There are so many colors and styles of bridesmaid dresses to choose from. The bridesmaids themselves may vary greatly in size and they want a flatteringly gown that makes them feel good. The bride and her bridesmaids may be in their mid-20’s or older and want a more sophisticated look in the bridesmaids gown. The bride also has the task of choosing a dress that will look good with each girl’s skin tone, hair color and figure.
The first step to choosing a bridesmaid gown is to determine the formality, style and fabric of the wedding gown. The bridesmaid dresses shouldn’t overpower or clash with the wedding gown. For today’s more simple bridal styles, nice detailing in the maids gowns creates a good look for the group. Back accents like straps, halter tops and simple beading are important for ceremony photography. A quality gown of good fabric and construction is necessary for the active bridesmaids who will be walking, dancing or running errands. Who needs to worry about seams splitting apart or buttons falling off during the wedding?
The next step for most brides is choosing the gown color. This can be done by looking at bridesmaid swatches in the bridal shop. Most manufacturers make bridesmaids dresses in anywhere from a few colors to as many as fifty. Choosing the actual color will narrow the choice of gowns to a more manageable number.
The bride must then consider the size ranges and figure types of her maids. Most bridal parties have an average of two full-figured members. If this is the case, many times it’s best to begin choosing a gown style with the larger maids in mind. Some larger girls feel comfortable in spaghetti straps or even strapless gowns, but many would rather have at least a short sleeve or perhaps a shawl. The smaller girls can usually wear any style. A-line styles look good on most everyone. A two-piece style with a longer top covering the hip bone is another good style. Almost 50% of wedding parties will include a pregnant bridesmaid. Extra fabric can be ordered to create a maternity side panel. A few designers are now creating maternity bridesmaids.
A new marketing trend for bridesmaids is the idea of separates. Most manufactures now feature at least some of their styles in separate tops and skirts. Separates offer some flexibility for the maids as they are able to choose different sizes for the top and skirt and can accommodate many different figures types. The bride can also choose the color and manufacturer of the separates while letting the maids have the freedom to create a style they will be comfortable in.

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