Bridesmaid dresses-Help

Vraechel

So I have 2 issues here

1. I need some tips about the type of dresses that look good on several body types. 3 of my bridesmaids are extremely small or under however my maid of honor is an 18-20. I've thought about just letting them pick their own dresses in what ever style they like but I want the fabrics to at lease match...How do I make this look good?  I mean a color from one designer will look different from another and even the same designer will look different in different material. 

2. I have to get this accomplished long distance. One bridesmaid lives here, but my maid of honor lives in MN, one in IL, and one WI.

I told them all I'd be putting them in aqua taffeta so no one would look better than me...but that was a joke. I want them to all like what they are wearing.

Thanks

opalsky007

If it's important to you that the fabrics match, pick a designer, and a color. Make sure there are enough options for them to have some choices. Luckily, you can accomplish this with most dress designers these days.

Or if you want to give them as much freedom as possible, you can always just let them pick a black dress that suits them. The fabrics will look pretty similar in photos.

lalap69

As far as I know, there is no one magic dress that looks good on every body type.  We can recommend dresses we like, but ultimately your girls need to try the dresses on before you can make any kind of decision.

If you really want to be flexible, you can ask them to wear anything in a shade of colour like blue or purple.  I have several examples in my bio under FAQs, but since you mentioned aqua, I'll share a pic of that here:



If you really want them to wear identical colours, you can specify the designer and colour and let them pick any dress within those specifications.  Alfred Angelo, for instance, has a huge range of sizes and styles.

Or you could let them wear any little black dress and give them matching sashes to wear.  Stina93446 had her girls do that and it looked really good.  You can find her on the WP board and there should be pics in her bio.

HTH!

Beachy730

My BMs wore dresses from a collection at David's Bridal, which is a national store so it could definitely be an option for you.  There were a few short dresses in the same material and I let them pick what they wanted in black.  3 of them picked a strapless dress, and 2 picked a y-neck, and they both went really well together.  The two girls that picked the y-neck couldn't be more different in body shape or size.  One ordered a size 4 and has a very small chest, and the other ordered either a 16 or 18 and has a huge chest.  The dress looked amazing on both of them. 

reese511

i'm w/ lalap:  they dont need to all be the same fabric, same designer.  personally, i think it looks better if they dont perfectly match.  the idea of matchy matchy bridesmaids is stuck in people's minds....but its really very outdated.  check out all the wedding blogs (instead of buying magazines) to see what is happening the bridal fashion world.  they are all usually updated daily.  i can recommend a bunch if you need!  GL!

Cristine2011

I agree with the pp who suggested choosing a designer, fabric, and colour and let the girls choose a dress within those parameters.
I chose alfred angelo because they don't charge extra for plus-size dresses

aerinpegadrak

I just told my girls to wear something black.  The darkness of the color hid any inconsistencies in fabric or texture.

jersey0626

I am coming into the same problem.  I actually found this site which I ordered a sample from and think I am going to end up using.  I sent the link to my girls and they all liked the idea.

Basically its one dress but can be worn 12 different ways.

http://www.nuovavitaonline.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=33&Itemid=95&TreeId=5

lalap69

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_bridesmaid-dresses-33?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:15Discussion:a3024dd4-5a0c-413c-829e-35cf5d43b796Post:4c24a7a8-5f66-45ab-8261-1a0f568face9">Re: Bridesmaid dresses-Help</a>:
[QUOTE]I am coming into the same problem.  I actually found this site which I ordered a sample from and think I am going to end up using.  I sent the link to my girls and they all liked the idea. Basically its one dress but can be worn 12 different ways. <a href="http://www.nuovavitaonline.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=33&Itemid=95&TreeId=5" rel="nofollow">http://www.nuovavitaonline.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=33&Itemid=95&TreeId=5</a>
Posted by jersey0626[/QUOTE]
Make sure your bridesmaids try that dress on before you order.  I've tried on those kinds of dresses before and they are NOT universally flattering.  I can't wear them at all.  They're great for giving variety if you can pull them off, but not everyone can.

Vraechel

I really think the main issue is not being able to go with them to try on dresses. It's hard to know how things will look. My one bridesmaid who is wearing the larger size when she was visiting wore pants to the beach in Hawaii. I'm a little worried about what she will pick. Might be a good reason to make a pre-wedding trip to MN;) As far as the dresses that you wear like 12 ways, the website offers someone to come help your wedding party get dressed...Already that seems too complicated for me. I can barely figure out how to work my TV.

reese511

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_bridesmaid-dresses-33?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:a3024dd4-5a0c-413c-829e-35cf5d43b796Post:90ace8b6-fec1-4e72-b0ed-98c9363c1b62">Re: Bridesmaid dresses-Help</a>:
[QUOTE]I really think the main issue is not being able to go with them to try on dresses. It's hard to know how things will look. My one bridesmaid who is wearing the larger size when she was visiting wore pants to the beach in Hawaii. I'm a little worried about what she will pick. Might be a good reason to make a pre-wedding trip to MN;) As far as the dresses that you wear like 12 ways, the website offers someone to come help your wedding party get dressed...Already that seems too complicated for me. I can barely figure out how to work my TV.
Posted by Vraechel[/QUOTE]

so just go shopping with the gal you're "concerned" about....and let everyone else pick their own.
i'm in a similar situation - all of my BM are on the east coast....and i'm in San Francisco.  i have 1 friend that doesnt have the best taste/style....so i asked my other friends to go shopping with her.  what else can you do?  you cant tell someone, "you MUST wear this".  and really....its not my style to be that way anyway.  i dont have it stuck in my head that the entire day will be absolutely perfect.  just let it go....its no biggie.  everyone is going to be looking at YOU anyway!

Vraechel

I live about 3000 miles from my bridesmaids. Shopping with them, probably not an option. Also they don't really know each other and live in different states... What I'm really looking for here is if anyone has any suggestions on websites or national chains that have dresses for all sizes of girls. I did check out Alfred Angelo but unfortunately there is not one in Hawaii so I can't see anything in person. I don't think I'm overly controlling, I would just like my bridesmaids to look like they are attending the SAME wedding. They can pick different styles, wear their hair how they please, different shoes, etc. I know my husbands sister, she will try to wear wedding pants if I can't come up with a few suggestions for dresses. It's not that she's got bad taste, it's more that she's a little uncomfortable in anything revealing. I don't think it's too bridezilla to want my attendants to wear dresses. I want them to be comfortable but also look nice. It's not a SUPER formal event but it is a catholic wedding with mass. Maybe something with a little optional jacket...  

Beachy730

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_bridesmaid-dresses-33?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:15Discussion:a3024dd4-5a0c-413c-829e-35cf5d43b796Post:fa9b2d43-d607-4f75-be1a-6dc1e7996b22">Re: Bridesmaid dresses-Help</a>:
[QUOTE]I live about 3000 miles from my bridesmaids. Shopping with them, probably not an option. Also they don't really know each other and live in different states... What I'm really looking for here is if anyone has any suggestions on websites or national chains that have dresses for all sizes of girls . I did check out Alfred Angelo but unfortunately there is not one in Hawaii so I can't see anything in person. I don't think I'm overly controlling, I would just like my bridesmaids to look like they are attending the SAME wedding. They can pick different styles, wear their hair how they please, different shoes, etc. I know my husbands sister, she will try to wear wedding pants if I can't come up with a few suggestions for dresses. It's not that she's got bad taste, it's more that she's a little uncomfortable in anything revealing. I don't think it's too bridezilla to want my attendants to wear dresses. I want them to be comfortable but also look nice. It's not a SUPER formal event but it is a catholic wedding with mass. Maybe something with a little optional jacket...  
Posted by Vraechel[/QUOTE]

As I already said in the other post, David's Bridal.  And if you can't see it in person you could ask the BMs to try it on and send a pic to you. 

sister2groom

What colors are you thinking about for your BMs? You could pick a color/fabric of a designer that you think most girls will like and suggest they buy a dress from that designer, but also give them the option of matching to a swatch.

aerinpegadrak

Why can't she wear pants?  I wore pants to Catholic masses for years.  If she's more comfortable in a formal pantsuit than a dress, why is that such a big deal?

Vraechel

I think pants are fine to wear to church, they are fine to wear to a wedding. She is in the bridal party. I don't think I would like the way it looks. My preference. 

As for David's bridal...The one here the product looks like it's been worn in battle. Seriously I'm pretty sure the dresses I looked at had blood on them.(joke) I know it would be different fresh from the manufacturer, but it's hard to really see it. I left kind of discouraged. I liked the way everything looked online, but after that I wondered if the material was really cheap or if the store just had those sample dresses for like 10 years. Actually David's bridal was the first place I went. I'm a hands on kind of person. I have a hard time really knowing what something looks like unless I can touch it. For instance taffeta looks great as long as no one breathes or looks at it wrong...then it wrinkles. I don't have it in the budget to have a personal steamer follow us around :)I'm not thinking of going with taffeta. I might check out some departments stores, maybe Macy's. Maybe we will all go naked.

Vraechel

Yellow?Yellow dresses?