Guess what? I’m getting married this year! I know! I can’t believe it either! So I am well and truly all about occasion wear right now. I know I’ll be wearing a wedding dress but I’ve got a party and the next day to think about. Plus, it’s summer, which means all the BBQs and summer parties to think about! I’ve got two gorgeous outfits from Simply Be, and both are spot on for me this season. They might break my own fashion rules – or what I would usually wear but I couldn’t be happier. So here are a few tips on getting your occasion wear right this summer and ignoring those so-called rules.

Wear it your way

This might seem trivial but how you see the dress or outfit worn on the website or model doesn’t mean it’s stuck in stone. Wear it however you want. This Chi Chi London dress is gorgeous. The sleeves should be worn on the top of the shoulders but I much prefer them dropped down over the shoulders. It makes it look like a totally different dress and it works for me! So do the same for you. Wear something shorter, longer or even backward! Wear it your way.

plus size occasionwear

how to wear a plus size maxi dress

Make it comfy

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pair of heels. But let’s be honest. On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are they? ESPECIALLY if you have to be at an event for a few hours, mingling, standing up for ages and even dancing! Exactly. So I opted to wear some really pretty wide fit sandals with one of the dresses. They look amazing and are so comfortable. I’ll be the last one on the dancefloor and I’ll still have my shoes on! (Would anyone mind if I wore these underneath my actual wedding dress?)

wide fit sandals

If you can’t do totally flat shoes, keep them low. I’m a fan of block heels and the absolute sparkle that these block heeled black sandals have is enough for any occasion. They’re really comfortable too and are an extra wide fit. Perfect if you have chunky ankles like me!

Ignore anyone that says you should be wearing heels. You’ll have the last laugh when you can feel you’re feet the next day.

wide fit block heels

Black is Back

If you want to wear a black dress as gorgeous as this to my wedding… go ahead! I think it is beautiful. People always say that black is for a funeral. I wholeheartedly disagree! This dress is full of beautiful embroidery and detail. It’s gorgeous – almost fit and flare shape- which glides over the body. It’s one of those dresses you can wear to ANYTHING! Yes… even though it’s black!

The thing about black is that it doesn’t have to be boring. This dress is so far from boring it’s at the other end of the scale completely. It also doesn’t mean you’re hiding away. With this amount of sparkle, does it look like I’m trying to hide? This plus size embellished black dress ticks the box for any occasion.

plus size black embellished dress simply be

simply be occasion wear dresses

Those are my top three tips on ignoring apparent ‘fashion rules’ and nailing your occasion wear this season. Whatever you opt for, just make sure you’re making yourself happy and living your best outfit life!

 

* This post is in collaboration with Simply Be

 

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