Avoid a Dress Disaster!
Throughout the years, bridesmaid's dresses have received a bad reputation - known for poufy sleeves and giant bows meant to "accentuate" the rear end. Luckily, times have changed (thank goodness!) and you should have no trouble finding classy, trendy dresses that your bridesmaids will love. Here are a few tips for picking out the perfect pieces:
Look for dresses everywhere
Although Bridal Shops are sure to have many options, stores like J.Crew and Ann Taylor make shopping easy. These stores have their entire collections online, which makes them easy for all of your bridesmaids to access, near or far. They're also return friendly!
Try to accommodate everyone
This may seem nearly impossible, but you can get close! If you take along a bridesmaid for shopping, she can act as a voice for the whole group. High-waisted, A-line dresses are usually a safe bet! For trusting brides, you may want to give your bridesmaids color, length, and fabric specifics and let them shop on their own (with your final approval, of course!)
Money matters
The average cost of a bridesmaid dress is $150 to $300. But if you lean more toward the pricey side, you should think about subsidizing part of the cost for the girls. Also, think about each person's financial situation. Your bridesmaids will also be paying for alterations, accessories, hair, nails, etc. - the cost of the dress is not where the monetary obligations end.
Accessorize
The final step in dressing your bridesmaid is to accessorize! To save time and effort, give your bridesmaids guidelines to coordinate their own shoes and jewelry. Your guests should be paying attention to you during your vows instead of the details on the bridesmaids' shoes anyway!
