How to Make Just About Any Old Sundress Chic Enough for a Wedding

(Image credit: Marie Claire)

published 21 July 2016

According to a study commissioned by American Express (opens in new tab), we're spending $703 per wedding on average this year, up five percent from 2015. There's no line-item breakdown, but from our own experiences with panicky Rent the Runway orders and wild goose chases for off-registry gifts because everything left is, like, Sèvres porcelain, the emotional cost is even higher. And that's even before the fashion.

No more—here, we share our dead-easy formula for dressing like a good little wedding guest but using pieces you *haven't* anxiety-bought the night before.

You know the rules: No white. No black. No consciously trying to upstage the bride.

Because they're fun and automatically project "I'm being fancier than usual in honor of your Important Day!" (Even if you're really just there for the passed hors d'oeuvres to support your friends.)

The better to show off Step 2, plus it says "I put in *some* effort in exchange for drinking your Champagne and eating your bacon-wrapped dates." Let Pandora show you how it's done.

A post shared by Pandora Sykes (@pandorasykes) (opens in new tab)
A photo posted by on

Step 4: Throw in some heels

High if you've got the skills; mid and chunky if it's outdoors (opens in new tab); low if you're here to get down.

Step 5: 💃💃💃

:shimmy::

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Step 1: Take one sundress

You know the rules: No white. No black. No consciously trying to upstage the bride.

Because they're fun and automatically project "I'm being fancier than usual in honor of your Important Day!" (Even if you're really just there for the passed hors d'oeuvres to support your friends.)

The better to show off Step 2, plus it says "I put in *some* effort in exchange for drinking your Champagne and eating your bacon-wrapped dates." Let Pandora show you how it's done.

[instagram ]https://www.instagram.com/p/BGreENKyuwI/?taken-by=pandorasykes[/instagram]

High if you've got the skills; mid and chunky if it's outdoors (opens in new tab); low if you're here to get down.

:shimmy::

Follow Marie Claire on Facebook (opens in new tab) for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.

Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.