Bridesmaid dresses for different shapes and sizes

denisebrett

Looking for solid advice on how to handle selection of bridesmaid dresses for the women in my wedding party - some are larger boned than others.....obviously not all will fit into one particular style - okay to choose one style for the larger ladies and another for the remaining women?

bablingbrooke

It would be more appropriate to give everyone a color, designer and length and let everyone pick their own.  Otherwise you're saying "The skinny girls get this dress, and the fat girls get this one."  That's the third rail, so don't go anywhere near it.

mbcdefg

Yes, it's fine for BMs to be in different styles. They don't have to be dressed identically.

But ditto BB, let them each pick what they want. Choosing two styles and then assigning them yourself will make them feel bad.

Talk to each of them privately and ask what they can afford to spend on a dress. Then choose a designer they can all afford. Then pick a fabric, color and skirt length from there, and then allow them to choose their own styles from there.

Or, pick 3-5 styles yourself and then let them each pick their own from those choices. Don't assign them yourself.

sarahmk5

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_bridesmaid-dresses-different-shapes-sizes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:df747714-ed8b-4f2a-b8b3-9037af85d2a0Post:d6bebf8d-b18c-48f8-9fa8-122751c62dd9">Re: Bridesmaid dresses for different shapes and sizes</a>:
[QUOTE]Otherwise you're saying "The skinny girls get this dress, and the fat girls get this one."  That's the third rail, so don't go anywhere near it.
Posted by bablingbrooke[/QUOTE]

Exactly this.  Give them a designer, color, and length, and then let the girls each pick what dress they want.

Juliedc

Does anyone have a suggestion for knee length dresses that look good on larger boned girls?  (I really want to avoid davids bridal as much as possible, I have had bad experiences there)

gottahavashorti

Julie, try Alfred Angelo.  They have a ton of dresses in various cuts.  If you go to an Alfred Angelo store, they carry most samples in 3 sizes so both smaller and larger girls can try something on closer to their size.

duckie1905

Why don't you let them pick out their own style of dress?  So you give a color and a length or whatever, and they pick the ultimate style.

As for a dress that would fit a big-boned girl, there is no final say on what every larger woman would feel comfortable in.  I'm a size 16 and I always hear how empire waist is supposed to flatter someone with my figure.  Well, I look ridiculous and pregnant in empire waisted shirts/dresses.

So, just goes to show you that there isn't one style that all larger women love.

leah51

I could have never just said here is the color and length designer go for it.. What I did was pick out a few dresses that I liked and then let them pick.. I had several different body types to deal with.  By letting them pick they were happy and by picking from my choices I was happy...Whatever you do don't go with fat girl choice and skinny girl choice that can be real hurtful.....

emilyinchile

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_bridesmaid-dresses-different-shapes-sizes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:df747714-ed8b-4f2a-b8b3-9037af85d2a0Post:62eca87f-b8cb-4a43-937b-3a977913e56c">Re: Bridesmaid dresses for different shapes and sizes</a>:
[QUOTE]Does anyone have a suggestion for knee length dresses that look good on larger boned girls?  (I really want to avoid davids bridal as much as possible, I have had bad experiences there)
Posted by Juliedc[/QUOTE]

I think lots of designers will have styles that work. My BMs are all wearing the same knee-length dress from Bill Levkoff (434), some are shorter/taller/skinnier/bigger, and it looks good on 3 out of 4 who were able to try it on (the 4th lives in Chile). If you're ok with having them wear different styles, I'm sure they'll be able to find something in that length that suits all of them.

And ditto PPs, offer options to everyone, not a "skinny dress" and a "fat dress".

aerinpegadrak

I didn't specify a designer for my girls, I just told them black with a silver accent and turned them loose.  If you're doing a color and want to keep it consistent, you could give them a paint chip or fabric swatch in your desired color and tell them it needs to match that.

Kitcat106

My bridesmaids are not skinny minnies either. One saw a dress she liked in a Coldwater Creek catalog. She ran it by the others and they all liked it. They ordered the dresses and they arrived in 1 week. Problem solved!

Check online because some stores have a weddings/special occasions section on their Web site. Most do not sell the dresses in the stores. Try:

J.Crew

Target (yes, really)

Ann Taylor

Nordstrom

macy's