What to Wear Wine Tasting
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I decided to write a post on what to wear wine tasting because
1) I realized I had never written one specifically on the topic.
2) I recently LOL'ed at an email I received from a company that was titled what to wear wine tasting and it was the most unrealistic thing I've ever seen.
SO, here we go... First I'll give you some visuals of what I have actually while worn wine tasting, just so you get the picture. I've been wine tasting in California (Napa, Sonoma, Amador County), Fredericksburg, Texas, Woodinville, Washington, and the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
Hall Wines in Napa
Artesa Vineyards in Napa
Tasting room in Woodinville, Washington
Plumpjack Winery in Napa
Becker Vineyards in Fredericksburg, TX
Winery in Fredericksburg, TX
Left Coast Cellars in the Willamette Valley, Oregon
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So a little different each place, right? First of all, when deciding on an outfit, think about where you are going and when you are going...aka what is that place's vibe and what is the weather going to be like. For example, if you're going to Napa in the the early spring, while it won't be as chilly as San Francisco, it's not going to be blazing hot. I've been to Napa Valley in the early spring when it is chilly and in the middle of the summer, when it's only breezy in the morning, but warms up in the afternoon, where I was comfortable in shorts. Here's a little summery to help ya out:
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Wine Tasting Outfit Vibes by State
California. My biggest thing is layering. You have the California casual going for you, just put on an extra layer like a jacket or a cardigan. I usually bring a denim jacket option and a suede moto jacket option.
Texas. The outfit situation is a little different here. Mostly because it's so much hotter than any other place I mentioned. It's not that it's more laid back of a look, it's just a more Texas feel. Look at the photo above where I'm wearing the "wanderlust" tee. See? That's not something I'd wear wine tasting anywhere else, but Texas!
Washington. Same as Cali... pretty coastal casual. Just layer! It's usually colder here than California though, depending where you are.
Oregon. The only reason I wore a dress here, is because all my friends wore dresses that day and I didn't want to be left out. #truestory It's very similar to California and Washington vibes.
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To touch on that last point, I'm not sure why I don't wear dresses when I wine taste. I usually am one to exclusively wear dresses, but something about wine tasting is different to me. Like I'm there to work, er put my taste buds to work? (LOL, Nick when you read this, you're going to love it). Also, we are typically go-go-go. The first time Nick took me to Napa, we did 6 wineries in a day! It's a lot easier to move quickly, when I'm more concentrated on getting there, instead of keeping my dress down.
I'm not sure why I'm having trouble putting this post into words. It's something I'm super familiar with, but at the end of the day, you can wear whatever the heck you want! I think girls (guys too! I just only get asked by girls) overthink it, because they aren't sure what to expect. OR they get ridiculous emails telling them what to wear, which creates anxiety. If you want to dress to the 9's, do it! I'm not stopping ya. Overall, I feel most comfy wine tasting in a pair of jeans or jean shorts and a nice shirt, sometimes with a jacket. I really only have 2 suggestions when it comes to dressing for wineries:
1) Don't look like a slob. But this honestly goes for anything...don't show up to work, a date, or a museum like that. Really this "rule" is to put your mind at easy regarding "how dressed up" you should be.
2) Wear close toed shoes. I have worn sandals before, but close toed flats are typically my go to, specifically loafers. If you are touring, a lot of places will require close toed shoes, so this is something to ask and/or keep in mind. Also, depending where you go, you might have a little bit of walking to do, and it just might be in grass or gravel.
Overall I wouldn't stress too much. wear what you feel comfortable in! The reason I laughed at the email I received is because the girls were dressed up, matching two piece sets, and high heels and all that jazz. If you want to wear this, you do you! BUT, don't feel like you have to look like you just left a magazine shoot. I grabbed pictures from previous wine posts, so the majority of what I'm wearing is old/sold out, but I'll share some good basics with ya here!
Sooo yeah. Did I do a good job? (lol) Feel free to bombard me with other questions, if I was too ramble-y! I actually wanted to share some of the looks I wore on our most recent trip to Napa, but I forgot that I hadn't posted them yet -_- You can see a sneak peak on my instagram @ellespann here, here, and here!
P.S. I typically don't wear lipstick wine tasting, because it's kind of a nightmare with all the drinking and such; however, I did wear lipstick to the Robert Parker A Matter of Taste event, because we kind of dressed up for it. I wore my favorite Lawless Soft Matte Liquid Lipstick and it stayed the whole time and then some. Get you some!
P.P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you'll probably like these:
Tips for Wine Tasting in Napa Valley
Where to Wine Taste in the Willamette Valley
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