You may be wondering what to wear on your next wine tasting adventure. When planning your wine tasting outfit (especially if you’re packing a suitcase for out of town tastings) there are a number of factors to consider — it’s not just a simple day out sampling wine! You may be photographed and you should be prepared for various weather conditions. Everything from your purse to perfume makes a difference. Here’s your go-to guide for what to wear to have the perfect tasting experience.
What To Wear To a Winery…
Layers
Wine cellars and caves are typically kept cold, meaning even on the sunniest summer days, you may feel chilly. Likewise, if you’re sampling reds, tasting outdoors or strolling through vineyards, it may be hot. It could cool back down again as the sun sets. Consider layering your attire. Dressing in layers means you have the opportunity to put on or take off a scarf, coat or sweater and you’ll feel comfortable, no matter what the thermometer says.
Scarves, hats and sunglasses
Don’t forget a scarf or pashmina, which can double as a shawl or headband or be easily folded into your purse. Hats and sunglasses can also save the day (and prevent a sunburn) if you know you’ll be tasting outside.
Comfortable shoes
Wine tasting is not the right time to sport your sassiest new stilettos. No matter how chic the event, a dressy pair of flat boots, sandals, flats or at most, wedges, is a better plan. You may be on your feet for hours or going up and down stairs. Part of the tasting may involve tours or walks through grass, gardens or vineyards. Heels will put a damper on your experience, so it’s better to select something cute, but sensible.
Dressy but casual
If this seems contradicting, it’s not. It’s likely you may be snapping photos, especially if you’ve come as a couple or group, so you want to look put together, but not over the top. If your wine tasting is during the day, denim is always a great choice for a wine tasting outfit. Black is perfect for evening looks. A little bit of jewelry goes a long way. Putting a little effort and thought (ahem, guys, this one’s also for you) will ensure that later when you scroll through your photos, you’ll like what you see.
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What Not To Wear To a Winery…
Strong fragrances
Part of the wine tasting experience includes savoring and classifying the wine’s aroma. If you’ve loaded up on Chanel No. 5, you won’t be able to grasp the smell of the variety, and you may also impact the experience of others around you. Guys, this also goes for you — take it easy on that AXE Body Spray, please.
White
This one should be obvious, but wearing white is simply asking for disaster. One false move (from you or your neighbor) could ruin an outfit and quite possibly your whole day. Instead, wear dark colors — if you spill, no one will know.
Heavy purses and backpacks
Pack light. You won’t need much wine tasting — and lugging a heavy bag around will (literally) weigh on you, especially if you’re standing for hours. Don’t bring clutches that don’t have a strap. Remember, you’ll need to hold a glass of wine, so having your hands free is ideal. Instead, wear a lightweight, crossbody or sidestrap bags for a more comfortable experience.
Lipstick
Ladies, don’t bother. You’ll just leave obvious red marks on your wine glass and after a few sips, it will rub off anyway! If you want to glam up, try wearing some cute eyeshadow or extra mascara instead.
Excessive bracelets
Using your hand to lift your glass to your mouth is pretty much how wine tasting works, so if you have a bunch of jangling, metal bracelets, this will be loud and annoying for you and everyone around you. So don’t be that person, and go light on the bracelets.
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For the men:
Guys, you can follow some of the above tips, but I’m going to make it nice and easy for you with your own special section:
Wear dark colors and avoid white
Bring a hat or sunglasses for outdoor tastings
Go easy on the cologne
Bring layers in case it’s cold
Final wine tasting tips:
Wine cellars can often be dry, so if you wear contacts and have sensitive eyes, bring along re-wetting drops or a tiny bottle of saline, or better yet, wear glasses.
Don’t forget sunblock or mosquito repellent if you know you’ll be tasting outside.
I hope everyone reads this…the number of times I’ve been tasting next to someone that has marinated in perfume/cologne is surprising to say the least!
It’s amazing how quickly that can ruin a tasting experience!
Brilliant! Perfect advice for anyone heading out tasting! Some of these things will only affect the person wearing it and their comfort, ie shoes, layers…but some things like fragrances can ruin a tasting for others in the room! I like Allison have dealt with those type of tastings, where suddenly you can’t smell the wine over the perfume. I must admit that I typically where hiking boots, so I can walk vineyards if I want, but…if the occasion calls for something dressier, I have a pair of flat boots that can be dressy and practical! This is all really great advice!
Actually, Robin, hiking boots can be a great idea if you aren’t keen on taking lots of photos and plan to walk around a lot. Good tip! I’m glad you found the tips useful, and I wish wineries would consider hanging up “no perfume allowed” signs haha.
This is brilliant! Some really great tips here and yes I always wear dark colours and red lipstick also helps if I’m trying a few red wines 😉
Casey, I didn’t actually think of the opposite argument for wearing dark lipstick — covering up red wine lips! Great tip 🙂