As an editor at Who What Wear, I spend a considerable amount of my week looking for new dresses, so this time of year, I also have an accidental side hustle as a “dress hunter” for my friends. My WhatsApp conversations have been dominated by talk of wedding-guest dresses. The most common question I receive is “What do I wear when the ceremony is going to be at a hot destination?” In this case, I’d recommend you avoid polyester and anything that will exacerbate the stickiness. In fact, I’ve been asked this question five times this month already.
As I said, the first thing I’d look out for is the material. Avoid anything too synthetic; instead, opt for cotton, linens and silks. It can be tempting to think you have to wear as little fabric as possible to keep cool, but if you’re wanting to be a little more covered up, there are plenty of sleeved dresses with breezy shapes that will stop you from overheating. Below I’ve identified the four dress styles which will fare best in the heat, with dress options to cover all budgets.
If you can spend at the designer end, I’d look at Lee Matthews, Gül Hürgel and Roksanda’s beautiful puff-sleeved midi dresses. Around the £200 mark, we have Rixo, Faithfull the Brand and Rhode—all of which are Instagram go-to brands that excel at wedding-guest dresses. Topshop and Arket also have some amazing options for under £100. Keep scrolling to see the 24 dresses that are all amazing options for hot-weather weddings.
One of the leading dress trends this year is midis with exaggerated sleeves. This is a breezy option as long as you opt for a light-weight fabric.
If you’re determined to go sleeveless, there are some amazing strappy options below from Self-Portrait, Bernadette, Saloni and more.
Sometimes an abroad wedding calls for a higher hemline. Rhode’s Ella minidresses are a popular choice, and & Other Stories’ minidress is a really pretty option.
Nothing will make you feel as floaty and ready for the beach as a sweeping maxi dress. The below Veronica Beard dress is my absolute favourite.
Next up, see our guide to the key trends for spring/summer 2019.
Promo Image: @babba
