Bridesmaids aren't just a simple part of the traditional wedding assembly. These women are the bride's friends and confidants. They help prepare her in all the months leading up to the special day and they help calm and assist her the day of the wedding. They help mail invitations and decorate the event center. If it weren't for my bridesmaids I barely could have fit into the nearly eighteen layers of dress I had for my wedding. In short, they are lifesavers, so when choosing red and white bridesmaid dresses, try to pick a dress they can wear on another formal or informal occasion and keep their pocket books in mind – remember they still have to buy the couple a gift, get the bride a bachelorette party gift and plan the bachelorette party with the maid of honor.
Pick a color and style of dress that suits all bridesmaids, but, more importantly, pick a dress they're likely going to wear again. A simple sheath dress in chiffon, an a-line skirt that flatters all figures, a halter dress that is almost always in style. These are the styles of dress a bridesmaid will thank her bride for choosing. And don't forget the other two important factors: length (choose a knee or above for the most versatility) and the right shade that fits the coloring of the girl wearing it.
I watched this show once – 20/20 or primetime live or the Today Show ( I can't really remember which one) – about this experiment they did with a dating website. The woman put exact profiles up word for word but each with a different picture. In one profile she wore a dress that was bright red. In the other she did not (it really speaks to my point that I can't remember the other color of dress). It turns out she got nearly three times the responses on the profile where she wore the red dress. Red is a powerful color, in other words. It's also a color – like black – that can be worn again and again if the right style is chosen. So the question is: what is the right style? And the answer is something that flatters all shapes and sizes and a color that does the same. That's not as easy as it sounds and if one is adding white to the mix, then it gets even more difficult.
When choosing a red and white bridesmaid dress, take a good look at all the bridesmaids' figures. If the bride is lucky, they all have the same slender legs, small hips, average chest and all the same coloring. If she is like the rest of us poor schmos that have tall, short, thin, plus-sized, olive skinned, fair skinned, dark skinned, blond, brunette, redhead etc. then more careful consideration needs to be taken. Red and white sometimes means a stripe or a strip of color in various place - some of those in the wrong places. Oh so wrong. For example, there's a trend today for a wide strip of cloth in white from the small of the back to the floor and arcing in a vee - if there is a wide hipped bridesmaid this will just add about ten extra pounds to her hips and backside. If at all possible, go with a full color gown of red or white and then add in small accents of the other - a shrug, a shawl, a pair of white and red shoes etc. But of course when it's time to find a dress, picking the right shade of red is just as difficult as picking the style of dress.
The good news is there's always a color that will match them all – the bad news is it might not fit the couple's exact color of red wedding theme. Red is not always red. Red is sometimes maroon, burgundy, brick red, rose, candy apple red, and, unfortunately, not all women know which red is the best choice for them, but there is a red for every woman. If you're buying online, that may be a bit of a problem, considering you won't be able to hold up swatches to see which looks good with which coloring. Have faith, however, I wouldn't leave you in a lurch.
Check out this article about how to wear red on articlesnatch.com, if you'd like to know more.
