Have a class reunion coming up?
Want to look thinner, taller, younger, and more prosperous than your former classmates, all while being comfortable?
Then listen up.
Because the main things you need to remember are: place, time, and activity.
Place
Class reunions can take place anywhere from basements to bars, restaurants to resorts.
It all depends on where you went to school.
Different venues have different dress codes, so you need to start with where it’s going to be to determine what you should wear.
Casual Attire
School gyms, basements, and cafeterias typically call for casual attire.
So do places like bars, pubs, or modestly priced restaurants.
Try a cute dress, a top that draws attention to your face, or some snazzy sandals.
Cocktail Attire
Trendy bars and moderately-priced restaurants call for dressier cocktail attire.
Try a little black dress or trousers with an evening top.
Look for something glamorous and figure-flattering.
Formal Evening Attire
Country clubs, private clubs, and upscale restaurants may call for dressy cocktail attire; they could also require formal evening attire.
Read the invitation carefully, then opt for what’s called for.
You might even want to go “all out” and get your hair and makeup professionally done for the occasion.
Time
For day events like brunches, picnics, or religious services, opt for day wear suitable for the occasion.
For events after 5 pm, opt for evening pieces suitable for the occasion.
Activity
Some class reunions involve a single evening event for the classmates and their partners; others span a weekend and include things like pool parties and picnics for families.
There are class reunions where everyone meets at the local crab shack and shoots pool and drinks beer while others have a big charity golf event followed by a formal evening ball.
Dress for the activity.
Even if you have no plans to go swimming, for example, wear shorts and a top or a cute sun dress so you can sit poolside and chat with those who do.
Wouldn’t be caught dead in a cocktail dress or evening gown? Then pair nice trousers with an evening top so you look and feel like you belong.
The main goal is to have fun and catch up, not worry how you’re dressed.
If you strive to match your attire with the mood of the place, time, and activity, you can put your clothes out of your mind and easily accomplish your mission.
Now let’s talk about some of those other goals, the hidden agendas we often have:
Look Thinner
Two what to wear tips you can use anytime to look thinner include:
Wear Clothes That Fit Properly
Clothes that are too small or too big will make you look bigger than you are.
Bras and panties that dig in and create rolls and bulges under your clothes will also call attention to trouble spots.
Instead, wear properly fitting clothes and undergarments and you’ll instantly look thinner.
Wear Clothes that Draw the Eye Up and Down, Not Side to Side
Horizontal lines make you look wider, as do big blocks of color from head to toe.
Vertical and diagonal lines make you look thinner, as do monochromatic ensembles.
If you think “up and down” and not “side-to-side” as you put together your outfits, you’ll soon be hearing, “Have you lost weight?” more often than you think.
Look Younger
If you’re still wearing your hair and makeup the same way you did when you graduated from high school, it’s time for a change.
If you think wearing your teenage daughter’s clothes will make you look hip and happening, think again.
The fastest, easiest ways to look younger are:
- Update your hairstyle
- Soften your makeup
- Dress age-appropriately in clothes that fit properly.
You don’t have to give up being chic just because you hit a milestone birthday.
You just need to know what to hide and what to show in order to take age out of the equation.
It really is that easy!
Look Successful
The easiest way to look prosperous without saying anything boils down to one word: accessories.
Sunglasses, handbags, shoes, beautiful jewelry – heck, even powdering your nose with a Chanel compact – speak volumes without saying a word.
The best part?
You don’t have to buy anything.
Rent it for the weekend and they’ll be none the wiser! (Wink, wink)
Be Comfortable
The easiest way to look great and be comfortable is simple: find clothes and shoes that fit properly and are occasion-appropriate.
When anything you wear is too small, you’re uncomfortable.
When you show up to a rodeo in a cocktail dress or to a cocktail party in jeans, you’re uncomfortable.
So don’t do either.
Find pieces that fit and allow you to do what you’re there to do (dance, sit down, run a race) and that are appropriate for the occasion.
The Bottom Line
Deciding what to wear to a class reunion shouldn’t be stressful.
If you use these simple what to wear tips and take the time to consider the place, time, and activity to find clothes that are comfortable and allow you to look great, you can’t help but have a good time.
PLAN, don’t stress.
It’s the best way to catch up with old school friends.
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Diana Pemberton is an image coach and author of Occasion Magic, which shows you how to dress for any occasion. Want to be the “belle of the ball?” Let Occasion Magic show you what to wear to a class reunion.
