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Last year, I attended seven weddings in the span of seven months. This year, I have another six on the schedule, and after spending paycheck after paycheck on flights, gifts, and bachelorette parties, I am tapped out. Being invited to someone’s nuptials—especially in the summertime and especially somewhere far-flung like Greece or Antigua, as has sometimes been the case for me—is a beautiful thing, but it’s an expensive thing too. And while I’ve often been guilty of adhering to the semi-ridiculous rule that you can’t wear a formal dress more than once, I have officially hit a roadblock at this juncture in my never-ending wedding tour. In fact, I’ve worn one black-tie look to three separate I-dos now, and suffice it to say, I’m over it.
On the other hand, I refuse to spend more coin that I don’t have just to attempt at getting the award for best-dressed wedding guest. But as it turns out, if you get creative, it’s possible to find a head-to-toe statement look for half the price of a special, wear-once-and-bury-in-the-back-of-the-closet kind of gown. Because it’s not necessarily always about the standout dress, but rather the way you style yourself. At the end of the day, all eyes should be and will be on the bride, but vanilla is never the best option. Take it from a veteran: Focus your efforts on getting the most bang for your buck with pieces that you can collectively mix, match, and wear more than once—including during the other parts of your life too.
Here are 25 dresses for under $500 that will keep your fashion options open—and at the same time, make everyone at the beach, black-tie, or garden wedding shower you with compliments.
