It’s Wedding Season – Avoid Looking Like A Hot Mess At Your Next Outdoor Nuptuals

By Brian Maynor
June 14, 2013

It’s June and wedding season is in full swing.  If you have not already participated or attended an outdoor wedding, undoubtedly you will before the end of summer.  The last outdoor wedding I attended was in June, on the beach, in southern Florida.  To say it was humid would be an understatement.

So is it possible to stay cool and comfortable, enjoying the beautiful display of affection before you and not focus on the beads of sweat rolling down your back?  Probably not, but you can at least try, and here are a few tips that may help:

1. Keep it Light.  We know light colors reflect heat, but they also show sweat less noticeably than darker colors.  So instead of a jewel tone dress, opt for a neutral color and let your accessories provide the contrast.
2. Choose materials that breathe.  Linen, seersucker and cotton are going to be your best bets.  As natural fibers they are porous, which allows air to penetrate them keeping you cooler and dry faster than a synthetic materials.  Also opt for unlined garments if possible.  Like blended materials linings trap heat and become clingy, as you get hotter. 
3. Shoes matter. Even though ladies ditch theirs halfway through the reception, if not sooner, they are an important part of completing your look.  For a day event, straps are ok, as long as they are substantial enough to anchor your ensemble.  With this particular dress if the shoes were any more delicate they would compete with the color and make the entire outfit look out of place during a day event.
4. Handkerchiefs are not just to dry your eyes.  Guys, unless ties are mandatory this is the perfect time to opt for a pocket square.  It serves the same function as a tie, providing color and coordination to your outfit, but keeps your neck and collar open.  However, you should not use your pocket square to mop your brow.  For that purpose carry an extra, generic, white linen handkerchief in your pocket.  It’s also a gentlemanly gesture to pass one to your date during the exchange of vows.

Summer weddings are inevitable, but melting into a hot mess while attending one is not.  These tips and ideas will keep you looking cool and crisp at your next outdoor, summer wedding.

Woman’s Outfit for an Outdoor Summer Wedding

Man’s Outfit for an Outdoor Summer Wedding

I am always curious to hear about your weekend wardrobe dilemmas and help make your work wardrobe pull double duty.  Email your questions, quandaries and conundrums to [email protected].

About Brian Maynor

Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company,BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of imageconsulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat anddown-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he worksfrequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies andnonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers;production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regularcontributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, BrianMaynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in theregion, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over adecade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charityfundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic,Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creativeand fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classicpieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
 

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