Make Your Bridesmaids Stand Out with Mismatched Dresses

Mismatched bridesmaids dresses are everywhere. But there is an art to the “mismatch.” It’s not like you can announce to all your bridesmaids: “pick your own dress and get back to me.” As in home décor, there’s a lot of planning involved in making something look casual, breezy and a little unplanned.

Some ideas on how to achieve the perfect mismatch:

• Watch the hem. If you look carefully at weddings that achieved this look perfectly, you’ll notice that all the hems are the same length. Mixing up hemlines is usually a bad idea and rarely looks like the dresses work together. It’s not important that all the hems are identical as bridesmaids are different heights, of course, but it’s tough to pull off long AND short dresses.

• Let’s just say that colors are tricky. If you’ve ever tried to buy paint based on the small sample size, you know what I’m talking about. You might only have the teeny tiny swatches to look at and those might not look the same once made into a dress. Your bridal consultant and planner should be able to help you navigate the color maze. Some shops will already have suggestions on which colors have worked well in other weddings. Sure, you don’t want your wedding to look like another, but take advantage of the pros’ color expertise.

• Too much freedom is not a good thing. Left to their own devices, bridesmaids might feel a little overwhelmed at the prospect of finding their own dress. Yes, it does give them the ability to have a little more control over the dress that they hope to wear again (does anyone, really?) but with the demands of being a bridesmaid, it is a responsibility that is more of a chore than a fun thing.

• Vary a couple of elements – such as the neckline or the color, but keep the fabric (silk, chiffon, lace, etc) the same. Too much mixing and matching on a mismatched them looks more like chaos than magic. Some brides take an appointment to pre-determine the color, designer and fabric and the second appointment is fort he bridesmaids to pick out the cut.

• Patterns – spring and summer weddings are perfect for patterned bridesmaids dresses and the choices are abundant. Some chic weddings might have a patter on the maid of honor and solid colors for the rest of the bridesmaids. Keep in mind that patterns might not be flattering on some body types.

• All bridesmaids are not equal. Be sensitive to the fact that while you and your groom are the main attractions, you are not the only ones walking down the aisle. Bridesmaids come in all shapes and sizes and while some might have a skin tone that is complemented by the color blush, it might not work with someone else.

So approach the mismatched idea with gusto. Have fun and the result will be unexpected and daring.