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Selecting the Bridesmaids Dresses

Or..."How to go crazy making your best friends into fashion disasters".

It's not easy getting a triangle, square and circle into the same octagon hole.
Bridesmaids come in all shapes and sizes and have differing skin tones, heights, hair coloring, and modesty concerns. One bridesmaid may love a low back dress in lilac whereas another may get hives just thinking about bearing her back, and is sure lilac makes her look pale and anemic.

Then there is price . . . $200 is usually considered a good figure to keep in mind. Not all bridesmaids have the same level of income, so if you can come in lower they'll be happier. Don't forget that Bridesmaids will also have an additional alteration charge of $20 to $45.

The comfort and pleasure your bridesmaid gets from her gown is based on its fit. Cleaner styles, simple, elegant designs and less-restrictive rules make it possible for you to find an ensemble everyone can live with. Bridesmaid styles influenced by eveningwear have become more popular. This means your bridesmaids may be able to wear their dresses again. And that's important when you consider their financial investments

Fit is so important that many brides let their attendants choose their own styles in a certain color and fabric. This can be important if your attendants have a wide range of different body shapes. This approach can mean a look that's fairly consistent and distinctly individualized. This is where 'separates" work well.

Separates, a relatively new trend, is a two-piece, "mix and match" system. You are able to order each piece separately in the appropriate size. Separates also offer other practical uses for your bridesmaids. They can be the basis for a variety of outfits after the wedding.

If you plan a more formal, traditional wedding, consider an A-line cut for your bridesmaids. The A-line flatters most body shapes, whether Rubenesque or slender and petite, while retaining elegance. You might combine an A-line skirt with an empire waist for even greater adaptability.

Do consider dress length: Formal and semiformal weddings call for long, ballerina-length, or tea-length dresses. At an informal daytime wedding, bridesmaid dresses can be the same length as the bride's dress, short or long. The only exception: If a bride is wearing a floor-length dress, bridesmaid dresses should not be short.

When you shop for bridesmaid fashions, take your maid of honor with you. Once you've narrowed your choices, only then should you seek input from other bridesmaid. Expect strong reactions both positive and negative. By offering them options, you avoid the hurt feelings that always result from a "my way or the highway" attitude.