Fact or fiction: Bridesmaid dresses you can wear again!

Fiction! It definitely seems to be one of those things that "all" brides say but "no" bridesmaids have ever actually done (quotes for slight hyperbole; I have no doubt there are a few exceptions). I have been in two weddings and both times the dresses were instantly dated, unflattering, and ridiculously expensive for one time use clothing.

All of that said, I am loving the newer trend of letting bridesmaids choose their own dresses. This increases the chance that they will wear their dresses again by a huge percentage. I love that wedding culture is moving away from everyone matching.

I’d wear the top one again, it’s super cute.
But honestly the chance that everyone in a group has the same fashion style and will re-wear the dress is low

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Yeah, I'm thinking of giving them free reign for patterns, colors, etc within a palette and asking them to aim for a 1950s retro-ish look if possible. But I'm also not going to be too picky - my bridesmaids are my adult daughters and fh adult daughter and I want them to have positive feelings about the whole thing.

Ok so I can definitely say that I've never re-worn a BM dress (with the exception of one, and it was for a dressy costume party) as they've all been pretty bridesmaid-y....I actually would wear both of the ones you showed above, particularly the second one...I love that bold pattern!

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That sounds like a great plan, all around. I also meant to say originally, that I also really like your inspiration pics. The top one is my personal style, so I would be happy with that.

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I hope they feel the same. I'm also paying for them, so if they don't wear them again at least it won't be money wasted on their part. My dress is very 1950's tea length so that style would look good I think.

I personally have never re-worn a bridesmaid dress, although I do know some people who were able to. Honestly, I think in most cases it's all about what the person's taste is vs. what they are wearing. I let my girls all pick their dresses, but I doubt they'll wear them again. We'll see!

I think they might if it’s a more casual dress like the first one. You could show them several options and take a vote?

I personally think those are cute enough to wear again - they're not THAT formal to where you can't wear again. when i was a bridesmaid i chose a dress i knew i was gonna wear again.

I’ve only been a bridesmaid once and the dress was very pretty and I would have worn it again (I was able to pick within a selected variety) BUT it was floor length and the bottom was ruined even after dry cleaning. I think the dresses you’ve chosen are really cute - especially if they’re choosing! Who doesn’t love a floral sundress?!

Everyone and their cousin says “you can wear anything again!” but even the short dresses are not rewearable. But that doesn’t stop the least expensive ones from costing a small fortune.

I think brides would love to believe that their bridesmaids will wear the dress again. But typically that’s not reality. I’ve been a number of weddings and never wore the dress again. They went donated to thrift stores after each wedding. If the desire is TRULY for a bridesmaids to wear the dress again, then it needs to be something that they like and a dress that is THEIR style (and not the bride’s style). So that would mean allowing bridesmaids to choose their own dresses and letting them know you like them to select some thing they’d wear again. So it needs to be something stylish. The two dresses you posted do look like they are can be worn again. But, take me for an example, I would never purchase or wear either of those two dresses on my own because they are far from my style (yet, they might be someone else’s style). So I think that’s the dilemma with the idea of wearing a dress again. It needs to be the individual bridesmaid’s style. And sometimes a bridesmaid dress has to solely be used for what it’s intended for…. and that means it’s a one use purchase.

Oh the dresses you posted are super cute! My bridesmaids dresses are also similar:

I definitely think the style is re-wearable, however, I still think it's fiction. The dress my sister had us wear was super cute, I really like the colour and fit, and yet... I still think, because weddings are so heavily photographed, that it would be instantly and easily identifiable as the dress I wore as a bridesmaid.

For me, personally (and maybe I'm weird!) part of the way I show love and joy in a friend's special event (or one of my own) is to go and buy a dress (or some shoes or accessories or something) and as I build the outfit, I'm thinking of them, thinking of how much I'm looking forward to their event, to going to that restaurant or celebrating that birthday/wedding/baby shower/etc. I might decide I need to include a particular pair of shoes I don't wear enough, and I'll find a new dress that works with them. Or whatever.

As I'm shopping, I'm picturing myself sitting in that dress, in that restaurant or that venue, imagining toasting a new couple, or celebrating my anniversary or whatever it is. It's part of a long process of looking forward to an event, which is almost as enjoyable as the event itself, and often even MORE enjoyable!

And, wearing a dress that was bought to be such an iconic dress for someone else's event wouldn't feel good to me.

It's different if I just bought a dress on a whim, or if it wasn't something big like a wedding - it's not like I never wear a dress ever again! And of course I can totally see that there will be exceptions if the dress is a really classic black cocktail dress or something. But I think sometimes, tying to shoe-horn a dress into having two purposes just means you end up with a bridesmaid dress you don't love, and the bridesmaid still ends up with a dress they won't wear again.

I have a black just below the knee bridesmaid des I have worn at last 3 other times.....but that is the only one that replayed lol

I’ve been a bridesmaid 3 times and have reworn each of the dresses. One was my little black dress that I wore to a few funerals. It was super classic. I wish o didn’t gain weight and didn’t have to get rid of it. The other black dress wasn’t the best but it was a nice black dress, so I wore it to another wedding. The last was horrible bright watermelon pink. Not even a great cut dress, but I went on a cruise and wore it one of the “fancier” dinners, lol. It hasn’t been worn since.
Long story short I think it depends on the dress and the person. I think the dresses I chose are beautiful and classic that I hope they could wear again, though I doubt the will. I wish One of them would fit me because I love those dresses so much! That being said I think the bottom dress you picked is super cute and would be worn for many reasons after the wedding.

I have been a BM several times and the only dress I wore again was a black formal floor length dress to another event.

I have never personally reworn a bridesmaid dress, even a little black dress that I liked (I just haven't had an opportunity to rewear it). but I did lend one old bridesmaid dress to a friend's daughter for prom one year!

Fiction. Every bridesmaid dress I've ever purchased "looked" like a bridesmaid dress.

Most women, when buying dresses for themselves, would not buy something with zero embellishment, zero pattern, etc. which is, in my opinion, what gives away a bridesmaid dress as a bridesmaid dress. Also, they are often in colors that no one would actually buy for themselves (mine have been powder blue, burgundy, eggplant purple, lavender, and sage green, absolutely none of which I would ever choose to wear.)

I always donate them to a thrift store.