"Wedding season” is generally considered summer, but the most popular months to say “I do” are actually in the fall. Maybe it’s the foliage or the much-anticipated relief from the heat, but fall weddings are definitely a thing. While the multi-hued leaves make for stunning wedding pics for the newlyweds, finding fall wedding guest dresses can often stump attendees. Looking for a dress or pantsuit that’s dressy while still feeling seasonally appropriate is deceptively difficult. But we’re here to help.
Fear not, because ahead are 20 statement-making wedding guest dresses that are both festive in color and design, plus suitable for the dipping temperatures. These fall ensembles especially feature autumnal floral prints, long-sleeve silhouettes, and sultry satin fabrics. Your perfect fall wedding guest dress is just a click away, whether you’re looking for an elegant gown for a black-tie affair or a trendy plus-size wedding guest dress for an outdoor ceremony. Uncover a plethora of new fall dresses for every dress code, waiting for you to celebrate and dance the night away in the months ahead.
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There’s really only one prerequisite for a dress to be appropriate for a black-tie wedding, and that’s simply that it’s floor-length. Luckily, there are tons of stunning floor-length gowns perfect for the cooler weather from Refinery29 reader-favorite retailers. Check out this trendy drop-waist dress from Free People, or scroll on to find gemstone-hued gowns from retailers like Nordstrom, Reformation, and more. Look out for interesting details like voluminous sleeves, drop waists, thigh-high slits, and matching scarves to stand out from the crowd and get you on the best-dressed list.
Birdy Grey Shiny Satin Kira Dress, $, available at Birdy Grey
Fall Cocktail Wedding Guest Dresses
Cocktail attire is one of the most popular special-occasion dress codes, offering a balance between formal and casual style, and allowing you to effortlessly go from day to night. This opens up your options to more silhouettes, hemline lengths, fabrics, prints, and embellishments. For the fall, we recommend looking for tried-and-true midi dresses (but you can also seek more casual maxi dresses or more formal mini dresses). We’re personally eyeing midi cocktail dresses with skin-baring details like plunging necklines, statement cutouts, and dramatic slits.
Zara Wrinkled Satin Effect Halter Dress, $, available at Zara
Fall Casual Wedding Guest Dresses
If your upcoming fall weddings are on the casual end of the spectrum, you can likely pull a dress from your closet or find one at a non-astronomical price. For daytime nuptials or casual venues, like restaurants or breweries, reach for mini and midi dresses in unexpected fabrics like crepe de chine or poplin, and look out for playful details like stripes, puff sleeves, smocked bodices, and bows. Consider going for elevated tank dresses or milkmaid dresses that can be styled multiple ways for different celebrations (or even be worn to the office).
Quince Washable Stretch Silk Tank Midi Dress, $, available at Quince
Fall Outdoor Wedding Guest Dresses
You may have attended a beach wedding this summer, but outdoor fall weddings could instead take place at backyard gardens, lakeside forests, refurbished barns, or rooftop bars. For those, you’ll want to consider carting up a wedding guest dress that has a high neckline, long sleeves, and/or a maxi skirt to account for the cooler weather. You can also look for bold prints like snakeskin and florals, or unexpected fabrics like heavier linens and knitted mesh. Then pair your look with trusty ballet flats or cowboy boots for the outdoor terrain, and comfortably dance the night away.
Ganni Black Floral Minidress, $, available at SSENSE
Fall Wedding Guest Mini Dresses
Don't let the fall chill get in the way. Feel free to elongate your legs in a flirty mini-dress. There are plenty of dazzling and minimalistic options calling your name. If you're wearing a sleeveless number, you can always drape a cardigan over your shoulders for warmth and a chic touch.
Ramy Brook Tara Button Down Mini Dress, $, available at Ramy BrookShop City Chic At Nordstrom
City Chic Sequin Stripe One-Shoulder Long Sleeve Dress, $, available at NordstromShop LoveShackFancy
LoveShackFancy Natasha Mini Dress, $, available at loveshackfancy
Fall Wedding Guest Midi Dresses
Midi dresses are a classy choice for a fall wedding — plus, the length is just right for showing off your fancy shoes without your legs feeling overexposed. We've found everything from striking gemstone options with statement necklines to delicate ruffled dresses.
Summersalt The Countryside Poplin Button Down Midi Dress, $, available at Summersalt
Fall Wedding Guest Maxi Dresses
If you're nervous about the weather once the sun sets, opt for a fall wedding guest dress that falls to the floor. These elegant maxi dresses are anything but frumpy and will keep the breeze at bay.
Reformation Tommie Knit Dress, $, available at ReformationShop Kim Shui At SSENSE
KIM SHUI SSENSE Exclusive Brown Maxi Dress, $, available at SSENSEShop River Island
River Island Black Sequin Halter Neck Maxi Dress, $, available at River Island
Fall Wedding-Guest Black-Tie Dresses
If you've got a formal event on the books, these gorgeous hued gowns with delicate details will satisfy the black-tie dress code and leave you ready for any star-studded photo ops.
In terms of size and fit Free People also ticks all the right boxes. If you’re petite and endlessly have to hem your jeans, you’ll be glad to know that We The Free offers almost all its bestselling designs with a short 32-inch inseam, whereas all our tall friends out there can opt for a longer, 34-inch inseam (so you can avoid that awkward ankle gap).
Personally, it’s We The Free’s CRVY fit collection that has been a denim-sent savior (all the same designs as the regular lineup; no sad jeggings with little support and structure here!). Made for sizes 24 to 35, the CRVY pieces are designed with a 12-inch difference between the hips and waist, as opposed to the industry standard 10-inch. Perfect for navigating the too-tight-waist, baggy-bottom dilemma I often face when it comes to jeans.
Not sure where to start your Free People denim shop? We’ve rounded up nine jeans we think are worthy of best-seller status.
The bigger, the better when it comes to these billowy, extra-wide jeans. Instead of looking like you’re swamped with fabric, the waistline is fitted just like a classic pair and hugs your bum, whilst the nifty pleating draws attention down the leg; looking more like a flowy denim skirt than pants. For any petite shoppers, be sure to click through the different color options — only some come in the short inseam option.
Imagine a paper bag, tapered at the top and bottom; flowy in the middle. Now translate that into denim and you get the Lotus jeans, which are way more stylish and flattering than I’ve made them sound — especially thanks to those patch-style front pockets.
These are the jeans I reach for the most often, simply because they are so comfortable. They’re the ideal middle ground between my off-duty sweats and ‘real clothes’. I’ll be swapping out my linen pants for Lotus jeans once the temperatures drop for easy, but put-together WFH ‘fits.
Slim fitting in all the right places and with just the right amount of flare, this curve-hugging style doesn’t just look super flattering, they’re also super comfortable to wear. The medium-weight denim is thick enough to offer support, but has enough stretch to move with you and not restrict. Plus, as part of the CRVY line, the back rises slightly when you sit down, which means they don’t gape when you sit down.
Wide-leg jeans don’t always have to mean flowing fabric from each leg, as the Libre pants prove. These are more on the refined, straight-leg end of the denim spectrum, but with all the stretch that we’ve come to expect from and love about Free People denim.
If you’re not ready to let go of slim-fitting, skinny-style denim, may I suggest We The Free’s Vintage Straight-Leg Jeans? They will fulfill all your body-fitting and bootie-hugging needs, but with a little more stretch and give for all-day comfort (plus, without any of the too-tight, knee- and ankle-bunching tendencies of skinny jeans).
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect dark blue wash, straight-leg, vintage jeans to wear with ballet flats, a cropped knit and trench coat (I’m always very inspired by Jeanne Damas for fall fashion). Unfortunately, everything I’ve found whilst thrifting has been teeny, tiny and won’t even go over my thighs, let alone my bum and waist; and is way too long in the leg (imagine a kid trying on their mom’s pants and trailing around the house vibes). The Tinsley Baggy High-Rises in the short in-seam are satisfying my cravings — French girl fall chic, here I come!
Remember when it wasn’t considered cool to cuff your jeans? Luckily, we’re over all that malarkey — especially when it comes to these bad boys. Just look at that statement cuff! These definitely run big, fyi, so I would suggest sizing down for the low-slung hip look.
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