What to Wear to a Quinceanera: The #1 Quince Attire & Outfits Guide
What Do Guests Wear to a Quinceañera?
Are you stuck trying to figure out what you should wear to a quinceañera? (Quinceañeras are also simply called Quinces). As certified wedding/event planners, we often work with many families to help them plan their events.
Besides the timeline, ceremonies, picking the right songs and music for each moment, and announcements, we often get asked about what females (and males) should wear to a quinceañera.
We also get many people who ask, “what are guests wearing? Are they very formal? Are there traditional dress codes? Do we need to dress up in elegant cocktail dresses or tuxedos?”
We’re going to cover all this in our ultimate guide! First, however, let’s explain what a quinceanera is.
What is a Quinceanera?
The other very popular question we get asked by many people, is “what is a quinceañera?” Basically, a Quinceanera is Spanish for a young girl who is turning 15, and transitioning to becoming a woman. Quinceaneras are a very special occasion in the Hispanic & Latin cultures and even include a special religion ceremony.
It’s more than just an average, festive birthday party for the birthday girl, it’s a cultural rite of passage tradition that marks the transition into womanhood. The birthday girl usually is gifted high heels, jewelry (usually ear rings or a bracelet and a necklace, and even wears a tiara with her hairstyle.
For a more in-depth look at Quinceaneras (and Quinceañeros – the boy/male’s 15th birthday celebration) be sure to check out our article “What is a Quinceañera.” We included tons of info to help you learn about the history, traditions, and more.
Quinces are a Big Deal
If you have never been to a Quinceañera, Sweet 15 or Sweet 16, or haven’t been, lately, then you wouldn’t know that they’re more and more becoming like “mini-weddings!”
The planning and preparation, the decor, the food, the outfits to wear, a guest list with family and their closest friends, champagne toast speeches by the parents, and many other things, often take just as much time and effort as a wedding. With that being said, the “rules” or guideline for fashionable attire are similar to weddings. Let us explain.
General Quince Guest Attire Rules
Generally speaking, anything you’d wear to a wedding is suitable. Here are some tips for females and males for the perfect outfit ideas.
- Don’t underdress for this formal affair! Leave the chanclas (sandal flip flops) at home. 🙂
- No casual jeans, shorts, or tennis shoes (unless it’s an outdoor quinceanera, then you may be able to)
- Try to not wear the same color(s) fabrics as the dama court dresses or the guest of honor (or birthday girl).
- Bring comfortable shoes ( or at least bring a pair of comfy sneakers or flats. Keep in mind you may be on the dance floor all night, so they’ll come in handy in a clutch)
Okay, let’s get to some more specific dresses & ideas for females and males!
What Do You Wear to a Quinceanera as a Female Guest?
Simply remember a quince and/or sweet 15/16 is similar to a wedding, so it’s a formal event. Here are some quince style tips for females.
- Formal dress – think fancy dress or evening gown and add a fashion accessory or two
- Cocktail dress
- Maxi dress
- Summer dress (this is the perfect fabric if it’s the right season or it’s an outdoor event)
- A Pencil Skirt (or a nice miniskirt) and a blouse
- If you’re not into dresses, dressy/colored jeans should be okay
Darker colors work best, since most often quince’s have pastel colors in their themes. Again, consider the location, season, and whether it will be indoors or outdoors when you make your choice.
What to Wear to a Quinceañera as a Male Guest?
- A nice, darker colored two-piece or three-piece suit and tie (or bowtie – cocktail attire)
- A light-colored suit, if it’s the season, or if it’s just your preference 🙂
- Nice slacks, dress pants, or khakis & a button-down dress shirt (not a T-shirt) and a blazer or jacket – business casual
- If you want to add a hat, make sure it’s a hat (fedora or similar) and not a baseball cap
- Be sure to not wear the same exact theme colors as the court or guest of honor
- Avoid wearing a tie that’s the same color as what the Chambelan (person who escorts the guest of honor) or members of the court will be wearing.
What Style of Outfits Should Kids Wear?
Remember, quinceaneras are family events. Your kids will definitely see their cousins and you bet they’ll want to play and run around with them. So here are suggestions for kids.
- Comfortable clothes (they’ll be running around and dancing)
- Nice jeans, or a pair of dress pants, and a dress shirt
- A nice dress
- Slacks and a dress shirt or collared shirt
- A nice pair of sneakers
Overall, formal dress clothes work best, but if formal clothing isn’t available, just dress up as you see fit or a special occasion. You may also want to bring extra clothes for the kids. Every time we do a quince, at least one or two kids drop tea, punch, or get BBQ sauce stains on their clothes. haha
Overall Suggestions
Remember, there’s no need to go out and buy a fancy tuxedo. Just dress up as you would dress to a wedding, or perhaps going to church. If you follow this rule, there’s no doubt you’ll certainly be dressed appropriately and with confidence.
We’re Austin’s #1 Quinceañera DJs!
When it comes to Quinceañera, we’ve got Austin, San Antonio, and central Texas covered. We are the #1 Sweet 15, Sweet 16, and Quinceañera DJs in the Austin area. As certified wedding/event planners, we’ll also gladly help you plan your quince, sweet 15, or Sweet 16.
We have also created our helpful forms to make planning your quinceañera or Sweet, (as well as weddings and any event) easy for you to do! We cover every key moment from the beginning of the day (starting with hair and makeup, and decorations), until the last song of the night.
Check out our quinceañera planning timeline article and free, downloadable form, to help you plan the big day! We hope this article has been helpful. Now, you know exactly what you can wear to a quinceañera! 🙂 As always, contact us with any questions and we’ll be happy to help!
If you’re looking for other services, we also offer wedding DJs, quince photo booth rentals, Austin-area marquee letter rentals, and much more.
– Austin’s Best DJs & Photo Booths
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