Bridesmaid Fashion: The New Rules
Rule 1: Everyone doesn't have to wear the same thing.
There's nothing more boring than a chorus line of bridesmaids dressed and coifed in exactly the same way. And dress designers agree with us: They're creating lines of bridesmaid dresses that are more diverse than ever and that when put together still make a cohesive fashion statement. Today, brides can dress their bridesmaids in a multitude of shapes (based on what silhouette flatters each figure), with one fabric or color scheme tying the whole look together. Separates are also an option, where each maid wears the same skirt with a different top. Women's bodies and personalities are so different - shouldn't their dresses be different, too?
Rule 2: Bridesmaid dresses should be comfortable.
Sure, in the past, most dresses came in satin so hot and thick that it might as well have been wool, and so stiff that you walked like a robot. But now the most beautiful styles out there are made of more comfortable fabrics like slinky charmeuse, flowing chiffon and soft cottons. Even today's silk satins are breathable and light without losing any of the luxury.
Rule 3: Mix and unmatch.
We, the pros who always appreciate an interesting color combination, are happy to report that there's no such thing anymore as clashing colors. In fact, shade combinations that at one time would have been considered a fashion faux pas are now wed in holy matrimony. Case in point: Our favorite dresses of the season marry orange with hot pink, brown with pale blue, and red with lime green. Hue knew?
Rule 4: Prints rule.
Some people worry that patterns are too busy for pictures. Not so! This season, the bridesmaid runways were filled with bright patterns like plaids, florals and stripes. The key to making them work photographically is balance. If you have a dress with a lot of visual impact, keep the rest of the look clean. Opt for a bouquet in one color, simple hair and minimal jewelry. Voila! Picture perfect.
Rule 5: Go short.
It used to be that short dresses were for outdoor summertime affairs and long ones were for everything else. Nowadays it's really the fabric, not the length, that makes the biggest difference when it comes to formality. And since tea-length (just above the ankle) dresses are everywhere, the right fabric can help them go anywhere. For a formal black-tie dinner, a calf-length dress in a dark color and rich silk satin looks just as appropriate as its floor-length counterpart. For a daytime event, you can choose a more casual fabric like cotton seersucker or floral organza. The best thing about short dresses? They're the best excuse to wear an incredible pair of shoes.
Rule 6: Wear it again!
Why should anyone plunk down all that money for a dress she'll never wear again? With all the wearable, versatile and positively fashionable bridesmaid dress options available, no one will have to. We're not just talking about the classic cases, like the perfect little black bridesmaid dress (which is always a fantastic pick). Some of our favorite dresses are convertible wonders: Siri makes a dress with sleeves that can be worn three different ways (www.TheKnot.com/SiriMaids), while Saeyoung Vu has created one that's literally reversible, two dresses for the price of one (www.TheKnot.com/SVuCouture)! Suddenly "Always a bridesmaid..." doesn't sound so bad, does it?
Courtesy of The Knot via Scripps Media
