mismatched bridesmaids

I really like the trend in the past few years of having a variety of dress styles for bridesmaids. I am of the opinion that you love your friends for different reasons, and the more individuality they get to retain, the better. 

First look: dress, necklace, belt, peep toes
Second look: dress, earrings, belt, pumps
Third look: dress, peter pan collar, belt, sandals
Fourth look: dress, earrings, belt, wedges

If you try this approach, a few guidelines can be helpful:

• Pick a color range you like. If you are letting bridesmaids pick their own dresses (and forgoing actual bridesmaid dress companies), the probability that you are going to pick one color blue and everyone will find that color is low. Think more in terms of a paint color sample card. It usually has 4 to 5 similar shades of the same hue, and those colors tend to go well together. 
• Choose a fabric for all dresses. This approach can obviously work with a combination of fabrics, but one texture (in the case above, I chose chiffon), can make this mix-and-match idea a little more unified. 
• Stick to one accent color. Whether you go with a metallic or some bright pop of color, a single accent color can pull the variety of dress colors together. 
• Have a comparable amount of accessories on each bridesmaid. Maybe you love that your friend Suzy wears an armful of bangles all the time. Balance that out by making sure other friends are wearing a similar amount of bling (perhaps a statement necklace or earrings). A costume designer once told me that if you squint, and everything doesn't blur together, the item that isn't blurring will pull focus. 

This can be a tricky balance to strike, but it is a really nice, unique look if you have the time and patience (or just really trust your friends to take care of it). Another reward-- all of these dresses are under $100. Your bridesmaids will thank you for that.  

bridesmaid revisited

My lovely best friend, Amy, got married in September. One of her main concerns for the look of her bridesmaids was that they not come off too "bridesmaid-y." I think with the mixture of colors and silhouettes, she found a nice balance of showing that we were all on Team Amy, without zipping us into yards of polyester taffeta. As a result, re-wearing this bridesmaid dress is a little easier than some might be. 

But I think the same rules can  apply to most bridesmaid dresses: find a fun combination of textures to layer with your dress. I paired a military jacket, riding boots, and crocheted tights with chiffon for a play on hard and soft (leather and lace, if you will). Another dressier, but not bridesmaid-y, look takes the pale blush color and brightens it up with a coral blazer and turquoise accessories. 

Amy's bridesmaids in chiffon Watters dresses

outfit left: jacket, dress, necklace, tights, boots
outfit right: blazer, dress, necklace, cuff, pumps

Note: here is where thrift and resale shopping become key-- those Frye boots are way too expensive for me (and probably you/everybody). But they are awesome, and there are all kinds of cool, worn-in boots to get second hand to achieve a similar look. Sorry for making you fall for pricey boots though...