How to Wear a White Dress When It’s Not Your Big Day: Styling Tips

April 18, 2024

A white dress is no longer confined to wedding seasons, and you don’t need to get married to be able to rock it! White dresses are highly versatile and can be styled with pretty much everything. The elegance and tranquility that oozes out of a white dress is breathtaking and unmatchable. Whether it’s an office party or a dinner date, a white dress is a classic wardrobe essential that exudes beauty and freshness in all seasons, making it a versatile choice for various occasions. But while the color in itself is spectacular, knowing how to wear a white dress stylishly, keeping in mind the occasion, season, etc. is essential. To help you with the same, we have here a complete guide on white dresses to help you sway everyone with your beauty and elegance.

Why Should You Invest in a White Dress?

We are sure you must have heard things like, “White is a symbol of peace, new beginnings, and purity.” Be it a wedding ceremony or a cocktail party — white always makes people look striking and stand out! But there’s a lot more to this color! Let’s learn about it now!

Put your hands up if you have ever painted — for sure, many hands must be up right now! Even if you haven’t, you must have seen someone painting on a white canvas! The color white is a blank canvas, waiting for creativity to be unleashed and worked on beautifully! The neutral hue of a white dress acts as a blank canvas and offers endless opportunities for you to style it and elevate your fashion game. White dresses are highly versatile and perfect for various occasions — whether you want to grab coffee with a friend, go for a lunch date, or attend a formal event, they work seamlessly for all. The versatility they offer makes it a must-have in your wardrobe!

Another factor that makes all-white dresses a popular choice is that they look flattering in all seasons, especially during the summer months! After all, no one can resist how clean, refreshing, and soothing they look. During summer, people can often opt for lightweight fabrics for white dresses, such as cotton, linen, etc. that feel cool and breezy. Contrary to popular belief, white dresses can be worn in winter too — by choosing fabrics like wool, fleece, velvet, or tweed and pairing the dress with black boots!

Another reason why people go gaga over white dresses is that they complement all skin tones. Be it fair, medium, or deep skin tones, its unique crispness makes it suitable for all skin tones, helping people radiate a gorgeous glow when wearing a white-colored dress. It's one of the best colors to wear to look drop-dead gorgeous and feel confident.

From being suitable for all seasons to creating a universally appealing look — dresses in white color do it all, effortlessly! This is why investing in a white dress is totally worth it and the reason why you should learn how to wear a white dress and let everyone swoon over your beauty!

How to Wear a White Dress And Fetch Compliments?

White, being an epitome of class and grace, offers a lot more than what meets the eyes — not only does it look attractive on everyone, but spiritually, it is associated with healing, cleansing, and new beginnings as well. Mastering the art of wearing a white dress can help you unveil the beautiful and bodacious you! Here are some tips and tricks that will help you pick the best dress and wear it in a way that makes you get compliments from everyone!

1. Choose the Right Dress

Yes, you want to know all about accessories, types of footwear, and makeup that go well with a white dress, but before that, it’s important to know all about choosing the right dress! A dress, when chosen, keeping in mind your skin tone, fabric, and material, can do wonders in creating a look that will make you the highlight of a party. Here’s our mini guide on how to pick the best white dress:

Identify Your Skin Tone: Before you pick a white dress, assess your skin tone and determine which shade of white will go well with it. Shades like old lace, ivory, stark white, and light gold look great on people with deep or dark skin tones. Those with olive skin tones can opt for colors like Dutch white, bone, and silk white hues to balance things out. On the other hand, people with medium complexion look great in hues like cornsilk, cream, beige, and vanilla.

People with fair skin can opt for warm shades of white. Shades like old lace, ivory, stark white, and light gold look great on people with deep or dark skin tones. Those with olive skin tones can opt for colors like dutch white, bone, and silk white hues to balance things out. On the other hand, people with medium complexion look great in hues like cornsilk, cream, beige, and vanilla.

Focus on the Material: Have you ever had an experience where the dress you chose was stunningly beautiful but the fabric made it so uncomfortable for you to wear that now it’s just lying on the wardrobe shelf waiting to be worn out? Well, it happens more often than we think — our eyes catch a beauty and we pick it without focusing on the material.

To avoid this, assess the material before you choose a dress. When it comes to a white dress, the color in itself gives a cool vibe, but the material still matters. When wearing it in hot and humid weather, choose materials like cotton, linen, organic cotton, chambray, hemp, and soft viscose to allow your skin to breathe and not feel the heat. While in winter, a white dress made with fabrics like wool and crepes can suit you the best and keep your body cool.

Be Mindful of the Innerwear: When a dress is white in color, chances are quite high for it to be see-through. While this is more true for fabrics such as cotton, chambray and linen, there’s always a risk with other fabrics too, such as silk, satin, georgette, etc. Hence, it is crucial to choose your undergarments carefully when wearing a white dress. Choose innerwear of the same color as your skin tone — this will help you prevent your skin from showing through the dress. Furthermore, you can opt for a shapewear to flaunt your body with style and confidence.

Invest in a Slip/Chemise/Camisole: Slips are highly functional and help remove the friction between the skin and the outfit, making dresses comfortable to wear. You can consider purchasing a slip to wear under a white dress if it’s see-through. Choose a lightweight slip that is a few inches shorter than your dress.

Find the Right Footwear

The basics of styling a white dress start with picking the right footwear! Ballerina, espadrilles, gladiators, kitten heels, pumps, wedges — oh the list is endless! But with so many options at your disposal, it’s obvious to wonder about what kind of shoes go with a white dress. But don’t worry as we are here to help you put the look together!

Take Into Account Your Dress Style: Are you planning to wear a white maxi dress or a tunic-style dress? The choice of footwear depends largely on the style of a dress. For instance, strappy sandals look great with both maxi and midi dresses, whereas shoes, loafers, and wedges go well with tunic dresses. For bohemian-style maxi dresses or long, flowy printed dresses, you can choose to wear sandals, wedges, or espadrilles and jazz up your look.

Consider the Occasion: It is imperative to choose a dress or footwear depending on the occasion. When wearing a white dress for special occasions or evening parties, you can wear red-colored heels for the color to pop and make you stand out from the crowd. White and red is a classic color combination that never goes out of style! When going for casual outings or events, you may choose to wear loafers, flip flops, or any footwear you feel comfortable in with a white dress so that you can move freely without any worries of shoe bites.

Go Bold with the Colors: White is a color that lets you experiment with different shades of footwear and brings out the diva in you. Red is a classic color that makes the overall look appear classy and elegant. Brown is another popular color choice for footwear, which looks incredible with a white dress. For a bold and vibrant look, you can choose to wear contrasting shoes and add a pop of color to accentuate the look.

Pick a Pair of White Shoes: You might be skeptical about pairing white shoes with a white dress, but don’t be! Wearing white shoes beneath a white dress can give you a perfect monochromatic look that you can rock all year round.

Accessorize Properly

Accessories can elevate your look, and make you fetch compliments from anyone who takes a look at you. Your beauty knows no bounds, so why not level it up a notch by wearing your favorite white dress with the right accessory? Below are a few factors to take into consideration when you style a white dress:

Make All the Difference with Statement Jewelry: Statement pieces, including trendy necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and pendants can add glam to your ensemble. Opt for a striking pair of earrings, a bold ring, earrings, or bangles to create a polished look.

Give Your Look an Oomph Factor with Belts, Scarves, And Handbags: Additional accessories like scarves, belts, handbags, and clutches can infuse delicacy and vibrancy into your all-white outfit, making it look more ravishing.

Pick a Headband: A classic headband can breathe life into your white dress. Headband pieces, such as bowknot headbands, scarf headbands, floral headbands, etc. are a great way to elevate your look without going too crazy.

Consider Throwing on a Hat: Hats not only provide weather protection but also preen your look. You can thrown in a hat with your white dress to customize your overall look and make it appropriate for the season — eg., a basketweave hat for summers, a cloche for fall, etc. But remember, this is not the 1930s, and wearing a hat is not a mandate for everyone. Besides, hats can really attract attention and make you stand out. So, only wear one if you don’t mind making heads turn.

Incorporate Metallic Accessories: For a shiny finish, opt for metallic accessories to balance out the aesthetics. You can choose to wear a silver belt or metallic shoes to create a harmonious blend of hues and add boldness to your outfit.

Layer It: You can pair your white dress with a denim/leather jacket to look charming. On the other hand, it is a great option to pair a sleeveless white dress with a collared shirt for a more casual look.

Be Minimalistic: Although accessorizing is important to improve the overall look of your outfit, avoid going overboard so that your overall ensemble doesn’t look too gaudy. Select very few and simple, but classy accessories that complement your outfit — a dainty pendant, drop earrings, and perhaps a metal-toned watch. This is only to upgrade the look of the dress and not overpower it, so don’t use too many accessories! Especially when it comes to necklaces and chains, don’t go for more than one.

While it is important to take note of these tips on how to wear a white dress, remember that there is no one-size-fits-all in the world of fashion — don’t feel hesitant to break the shackles of fashion rules, go bold and try different colors and patterns, and celebrate the real you!

How to Wear a Little White Dress?

A little white dress is an ethereal wardrobe staple that can help you embrace simplicity while looking chic and classic. Styling a white dress is easy once you choose one that works. Here are some key pointers to keep in mind when wearing a little white dress:

Choose the Dress Wisely: You can pull off any dress in this world if it fits you properly. Find a dress that perfectly hugs your body and highlights your best physical features! Be it a bodycon dress or an A-line mini, pay heed to the fit, neckline, and sleeves to make sure it accentuates your curves.

Pay Attention to Accessories: Picking the right accessories can complement the vibe of your dress and make you look ‘oh-so-beautiful’. Statement jewelry pieces give a killer look when paired with a little white dress when going out for a night event. If you wish to keep things simple and sober while also exuding glamor, you can pick minimalist jewelry, a hat, ballet flats, and flip-flops or sandals. Other accessories like stylish clutches, tote bags, scarves, fur coats, and heels can also help titivate your ensemble!

Style It with the Perfect Footwear: Depending on the season, style, and occasion, choose footwear that go well with your fashion choices. Tie-up sandals, gladiators, strap-back flats, fisherman sandals, rope sandals, and sneakers are perfect to add a touch of glam to your LWD and ace a laid-back vibe. Consider opting for pumps, kitten heels, and wedges to blend class with sophistication and rock your LWD look!

Layer It Up: Who said a little white dress has to be worn alone? You can easily bring more charm to your look by layering your dress with a denim jacket, shrug, or light-fabric blazer. When wearing an LWD in warm weather, you can layer it with a cardigan or coat.

Whether you want to create a perfect LOTD for your Instagram reels or capture everyone's attention at a party — a white dress is a perfect choice to create diverse looks that suit every mood and occasion. Knowing the tips on how to wear a white dress can help you create a neat and polished look and make a glamorous statement. But don’t always go by the rules — remember that any dress you wear, all you need is confidence and a beautiful smile to slay it! Go bold and experiment with diverse hues, footwear, and accessories to embrace your beauty and versatility!

FAQs

How to make a white dress look good?

Choose the right accessory, and footwear, and focus on your makeup to make your white dress look good.

How to wear a white dress without it being see-through?

You can wear a nude slip beneath a white dress so that it doesn’t look too sheer.

What are the best color options that make a white dress pop?

Some of the best colors that make a white dress pop are gold, metallic, beige, tan, and red.

Can you wear a white dress casually?

Yes, it is perfectly okay to wear a white dress for casual occasions. Keep things simple by accessorizing it with minimal jewelry, a clutch, and sandals.

Can we wear a white dress to a party?

Yes, white dresses are versatile and are suitable for all occasions. When wearing it to a party, you can add a touch of glam by wearing high heels and statement jewelry.

What does it mean to wear a white dress?

The color white symbolizes different things in different cultures. Generally, it is an emblem of positivity, peace, grace, and purity.

Who can wear a white dress?

Anyone can wear a white dress — make sure to pick one that hugs your body type and accentuate your curves.