Honestly, I have so much to say about a wedding I attended this weekend in Lake Como, yet words fail me. 'Como' is by far the most incredibly breathtaking, picturesque place I have ever been to, and visiting for the first time was made even more special by spending the weekend catching up with friends and witnessing the unconditional love between two very special people.
As soon as I received my ‘save the date’ invitation last year and learned that the celebrations would be in the exclusive Italian enclave which Amal Clooney calls home, I knew that finding my outfits for the wedding would be the sartorial search that overshadowed every shopping trip leading up to last weekend.
But where does one begin in the search for outfits to wear in the glamorous, architectural havens of Northern Italy where the likes of George Clooney, Madonna and Gianni Versace have or once owned houses?
This is everything I wore to my friend’s wedding in Lake Como, (in what was truly the most magical weekend imaginable.)
How I chose my wedding guest dresses:
I was so content with all three of the outfits I wore for the occasion, and it’s because I made sure I dressed for my body type. Regardless of whose wedding one is attending or the wedding location - shopping for guest outfits can be a stressful ordeal, as the world is pretty much your oyster.
I gave myself a criteria to slightly narrow down my choices (albeit the search was still a long one), so I went for: comfort, colour and confidence. For example, I don’t always feel my best self in short-length dresses, yet I do like figure-hugging material therefore I looked for dresses that were knee-length or longer, and eschewed frills or overly billowing silhouettes. Also, my typical wardrobe palette is muted (team minimalistic over here), so a special occasion, plus the bellissima backdrop of Como, absolutely called for colour.
Day One - The Cocktail Glam Guest
I accessoried my Whistles dress with Bobbies shoes and a Vinted clutch
Top tip: go shopping and try on dresses in person for such special occasions if you can. After ordering an obscene number of outfits, I went into Selfridges on Bond Street and found my dress almost immediately.
After trying it on and loving the fit, I wore a pink midi dress from Whistles which featured a cut-out at the bust (a trend that has dominated sartorial agendas since 2022), a slight fit and flare silhouette and both a halterneck and spaghetti straps to add interest. The simple silhouette and lack of pattern allowed me to play around with accessories, and the ‘Casey’ heeled sandals from Parisian designer Bobbies were the perfect match. Stilettos and I are not friends, and I love that these resplendent light pink, orange and green sandals have a slim rectangular heel that looks more dainty than the usual block heel. I also love that the injection of multiple colours is so delicate that they didn’t take attention away from the dress. P.S, my drop earrings from Mango are a £17 steal and they are current season.
My multicoloured drop earrings from Mango are a steal
My bag was, believe it or not, a Vinted gem. I came across a seller who makes her own clutches, and this floral number perfectly paired with my outfit colour palette and added interest with the pattern and sturdy gold top handle.
Day Two - The Classic Wedding Guest
I wore a dress from Khanum's on the day of the wedding
Villa Balbiano is hands down the most incredible venue, but seeing the bride walk down the aisle was the most breathtaking part of the whole day (nota bene: crying whilst sweating in the Italian sun is not recommended).
I wore the dreamiest dress from British slow fashion label Khanum’s. It's one of my favourite independent brands that I have come across in 2023, so I was ecstatic when they offered to lend me a dress for this occasion.
The pearl-trimmed flute sleeve made the dress extra special
Founder Rokeya Khanum became a mother at 17 and ended up having to move from hostel to hostel. Fast forward almost 20 years, a BA and MA later, and she has turned her side hustle into an incredibly successful, influencer-adored independent label.
I wore the Khriya maxi dress in the most striking electric blue. It’s minimalistic in the most unique way possible - the colour and continuous pearl detailing makes the chicest statement whilst staying ultra elegant. Though I steered clear of billowing silhouettes, the oversized fluted sleeve was the perfect touch, which swished as I moved. I paired it with a pearlescent clutch bag from Reiss and pearl earrings from H&M.
Day Three - The Beach Party Chic Guest
My oversized Max Mara sunglasses were a neccessary hangover accessory
Even the cruellest of hangovers couldn’t stop me dolling up for the final day of celebrations, and I wore the ‘Milos’ dress from the independent label On The Island. Art is a key part of the British brand's designs, and its dramatic paint brush strokes design for the Resort ‘23 collection won me over.
My day three dress was from British label On The Island
I paired it the ultra glam ‘Butterfly’ oversized sunglasses from Max Mara which boast a delicate caramel-coloured frame, light brown wedges from Kurt Geiger (which stayed on for the whole of five minutes), my favourite ‘Chain Link’ geometric earrings from YSSO, and the coolest starfish-shaped arm cuff from Beaches & Cream.
The moral of the story? finding an ensemble that you feel confident and comfortable in is truly the perfect outfit formula.
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