10 Chic Summer Wedding Guest Dresses, Per a Stylist

Firstly, it goes without saying that there are plenty of things you can wear to a wedding aside from a dress (and as a lover of dramatic tops and really good pants, I’m here for it). However, if you are inclined to reach for a midi or maxi dress when occasion dressing rolls around, this is for you—especially if you’re looking for chic wedding guest styles that only look expensive.

These days, I’m so much more inclined to invest in the pieces I wear on repeat in real life. Also, for the record, I’m a chronic outfit repeater, especially when it comes to weddings. I have a handful of investment-worthy dresses from the likes of Matteau and Toteme (plus a couple of sneakily good finds from Mango) that I’ve proudly been re-wearing to weddings for years—a nice reminder of just how little other people are paying attention to what we wear, and compelling evidence that, as our guru Alexa Rose once said, nobody cares. Literally.

All that being said, the sheer volume of weddings and events I have on deck this year means I’m in the mood to add a little something new to the rotation. Nothing crazy, I’m talking under $350, easy to rewear, and likely to be loaned to friends for many summers to come. As my good deed for the day, I’m passing along the 10 best summer dresses I found on my search. We have on-trend colors, elegant black dresses, oversized florals, and even polka dots— very unlike me, but here we are. After hours of selflessly scrolling through Anthropologie, ASOS, Banana Republic, H&M, Mango, Nordstrom, Reformation, Shopbop, and Zara, these are my picks for expensive-looking wedding guest dresses to shop right now, starting at just $50.

7 More Stylist-Approved Wedding Guest Dresses

I can confirm this dress is insane. The only style over $300 in this story, but this 100 percent silk dress is 100 percent worth it. I love a floral with dark base for day-to-night events, and I promise the low back and tassel detail is worth clicking in. (This is Ref’s extended sizing, for size 14 to 24—for sizes 0 through 12, this amazing print is nearly sold out, but the “moss garden” green also made me gasp.)

Going strapless can be a risky situation, especially when there’s dancing involved, but this dress has the trifecta I look for as a stylist—a hidden zip (which means I can take it on and off without it being a complete disaster for my hair and make-up), a little elastic at the back (which makes for a snug fit), plus non-slip rubber inside the top hem (to keep the front facing the front, and the back facing the back).

This is currently hanging on the back of my bathroom door as a front-runner for my friend’s upcoming wedding in Extremedura. The burnt orange is surprisingly good IRL—which I only discovered after I originally clicked on this same style in an incredible olivey green that was, tragically, sold out in my size. Turns out, I look good in orange? News to me. Given how long and late Spanish weddings go (an alarming discovery I made last year), I’m very excited to wear this floor-grazing style with flat sandals and spend those many, many hours being secretly very comfortable.

This absolute banger of a dress is so highly rated on Anthro, that I spent far too long scrolling through the dozens of pages of reviews—which collectively average an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars. Customers promise it’s true to size, comfortable, and a total compliment trap. My favorite review begins by declaring: “Sis. Stop scrolling. You’ve arrived.” And there’s really nothing I can say here that tops that.

This is such a Chloé-coded cool-girl style. I’m obsessed with the slouch and how breezy and romantic it must feel to swish about it in. (The video of the e-comm model is really speaking to me.) I know it’s a lot of fabric, but the cut of the halterneck balances everything out by showing off so much shoulder, plus there’s this whole delicious open back situation that keeps the vibe elegant and modern. Another great contender for wearing with flat strappy sandals.

Speaking of open-back halter dresses, this under-$100 option from Zara is very worth having in your closet in case of black dress emergency. It absolutely punches above its price tag. Also, a moment for a satiny dress that’s actually lined! If everyone could pay attention, that would be great, thanks.

Okay, one more, because I actually love a black dress for a wedding. This slipped-strap detail really makes it feel like the dress a main character is wearing in a movie when some poor guy falls in love with her. Low-key iconic.

A moment for whatever’s going on over at Banana Republic. The colors in the dress are oh-so good—with that contrasting orange and green, the hint of pink, and the burgundy punctuations that tell me they knew exactly what they were doing here. This is a great dress.

Reformation gets two mentions in this story because of course it does. Amongst all the moody floral dresses, this polished, silk style jumped out at me for being at the other end of the spectrum. It’s just so tidy and crisp. I’m into the styling with a preppy tennis necklace, but undone hair and minimal make-up that makes it feel modern. She’s the coolest girl at a boring event, and she definitely has a tattoo.

I found this hiding in H&M’s Summer Occasion Edit. I love a brown dress, and I love a dress with texture—especially when it’s a body-skimming style, it just feels easier to wear without thinking about it. This is so good for travel, because you know it’s not creased like crazy when you pull it out of your suitcase, and you also know I’m not trying to steam anything unless I absolutely have to. And again, a win with a zip and non-slip silicone tape at the upper hem. Truly a steal.