Good news! You’ve just asked your dear friend to be your bridesmaid! Bad news: She’s already dreading it. Yes, she adores you and wants to support you; but she is also thinking about how her outfit for the wedding is entirely at your mercy.
If the phrase “bridesmaid dress” doesn’t trigger flashbacks to ill-fitting outfits that resemble shower curtains or avant-garde pastries, you’re one of the lucky few. No paradox has stumped scholars quite like the bridesmaid dress conundrum. It is universally understood that most bridesmaid dresses are atrocious—it’s even a major plot point in the 2008 film 27 Dresses. And yet, brides continue picking the oddest shades of eggplant or buttercup yellow for the women they’re supposed to love most.
Why does this terrible stereotype persist? There are two working theories. One: The bride wants to ensure no one will upstage her, so she purposefully chooses dowdy gowns for her bridesmaids. Yikes. Two—and hopefully more likely: it’s really difficult to find a style that complements every person in a bridal party. Everybody—and every body—is different.
But Over The Moon Styling Director Kelly Potts has noticed a change in bridesmaid dressing lately. Brides no longer want to see their favorite women in cookie-cutter silhouettes. Instead, they want everyone to feel comfortable and look their personal best. This isn’t just anecdotal from the numerous weddings we have covered and styled. This decade may very well be the one that kicks the matchy-matchy bridesmaid dress tradition to the curb. According to research by Aura Print UK, “mismatched bridesmaid dresses” has over 5 million views on TikTok and a Google search increase of 9900% this year alone. This mixing-and-matching style aims to find specific, flattering dresses for each bridesmaid. Often, these outfits are chosen by the bride and bridesmaid together. Plus, as Kelly notes, “It’s definitely a more sustainable approach.”
Like any other art form, mismatched bridesmaid style requires careful attention to the craft in order to master it. We can help. Here’s how you can ensure your bridesmaid wears a dress she will actually like.
1. Decide Your Color Scheme
Mismatched dressing doesn’t have to be a laissez-faire free-for-all. “I think the color palette should come first,” stylist Kelly decides. You should give your bridesmaids a motif or a color scheme to work with. They’ll welcome the parameters. Use your current wedding aesthetic as the guiding light—or maybe choose a contrasting shade for the bridesmaids. Alternatively, you can even assign your girls different hues that fit their style best.
2. Or, Decide Your Prints and Patterns
Be bold! Who said you have to stick to monochrome? We’ve know brides who give their bridesmaids carte blanche with floral patterns. Kelly has also seen quite a few bridal parties don toile, gingham, and watercolor designs.
3. Create a Pinterest Board
While you aren’t prescribing matching dresses, you still have a vision. Textures, lengths, “vibes,” perhaps. Maybe you’re fine with your bridesmaids wearing a dress already in their wardrobe. Some brides said they made a mood board with silhouettes for their bridesmaids’ dresses. From there, their bridesmaids sent the bride a few possible options to choose from.
4. Master Mixing and Matching
Don’t get it twisted. We aren’t entirely against matching dresses. Some brides have bridesmaids find the same silhouette in different colors or the same color dress in different silhouettes. You can be creative with how you want to bring cohesion to your bridesmaids’ ensembles.
5. Accessories to Tie Everything Together
While your bridesmaids wear different dresses, maybe they’ll have the same Jennifer Behr pins in their hair or Nicola Bathie earrings. Don’t underestimate the power of a finishing accessory. (Plus, these make for easy bridesmaids’ gifts. . .)
6. Get Styled
In addition to bridal styling, Over The Moon offers styling consulting for bridesmaids. Take the pressure off you and your girls, and let us take care of the rest. “It takes a dedicated eye to make sure this is accomplished in a way that feels effortless and cohesive, which is why I think the appetite for a Bridal Stylist has increased in recent years!” Kelly says.
7. Get Inspired
If you’re ready to browse dresses, we’ve shared our favorite bridesmaids dresses in a variety of colors and patterns. See the full array here.
