Most brides hope to select a dress their bridesmaids will actually wear again. BHLDN fashion guru and stylist, Angela, offers some tips to increase the odds of making this hope a reality in the last installment of our guest post series Wedding Wednesday with BHLDN.
BHLDN, the two year old sister brand of Anthropologie, provides attire, decor, and accessories for any special occasion from an enchanting wedding to a sweet birthday soiree. With a selection of delightful gowns, stunning party heels, delicate jewelry, vintage-inspired wedding decorations and more, BHLDN is a one-stop shop for brides-to-be…or really anyone planning a fete!
You can review the first post on choosing bridesmaids’ dresses here and the second post on accessorizing bridesmaids’ dresses here.
Check out HOW TO RE-WEAR BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES! I have a closet full of bridesmaids’ dresses so I will definitely be taking some notes…
Be Realistic
Brides and bridesmaids alike should be realistic with their expectations about re-wearing a bridesmaid’s dress.
Keep It Simple
Since most women aren’t gallivanting at formal affairs every weekend, selecting a tea length or shorter style automatically opens up the opportunities for bridesmaids to wear their dresses again.
The better fit, the more likely they’ll wear it again. An easy-to-wear style such as A-line or fit-and-flair is more universally flattering to different body types. (To that note, bridesmaids: the key to a perfect fit is professional alterations.)
Pictured Ebb & Flow Dress
Fabric choice is also important to re-wearability. Lighter and more casual fabrics such as cotton and silk are often used in everyday dressing. Shinier fabrics like satin or fabrics embellished with metallic threads or beading may be more difficult for the average woman to incorporate into her regular wardrobe.
Pictured Calliope Dress, Wingspan Dress
…Or Mix it Up
Bridesmaids’ dresses with a print or interesting texture are more like the dresses you’d find in a store and more along the lines of what you’d see women wearing on the streets.
Or, go the mix and match route and allowing your bridesmaids to choose their own attire; if she’s picking it, it’s very likely she’ll select a dress she’ll want to wear again.
Pictured: Candy Dot Dress, Marguerite Shift
And for the bridesmaids…
It’s All in the Accessories
Have fun playing with the accessories and add-ons that already live in your closet to extend the life of your bridesmaid’s dress.
If it’s a shorter style, simply adding a cardigan can take a dress from aisle style to Sunday brunch, a fitted blazer and basic pumps can transform it for the office, and a lightweight leather jacket and ankle boots can toughen it up for a night out.
Swapping out your sparkly jewelry for more everyday accents – a patterned scarf, chunky jewelry or ballet flats – can transform the look, too.
Loving all of this dresses and ideas! Thanks for all of the great tips, Angela! Which is your favorite? I’m digging the Ebb & Flow Dress.
Circa Dee 