Tag Archives: bridesmaid dresses

10 Tips for Bridesmaid Dress Shopping

10 tips for bridesmaid dress shoppingWe may be slowly moving away from the traditional bridesmaid dress search as it becomes more and more common for brides to choose mismatched dresses or leave the choice of dress up to their bridesmaids. That said, while plenty of brides may encourage you to wear something you own or pick up something cute in a particular color palette, many, many brides are still going to opt for the traditional matching gowns. In that case, here’s what you need to know about shopping for bridesmaid dresses from a bridal retailer.

Before you go

1. You need an appointment. Shopping for bridal attire isn’t as easy as stopping by your local department store. Call ahead and let them know how many girls will be coming in. If there is a particular designer or dress you are hoping to try on, make sure to confirm that they carry it. Nothing is worse than showing up to your appointment only to find that they don’t carry the dresses you wanted to try on…even though their website said they did.

2. Be prepared to work with a “bridal consultant.” Most bridal stores work using consultants, which are salespeople who pull styles for you and basically chaperone you around the store. This can be disconcerting, especially your first time. No one really likes someone hovering over them while they try to make a decision. A good bridal consultant can be helpful, so start out friendly. But if your consultant is making you nervous or putting pressure on you to buy, don’t be afraid to ask for some space. Once the consultant has brought you the dresses, say “Can you give me a few minutes? I’d like to have some time to really think everything over.” They should take the hint and take a step back.

3. Do your research and come prepared. Some bridal stores may have racks that you can peruse, but others will keep only a few samples on the floor and consultants will collect dresses you want to try on. The more prepared you are, the more productive your trip will be. If you have specific dresses in mind, come with printouts and style numbers. If you don’t know quite what you’re looking for yet, try to make a few decisions before you arrive. What color are you looking for? What length? What type of fabric? Consult our guide to bridesmaid dress fabrics and finishes here to get an idea.

At your appointment

4. Wear a strapless bra and bring high heels. You’ll want to see how the dress falls with heels and have the proper undergarments so you can get the full effect. If you plan to wear your hair up, have a hair tie to pull it back as well.

5. They’ll only have dresses in one or two sizes. This is one of the most frustrating parts of the process. Though some retailers are exceptions (David’s Bridal carries a full range of sizes), most traditional bridal boutiques only carry gowns in a sample size. This varies from store to store, and some will carry two sizes, a smaller and larger. In my experience, the sizes I most often see are a 6 and a 12, with an occasional sighting of an 8 or 10. If you’re tiny, the bridal consultant will have clips to help cinch in the dress so you can get an idea of the silhouette. If you typically wear over a size 12 or want to try on a maternity style, a traditional bridal appointment may let you down.

I know what you’re thinking. Wait, if I can’t try on the dresses in my size, how am I supposed to know if it will look good? Excellent question. Seriously. Continue reading

Fashion Friday

Confession: When it comes to lace, I can’t resist. So I was super excited to see this new collection of lacy little numbers from Watters. From the slim and sexy one-shoulder to the sweetheart neckline with a flowing A-line skirt, there’s a silhouette for every body shape in your bridal party. There are even separates! The best part? The colors, including the lining, lace and ribbons, are completely customizable. Pick and play on Watter’s website. Perfection.
watter lace collectionwatters lace colletion A-line navywatter lace collection v-neck 1. Camilla and Gardenia 2. Hydrangea 3. Iris

Fashion Friday

This week’s Fashion Friday brings you one dress…sort of. We’re all familiar with the concept of the wrap dress—a one-size-fits-most style that can be tucked and tied to create unique silhouettes for each bridesmaid. Generally quite flattering on any body type, the wrap dress is versatile and a dress you’re likely to get a bit of use out of since it can styled to fit your occasion. But not all wrap dresses are equal. I was struck by the gorgeous color palette and added textures and patterns in these “octopus” dresses from Coralie Beatrix. She knows just when to sneak in some ruffles or flounces and lots of the dresses come in two-tone options that make them feel special and singular. The lovely photo shoot didn’t hurt, I admit. The dresses start at $79 and run to about $100, with some exceptions.


Real Bridesmaid Reviews

Dress: David’s Bridal Style 83707

What she thought: This bridesmaid has had a history of trouble with strapless dresses, as you’ll see in her previous review. Luckily, this dress didn’t let her down (literally). “Though this dress didn’t stay up as well as the Alfred Angelo dress, it was much better than some other strapless dresses that I have worn. I was able to get away with not altering it, although maybe a few alterations would have made it fit a tiny bit tighter in the chest.” Overall, Claire enjoyed wearing this sleek charmeuse dress and David Bridal’s low prices didn’t hurt. “The price was great (only $99), the ruching was slimming and the dress had pockets—who doesn’t love that?” In fact, Claire enjoyed wearing this dress so much that she’s worn it to a few other weddings, and it even made her top 3 when she was choosing bridesmaid dresses for her own wedding!

Fashion Friday

Today I bring you a couple stunning bridesmaid dresses from Ruche Boutique, purveyors of vintage-inspired dresses at mid-range prices. The line is full of rustic earthy hues and flowy silhouettes. Here are a few of my favorites.

I love the scalloped lace look and the pop of polka dots on this earthy mocha Bouvardia dress. It will be lightweight and breezy in a cotton/nylon blend and won’t break the bank at $69.

The Hydrangea dress is all about the wavelike pleats at the bustline. The flattering empire waist and flowing skirt give a ton of movement. It’s also one of the few dresses at Ruche that comes in multiple colors. You can opt for this lovely sage or grey, burgundy, pink or blue. And the $146 price tag is low for a floor-length gown. There’s also a knee-length option but since it’s $126 and only comes in one color (lavender), I think the floor-length is more bang for your buck.

A scoopneck and pretty pink pleats make this belted beauty super sweet. The braided detail at the belt is especially nice and the color would be a perfect springtime complement to a bride’s rich cream gown. It’s also $65—not bad at all!

Real Bridesmaid Reviews

Dress: David’s Bridal Satin Strapless Ball Gown with Sweetheart Neckline Style 84066
What she thought: This week’s bridesmaid was disappointed by this floor-length strapless dress from David’s Bridal. The quality of the fabric and dress construction didn’t match the $149 price tag and the fit left a lot to be desired. “The pleats under the empire waistband stuck out and no amount of ironing would make them lay flat,” she said. “I also spent a lot of money getting the dress hemmed. The length was uneven, so the dress almost looked as if it had a train. Since I had mine altered but other girls didn’t, some girls had a pseudo-train that day and others did not.” Though she does admit that the dress worked well for one of the bridesmaid who was pregnant, she wouldn’t recommend this dress. “After the wedding, I immediately took it to Good Will.”

Fashion Friday

So, full disclosure: My 9-to-5 is at J.Crew corporate, where I work as a proofreader on the catalog, website, blogs, and more. I try to be balanced in my coverage of bridesmaid dresses here and avoid sharing every J.Crew style I love, but I have been absolutely dying to share this wedding shoot with you ever since I saw it a few months ago. Now that it’s finally out in the September catalog I’m thrilled to show it here. I can’t get enough of the lobster shack setting in Maine (I want to go to there!), but even more inspiring is the mix of dresses in the same color family and entirely different fabrics. The dresses are also accessorized with bold, bright pieces, including statement necklaces, studded belts, leopard clutches and even a rugged field jacket. The finished shoot feels effortlessly modern, but looks stunningly chic.

1. Natalia dress, $365. 2. Cecelia dress, $195. Strapless lace, $295. Lousia dress, $250. 3. Arabelle dress, $250. Sinclair dress, $250. 4. Raquel dress, $235. Downtown field jacket, $148. 5. Heidi dress, $250. Lucienne one-shoulder dress, $250.

Shop the catalog here or visit the website for the full collection.