maid dresses ... help please!!

[HeffsRah]

My sis (M.O.H.) and I are having so much trouble finding dresses for the bridesmaids. There are 6 total and each of them are different...
different skin tones, sizes, ages.

We've looked at david's bridal but nothing stuck out to us...we're looking for something knee or tea length, probably A-line because I think that would flatter everyone's shape...and a little on the more casual side.

Any ideas???

[spotty4]

I was a bridesmaid at a friends wedding and she chose 5 girls for her wedding party. Like your situation, we were tall, short, skinny, plump. Her solution was to get a 2 piece dress -- skirt + bodice. That way you can mix and match sizes (larger skirt w/ a smaller top or smaller skirt w/ larger top, etc...) While I personally did not like her ultimate choice, it worked out fine to flatter each of us in our own way.

If you'd like a certain color but its too hard to find THE dress for them, then maybe consider allowing each one to wear a dress that flatters them as long as it suits your color requirement.

[FilleBelle]

Have you checked J Crew and Anne Taylor? Also, Eden Bridals does a sort of David's Bridal type thing where they have a huge variety of dress styles that come in every color. Each girl picks a different style that flatters her, but everyone gets that style in the same color(s).

Unless the wedding is super formal, I am of the opinion that matching bridesmaid dresses went out of style in the 1960s. I intend on giving my girls my color scheme and asking them to find something in which they feel comfortable and beautiful.

[HeffsRah]

True. I do like the idea of each one of them wearing a different color... I just hope it turns out well because...my sis is very close with one of the other girls and I feel like they would probably pick out the same dress and it would put pressure on the others. I hope they're all mature enough to not be bothered by any of that.

I even like the idea of having my sis, maid of honor, in a printed dress of the same color scheme, or even wearing white. What does everyone think of this? She loves the idea...but I'm not sure how this would be received.

[HeffsRah]

Just curious, Shelley - why didn't you like it? Was it the color or the fit?

I truly want them to have a dress that is a good investment for them -- I've never seen that actually happen at a wedding...

We're having an untraditional affair, somewhat informal. Our reception is at a very old huge mansion, beautiful gardens outside, very unique rooms...complete opposite of a large ballroom. We're hoping it will give an intimate feel to our larger guest list since everyone will be able to mingle in different areas of the mansion.

Our date is April 18, and on the east coast, that could mean beautiful sunny weather, or cold rainy weather - totally unpredictable.

I'm still thinking bright spring colors though...

[skibum515]

So...my only real suggestion is NO strapless dresses - they look terrible on girls that are above like a size 6! I also found Vnecks to be flattering on most body styles this is the dress that i had for my ladies but in black:

The side gathering thing on it is SUPER slimming on pretty much everyone because it gives the illusion of a waist even when there isn't one (ie ... me!)

I found mine through the designer that made my dress - Jasmine Bridal - they have a bunch of various collections that come in a ton of different colors, and most can be ordered tea length.

The other thing that I did was i emailed out pictures/prices to the bridesmaids to get their input on what they liked and what they were thinking was a resonable price. Jasmine doesn't have prices listed on their website, so you'd have to call a bridal shop that sells their stuff and ask how much it costs, but they're pretty reasonable. The dress above was about $130

good luck!

[spotty4]

Emily's bridesmaids' dresses looked great. From what I could tell from her pictures, none of her girls looked awkward or strange in their dress. Since I had just one attendant, I told her to wear whatever she wants. Its ironic that both Emily's girls and mine wore black!

The problem w/ my friends bridesmaids' dresses was just about everything! She chose maroon. They were strapless. The skirt was big and poofy w/ that thule stuff underneath it. They were very HOT (as in warm, not sexy). I felt like a goon wearing it. I don't recall what I paid for it but it has never seen the light of day since that warm August afternoon 5+ years ago.

For an outdoor wedding, I think tea length is ideal. While I would have loved a longer dress for myself, it would have been dirty in about 5 minutes. It simply was not practical.

As for your sister, maid of honor, wearing white along w/ you ... I don't know about that. I think it could be fine if she's set apart from the other bridesmaids (e.g. different dress, different color, etc...), but she should not be set apart in white. That's reserved for you, assuming you're going white.

[HeffsRah]

Oh my. I hate thule (sp?) also. I tried on so many wedding dresses and the woman at the store even made me stick an extra skrit of the stuff underneath to give it even more puffiness. I get so claustrophobic in the stuff.

Yeah... the more I think about the white thing, I agree with you, I should be the only one in it...I saw an ad in a magazine with girls in tea length dresses, all green, and the maid of honor in the same dress but with a green and white floral print. It was really pretty... so maybe we'll go in that direction.

And yes, Emily- those dresses are beautiful! You got me searching all over on their webpage, I think I looked at every dress- I like them alot!

[katbuad]

Long, long, ago. . .I had two bride's maids for my wedding I told them to get together and pick a color (they picked dark green) and whatever dress they individually wanted in that color. I figured it was their money and who wants to be stuck with another ugly expensive dress? My two girls loved it. The pictures still looked great.

The dark green also really looked good with the yellow that I wanted and used for the flowers.

[HeffsRah]

Thats a great idea!! I want my girls to do that but they say "well, what color do YOU want?" and then if I say one, they don't like it. I think they are wanting to please me too much, but I just want them to be happy. I guess I'll have to just give them all a call, or sit down with my sis and just say it's up to them and if they need help, I'm here to give my opinion? I want to be included, but I also don't want to be one of those overbearing brides who makes the girls do things they don't want to do.

The problem with my sis is that she HATES trying on clothes. She never wants to go out and try dresses on so I'll find a cute one online and show it to her and then she says "I dont know...of course it looks good on the model, how can you tell if it looks good on me?" *shrugs* maybe I have to put my foot down and say that we're running out of time and need to just go out and try some on!