ilisa, <BR> <BR>I guess the wedding I was in committed a faux pas(the last before, thank God, I was too old to be a bridesmaid anymore). We all wore white. Funny thing was, the bride was a twin. She wore the dress her sister wore in her all-white wedding the year before. Same church, similar bridesmaid dresses, a couple of the same bridesmaids. The only thing that looked different in the photos was the groom!