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Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Happy Saturday and hello sunshine!

Now is the time to ditch those jackets and hoods as we get ready for the full colour season.

Continuing with last week’s topic on how to dress as a wedding guest, we will focus on women.

I laughed out loud after reading an e-mail from a friend who requested that I should also write about the trend that has hit the streets — Balenciaga.

It seems every Tom and Dick is donning the Balenciaga label just like how the Versace brand was abused.

Well, it is true what they say that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, but I am struggling to understand how ugly sneakers were trending on the runways of the latest fashion weeks.

Last year Balenciaga came out with the ugliest sneakers we have seen in years. It was a look I had hoped people would hate, discard and move on.

Then, surprisingly, people started wearing them and even posting them on Instagram.  I hoped it was a passing phase, but this is not the case to some as the sneakers, though ugly, have been rated as one of the most expensive.

In fact, the Balenciaga Triple S is a monstrous pair of sneakers and not everyone is a fan of the look though.

That is another topic of the day, while hanging by the pool drinking Teal-quilla sunrise cocktail.

Back to dressing for a wedding as a guest.

The most important thing to remember when shopping for a wedding is that you want to look cool and stylish, but you don’t want to distract attention from the couple or draw attention for the wrong reasons.

These days weddings have fewer and fewer rules because couples are just more progressive than they used to be.

Still, while you have a lot more freedom than you may have had 10 years or so ago, there are a few things to remember when getting dressed — to be respectful of the ceremony and the people getting married, especially women.

That is why I recommend you use the wording on the invitation or the time of year to determine your wedding attire. But first, know the ground rules for dressing for a wedding.

Lifestyle and wedding gurus Amanda Elser and Emily Platt said rule number one is don’t ever wear white to a wedding.

“You should avoid wearing white to pre-wedding festivities, like the engagement party, shower or rehearsal dinner.

“The only exception to this rule is if there’s an all-white dress code for one of the celebrations, otherwise you can end up confusing other guests, including photographers as you end up like you are the one wedding,” they advised.

The white, can even extend to pale blue. This should be a no-brainer, but it still bears saying.

White dresses are cute! I feel for you! But just try not to in this instance. This is the one thing the bride cares about — she’s most likely wearing white.

Another rule that women should take note of  when not only attending weddings, but dressing too is to always be respectful of religious affiliations.

If you know the wedding is going to be held in a Catholic Church, it might not be a bad idea to cover bare arms with a sweater, chiffon or scarf, and avoid showing too much leg or cleavage.

My friend Tarry MK who specialises in ladies’ wear once mentioned that a little black dress (LBD) can’t go wrong at weddings.

You can wear black to a wedding — it’s not off-limits.

“It used to be taboo to wear black to weddings, but now a little black dress is totally appropriate for an evening affair,” she said.

My other pick is it’s better to be overdressed than under-dressed.

If an invite says “black tie optional” err on the side of caution and wear a long dress or dark suit or tux.

Like your mom always said, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

A final bonus tip: you don’t have to spend big to look nice.

There’s nothing wrong with borrowing wedding guest attire — especially if it helps you adhere to a dress code.

Now let the wedding season begin, show the style.