Bless your heart...

That's right, girls, I'm headed to the dirty South.

Come Halloween night, I'll be landing in my favorite city in the south: Charleston, South Carolina. Palmettos, sweet tea and honeyed drawls, Rhett Butler's hometown is both historic and sophisticated, cosmopolitan yet undoubtedly Southern. The heat is strong, the beer is cold and the wings are spicy, and it's both a great place to get married, and to party your sweet li'l behind off.

I'm attending a wedding at the Middleton Place Plantation, a palatial plantation that survived Sherman, and lies peacefully on the water. The wedding is on November 1, and while I have not been invited with a guest (shakes first and grimaces), I am going down with a bunch of friends, and it should be a great time.

But the question remains: What to wear???

Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Weather: Average high 75, average low 60, little precipitation
Ceremony time: 4:30pm
Reception time: 6:00 - 10:00pm
Dress code: not specified
Body Pros: lean legs, good bust size, toned arms
Body Cons: tummy I'm not happy with, fair skin can be hard to dress
Dress requirements: skin-friendly color, low-ish neckline, ability to wear a sensible bra, will work with or without cover-up

The afternoon reception, warm weather and outdoor setting tell me nothing too heavy, dark or over-accessorized (though Lord knows I try not to do that anyway!). However, the evening reception, glitzy reception hall, fall date and tempting after-hours on the water tell me not to wear the average sundress and flats.

What does this leave me with? I'm thinking a cocktail dress, preferably not black, with peep-toes or other pumps, a clutch and a shawl or shrug. Here are some ideas to consider, if you have a transition-timed wedding or event.

Nordstrom, $168


Nordstrom, $178


Diane von Furstenburg, $325


JCrew, $275


JCrew, $345


JCrew, $195


Lord and Taylor, $168

Coming up: a post on what dresses we WOULD wear if not for the wedding etiquette rules about propriety and not drawing attention away from the bride. That'll be much more fun!