ICYMI: What To Wear - Wedding Season

Summary

Summary of "Climbing in Heels with Rachel Zoe" Episode: ICYMI: What To Wear - Wedding Season

Release Date: May 2, 2025
Host: Rachel Zoe
Guest: Mary Elizabeth
Produced by: Cloud10 and iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction

In the episode titled "ICYMI: What To Wear - Wedding Season," Rachel Zoe delves into the intricacies of wedding guest attire, offering listeners comprehensive guidance on navigating the often perplexing world of wedding fashion. Joined by her producer, Mary Elizabeth, Rachel blends her signature warmth and expertise to address common questions and provide actionable tips for dressing appropriately and stylishly for weddings.

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Understanding Wedding Guest Attire

1. Definitions and Expectations

Rachel and Mary Elizabeth begin by unpacking various dress codes commonly found on wedding invitations, emphasizing the importance of understanding these guidelines to honor the couple's wishes while expressing personal style.

• Cocktail Attire: Rachel explains, “[07:41] Cocktail means they want you to dress up... You can wear any length of dress” (07:44). She emphasizes flexibility, suggesting that cocktail attire allows for both short and long dresses, provided they maintain a polished and sophisticated appearance. Rachel adds, “[08:03] It means you can wear any length of dress... Please don’t wear sneakers or jeans” (08:11).

• Black Tie/Formal: Delving into more formal dress codes, Rachel states, “[10:04] Black tie means tuxedo, means a tux” (10:17). She clarifies that for men, this typically involves wearing a tuxedo, while for women, a full-length gown is appropriate. Rachel notes regional variations, particularly highlighting differences observed in Los Angeles compared to European standards: “[11:18] I don’t think short is acceptable for black tie in places like Paris or London” (11:29).

2. Do’s and Don’ts for Wedding Guests

The conversation shifts to practical advice on what to avoid to ensure guests honor the bride and groom's special day without overshadowing them.

• Avoid Wearing White: Rachel emphasizes the cardinal rule, “[12:23] Anything that reads bridal... don’t wear white” (12:26).

• Steer Clear of Red: Although not universally recognized, Mary Elizabeth mentions a trend where wearing red is discouraged, hypothesizing it might draw undue attention: “[13:22] I saw that lately, like don’t wear red” (13:24).

• Exclusive Colors and Styles: Rachel cautions against dresses that resemble bridal gowns in color or fabric, such as lace-heavy or blush pink dresses with trains: “[12:26] Don’t wear anything that reads bridal” (12:26).

3. Attire for Men

Rachel provides clear guidance for male guests, differentiating between cocktail and formal attire:

• Cocktail for Men: “[08:52] Cocktail for men means no tie... A suit with a nice crisp shirt, but no tie” (08:59).

• Black Tie for Men: “[10:04] Black tie is your most formal” (10:17). She advises that men should opt for tuxedos or similarly formal suits, maintaining elegance and respect for the event's significance.

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Fashion Inspiration and Brand Recommendations

Rachel and Mary Elizabeth share an array of brand recommendations to help listeners find the perfect wedding guest attire within various budgets.

• Budget-Friendly Options: Rachel mentions brands like ALC and Show Me Your Mumu for their affordability and stylish selections: “[19:41] I love ALC... Show Me Your Mumu is excellent on a budget” (19:54).

• Mid-Range to High-End: For those seeking higher-end options, Zara, BANCO, Revolve, The RealReal, STOD, and Cult Gaia are highlighted for their diverse ranges and quality: “[19:34] It’s all about budget... Zara because I love Zara” (19:37).

• Sustainable and Vintage Choices: Rachel advocates for sustainable fashion choices, recommending The RealReal and rental services like Rent the Runway: “[21:21] The RealReal is amazing because you can get your dream dress and be great to the environment” (21:11).

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Bridal Icons and Inspiration

The episode also explores iconic bridal looks and inspirations, drawing from historical figures and contemporary celebrities to illustrate timeless elegance and personal style.

• Sophia Richie’s Wedding: Rachel reminisces about Sophia Richie's destination wedding at Hotel Ducat on the French Riviera, praising its effortless and classic Chanel-inspired looks: “[23:09] It was a Chanel moment. Magical and flawless” (23:15).

• Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: The simplicity and minimalism of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's bridal style are celebrated, highlighting her iconic sheer gloves and understated elegance: “[25:00] Carolyn Bessette Kennedy wore sheer gloves... her look was iconic” (25:00).

• Grace Kelly and Kate Middleton: Rachel juxtaposes the timeless grace of Grace Kelly with the modern elegance of Kate Middleton, emphasizing the importance of looking back on bridal moments with a focus on personal significance rather than fleeting trends: “[26:18] When I think of Grace Kelly... and Kate Middleton” (26:18).

• Future Bridal Icons: Looking forward, Rachel expresses excitement for seeing stars like Zendaya embrace their bridal moments with style and grace: “[27:20] Zendaya... she's gonna have all the moments” (27:25).

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Conclusion

In wrapping up the episode, Rachel and Mary Elizabeth reinforce the importance of dressing thoughtfully for wedding seasons, balancing personal style with respect for the couple's vision. They encourage listeners to explore various brands, consider sustainable options, and draw inspiration from iconic bridal moments to curate their unique wedding guest looks.

Rachel concludes with a heartfelt message: “[28:25] Thanks everybody. I hope this episode helped answer some of your wedding fashion questions or provided you with a little inside inspiration” (28:25).

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Notable Quotes

• Rachel Zoe on Cocktail Attire: "I think cocktail means they want you to dress up... Please don’t wear sneakers or jeans." 07:44

• Rachel Zoe on Black Tie: "Black tie means tuxedo, means a tux... In Paris, London, you're not wearing short to a black tie." 10:17

• Mary Elizabeth on Seasonal Challenges: "It's a challenge trying to find breakfast in the middle of a city you're not familiar with. It's a budget killer." 02:22

• Rachel Zoe on Avoiding White: "Don’t wear white... It reads bridal." 12:26

• Rachel Zoe on Sustainable Fashion: "The RealReal is amazing because you can get your dream dress and be great to the environment at a great price." 21:21

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Key Takeaways

• Understand Dress Codes: Clearly comprehend the dress codes specified on wedding invitations to dress appropriately.

• Avoid Common Faux Pas: Refrain from wearing white or overly bridal-inspired attire to respect the bride.

• Explore Brand Options: Utilize a range of brands catering to different budgets and styles to find the perfect outfit.

• Draw Inspiration from Icons: Look to iconic bridal moments for timeless style cues while maintaining personal authenticity.

• Embrace Sustainability: Consider sustainable and vintage options for ethical and unique bridal guest attire.

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This episode of "Climbing in Heels with Rachel Zoe" serves as an essential guide for anyone navigating the complexities of wedding guest attire, blending practical advice with inspirational insights to ensure that listeners can confidently and stylishly celebrate love in any setting.

Transcript

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[Child of B2B Marketer]

My dad works in B2B marketing, but I never really knew what that meant. Then one day my dad came by my school for Career day and told everyone in my class he was a big Roaz man. Then he just kept saying things like the bigger the roas the better. Over and over. My friends still laugh at me to this day. I think it means calculating a return on ad spent. One thing's for sure, I'll be known as the Roaz man's kid for the rest of my days. Why couldn't you just be a fireman or a lawyer?

[Rachel Zoe]

Why?

[Child of B2B Marketer]

You ruined my life.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Dad.

[Child of B2B Marketer]

Not everyone gets B2B, but LinkedIn has the people who do. And with ads on LinkedIn you'll be able to reach people based on job title, industry, likelihood to buy, and more. Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. We'll even give you $100 credit on your next ad campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com customer to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com customer terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn, the place to be. To be. Hey there, Joel. Here with my buddy Matt from How to Money. Matt Summers, right around the corner. I know you got that travel bug. What adventures do you have planned? Oh, man, you are gonna love this. We're planning this epic road trip up the east coast with the entire family. Just think, lighthouses in Maine, monuments in D.C. plus everything in between. That's amazing. I'm jealous, but thinking about stowing away in your luggage. But wait a second. How are all six of you going to take this road trip? Okay, so initially we were thinking about taking an rv, but I found some really awesome airbbs along our route. Places with something for everyone. And what I really love is that with Airbnbs, we can always start our days with like, a good breakfast at home. Like, it's our home away from home. And I love that routine. I don't know if you've ever tried getting a family of six out the door, let alone trying to find some breakfast in the middle of a city that you're not super familiar with. It's a challenge. Plus, it's a budget killer. Yeah, that's true. Sounds like chaos, to be honest. And you know that's actually what makes hosting on Airbnb so special, right? You're giving travelers a chance to really live like a local. They even have the co host feature, which gives you access to a network of high quality local co hosts who can help take care of your home and your guests when you're not there. Find a co [e-mail] host foreign.

[Rachel Zoe]

I'm Rachel Zo, and you're listening to Climbing in Heels for your weekly dose of glamour, inspiration and, of course, fun. It's that time of year when wedding season has officially begun and all the what should I wear? Questions start rolling into my DMs. And instead of focusing on bridal fashion, which can be very personal and specific, I thought this week I would focus on what to wear as a wedding guest. Back to help me is my ever always amazing, dazzling, beautiful producer, Mary Elizabeth. So let's dive right into wedding season styling. And by the way, the fact that she thinks we won't talk about bridal gowns is crazy. So we will touch a little on the bride.

[Mary Elizabeth]

I mean, let's just kick it off then. Tis the season for the wedding invites to be rolling in. I am in this season of my life where I'm past the six to seven wedding commitments, a year or summer.

[Rachel Zoe]

My nephew has 11 weddings this year. And actually all destination.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yes. I think from the ages of like 26 to 32, I couldn't afford a vacation because I was attending as many weddings as I. As I could.

[Rachel Zoe]

Can you make them vacations, though?

[Mary Elizabeth]

Like, if they're a destination wedding, you can definitely tack on a day or two before or after.

[Rachel Zoe]

But it's also the time of your life where you're working. Like, you can't just take time off.

[Mary Elizabeth]

And let's be honest, like, if it's in Napa, like, am I going to burn a day off to be in Napa?

[Rachel Zoe]

Right.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Maybe if I don't really want to hang out with it, you know?

[Rachel Zoe]

Right, totally.

[Mary Elizabeth]

So it's. You're at the mercy of, of wherever you've been invited to.

[Rachel Zoe]

But destinations that I'm hearing now are like all over Italy, every budget, by the way. They're not. What I'm actually told is it's weirdly more cost effective very often to do destination. I don't know how.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah, me neither. Maybe you just keep the number so small.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yeah, well, it's an edit.

[Mary Elizabeth]

That is. Yeah, yeah. It's gonna elimina donate some, but then some. But again, you know, you and I were just talking about this. It's when you have big life events, it's shocking who you invite that you think are absolutely shoe ins that can't or aren't able to come. And then the people on the list that are, you know, maybe not as priority will show up and have the best time.

[Rachel Zoe]

100.

[Mary Elizabeth]

So you never know. But wedding season is here. Everyone has RSVP'd. There's a lot of questions always on social media for you this time of year about not only the brides, but wedding guests mostly.

[Rachel Zoe]

It's a tough, it's a tough conversation because there's so many variables and I've seen it go wrong.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

I've seen on more than ten occasions the guest showing up in white, which to me is common sense, but like, maybe it's not. And I, you know, it was funny. Someone texted me a picture. They were in Palm beach and they were texting me. What? I thought of something to go to a wedding in Palm beach and it was white with like metallic like fringe and crystals and whatever. And I'm like, but it's white. She's like, yeah, but it's not because it has so many crystals and stuff. I'm like, no, still white.

[Mary Elizabeth]

The bride. Let me tell you what, the bride won't care. It'll be white to her.

[Rachel Zoe]

Still white.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Okay, let's jump into some questions people have about going to weddings. They've been invited. Sometimes there's, you know, attire listed, sometimes there's not. So let's just break it down. What does cocktail attire mean? If the wedding invite says cocktail attire, what does that mean?

[Rachel Zoe]

I think cocktail means they want you to dress up.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

Please dress up. Don't look regular. This is not a regular day. Please dress up for us. But like, feel free to wear short.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Uh huh.

[Rachel Zoe]

Like to me, when I hear cocktail, it means you can wear short means you can wear any length of dress. Yes.

[Eye Care Expert]

Okay.

[Rachel Zoe]

It means you can wear any length of dress. It means you could wear like a dressy tuxedo, like a white suit.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

It means to look polished and whatever your interpretation of that is, please don't wear sneakers.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

Please don't wear jeans.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

You know what I mean? And like put some effort in and dress up for us, but you don't have to be formal.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Gotcha.

[Rachel Zoe]

You know what I mean? And there's a huge gray area there.

[Mary Elizabeth]

It is. Yeah, yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

You could also wear long, but the difference there would be you're not wearing a train for cocktail.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

You could wear flowy, but I would wear your hair down.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

And. And I would wear like fun jewelry. Not like your diamond necklace.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

If you should have one.

[Mary Elizabeth]

If you should.

[Rachel Zoe]

Or a faux diamond necklace.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

You know what I mean?

[Mary Elizabeth]

Okay, so what does cocktail attire mean for men? Because, okay, as most of our listeners know, you're also, you're not only dressing yourself at a wedding, but you're dressing your plus one usually.

[Rachel Zoe]

Totally. I would say cocktail for men means no tie. Okay. To me, that's no tie.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yep.

[Rachel Zoe]

Formal is tie.

[Mary Elizabeth]

So like a suit, a nice crisp shirt, but no, no tie.

[Rachel Zoe]

Correct. You also don't have to wear a white shirt.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

That could be like a navy jacket and a blue shirt. It could be a pink shirt and a white jacket. Depends on the van. When I say there's so many variables, it's like, okay, are you in, in cocktail at a beach?

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

You in the city? Are you in Italy? Like, because all of those things weigh in.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

Because cocktail, when you're in Italy on the Amalfi coast, like you should wear a print.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

You know what I mean?

[Mary Elizabeth]

To me, cocktail, the type of clothes don't change based on the venue, just the fabric will change.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yeah, right, sure.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Like a man can wear a linen suit if it's a thousand cocktail at the beach or Whatever. But where?

[Rachel Zoe]

Cocktail. For a man. You wear a jacket.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yes.

[Rachel Zoe]

You wear a jacket. You can wear khakis. You can wear trousers and like driving loafers or something. You know, he's a.

[Mary Elizabeth]

It's like, I'll drop a nicer shoe. Yes, yes. Okay, that clears that up. Now, what does black tie or formal mean when it's on an invitation?

[Rachel Zoe]

Okay, so black tie means tuxedo, means a tux. Black tie is a tux. Now, I do think there is some room for guys to wear a black suit with a black tie.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Uhhuh.

[Rachel Zoe]

And not a bow tie.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

But black tie is your most formal.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yep.

[Rachel Zoe]

Formal.

[Mary Elizabeth]

The Great Gatsby, correct. Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Formal is a full suit and tie.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

For a guy. Yep. For a woman, black tie means full gown. Gown, gown. Long, not short.

[Eye Care Expert]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

You're not wearing.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Not midi.

[Rachel Zoe]

No. But you can wear MIDI if it's fabulous. Do you know what I mean? Like, you can.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Because there is like no midi sundress. Like midi.

[Rachel Zoe]

Correct. Actual like sequins or sparkle of sorts. Beaded, Some. A very dressy dress does not have to have a train necessarily. But. But you are your most dressed. Whatever that is. Like, even if you look back at. At the Great Gatsby, a lot of those were. Right.

[Mary Elizabeth]

They were midi.

[Rachel Zoe]

Midi. Right. So yeah. But it just means not short in my opinion. Got it.

[Mary Elizabeth]

So black tie.

[Rachel Zoe]

I don't know. I'll be honest with you. In la, I see short for black tie all the time. Time. So I also think it depends on where you live. In Paris, in London, in Europe, you're not wearing short to a black tie.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right? Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

California. I mean, I. I have literally seen people wear jeans to a black tie. Yeah. Shook me up.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah. That's not great.

[Rachel Zoe]

No.

[Mary Elizabeth]

So when you see black tie, you go full gown.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yeah, Full stop.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

I am in a gown for a black tie. For sure.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Exactly.

[Rachel Zoe]

I also think it's a great way to like, look at it as like a moment, you know? Like, how often do you get to do that? I mean, some people more than others, of course, but like, it's a moment. And I would say formal is one notch down from black tie. I think formal gives you a little more room for interpretation. But the idea with formal is, please dress up very much.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Be dressy. Yes.

[Rachel Zoe]

Okay.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Other than wearing white, what do you think are some don'ts or wedding guest faux pas that you've seen in your life?

[Rachel Zoe]

Anything that's. That reads bridal.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Like anything that reads that sort of like lacy yeah. Like don't wear a pink lace gown.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yep.

[Rachel Zoe]

Like a blush pink lace gown.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

I have seen someone wear like a beautiful Dolce gown with a train to a wedding.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yep.

[Rachel Zoe]

It's a bridal gown that happens to be blush pink. I think that's very nice little coat, but.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Cause I will even ask sometimes what the bridesmaids are wearing because I've had an experience that I come looking like a bootleg bridesmaid because I'm wearing, you know, a navy whatever. And they're in navy too. So I think that for women you should ask that too.

[Eye Care Expert]

I agree.

[Rachel Zoe]

I mean, I think the more information you have about the bride and what the bridal part party it's doing, the better served you are.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Have you ever heard don't wear red to a wedding?

[Rachel Zoe]

No, I have not.

[Mary Elizabeth]

I saw that recently online. Yeah, why? To avoid wearing red at a wedding. I don't know, maybe it calls too much attention to yourself or maybe it's bad, like bad juju. I don't know. But, but I saw like, oh, don't wear that. It's red. You shouldn't wear red. And I was like, oh, that's, that's wild. That's interesting. So maybe avoid white and red.

[Rachel Zoe]

Wow. Yeah, okay. No, I haven't heard that. But I mean, yeah, I guess it does call attention.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah, I mean, like, I guess red does call attention, you know, in a good way and in a bad way. So I, I kind of get that.

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[Rachel Zoe]

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[Mary Elizabeth]

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[Rachel Zoe]

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[Child of B2B Marketer]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Mary Elizabeth]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms at Mintmobile. Okay, you were talking about this earlier, but opera gloves are very much back on the red carpet.

[Rachel Zoe]

They are.

[Mary Elizabeth]

And they're back in. In the bridal world.

[Rachel Zoe]

They are. But I don't think they ever left. I think it's so chic.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Oh really? Okay.

[Rachel Zoe]

I mean I guess they left. They come and go, but I think I always see European brides wearing gloves. But I'm very, I'm very strange about bridal things because that's where like my classic traditionalism comes out. Because that day to me is not a trendy day. It's Not a day to fall victim to what's trending. It's really like when I think about anything bridal, whether it's the wedding or anything else, what are you, you are going to look back at these pictures for the rest of your life? Yes.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Forever.

[Rachel Zoe]

What are you going to love forever and not listen. Not everybody knows that, but I think you go to the Grace Kelly's of the world. Like you go to those iconic like Kate Middleton moments, you know, and you look at like what are your most iconic favorite bridal moments in history.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

And pull off that right. If that resonates with you. Because you also could be Gwen Stefani and wear like a gradiated pink Vivienne Westwood, which was epic.

[Mary Elizabeth]

It was a bit rock and roll. It was.

[Rachel Zoe]

And that's true to her. And by the way, like she's still like that. So I kind of feel like you have to be true to you and whoever you are at the core. But I guess my point is think long and hard about it. I'm also very traditional about rings because they're forever. So when it comes to forever things, I'm very. I, I would say I'm traditional.

[Mary Elizabeth]

You're trend averse. What's the veil? That's like the cap veil.

[Rachel Zoe]

The one in front? Yeah.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Oh no, but like the short ones that are like very. I forgot the 40s retro. But like doing something.

[Rachel Zoe]

I wore one to the Mad Hatter in Texas.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right.

[Rachel Zoe]

I loved it.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Like Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama.

[Rachel Zoe]

Thank you.

[Mary Elizabeth]

That kind of veil. I think you should just do it because again, when else are you doing it?

[Rachel Zoe]

Wear a veil.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah. Wear the gloves. Where the tiara.

[Rachel Zoe]

Wear the tiara. Wear the gloves. Wear the veil.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah. If that feels right for you. Because again, you have to look back to your point.

[Rachel Zoe]

But if you're questioning it.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Just do it.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Just do it.

[Rachel Zoe]

Okay, well that's when, when else are you wearing gloves? That tiara in a veil?

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah. Never. Unless you like.

[Rachel Zoe]

Well, unless you get married again.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah. Or you're an actor and you dress up a lot. Okay. So you're a guest for a wedding. It says cocktail. What are some of your go to brands that you would suggest for people to look as wedding guests?

[Rachel Zoe]

I mean, listen, it's all about budget. Right. But I have to say I have.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Let's say you have four in a summer and you are on a tighter budget.

[Rachel Zoe]

I have to tell you, I have helped so many people find dresses for weddings. I have also. I don't know if you Know this but one of my clients is my sister Pamela.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Oh yes, I did know that. Yes.

[Rachel Zoe]

And my mother. But my sister.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Dare I say your two most challenging.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yes. But my sister is always on a budget and she has found some incredible dresses and I think because of the wonderful thing we call shopping on the Internet.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yes.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yes. There are so many incredible resources to find your dream dress and then shop like search around at different sites to find the dress.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

And my sister price is comfortable. Yes. And so many things are on such sale and all these things. So you can get dream dresses at great markdowns at any time because wedding guest dresses are pretty seasonless for the most part depending. But I. I love alc. ALC is great and ranges in pricing. Show me your mumu is excellent on a budget or not. They have incredible like sparkly dresses. They have great guest of. They have great bridesmaids dresses. Show me your mumu is incredible and so reasonable.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Right?

[Rachel Zoe]

Yep. I love. I would say Zara because I love Zara. As a go to the problem is there might be a lot of other people at the wedding wearing the dress.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah, that's a. That's a really good point.

[Rachel Zoe]

There's that Brand Bronx and Banco. I believe it's called B A N C O. I don't know if I've ever heard. It's great.

[Eye Care Expert]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Revolve is a great resource for guest of wedding dresses.

[Mary Elizabeth]

I'll say your office. Our team is also big, big fans of shopping on the realreal for something vintage.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yeah. Actually I want to talk about that. Real is amazing because you can get your dream dress and be great to the environment at a great price. Shoes as well and jewelry and bags. Also rent the Runway and places like that. Janet Mandel here in la, New York, Chicago. There's a lot of people that have rental houses now for events like this because especially in your late 20s, mid to late 20s, you're rolling with the same group of people to most of these events. You can't. You don't want to wear the same dress every time.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Right.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yep.

[Rachel Zoe]

I think there's some grace for repeat.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Totally.

[Rachel Zoe]

But ideally you want to wear it once.

[Mary Elizabeth]

You don't want the. You don't want the friend group picture to look the same at everybody's wedding because everyone's wearing the same thing. No, those are great. Those are great options. I also love that brand Stod. They've got really cute guests and I think they do a little bridal collection.

[Rachel Zoe]

ST is great. I know the founder and then also Cult Gaia is. Oh, yeah.

[Mary Elizabeth]

They're gorgeous too.

[Rachel Zoe]

But it ranges in price.

[Mary Elizabeth]

It does.

[Rachel Zoe]

It really does range in price. And I find a lot of these designers start in the twos and go up, obviously, way higher. But, yeah, I think you can get a beautiful dress for, you know, for.

[Mary Elizabeth]

For the price you're looking for.

[Rachel Zoe]

For sure. Yeah. There's something for everyone.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Okay, let's leave the listeners with some bridal inspo.

[Rachel Zoe]

Okay.

[Mary Elizabeth]

So we were talking about Sofia Richie's wedding.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yes.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Last year.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yes.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Which if you didn't see it, you might be living under a rock.

[Rachel Zoe]

You are living under something.

[Mary Elizabeth]

But she was married at Rachel's dream location.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yes. Hotel Ducat in the south of France.

[Mary Elizabeth]

On the French Riviera.

[Rachel Zoe]

God help me.

[Mary Elizabeth]

She wore a custom Chanel.

[Rachel Zoe]

Eight of them.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah. Yeah. She had multiple. And she was just the most flushing.

[Rachel Zoe]

Beautiful, beautiful bride, to be honest. I think the thing that was so epic about Sophia. And listen, I've known Sophia since she was three years old. She is a wonderful, kind, sweet, beautiful girl. Woman. Young woman. Now married and about to have a baby. About to have a baby. But she approached her wedding the way you dream to, which is blissfully happy.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

She's madly in love with her husband as. As one should be. But there was an overall tone to her wedding weekend, which was this very like Bardot in On the French Riviera. But more importantly, there was an effortlessness to every single look she wore.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yep.

[Rachel Zoe]

And I think that was clearly her intention, I think, was to not be this fussy, uptight, bridal looks. I think it was really meant to be historical, classic. Obviously very French for French Riviera.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yes.

[Rachel Zoe]

Chanel all over the place. And it was magical. And it was flawless. Really flawless.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Okay, so who were some of your other, like, bridal icons? I mean, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.

[Rachel Zoe]

Listen.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Was a whole movement, I feel like, in the 90s. Minimal.

[Rachel Zoe]

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy also wore gloves, didn't she? I think she.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Might have worn gloves with her slip dress.

[Mary Elizabeth]

I'm pretty sure she did.

[Rachel Zoe]

But I have to say, the thing about. The thing about Carolyn Bassette Kennedy makes you rest in peace, because. Still one of the most tragic things to ever happen. But she literally. Yeah.

[Mary Elizabeth]

She wore sheer gloves.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yeah. And so beautiful. The thing about Carolyn Bassett, she's everything I'm not. And I think that's why I was so obsessed with her and her look, because it was, like, barely any makeup.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

The most simple, beautiful bride of, like, it's just iconic.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Stunning.

[Rachel Zoe]

And I think she was Iconic in. In the polar opposite way of, like, you know, when we saw Kate Middleton with her train.

[Mary Elizabeth]

As long as I was gonna say, it's, It's. It's. It's the juxtaposition of, like, they are American royalty. And to have such a simplistic, classic, clean, minimal look and feel is. Is cool. It's just cool.

[Rachel Zoe]

Also, don't forget, at that time, I think it was late 90s, was also the Kate Moss era. And Kate Moss would wear, like, a John Galliano or a Klein, you know, slip dress with her hair just like she woke up.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

And beautiful little kitten heels or whatever. And. Yeah, like, that's it. And like a sheer gloss. Call it a day. Or a red lip. A matte red lip, you know, and so epically beautiful. But I think those are iconic moments. I think when you think of Grace Kelly. I know I do. When I think of Kate Middleton.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

When I think of.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Well, and Grace Kelly. I mean, you were at Paris Hilton's wedding.

[Rachel Zoe]

Yes.

[Mary Elizabeth]

And that Oscar de la Renta was very. It looked to be very inspired by Grace Kelly. It was.

[Rachel Zoe]

And Fernando and Lara Kim designed that for Paris along with so many of her other looks that night. And I was there, and she was legitimately flawless. She was the most beautiful, like, handy, glowing angel of a bride. And that dress was absolute perfection. It was a dream, and it was a Grace Kelly moment. And that's. By the way, that's what she was going for. And truthfully, like, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect moment for her.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Like what she should look like, you know?

[Mary Elizabeth]

Okay, I'm gonna close it out with this question for you. Who in the world of entertainment or pop culture or fashion or whatever has not been a bride yet that you're excited to see as a bride one day?

[Rachel Zoe]

Zendaya. I. I think she's gonna have a moment of moments.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

And I would imagine the train would be Cathedral Lane, because I. I mean.

[Mary Elizabeth]

You do get the sense with her that she really loves it and appreciates going for it, so, you know, she.

[Rachel Zoe]

Would for it at every turn if you're not.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Yeah.

[Rachel Zoe]

Because it is too much work. Yeah, it is.

[Mary Elizabeth]

It's a lot.

[Rachel Zoe]

Much.

[Mary Elizabeth]

It's a lot work. And yes, to answer your question, I don't think Sienna Miller's ever been a bride yet that I know of, but.

[Rachel Zoe]

She will be your hero.

[Mary Elizabeth]

My hair hero forever.

[Rachel Zoe]

Oh, I pulled a picture of her recent blonde for you.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Oh, God, I love her blonde. She's good.

[Rachel Zoe]

Sienna is our ultimate cool girl.

[Mary Elizabeth]

Ultimate cool girl. Okay, well I hope we were able to impart some knowledge wisdom help on everyone who is trying to get themselves dressed and as we mentioned, their partners dressed for wedding season coming up. So good luck out there. And you know, like Rachel said, don't wear white. Just don't wear white.

[Rachel Zoe]

Thanks everybody. Okay everyone, I hope this episode helped answer some of your wedding fashion questions or provided you with a little inside inspiration. Thank you so much for listening to Climbing in Heels. If you haven't already, please subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the Iheart app, or wherever you get your podcasts. You don't miss a single episode this season and be sure to follow me on Instagram @Rachelzo and the show at Climbing in Heels Pod for the latest episodes and updates.

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