[mcholley1]

Hubby and I will be in coastal, northern California in early May for a wedding. I checked the forecast and it is expected to be in the 50s-60s. That reads cold to my southern blood! My closet is underprepared? So what would you wear? The wedding is at 5pm in a home on the coast. Knowing the couple, it should veer more casual than formal. Suggestions?

[with love Heidi]

Long sleeve faux wrap dress, warm tights, appropriatxe shoes (closed with appropriate heel or some lovely knee high boots). Over this I would add a attention grabbing cardigan or wrap/scarf.
Personally it would be a chocholate brown knit faux wrap dress, stretch velvet would be georgeous. Brown tights, knee high boots and a stunning Swoon Neck Scarf Cardigan in Aqua stretch lace

I suppose what I’m suggesting in board strokes is your favorite style of dress with long sleeves for warmth. With a spectacular attention grabing over layer wrap/scarf/waterfall cardigan/other. I would go an extra layer rather than a spectacular Neclace as the layer gives extra warmth. Another advantage of a long sleeve dress is being able to layer a thermal top underneath if needed 🙂

But what do you like to wear?

[Brittney]

You would look killer in the Bistro dress with some tights and a cardi.

[Sarvi]

I’ll second Brittney. A lot of people swear by a nice pashmina wrap but I’d need a Pendleton blanket at least. I sort of thought the upside to weight gain would be not always being the first to get chilled but no such luck. A cardigan’s a better bet. I think fabric choice for the bistro will be your friend. And hey, here’s your excuse to get some gorgeous short boots, something that will look great with opaque tights but still be practical. I don’t dare go look at any right now lest some find their way home to me, but I think Liesl posted some a little while back.

[Nicole]

I will put my Nana hat on and advise a fine gauge wool singlet, preferably merino.

[mcholley1]

Thanks for all the great ideas! Please, keep adding them!

That does remind me I’ve been thinking I need a DVF style wrap dress. Have you seen the price on the authentic vintage patterns!? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Size-10-Diane-Von-Furstenberg-Vogue-Designer-Original-1549-Wrap-Dress-Pattern-/131431595086

I had no idea the bistro dress had long sleeves! I just took another look at it. I’ve got the Colette Laurel in my arsenal. Mom has recently made me several and adjusted the heck out of the pattern. I was thinking of it in a warm fabric choice, but now I’m not quite in love with it.

Maybe I DO need a new pair of booties! 🙂 I do have a very warm cashmere/wool flannel wrap that gets used for the Christmas party circuit every year. But, it is red and I can’t quite figure how to make that work for a May wedding.

A wool singlet I can do! I loved the dress you made (for a wedding?) last year, Nicole. I was trying to see how I could make that work fabric choice wise and with opaque tights. There is some great wool/silk blend twill at Mood..but I’m just not sure…!

[meleliza]

I’m sorry, but tights and boots in early May? That seems very strange to me. That’s a fall outfit and would look really weird in May, the epitome of a spring month. It’s a spring wedding and you should wear a lovely spring dress! Even if you do need a pashmina or cardigan. Bistro would be a nice choice, whatever the sleeve length. You could probably alter it to be a 3/4 sleeve, which could be any season and warmer than sleeveless. Personally, I’d go in a pretty spring dress and bare legs and I wouldn’t even take a wrap unless it really did drop below 50.

Good grief, people, I can’t wait for the temperature to hit 50 again!

[chicmamainedh]

I live in northern CA! And yeah, it probably will be a bit chilly near the Pacific in the evening, it always is.
Bistro dress came to mind first. But maybe the new Lisette pants pattern in linen, and a floral, or brightly colored fabric for the blouse would be more comfortable, and some pretty sandals. Or maybe some linen girl Friday culottes and a pretty silk blouse…anyway, I hope you have a great time 🙂

[Sarvi]

Why would we recommend a spring dress to somebody who’s specifically said she’s concerned about getting cold? That would be so weird? Apologies if you were asking for Irish spring wedding and I misunderstood! I was replying to mcholley — different circumstances, different person, different needs.

[JohannaO]

If you’re Southern, there is only one place that you can’t wear boots, and that’s in the shower. 🙂 Seriously- 50 is cold for me too. I would look for winter fabrics in a lighter color scheme. I would probably skip the boots for a wedding unless I knew I would be doing a lot of dancing, and wear some tights or fun leggings and ballet flats with a plain dress.

[Justine J]

….I just did the conversion – 50F is 10C – that is seriously middle of winter at its worst for me, and for anyone else who lives in a moderate climate. I’d be moving if 50F was a normal summer temp!

I’d go a dress in a pretty floral fabric (and you do Liberty so well, MC!) – long sleeves and a cardi – and seconding Nicole’s call for a singlet. Tights but maybe not boots 🙂

[with love Heidi]

Sorry if this is really obvious to the North Americans, but why wouldn’t a red shawl work in May/spring? In Australia there aren’t really any guidelines for what colours to where at what time of year, although red and green together do say “Christmas”.
And why not tights and boots in spring if it’s still cold enough for them?
On a 10ºC (50F) day here most people would be wearing a black puffer (down) jacket over whatever clothes they were wearing to the wedding 🙂

[chicmamainedh]

Well, I think it is perfectly reasonable to suggest a spring dress in May, since it it spring in CA in May, and it is CA.
And since the wedding is indoors, it is unlikely to be cold, so a wool sweater, tights, and boots are likely unnecessary.
Wow, I thought this topic sounded fun, not controversial.

[Sarvi]

Oops, looks like I missed the controversy. Hope folks were able to smooth things over! It is such fun to ‘shop’ on another person’s behalf 🙂 Johanna now I will be picturing cowboy boots in the shower, haha, though I confess I was thinking more of a low bootie in suede, with a kitten heel perhaps?

[meleliza]

50 in May is not summer, it’s spring. Spring means lighter colors, pretty florals and flowy dresses. I stand by a pretty dress with a wrap. Although a really dressy pair of trousers and a lovely blouse could work too. Or a maxi dress. Is it an outside wedding? Will you be walking there? If not, I wouldn’t worry about being cold. A room full of people gets warm. You can always borrow hubby’s jacket.

Search Pinterest for “spring wedding guest.” There are lots of good ideas.