Be stylish (even if you’re not the bride)

Lately it seems that more and more of our friends and colleagues are succumbing to those two fateful words: “I do.”

So while the save-the-dates pour into our mailboxes, we ponder the three most important wedding guest questions: Whom should I bring, what gift do I get the newlyweds – and what should I wear?

The last is something with which I can assist.

Wedding attire, though addressed on the invitation, can easily become a shot in the dark. If you show up overdressed, you might outshine the bride and wind up with some dirty looks and a black eye. Appear underdressed, and it looks like you’re ready for any other Saturday night.

So where is the happy medium?

For the majority of weddings, clothing is addressed in one of two ways: black-tie or cocktail attire.

Unless the reception is being held in someone’s backyard with a keg and a barbecue, you’ll be in the clear with one of those two options.

Cocktail attire is any dress with a hemline hitting at the knee or three inches above or below. Anything longer is too formal and anything shorter is in bad taste for a wedding.

Black-tie attire can also be divided into two categories: the ball gown and the evening gown.

Ball gowns generally hit at the floor, have a voluminous skirt and are reminiscent of the quintessential southern belle, Scarlett O’Hara herself.

Evening gowns are vastly more popular for black-tie occasions, hitting at the floor as well but offering a sleeker silhouette.

The easiest way to find an inexpensive outfit for a wedding is simple: recycle. Most women own one or two formal dresses they’ve worn to various occasions, but with the abundance of photographers at these occasions, there’s a hesitance to re-wear something.

Swapping dresses with a friend is a simple and free way to look appropriate for a wedding. Inexpensive accessories and a classic clutch will also revive a gown that’s been in a friend’s closet since senior prom.

If none of your friends share your taste or measurements, several stores offer well-priced dresses for weddings and other formal events. David’s Bridal, the nationwide, never-fail wedding staple since the 1950s, gets new styles in fairly often and carries formal gowns and accessories to match.

Even brides who would normally don more expensive attire are turning to David’s Bridal during these trying economic times. A friend of mine will marry her college sweetheart dressed in a white satin A-line gown she says she absolutely loves from the nuptial staple. The attire is formal, with her bridesmaids following suit in classic yellow summer dresses, she said.

She also explained how the recession has played a hindering role in her wedding planning, especially because she is still in school.

The crafty bride-to-be is cutting corners by ordering her veil online from EBay for only $15, something that would normally set you back more than $100. She is also making the invitations herself with the help of her mother, a completely adorable idea that she says will not only save her money, but also give her more time to spend with her mom.

No matter the dress code, wedding attire can be found effortlessly, whether excavated from a friend’s closet or inexpensively purchased from various retailers and whatever you wear, just remember to pick something you can dance in!