This summer, I’m attending the wedding of a Swedish step-niece in the south of Sweden. It will be held in a farmish-gardenish sort of venue, from what I can tell. It will be summer, as I said, but Nordic summer, i.e. inscrutable. The dress code is colorful and festive casual.
Following the wedding, as my husband will be staying home, one of my sisters and I will be taking a short trip to hike in and gawk at some Norwegian fjords. Hence, I’ll carry one suitcase and a backpack, all carried on the airplane and mention lugged around trains and mountain hotels.
One more piece of data: I am as excited to go to the wedding as I am not excited to buy new clothes.
What if I wore this?
Orange linen dress from the now-defunct Graecove, and those gold pearl-studded booties you all enabled. See, colorful! Festive! The kitten-heeled booties could survive some dirt and grass and I suppose if I felt so moved I could wear them to dinner in Bergen. If it got chilly, first I could add a pink wool muffler, then a rain jacket and purple cashmere watch cap because in the end this is family and nobody’s going to be standing on any ceremony except the happy one uniting two lovely people in a shared life.
Thoughts? Does anything else you might vaguely remember me wearing seem better? So many dark dresses! How did we get here?
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.
33 Responses
I suggest doing a re-watch of Scandinavian TV series for inspiration on what one might wear during their short Summer season.
Since that’s the dress you have it seems like a fine place to begin. I’m less taken with the shoe/booties, which I have always liked, because they aren’t very summery or rustic, nor do they seem like good walking shoes. A trip with carry-on luggage probably needs all shoes to be worthy of a second or third mile of striding.
Good point about the not-good walking shoes. I was doubling down on “eccentric American relative,” so, one can see how practicality goes out the window;).
Do you have any silk or dressy pants? If not, would you consider a pair?
I do, I have a pair of jacquard Dries van Noten pants but they are black. The closest I get is my brown ponte EF lantern pants, and I wear them every single time I go out and besides they are brown;)
I too like the dress, but not the boots (they’re to close in color to the dress to be an interesting clash). Do you have a cardigan that would work with the dress? I find cardigans to be great for travel in uncertain weather.
I gave up on cardigans. They felt too civilized. I fear I have become feral through the pandemic. Perhaps it is time to reexamine.
Love the orange – it fits the occasion perfectly. Like RoseAG, I am not so sure about the boots. But then I am not very adventurous when it comes to footwear. I would wear beige or gold flats (see above: not very adventurous). You might want to think about a white/off-white jacket for when the evening gets cool. That might serve you well on many other nights of your trip when you go to dinner.
My hiking jacket is white/off-white LOL. I am perhaps too adventurous. But I have been thinking I’d like a pair of gold sandals, flat, so this might be an incentive to go ahead…
The dress is perfect. From my time spent in Scandinavia, I might gently suggest swapping the booties for perhaps tan leather sandals. Swedish farmyards and pearl encrusted footwear might be too much fun. You may end up with some daisies in your hair, that would be perfect!
Linda S. is on to something here. I like the style of the dress, but in a different color. I think a shade of blue in your color palette would look gorgeous on you! If you don’t have one, buy one – have some fun with it!! How often do you go to a wedding in Sweden? Tan sandals with your dress would be lovely for summer. Daisies in your hair – styled in a braid or your favorite style would be lovely!! Please let us know what you decide. It is fun giving feedback. Wear what makes you feel fabulous! You are a beautiful, confident woman –
Elizabeth, I will report back. I would buy one but I cannot bear to buy another anything right now except perhaps flat gold sandals. This is somewhat inexplicable, but there you go. Daisies-a-gogo in fact.
Too much fun is my middle name but I hear you loud and clear. Daisies, huh? Then I won’t cut my long braid off! Thanks for the tip!
I’m with Rose and Martha. Dress fits the bill but the boots, not so much. Not so perfect with the dress as to offset the need to watch your step all the time in a farmish-gardenish setting. Flat shoes or sandals. A broad brimmed hat with the dress?
I suppose I was ready to let the boots die a valiant death in service of quirkiness;). I’ll have my Tilley hiking hat, does that work? I am far too flippant for my own good. A broad-brimmed hat would look great.
Agree with Rose. Find some lovely slides or dressy sandals – maybe platform? that can be worn again. The dress is an autumnal color and the gold boots clash and look odd. A shawl would be a nice choice with the dress.
Can wear tan Mephisto wedge sandals, or can buy flat gold sandals, and I’ll have a shawl/scarf somethin’ or other.
I’d go with some ankle length Eileen Fisher wide legs so your cuffs don’t drag in grass and puddles, something linen on top and a lightweight jersey cardigan should it be chillier than anticipated. Do all in some outstanding colors (except maybe wear black wide legs). Maybe also a pencil skirt if pants seem too casual. A lightweight crewneck or crop sweater might be good to bring along too. Comfortable suede wedges, boots or some sort of shoe that’s also easy to walk in. A small shoe brush, too. Have fun!
Thank you! If I were buying new clothes they would highly likely be new Eileen Fisher lantern pants in a nice marine blue ponte, should such a thing exists. Love the idea to bring a shoe brush!
I think either the dress or the boots, but not both. I agree that a lightweight cardigan or shawl or jacket would probably be good. Or a dark dress with bright accessories?
I would do a dark dress if I had one that was flowy and loose, but they are all so structured! I may rebel and still wear the boots and I will beg you all to forgive me;)
Lantern trousers with a silk shirt, a cashmire or nice and soft wool poncho, ankle strap wedge espadrilles, lovely jewellery like bangles and earrings. And lipstick!
You are spot on, in that I wear lantern pants with a silk tunic regularly! But the pants are brown. Not wedding-feeling. Definitely I will wear lipstick.
I’ve been to several Swedish and Norwegian weddings over the years. I have usually worn a dress or long silky pants with a colorful top. Since you will be taking a carry-on I wonder if your linen dress will hold up in the wrinkle department. You will definitely want a light weight coverup. There will be dancing for sure as well as plenty of toasting and imbibing. In my experieence it will br lots of fun wahatever you wear! I look forward to hearing all about it.
You’re right, the linen dress will need some steaming, but if there’s enough dancing and imbibing will anyone notice my wrinkles of any sort? How fun to have been to several of these!
I remember urging you to buy those boots, which I still love. And I’m going to be the outlier here and urge you to go with your instincts and wear them with the orange dress. Maybe add a lightweight gold wrap — a beaded or pearl-embroidered one would be extra fun — to bookend the boots and give you a) extra texture and b) protection from the elements.
❤️
Adore the golden booties and came so close to buying a pair on your recommendation, as you no doubt recall.
Damn.
The story: I ordered the bottled bc read about them here in Lisa’s blog. Received them,
Put them on, they were perfect. THEN:
I sent them back bc I thought something (STUPID) like, you have to give up one of your twenty pairs of booties before you get one more pair.
I have nothing to say my darling, other than how enchanted I am with your opening line, “You are Cordially invited to have an opinion…” I herewith give you my proxy, and trust you to go forth and decide for both of us! xoxo
We all love giving advice on what other people should wear, so here is mine: That’s an awful lot of unrelieved tailored orange (I almost wrote, “slice of orange”) for one person to wear – unless it’s to a Princeton reunion! You need to break it up with a jazzy belt or fabulous jewelry/scarf, or better yet, switch to something blue (which is your best color) and a bit floatier (rather than shirtwaist-y). The boots are darling, but they’ll get lost (or ruined) in the grass, so try flats, sandals, or maybe slightly wedged espadrilles. Plus flowers in your hair!
Note: Have you seen the film “Midsommar”?
Further note: Wear what you want, but don’t outshine the bride!
the orange dress is lovely + certainly fits the invitation request of colorful + festive casual.
i am not a boots person so cannot advise.
enjoy sweden in summer — such a magical time of year there.
Personally, I think you need more contrast. Orange and gold provides no contrast. Are hats required like at English weddings? If this is the case, a lovely hat might add the contrast punch that I suggest. My experience with any heel on grass is that you sink and the finish on the heel is damaged. Beware. Happy travels.
Do you know about Rough Linen, up in Marin County? She has some great light-weight linen scarves in great colors.
I love the orange dress–but not the boots for a summer wedding. You don’t want to be punching holes in the turf . . .
And wow, a Swedish wedding in midsummer! That sounds lovely. Have a wonderful time.
Oh dang, I just checked her website and the vibrant colors are sold out. Shoot.