An Irish summer time can often mean one thing, and one thing only: wedding season. From April onwards, the invitations start flooding in and the panic begins. How on earth can I afford all this? While we can’t help you out when it comes to some expenses, here is a comprehensive guide for keeping attire costs down when you have several events to attend.
The first issue to iron out is that the notion of not re-wearing dresses went out the window along with the Celtic Tiger. If you have more than one wedding to attend, sometimes it’s just not feasible to buy multiple complete outfits. Purchasing one or two block colour dresses, perhaps one in a bright shade and one in black or another neutral colour is a great bet because you can create different looks through accessories, thus keeping costs down. Asos is a great bet here because, not only do they offer student discounts, you can really filter your search according to your colour and style preferences and price range. It’s the Monica Geller of online shopping.
€34 €27
Likewise with shoes, unless you’re opting for a dress with a very distinctive palette, one or two pairs in different colours will serve you well. Odds are that we’ve all got a pair of black heels and a pair of nude heels hanging around the wardrobe and, once they are in decent condition, that’s all you’ll need for virtually any outfit. If your heels have seen better days, Penneys should definitely be your first port-of-call, while New Look is another fantastic option for affordable footwear.
€25 €45
One item worth investing in is a nude strapless bra. If you’ve got one to hand, you’ll be covered for every sartorial eventuality, without a panicked dash into town the day before the wedding. Wonderbra have some lovely styles. As for jewellery and handbags, again keep a sharp eye out in Penneys, or else try Accessorize for something more unique that won’t break the bank.
€34.50 €19.90
€34.90 €15.90
Emily O’Brien
