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Bridesmaid Dress
It’s so much easier to find the perfect bridesmaid dress today than it was 20 or 40 years ago. Gone are the days of puffy shoulder pads and wide sashes, today’s bridesmaids’ dresses are sleek and streamlined, many of which can be worn again. Colors have also evolved, saying goodbye to gaudy shades in favor of a huge color spectrum ranging from elegant browns to sophisticated fun pinks and fresh greens.
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Choosing a Bridesmaid Dress
Generally the bride chooses the type of dress her bridesmaids will wear. This is often a bone of contention for the bridesmaids as many times the bride chooses a style or color that isn’t flattering for all of the women in the wedding party. While it’s true, you can’t please everyone, the bride can spare a lot of bad feelings by allowing the women in the bridal party to have some input into the selection process.
Perhaps all of the women involved can have a fun afternoon of shopping together to find a style and color flattering to every shape and skin tone. Try to find styles without too many ruffles or embellishments as these types of dresses can’t be cut down or worn again for other dressy occasions.
If you want to find a look flattering to everyone, avoid the following:
- Puffy shoulder pads: Big shoulders flatter very few women. Petite women seem lost in the extra material and larger framed women look like linebackers. If you’d like all your bridesmaids to look lovely, avoid the use of heavily padded shoulders.
- Large “butt” bows: You have to have a small posterior to rock the butt bow. Since this is an area most women don’t wish to call attention to, try not to choose dresses with large butt bows.
- Pale Colors: Pale beiges and pastels might look good on the rack, but they don’t work for all skin types. Women with very light skin will look washed out, especially in photographs.
After the Wedding
What will you do with your bridesmaid dress after the wedding? If it’s a formal frock and you would like to keep in its pristine state to wear to another formal occasion in the future, consider bringing it to a wedding dress preservation specialist.
Many women rarely, if ever, go to formal events, however. If you’re sure your bridesmaid dress won’t be worn again in its present state, you might bring it to an alterations expert to have it cut down into a shorter “dressy” dress. Fortunately today’s styles allow for hemlines of all lengths whether mini or midi. Your tailor is sure to have suggestions as to which length will work best for the style of dress.
Still, you don’t have to wear your bridesmaid dress again if you’re not inclined. Rather than relegating the dress to the back of your closet, consider donating it to a wedding or formal wear consignment shop. The consignment shop will work with you to get a good price for the dress and split the profits – usually 50-50 or 60 – 40.
A thrift shop is also happy to accept formal items as well. Some will buy your dress from you, but don’t expect much. Others will expect you to donate the dress since profits are for charity. If you’d like to sell your bridesmaid dress, you might also consider an online auction site such as eBay.
Being a Bridesmaid
Though you want to look your best, keep in mind the purpose of the day has nothing to do with a bridesmaid’s dress. It’s about a union between two people who have asked you to represent them on their special day.