"But you can totally wear it again!"

just1q · May 2012

I haven't even asked my potential attendants yet, but I'm sort of struggling with the idea of the bridesmaid's dress you can wear again. I've been a bridesmaid in three weddings: one where the bride picked a dress she thought we'd wear again, one where the bride picked a color, length, and fabric and let us pick, and one where the bride just prescribed a dress without the provision that we'd be able to wear it again.

I haven't worn a single one of those dresses again. The one the bride thought we'd wear again was a style I hated, and the one the bride let us choose within certain peramaters was a color that I don't like and don't think works on me - so even though I got to pick my own dress, I still didn't wear it again!

What is the bride who TRULY wants her attendants to be able to wear their dresses again to do? I thought about letting each of them wear a LBD out of their own closets, but even then, there can be clashing shades/saturations of black. Is there any solution to this, or should I just accept that, like me, they probably won't wear the dresses again?

larnen · May 2012

If you really want them to be able to wear it again, it probably needs to be something they picked out. I've seen some pictures on Pinterest of bridal parties that are wearing different shades of the same color if you are concerned they may not like to wear your wedding colors all the time. The black dress is a good idea too.

cwaggoner07 · May 2012

I picked a special occasions dress from Banana Republic, so the chances are pretty good they could wear it again. But I really wanted everyone to match.

roseofdeborah · May 2012

Mine were from Nordsrtom, and were $90....and my BM's loved them as they were the perfect nice sundress. Find things like that if you can

pgcp · May 2012

I think for many women, once a dress has been worn as a bridesmaid dress, it is forever a bridesmaid dress to them. That in its self makes the dress unwearable again. You could choose the most perfect dress that is the perfect shade and shape and that your bridesmaids feel amazing in at the wedding, but the next morning it is still just an old bridesmaid dress.

I would just take the concern of rewearableness (how's that for a made up word!) out of the equation and focus on find something that fits their budgets, suits the wedding style, and that they feel good in for that day.

Should they choose to wear it again that's a bonus. It's possible someone else could wear the dress for some other occasion. My mother passed the dress I wore in my sister's wedding to a girl who couldn't afford a dress for her th grade banquet. I was never going to wear it again, but this girl was so thrilled to have a dress she loved.

DeClue82 · May 2012

Not sure of your wedding style/theme, but ModCloth has some great bridesmaids dress ideas... you could use a simple sundress, you don't have to pick a BM dress.

amymaysa · May 2012

I shortened a dress I wore in a wedding and have worn once so far and received many compliments on it. To me, it's no longer a bridesmaids dress, but a dress I got a sweet deal on!

misssunshine17 · May 2012

I've been a bridesmaid and this exactly happened to me- I spent too much on a ugly dress I'll never wear again (because I wasn't assertive, so that was my problem) and now I just gave them away to goodwill... I'm planning on telling bridesmaids to wear a knee length, navy dress in any style of their choosing- no specification on neckline, sleeves or fabric. Yes, the colors won't match exactly, but I'm putting my money where my mouth is because they'll be able to spend what they want and hopefully find something they like and will be able to wear again and if they don't, they chose everything but the color.

calliopeia2013 · May 2012

This really depends! I was a BM in one wedding where we all had the standard matching dresses, and I love the dress and have reworn it several times. It's my go to dress when I need formalwear! But it's a flattering color and cut, and was bought from a department store rather than a bridal store, so it doesn't look very bridesmaidy at all.

jesslynn1012 · May 2012

I haven't definitely decided, but I think I am going to make my girls infinity dresses. That way they are each wearing the same dress, but they can each wear it a different way AND it is the type of dress that can be worn for a bunch of different occasions/events. Here's a link to the tutorial I saw:
http://sewlikemymom.com/little-red-infinity-dress-tutorial/
and if you type "infinity dress" into etsy or google, a million options come up.
I too have a bunch of bridesmaids dresses that were supposed to be "re-wearable" but I haven't worn them since the wedding. I think that the infinity dress might be a good choice.

LaceyH13 · May 2012

I had my friends wear LBDs for my wedding. The only guidelines I gave: approximately knee length - meaning not floor length and not super short; and a "regular" material, meaning not leather or something weird like that. They all matched almost flawlessly, and none of them knew what the others were wearing.

They all said that they have already worn it again. One girl wore what was already in her closet.

They wore red shoes which also made it all come together nicely.

BeachBride1216 · May 2012

I vote LBD. Yes in person they won't be the exact same shade of black but in pictures they will be close enough. LBD never goes out of style.

Peavy · May 2012

I think the only time a bridesmaid dress gets worn again is if you are in another wedding with that exact same dress. Just get the least expensive dresses you can, and consider them a one-time wear

louisianablue · May 2012

Just pick something reasonably priced. I'm sure they will appreciate that much more. Mine were $60 on sale from JCrew.

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