The Enthusiasts Guide from “Yes” to “I Do”
Host Leah Haslage is pulling back the veil to bring you honest advice and creative ideas from those in the wedding industry. From the Engagement to the Honeymoon, get all the details you need from wedding and event experts on how to make it your best day ever!
Wedding Guest Style with Hollywood Stylist Joseph Katz
Hollywood Stylist and Host of the new podcast The Katz Walk, Joseph “Joe” Katz, explains what all of the different dress codes we come across really mean, and what we should and shouldn’t wear to a wedding. He also fills us in on the fashion trends for 2021, and how we can get the look for less!
Get to know Joe:
Fun, engaging and the creator of celebrity looks for the general public, Host Joe Katz is best known for his Oscar Red Carpet appearances. With many years of experience in the fashion industry, Katz is the stylist and personal shopper at the luxurious, five star Montage Beverly Hills Hotel.
His fashion media contributions include Good Morning America, The Doctors, Yahoo, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Associated Press, CBS 2, NBC LA as well as Life & Style, Real Simple and Ok Magazines. Katz previously owned a model and talent agency specializing in the development of top models worldwide. He worked styling and placing models with such agencies as Ford, New York Models, Elite, IMG and Wilhelmina.
Follow Joe Katz on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!
This has been a production of Evergreen Podcasts. A special thank you to Executive Producers David Moss, Gerardo Orlando, Production Director Brigid Coyne and Audio Engineers Eric Koltnow and Declan Rohrs.
Leah Longbrake:
Joe, I am so, so happy to have you back.
Joe Katz:
Thank you for having me. It's good to be back. Good to be back.
Leah Longbrake:
And so, I've said this to you before, but I want the whole world to know this. You have the best, most infectious laughter. It just makes my day.
Joe Katz:
Now, you made me do it.
Leah Longbrake:
I know. It just makes my day.
Joe Katz:
Oh, that's sweet. Thank you.
Leah Longbrake:
I just had to tell you about that.
Joe Katz:
I don't even think about it. I'm like in life, you're like, whatever. But oh, that's so sweet. Thank you.
Leah Longbrake:
So, last time we were here, we talked about groom styles.
Joe Katz:
Right.
Leah Longbrake:
Awesome tips from you. And congratulations on your feature in Rolling Stone Magazine.
Joe Katz:
Oh, thank you.
Leah Longbrake:
Giving tips on men's wear.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. That was fun. It was a great article. And really, hopefully it'll help people, just pick out. Sometimes people are a loss, guys are at a loss when they're putting looks together or what they're doing. And then sometimes, if you don't always have the huge budget, I gave some great tips on shopping on Amazon. So, there's a lot of cool stuff that won't break the bank, if you want to do some shopping there.
Leah Longbrake:
I love that.
Joe Katz:
Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
And then last time you were here, we talked about your podcast, The Katz Walk, and now it's officially launched. So, just quickly tell us about your podcast.
Joe Katz:
Well, I think it's a very fun podcast. It's all about, it's celebrity interviews. But you see so many celebrity interviews and so many different types of things with interviewing celebrities about their style or their shows, but I take a more in-depth look into their background and their history, and tips that they can give to my audience, so that really people can live and learn from cool things that they've been through. Some of my guests have traveled the world and seen, modeled in some of the biggest runway shows in the world. And it's like, they have cool things that we might never know, or how to put things together. And it's always fun to learn from their world travels.
Leah Longbrake:
And many came from humble beginnings.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. A lot really did. I think that's a really good point. And that's why I always want to learn, because sometimes when we watch people on TV or in movies or things like that, we always think, "Oh, this is how they just landed. They just landed into the wonderful life of Hollywood." And it's like, it doesn't always start like that. They really, they worked their way up. They did a lot of training. They grew up the hard way, the super hard way. So, there's a lot of really interesting... A great NFL football player that I really got to interview with him. So, we'll learn a lot about their beginnings. People know that some of these interviews are coming, so I'm getting requests like, "When can I watch it? When can I see it?" So, I'm excited. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. And of course, we learn about their personal style. I love that your motto for the show is where style meets substance, because I really think that that sums up beautifully what The Katz Walk is.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. I think so too. Yeah. It's not just about, it just style only. It's about their beginnings and who they are, and what advice they can give to people that might be in their same situation before they got to where they got. Things like that, which I think are so important.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah, exactly.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. A lot to learn. A lot to learn. And hopefully, it will give people a real insight into their world. And also inspiration is really what I want. Because when I watch things, even when I watched Oprah, when she was on every day, it gives you that inspiration to go, "Wow." That person came from that beginning. I want to figure out how to do that as well. So, I think that's what I'm trying to do with my show.
Leah Longbrake:
And we can get that at evergreenpodcast.com and everywhere podcasts are available.
Joe Katz:
That's right. Just type in The Katz Walk, K-A-T-Z. Sometimes people think C-A-T-S, but it's K-A-T-Z.
Leah Longbrake:
K-A-T-Z like the Joe Katz.
Joe Katz:
That's right. There you go. Yes.
Leah Longbrake:
So, today we're talking guests attire. So, whether you are personally going to be a guest at a wedding, or you're a couple, that's looking to figure out what you want your dress code to be for your big day. Because I mean, you could be having a black tie wedding, but maybe the guest doesn't know that, so you should probably fill them in, so they're not showing up in flip flops. Right?
Joe Katz:
Exactly. And we'll talk about some of the things that you don't wear as well, and some of the do's and don'ts.
Leah Longbrake:
Don't wear white.
Joe Katz:
Yeah, that's right.
Leah Longbrake:
Oh, don't do it, unless it says to do it, [crosstalk 00:04:38].
Joe Katz:
Right, right. If it's a theme. Right.
Leah Longbrake:
Right. So, okay. So, let's decode these different dress codes. Okay?
Joe Katz:
Okay.
Leah Longbrake:
So, let's start off with white tie and black tie. Because there's a lot of people that don't know that there is an actual difference between the two.
Joe Katz:
Right, right, right. So, the white tie really is where the guy is going to wear basically, he can wear a black tail coat or a black jacket, but he's going to be wearing a white shirt. He's going to wear a white bow tie. It's all white cumberband. I think of it as the ultra elegance. I almost think of Great Gatsby, or I think of those kinds of things when I think of white tie. But I think a lot of times people don't typically know white tie as well as they always hear. We always seem to see on an invitation black tie or black tie optional.
Joe Katz:
So, and the black tie usually means it's a dark tuxedo for men. And oh, and for the women for white tie, it's a formal dress, usually, long dress past the knee. It's not going to be like a tee length or anything like-
Leah Longbrake:
No cocktail.
Joe Katz:
No.
Leah Longbrake:
So, you see the gloves.
Joe Katz:
Right, right, right.
Leah Longbrake:
The opera would be like a more white tie, The White House dinners.
Joe Katz:
Exactly. Exactly. That kind of thing. And you can do the gloves. That's an optional, if you really want to dress it up. And I think adding those tips and tricks, and little pieces of detail like gloves or an elegant bag, those types of things are really beautiful pieces to add.
Leah Longbrake:
Like a beaded Judith Leiber.
Joe Katz:
Yes, yes, yes. Something really, really elegant, if you can really go that way for that amount. But the black tie is going to be more of that dark tuxedo, white shirt, black bow tie, or could be a navy, very dark rich tuxedo. And then again, the women are going to be long dressy cocktail dresses. And that's going to be the difference between... Just think of it, you're stepping it up for the white tie. Think of everybody knows that Great Gatsby because of the movies and all of that type of thing, if you're really going to go that way. But it doesn't seem like we're seeing that as much, as we're seeing the black tie.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. More like that red carpet Oscar type of feel the wedding, if you really want an elegant, maybe inside the city hall or an elaborate church.
Joe Katz:
Right, right. Or a beautiful, it could even be a gorgeous hotel that's doing like-
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah, a ballroom.
Joe Katz:
... an Uber, elegant. I've seen some crazy gorgeous hotel weddings. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. So, okay. So, then there's the white tie and black tie, but then there's also considered formal or black tie optional. How do you differentiate then the black tie versus a formal or a black tie optional.
Joe Katz:
So, black tie optional, I always say is more, the optional gives you, think for the guys, I always think of it being wearing a darker, you could go with a darker suit as opposed to a black tux. So, it could be something like that. You could do a tie as opposed to a bow tie. So, it gives you a little more flexibility in that way than doing the traditional.
Joe Katz:
When you hear black tie, I always think black bow tie or some kind of elegant bow tie. But with black tie optional, it can be a darker suit. Doesn't have to be a tux. And can be a long tie. And for women, this is like, again, it's more chic cocktail kind of vibe to it. And footwear for women can be, it doesn't have to be as buttoned up. So, it could be kind of a fun elegant shoe. And it could be a slingback. It could be a high heel. It could be a strappy heel for women.
Joe Katz:
Black tie optional now, some of the trends for women, we're seeing chain kind of link, but very subtle, like Tom Ford is doing this beautiful chain link around the ankle. Interesting things like that, that strappy. So, with black tie optional, you can play a little bit more with the footwear.
Leah Longbrake:
Oh, I love that. So, the women don't have to wear a long dress necessarily. They can go more cocktail or amid.
Joe Katz:
Right. More cocktail. Right. Amid or cocktail. Yeah. That type of thing. So that, even if you wanted to do dressy separates for women, you could do something like that. They could even wear an elegant suit, if they wanted to, which would be chic. There's so many cool brands that are doing things like that.
Joe Katz:
We see the inspirations from the runway, like the Prada, and the Gucci, and Chanel, and all of those things. But you don't always have to spend that. If you can't afford that, you can get a lot of things at places like Zara, or online, or things like that, that have that inspiration. So, don't always think that you have to be spending thousands of dollars on looks like that. There's a lot of places that are making fast fashion that look pretty good, if you're really going to wear it for a guest of a wedding.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. Like Lulus, I think is a great online website. I've gotten a dress from them before to wear to an event.
Joe Katz:
Right. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
Nordstrom always has great sales. I got a Calvin Klein dress half off, that I wore to an event once.
Joe Katz:
Right.
Leah Longbrake:
It's just like, it didn't break the bank and I could still have a designer piece.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. And one thing about places like Nordstrom and some of those places is they do have a lot of things. Sometimes they're only online only, and sometimes they're in the store and online. So, if you don't see something in the store, which now people, hopefully we'll be getting back to normal soon. But a lot of times, a lot of these big-box stores, like Macy's, Nordstrom's, Bloomingdale's, they have a lot because they don't have to worry about the inventory, so they have a lot more selection online. So, that's a good option to look, like you did.
Leah Longbrake:
Great pro tip.
Joe Katz:
Yes. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
So, cocktail. People hear that and they might think just going to a cocktail hour, but not everyone has the same idea of what a cocktail hour is. So, how do you decipher what cocktail means for a wedding?
Joe Katz:
Wedding, I always think, I mean, cocktail, yeah, it can be cocktail attire for like a holiday party, that type of thing. And I always think of women, more of a, I always think it's fairly dressy. So, it's fairly, so you're not going to be wearing a summer dress or a cotton dress. Think of it as a little, it's much more upscale, it's elegant, it's comfortable. Instead of a floor length, you can do a knee length, you can do a tee length, you can do a middy dress, that type of thing for women.
Joe Katz:
For men, you can wear a suit without a tie, which I don't mind. But with cocktail, I always feel like some kind of, whether it be even a lapel pin or something that dresses it up a little is what I like. I like some kind of something. And maybe with cocktail, it gives you a little bit more. You can play with it a little bit more with maybe a fun tie. And for women, you can do... I always say, be comfortable in what you're wearing because that's going to be really important. And then also just, yeah, I always think of it being just a slight step up in the style of the look.
Leah Longbrake:
So, guys shouldn't be like you said, tieless and bowless, don't have the open shirt.
Joe Katz:
Not, I don't really, I mean, some people say it can go like that, but really when I think of cocktail, I think of a tie. When you get into some of these other things, maybe types of dress for other types of weddings, there you have more option to do no tie. But cocktail, you could even do a bow tie. So, you can dress it up a little, but it doesn't have to be that black tie, that tux vibe. It can be just an elegant suit with a beautiful tie.
Leah Longbrake:
Oh, what's it called, the pockets?
Joe Katz:
Oh, the pocket squares.
Leah Longbrake:
Pocket squares, yes.
Joe Katz:
Pocket square is great. Yeah. So, you could do a beautiful pocket square that dresses it up. There's some really elegant pocket squares. Some even have matching tie and pocket square. But you don't have to match. I like things that have your own stamp of style on it. So, it doesn't have to be [inaudible 00:13:32].
Leah Longbrake:
Just somehow color coordinate.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Yeah. So, it's not totally different. But now it's so interesting in fashion, we're seeing such weird things, like we'll see women's dresses that are black, and she's wearing pink shoes. And it's like, we never used to do stuff like that. Or red shoes with black. It's like, "What? Why would you do that?" But it's fun to... But just know once you start experimenting a little, then maybe you can take more and more risks, and step out with your fashion. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
So, beach and beach formal.
Joe Katz:
So, beach, I always think of obviously the beach. So, I think of a sandy setting. And think of that as a little bit, obviously more casual. So, a guy can wear something that is maybe more linen, comfortable, things like that. For women, obviously it's not going to be a long, long dress. It can be more of a middy or a knee, tee length, something like that. But think of something more fresh. It can be cotton. It could be things like that, depending on where you're going.
Joe Katz:
And I always say to people, ask the host and hostess, what their vibe is. And if you need any clarification about like, "Hey give us more clarification. Is it going to be nighttime? Is it going to be daytime?" Because if it's going to be nighttime, you might get chilly. I don't know. Maybe if it's in the middle of the summer, it's going to be blazing hot. So, things like that.
Joe Katz:
So, always feel free to just ask a little clarification. Don't go overboard and go crazy with tons of questions. But if you get the broad stroke of like, it's going to be a daytime wedding, that'll be on the invitation, you'll know that type of stuff. But then you can always check where it's going to be, weather-wise so that you can dress accordingly.
Leah Longbrake:
Are shorts acceptable or wearing a sarong?
Joe Katz:
Well, it just depends on, I guess it really depends on where it is and what it is. I suppose, for some of the guys, it could be. And so, I mean, I always like to just keep it... Beach, I guess, if you say beach, so beach as a beach formal, beach formal would be much more, a little bit more, maybe that jacket or a beautiful linen shirt and linen pants for the guy. The woman might wear a beautiful cotton, or she could even do a beautiful linen dress of some sort.
Joe Katz:
But when it comes to beach, as opposed to beach formal, then we're going to go a little more relaxed. It could even be a lot more relaxed, where it could be short, or it could be something, if it's blazing hot, you want something that's comfortable. And throw in a fun hat, for the women. Do a cool hat. Especially, if it is during the day, and it's going to be really hot, you want to have something that protects you. So, just know the couple little bit and know their vibe. And you don't want to pull focus from the guests. Yeah. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
There's some really chic rompers out there for women.
Joe Katz:
Oh, yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
It almost looks like a dress, but it's not.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Right. Right, right. It really does. Yeah. It looks like... Because you can't tell by the way the pants are, it does have a vibe of a dress. Yeah. And that's become popular and flattering to the body.
Leah Longbrake:
Would this now also fall into, speaking of rompers, the next one is semiformal or dressy casual?
Joe Katz:
Semiformal, dressy casual is more... Yeah. Right. You could do something like that with a, I would say like with the romper, or with again, that you could do no tie for the guys. You could do the blazer. You can even throw it in with khakis for the guys, because it's got that casual vibe to it.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. Like a business event.
Joe Katz:
Right.
Leah Longbrake:
So, with like nice dark denim jeans with a jacket and button up, would that work or not [crosstalk 00:17:39]?
Joe Katz:
Oh, so casual?
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah.
Joe Katz:
Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
Casual, semi casual.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. First casual, semi-casual, if it's a dark, or even if you go with a dark navy khaki or something like that. And depending on the time of season, so if it's a fall season, you're going to go with something a little bit with more weight. If it's summer, there's a lot of lighter fabrics that you can deal with that are dark navy. I would stay away from the black as much. But stay with that navy, that taupe, that browns.
Leah Longbrake:
A nice tan suit.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Yeah. Something interesting like that, but a little more style. I always say, go with something... I like things that are a little bit more tailored and put together. So, it doesn't matter really what your body type is. I know some guys that are broader, bigger, they always feel like, "Well, I can't wear slim." But you don't have to wear skinny stuff, but you can still wear things that compliment and don't look too big or too small on you. So, that's the catch.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. The tailoring is so important.
Joe Katz:
Yeah, exactly.
Leah Longbrake:
So, I guess with a semiformal and dressy casual, do you think that ties in with casual or daytime, or do you think casual or daytime is completely different?
Joe Katz:
I think casual and daytime is a little bit different, because when you get into formal and semiformal that's another step up. And when you go down to casual, that's a little bit more, now we're going more into that khaki zone. So, it's different than that formal and semiformal area.
Leah Longbrake:
So, if someone gets an invitation and it says, dress code festive, what does that mean?
Joe Katz:
That's a good question. Festive. Well, festive to me always feels like it's something that would be, I always like color or I think... And they ask what it is, that what time of season this is. So, if it is festive and it's summer, you might do more like floral prints for women in the dresses. You might do a little bit, some sparkle or detail. I always say for the guys, do a fun tie, like a bold colored tie or bolder colors, some kinds. I mean, maybe even like we were talking about the pocket square or things like that. You could even with the guys, they're doing a lot of like texture jackets. It's got a detailed paisley. That's a little more, I think of that as festive.
Leah Longbrake:
I love paisley print.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. I love paisley too. And like some of the big, big designers, I always think, I don't know why he always comes to mind, I think because he brought it to the forefront when he launched this line, but Tom Ford had these big, bold paisley printed jackets. And you'd wear a bow tie with it, or you could just wear a shirt with it, but the jacket was the statement. So, I always think of that as festive. But there's so many designers now that aren't that as expensive that make those kinds of fun festive jackets.
Joe Katz:
But for women, I say fun, color, playful accessories, heels, or you could do a dressy flat. Now, they're doing, they're calling them little baby heels for women that are very trending now for spring for next year. And so, that could be really fun in a bold color. So, that I think of as more festive and fun. Think of color, I guess when I think of festive and playful accessories.
Leah Longbrake:
So, if you see tropical or destination, is it pretty much the same as beach formal or is it a little different?
Joe Katz:
Tropical, I think of it as a little bit more that's going to be a warmer climate. So, usually when I think of tropical, I think of it's going to be warm. I always say, err on the side of a little more dressy. And it's going to be outside typically, and so you want to be aware of like, that is a real good situation for guys to wear linen because it's going to be hot, potentially, even if it's at nighttime. And it cools down a little bit, it still might be warm.
Joe Katz:
For the women, I would say definitely something, you could do what a great hat. It doesn't have to be massive, like laying out huge brim hat, but you could do some beautiful hat to protect yourself from the sun. But I love even beautiful sun dresses are elegant. I think that's great for women. And do a strappy sandal, something like that, that feels summers, tropical, just a little bit of fun to it. And the guys can err on the side of lighter fabrics.
Leah Longbrake:
Maybe Roco or nice wicker Fedora.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Why not? Why not? There's so many fun accessories that they can play with like a fun, maybe, well, if they're not going to wear a jacket. But I mean, it's about, and even with the shoes, guys can do some fun shoes. Don't wear flip flops, stay away from that. But I mean, do a nice cool summer shoe.
Leah Longbrake:
Like a boat shoe, like a Sperry?
Joe Katz:
Yeah. It could be something like that. And now, Sperry is even doing things in different colors that are a little bit more, because this fits into that tropical theme. When I think of wedding, I always think of a little more formal. But when you're talking about tropical, it's definitely could fall into that more boat shoe kind of vibe.
Leah Longbrake:
Some sunglasses, always light up an outfit.
Joe Katz:
Oh, absolutely. Yep. You got to do a fun glasses. And women have some amazing choices. And now guys have some great options for eyewear.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. So, the next one has been very trendy the last few years, rustic.
Joe Katz:
Rustic. Yeah. That one's interesting because that's like, I think of it as more like rural. I saw some really cool inspirations online too. Just like, it can be those cowboy boots. It can be depending on the theme that you're thinking. So, it's got more of that. Think of that, just no tie typically for the guys. It's got more of that vibe of just more casualness. But it could have a theme of a Western. It could have a theme of a little bit more country, not as Western. It could have a theme of just much more casual, I really think. And there's a lot of fun inspirations there.
Joe Katz:
So, when you're thinking about dressing for that, the women don't have to be as dressy with the dresses. And of course, they're not going to be wearing long to the ground dresses. They're going to wear more shorter things like that, that are more fun and go with the theme. But just know what the theme is ahead. And you'll know from the invitation where it's going to be. And you'll know from who's inviting you, their vibe and their styles. So, I always think about that. And then go, "Oh, okay. I know their style." You know their style, but then also make it yours. So, make it what you feel comfortable. And don't dress that would match them, I always say. But you don't want to be... I don't know.
Joe Katz:
I always grew up in a family where my mom would always stand out as the one that she always had her own style. And she always made a statement when she walked in. She didn't care what anybody else thought. And that's fine too. But it's also like, if you're going to something like this, you don't always want to stand out. You want to have your own sense of style, but yet go with kind of the vibe and the theme.
Leah Longbrake:
So, if it's rustic, even if it's in a barn or a backyard, you still want to up your game a little bit, if not necessarily like the light dresses or the casual.
Joe Katz:
Right. Right. So, up your game. So, don't just show up in like a flannel shirt and jeans. Show up, wear up at a little bit, if you've got really cool, if it is more Western theme, if you've got a nice pair of boots, not boots that you've worn out, working in the yard. But something that is a little more polished. You've got a nice pair of pants. It could be even a nice khaki, and it's a little bit more fitted. And you've got a nice shirt. It could be a great navy or it could even be a pattern shirt of some kind. But make sure it's something pressed and nice, and it's put together. It's not something that you're just heading out to meet friends at a local bar. It's stepping it up a bit.
Joe Katz:
Because sometimes I think when we think rustic we're like, "Ah, it doesn't matter." But when we're going to a wedding, we want to make sure that the guys are put together. And the girls are usually pretty good about that. But it's still formal. It's still formal. So, you got to keep that in mind. And keep in mind who's wedding you're going to and their vibe as well.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. So, the next is concept or themed.
Joe Katz:
Concept or themed. So, that's usually going to be like a theme of, it could be a theme of any kind of inspiration of an era or something like that, or it could be a color theme. So, it could be all aqua, or it could be all themed of ivory or whatever the theme is. Another one was all white formal dress code, which is kind of interesting. That could be interesting, if they give you that direction.
Leah Longbrake:
The only time to wear white to a wedding right.
Joe Katz:
Right, right. If they give you that direction. Yeah. Or they'll give you an inspiration of a time, like a vibe of a time or an era, like it's got a twenties theme or-
Leah Longbrake:
Which that's still, I think popular in weddings. I know it was huge a few years ago, but like Gatsby was like everywhere.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Which is fun. It's still elegant. It's still dressy. It still has that great vibe to it. And is perfect for a wedding. And you can play with so many different accessories. And we're talking about gloves and barrels, and drop earrings for women, and fun hairstyles, and different things like that. Even as a guest, staying within that theme.
Joe Katz:
But yeah, I love the color theme. I like the theme of like a Gatsby kind of vibe. So, just know what it is. If you don't even know, and you're like, "Oh, what does that mean?" Or just Google things too. You can always Google stuff and put in like twenties theme wedding, and look up Pinterest inspirations and things like that, that it'll give you ideas. And then, if you're at a real loss like that, and then that'll give you some ideas when you're doing a little bit of shopping, whether it be online or in the stores.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. Pinterest is a great source of information.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Yeah. They always have so many great visuals to play off of. So, that's a great one.
Leah Longbrake:
So, the last one of decoding is, if you happen to see this, I know I rarely see it, but people do, do it. If it says, come as you are, what does that mean? Does that mean I roll out to bed, I'm in pajamas, and just show up.
Joe Katz:
Yes. Just come as you are. Just roll out of bed. No, usually it's like, I always take into consideration who's inviting me to it, where the location is, the time of day, is it nighttime or daytime? And then, I always err on the side of, if you're thinking of wearing something and you're like, "I wonder if this is dressy enough?" It might not be. So, step it up just a little bit.
Joe Katz:
But you got to feel really comfortable in what you're wearing. So, just walk in with confidence about it, know that you put your best foot forward, you've decided that you're going to come as you are, and your style and your vibe. And everybody has a certain thing that they love. Some women love to come, they love pantsuits. Some love dresses. Some love tee length, they're middy. Then come as you are in one of those looks, that you feel you look best in.
Leah Longbrake:
Maybe what people should do come as you are. I like that.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Yeah. It gives people a little bit more option to decide on what they feel comfortable in. But I can see how it can be confusing to people because they're like, "What does that mean? I need more direction."
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. [inaudible 00:31:00] come my work clothes.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Right. Right.
Leah Longbrake:
I don't know. So, I know there's technically no real rules in fashion anymore, but when it comes to weddings, are there any fashion rules or things you should never wear and do?
Joe Katz:
Oh yeah. I mean, one of the things, I mean obviously we talked about to begin with, don't wear white.
Leah Longbrake:
My biggest piece.
Joe Katz:
So, yes, yes.
Leah Longbrake:
And cream counts as well.
Joe Katz:
Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
Don't even think you're getting a pass by wearing ivory and cream. Stop it.
Joe Katz:
Stay away from that. Because anything that you want to do as a guest, you don't want to pull focus from the bride and groom. And so, don't wear things that are... I mean, this is my take. Now, everybody's going to be different. And there's a million reason why you would wear this as opposed to that. But I say, stay away from things like animal prints that are so loud, that's going to draw focus. Don't wear jeans. Don't wear sneakers. Things like that. Don't wear skimpy pieces that you would wear to the club. I mean, I don't know, it could be a fun, Cardi B wedding, and people are going to pull it out, and they're going to do a little Cardi B.
Leah Longbrake:
But maybe that's reception, but definitely not for the ceremony.
Joe Katz:
Right. Right. So, it's like, stay away from those party looks. Or you might find a favorite dress for the women, but it's too short, and it's like, it just is going to pull focus away. I mean, you're going to look amazing, but the whole goal is it's their celebration or their day. So yeah, those are my main tips to really do.
Leah Longbrake:
You mentioned the big hats before.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. I mean, hats are fun, but don't pull focus, if it's a massive hat that's going to knock into your neighbor or something like that in the ceremony.
Leah Longbrake:
Well, mentioning these hats, I always wonder with the royal weddings, and they have these hats that they have to wear. If that impacts the people sitting around them from seeing.
Joe Katz:
Oh, probably a little bit. But some of them are not, I don't know, the British are all very proper. And so, sometimes they're just like little hats. They're not like these big brim. So, they don't wear something, but I can see they're on top of their head and they're a little higher, so it could be blocking one's vision. And I do hate that when I'm in a place, because I'm like, "I can't see." Even when I go to a movie, if somebody is big and as they sit down, and I'm like, "Ah."
Leah Longbrake:
Are there any don'ts with jewelry?
Joe Katz:
Don'ts with jewelry, I mean, not really. Again, if you're going to wear something really big and flashy, and a big chunky something, again, it's going to be pulling focus. But that's, I think jewelry is a fun way to play with looks. But keep it simple. Anything like that, that's just huge and chunky. I mean, I love like layered pieces for jewelry. I love layered pieces for jewelry on the arm too. But just be mindful of that is not crazy over the top. Like you've got this big Swarovski, crystal necklace, or this big ginormous Van Cleef and Arpels diamond piece. I mean, I love those pieces, but as a guest again, be mindful that it's, again, the focus is on the bride and groom.
Leah Longbrake:
You're saying be mindful, it just sparked a memory, I forgot about. I was a guest at a wedding once, and this woman had this charm bracelet, had 50 million charms on it. She was a charm collector, like the Pandora or whatever. And it just jangled through every time she moved her arm in the ceremony, and it was just like-
Joe Katz:
Irritating.
Leah Longbrake:
Because then you're not focusing on the bride and groom, you're focusing on this lady going in and out of her purse with this charm bracelets.
Joe Katz:
You're right. You're right. Right. Right. Right.
Leah Longbrake:
Watch your jiggles.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. Things like that are irritating with. Yeah. So just, be mindful about that. People are pretty good about it. But accessories, I think you can do some really fun things with shoes for women, for accessories. Now, we're seeing some trends with a square toe for the women that are doing slingbacks. We're seeing those small little heels for women's. Some of them are calling them baby heels, like Chanel is doing them. Even if I named these big names and you're like, "Chanel, I can't afford that." It doesn't matter. They're doing it. You'll see it in the big-box stores, but then you'll see it, you could probably even go to Macy's or Bloomingdale's and get it for half the price that looks like it. So, even if you hear us talk about those big names, there are a lot of other options to pull from other brands that look like that, have the inspiration.
Leah Longbrake:
Are baby heels really just like an even smaller version of the kitten heel?
Joe Katz:
Kind of like that. Right. Right. They call it baby heel, but it's like that little or it's like a little peg kind of heel with a long vent front that's pointed in the front, that's got a little slingback. Some people like that because they don't feel comfortable in a high heel just like, "All day, how am I going to wear this?" Or, "Will I really be comfortable?" And you do need to be comfortable when you go into weddings because you're going to be up, maybe you're going to be dancing, all of that type of stuff. So, I think it's important to think about that as well. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
With these different dress codes, does the time of day of the wedding matter? If it's a brunch wedding and it's black tie, is it going to be the same deal or is it going to be somewhat different?
Joe Katz:
It's pretty much the same. I mean, you can play with colors. I always think of nighttime being a little bit more rich in colors. And fabrication, it's going to take into consideration, one the fabric, and two, if say you're going to be doing an outdoor wedding, it might get a little chilly, or it might get... Same where even if it's in a hotel, you have to think about that as well. Because if you typically run a little bit warmer, then you don't want a jacket or something like that. You might be feeling too confined. So, it does.
Joe Katz:
But when you go to black tie, there are, just think about those different, those cocktail looks. And the men are wearing the tuxes and the formal looks. That doesn't change really day or night, typically.
Leah Longbrake:
Do you have any tips for mothers of the bride and groom when choosing their outfit?
Joe Katz:
Mothers, I always say, find looks that you really feel comfortable in. And it can be anything from a longer dress to, it could be something even like a tee length dress, I think is elegant and beautiful. Something that you feel comfortable in, that's flattering to the mother of the bride. And I always say, look at things that are on trend, they don't always have to wear this. I always see mothers of the bride that they think they have to have like a sequency, something. It can be that, or it could be something that really fits. This is your time to shine as the mother of the bride and really express your style.
Joe Katz:
So, and I also say to mothers of the bride, don't wait too long. So, once the bride picked out her dress, I would give yourself like six or seven months to go find a dress. Because sometimes it maybe might need to order it. And maybe you need to order it in a few different sizes. Then you have to have a tailor. Then you have to come back for a tailoring, and make sure that that's right. And you don't want to be stressed about that type of stuff.
Leah Longbrake:
Do the mothers need to coordinate with the bridal party?
Joe Katz:
They don't have to coordinate. No, I don't think so. No. I like them when they're a little bit, I don't know, have their own sense of style and their own colors. I feel like it would be too matchy with the bridal party. So, if they're doing blues, and the mother wants to do like a, I don't know, like a subtle red or whatever, it's fine. I like that kind of that vibe that matches her own sense of style.
Leah Longbrake:
What are 2021 fashion trends that men and women should consider looking into when they're picking out their outfit to attend these weddings?
Joe Katz:
That's a good question. So, some of the trends that are happening are a pop of color and red. So, we're seeing splashes of color. We're also seeing two tone mixes of colors. So, you might see a gray and a black. You might see a stripe through it, where they're doing two tones. We call it two tones of color. So, a stripe of black, maybe through a gray dress. So, it adds a little bit more dimension and more uniqueness to it. Long pleats and dresses are very popular.
Joe Katz:
And then we're seeing a lot of florals. So, think of like sunny yellows. And florals, always, for some reason, I feel like we talk about trends, and I always feel like I'm adding florals into it because they never seem to go away. But sometimes it's bolder florals, where it's a bigger impact floral, but that sunny yellows.
Joe Katz:
And then interestingly, if you remember the bold shoulder, the puff shoulder, they're doing really bold eighties, big, like Balenciaga is doing this exaggerated crazy shoulder, I think Lady Gaga. But you don't have to go that crazy, but I mean, they are doing things like that. So, you'll see some designers that might have just a little bit of a stronger shoulder. But some of the haute couture lines are doing exaggerated, crazy stuff.
Joe Katz:
And then the last one I'd say that would fit ideally in trends. I mean, there's a lot of trends that wouldn't apply to being a guest of a wedding. So, I picked out the ones that I think would be best applied. And the last would be pastels, like buttercup yellow and a lilac, and a peony pink, those kinds of things.
Leah Longbrake:
Oh, yeah.
Joe Katz:
I love like that peony pink. They're just, whether in a suit or done a floral pattern. Those types of things are really cool. And lilac, I love those colors for spring.
Leah Longbrake:
As I say, it's definitely for spring weddings, for sure. That sounds really pretty.
Joe Katz:
And it'll change for fall. So, then the new colors will come out for fall collections. But for spring, this would be ideal.
Leah Longbrake:
Awesome. I like it.
Joe Katz:
Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
Is the yellow you think because of pantone's color of the year being that yellow shade?
Joe Katz:
Yeah. It always changes with pantone. So, sometimes if that's the color of the season, then you're going to see a lot more of that. Like orange was, or different variations of different colors. So, we play on the colors of what the designers use for that season. So, that's probably why we're going to see a lot more of the yellow.
Leah Longbrake:
No more millennium pink.
Joe Katz:
No. Yeah. Right, right, right. Changes all the time.
Leah Longbrake:
All the time. Do you have any other tips for either people getting ready to go to a wedding, like what they should consider wearing or not wear, or for couples that are trying to make a decision, what dress code to do?
Joe Katz:
I think just keep into consideration. I always say with fashion and with style, and whatever, make sure you feel comfortable in it. So, if you're more of a casual couple, are you going to do a black tie or white tie? Probably not. That's not your vibe. Unless it's like a family tradition or something like that. But you want to be comfortable in your choice. And I think that's why over time, we've come out with all of these different rustic weddings. And because people put their own stamp on everything.
Joe Katz:
And so, if I were to tell you, I think you should do a rustic wedding, when you really are much more of a formal girl, it'd be like, "Oh, that's a doesn't sound like fun." So, go with what's true to your style and what you and the bride and the groom feel most comfortable in, because that's going to really dictate how the whole ambiance of the experience is going to feel for the guests and for everybody. And it's their day, so they get to pick what they want. And it's like, "It's my birthday. I get to choose the restaurant I want to go to. I get to choose the cake I want." So, it's the same with the bride and groom. It's their day. They get to choose if they want a beach wedding or a formal wedding, or a white tie wedding. So, that's I would say that's really my advice to making sure.
Joe Katz:
And that's what I always say to people when I dress them, is something could look amazing on you, but if you feel stiff and you're like, "Oh God, I know it looks good, but I don't feel like moving." And it's like, well, that doesn't work, because it great on you, but you feel uncomfortable. So, that's always my advice.
Leah Longbrake:
I'm big about that. I am a no fuss person. I can't stand if the material is itchy or if it's too big, or too small. Because if you don't feel comfortable, you're not going to feel confident and it's going to show.
Joe Katz:
Right. Right.
Leah Longbrake:
And you're going to be miserable all night, if you're tugging at your bra and you're tugging at your pant.
Joe Katz:
Oh yeah. Yeah. And it's like, I have a thing too with wool. If it's too itchy, I hate it. Even though the sweater, I love that sweater, but if it's real itchy, I hate it. But some people, it doesn't bother them. But for me, I love soft fabrics. I like certain things with clothes because clothes is really, it's your first expression to somebody. It takes seconds by the time they really, when they meet you, it's a first impression. And that's your expression of who you are. And some people are learning their expression. And some people are super advanced at expressing themselves through clothes and what they wear. So, there's all different levels of the way people feel about it. But I just always say, feel comfortable. And it's your day, you get to do what you want. You get to choose what you want. You get to choose the type of wedding you want. And go for it.
Leah Longbrake:
It's wonderful advice, Joe.
Joe Katz:
Thank you. Thank you.
Leah Longbrake:
Last question for you.
Joe Katz:
Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
What is your all time favorite wedding dress?
Joe Katz:
Over the time I was thinking about all the different weddings, celebrity weddings and things like that, I really love dramatic. I like if you're going to have a wedding, I mean, I always think we see these... I don't know. I don't want to say typical, but they're just, they're beautiful dresses. But I do like things that are a little bit more extravagant. I think it's an influence from my mom and my sister, because my sister is super avant-garde. And she wears very funky, but it just you're like, "Wow." Certain people can pull that up.
Joe Katz:
But one that I looked at that I thought was really beautiful is Priyanka Chopra. She did well. I thought that was really, it was beautiful. She had two different ones, one for her Indian-themed wedding, and then one for the American. And for the American one in that white, it just looked so elegant. Yeah. It was beautiful. I thought it was...
Joe Katz:
Sometimes Ralph Lauren, surprises me. Because when I think Ralph Lauren, I always used to think like preppy. But when you look at his ready to wear, his high design stuff, it doesn't look anything like his traditional, all of his more traditional kind of vibe of his clothing. So, I did like that dress. I thought that was very, very pretty.
Leah Longbrake:
So, the thing about Ralph Lauren, if someone can correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I'm almost positive, that was only the third time he created a bridal gown. I'll bet all my money, the first one was Elizabeth Berkley, Jesse Spano, from Saved by Bell, Marion Ralph's nephew, Greg Lauren. They're still married. Beautiful, beautiful dress.
Leah Longbrake:
The second one... My trivia. The second one was Lauren Bush, George Bush, the second President Bush, his niece married a Lauren. And they're actually expecting their third kid right now.
Joe Katz:
Wow.
Leah Longbrake:
And then Priyanka Chopra and Joe Jonas, because they were at the Met Gala, and Ralph Lauren was their outfit designer. And that's how they met and fell in love.
Joe Katz:
Oh, wow. Interesting.
Leah Longbrake:
I like that choice of Priyanka Chopra.
Joe Katz:
Yeah. I was looking at different things, that's really good trivia you have on all of the history. I don't think a lot of people know.
Leah Longbrake:
I'm a celebrity and wedding geek.
Joe Katz:
Wow, that's good. A lot of people wouldn't know that. I guess, whoever he designs dresses for, has had good luck. They've stayed married. So, I guess he should get more into the wedding dress business. It's a good luck charm. Yeah.
Leah Longbrake:
Celebrities should really consider that.
Joe Katz:
What I thought, like Meghan Markle was beautiful. I thought that was elegant. That was a beautiful... Like I said, I do like big statement kind of things. And hers was very subtle. And Givenchy designed hers, which was... And the designer at that time, she's no longer there, started as a men's wear designer. So, when she did that dress, it had very clean lines, very simple to it. But it was elegant. And I thought it was very, very elegant. I just sometimes like a little bit more, not feathers, but I want something loud.
Leah Longbrake:
You like those Princess Diana moments.
Joe Katz:
Yeah, I like big and kind of fun. But like Priyanka Chopra's, her train was ginormous. They had a long picture from a high, you could see how big, it had multiple people holding. It was incredible. Incredible.
Leah Longbrake:
So beautiful. [inaudible 00:49:51] take so long to make that.
Joe Katz:
Oh my God. I mean, the amount of time that they take. And I've read in the process of making these dresses, the seamstresses have to wear gloves. I know when they were making Meghan Merkle's, and they had to keep it all undercover. And they all had to wear gloves, never to get any dirt or any stain on the dress, to make it pure white. And all the detail that everybody has to work on to hand-make those dresses, it's incredible. That's why they're so expensive. I mean, you can spend 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 on a dress, because of all the hand beading and all the hand sewing,
Leah Longbrake:
And I don't think a lot of people realize that.
Joe Katz:
No. I think a lot of times, and you can get cheaper dresses that are made overseas, like in China, and that's all machine beaded. And so, there's a difference between machine beading and hand beading, because the hand beading of course, is by hand, and it takes so much time and so much precision. So, it's very expensive.
Leah Longbrake:
Yeah. Well, Joe, thank you so, so much for being back with us today, and for all this awesome advice. And I so look forward to having you back on again in the future, and checking out your show, The Katz Walk.
Joe Katz:
Yes, please do. And I'm so excited for you for your show. I think it's awesome. And I'm going to keep listening. And I like all your questions. I think you asked really smart questions. And you are a wedding aficionado, you know everything wedding, which is perfect for Weddings Unveiled, because it's all about weddings.
Leah Longbrake:
All my years of pouring over wedding magazines and movies, and [Siesta 00:51:17] dresses, paid off.
Joe Katz:
That's right. There you go.
Leah Longbrake:
Thanks, Joe.
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