Brides want their wedding parties to look beautiful, yet somehow this can still translate into truly hideous bridesmaid dresses.
We have all seen them - the bright orange dresses in the shiny fabric with the puffy sleeves and giant bows on the back, the turquoise dresses in the stretch shimmer material that clung in all the wrong places - fashion disasters! Check out what can turn wedding party attire into a bridesmaid dress horror story, and learn how to avoid making the same mistakes for your wedding.
Too tight.
It does not matter how beautiful a bridesmaid dress may be if the style is too tight for the women wearing it.
A bride must take the figures of her attendants into consideration when choosing a dress for them.
And this means all of the attendants; even if four out of five bridesmaids could pull off the slinky sheath, the bride must choose the A-line dress so that her fifth attendant does not feel like she is wearing a sausage casing.
Remember that the bridesmaid dresses only need to complement the bridal gown, so it is perfectly fine for a bride to wear a very fitted gown while her attendants wear more forgiving silhouettes.
After all, the bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry are not expected to match exactly - why should the dresses? Too shiny.
Let's face it: shiny fabrics have a way of drawing attention to all of a person's figure flaws.
This is particularly true for bridesmaid dresses, as they are often made from synthetic materials which are shiny, rather than lustrous like pure silk.
Bridesmaid dresses also tend to lack the substantial linings needed to smooth out the little lumps and bumps, which makes a super-shiny dress all the more unattractive.
It is a much safer bet to select dresses for your attendants in a matte fabric like chiffon, organza, crepe, taffeta, or faille than shiny satin or charmeuse.
Too trendy.
You might lean towards cutting edge styles, but it is kind to choose bridesmaid dresses with some hope that they might be able to be worn again in the future.
Classic styles like A-line strapless dresses can be versatile for other events, but a very trendy style might have a limited shelf life.
Also keep in mind that not all of your friends will feel comfortable wearing extreme fashion trends, particularly those which are very bare.
A better choice might be to select a more classic dress and give them funky bridesmaid jewelry to make it more trendy.
Too outdated.
While dresses which are overly trendy are not good, neither are bridesmaid dresses which look like they are stuck in a time warp.
Avoid dresses which have gathered waists with sashes, poufy sleeves, or big bows on the back (a chic bow on the front, however, can actually be quite stylish).
Pay attention to fabric choices as well; moire will look "so 80s", as will certain combinations like royal blue satin.
Look for a dress with a fresh sensibility and the clean lines that will make it a classic.
Too expensive.
This can turn any dress into a bridesmaid dress horror story.
It might be the most fabulous dress in the world, but if your friends cannot afford it, it will become a horror story to them.
Consider your bridesmaids' budgets when selecting a dress, and also remember that they have to pay for more than just the gown.
There are the proper undergarments, shoes, bridesmaid jewelry, perhaps a wrap or hair ornament, not to mention the manicure and hair appointments.
Be kind to your bridesmaids when choosing a dress for them to wear, and make sure that it is as affordable to them as it is beautiful.
We have all seen them - the bright orange dresses in the shiny fabric with the puffy sleeves and giant bows on the back, the turquoise dresses in the stretch shimmer material that clung in all the wrong places - fashion disasters! Check out what can turn wedding party attire into a bridesmaid dress horror story, and learn how to avoid making the same mistakes for your wedding.
Too tight.
It does not matter how beautiful a bridesmaid dress may be if the style is too tight for the women wearing it.
A bride must take the figures of her attendants into consideration when choosing a dress for them.
And this means all of the attendants; even if four out of five bridesmaids could pull off the slinky sheath, the bride must choose the A-line dress so that her fifth attendant does not feel like she is wearing a sausage casing.
Remember that the bridesmaid dresses only need to complement the bridal gown, so it is perfectly fine for a bride to wear a very fitted gown while her attendants wear more forgiving silhouettes.
After all, the bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry are not expected to match exactly - why should the dresses? Too shiny.
Let's face it: shiny fabrics have a way of drawing attention to all of a person's figure flaws.
This is particularly true for bridesmaid dresses, as they are often made from synthetic materials which are shiny, rather than lustrous like pure silk.
Bridesmaid dresses also tend to lack the substantial linings needed to smooth out the little lumps and bumps, which makes a super-shiny dress all the more unattractive.
It is a much safer bet to select dresses for your attendants in a matte fabric like chiffon, organza, crepe, taffeta, or faille than shiny satin or charmeuse.
Too trendy.
You might lean towards cutting edge styles, but it is kind to choose bridesmaid dresses with some hope that they might be able to be worn again in the future.
Classic styles like A-line strapless dresses can be versatile for other events, but a very trendy style might have a limited shelf life.
Also keep in mind that not all of your friends will feel comfortable wearing extreme fashion trends, particularly those which are very bare.
A better choice might be to select a more classic dress and give them funky bridesmaid jewelry to make it more trendy.
Too outdated.
While dresses which are overly trendy are not good, neither are bridesmaid dresses which look like they are stuck in a time warp.
Avoid dresses which have gathered waists with sashes, poufy sleeves, or big bows on the back (a chic bow on the front, however, can actually be quite stylish).
Pay attention to fabric choices as well; moire will look "so 80s", as will certain combinations like royal blue satin.
Look for a dress with a fresh sensibility and the clean lines that will make it a classic.
Too expensive.
This can turn any dress into a bridesmaid dress horror story.
It might be the most fabulous dress in the world, but if your friends cannot afford it, it will become a horror story to them.
Consider your bridesmaids' budgets when selecting a dress, and also remember that they have to pay for more than just the gown.
There are the proper undergarments, shoes, bridesmaid jewelry, perhaps a wrap or hair ornament, not to mention the manicure and hair appointments.
Be kind to your bridesmaids when choosing a dress for them to wear, and make sure that it is as affordable to them as it is beautiful.