Wedding Wednesday: More Bridesmaid Dresses!

Wedding Wednesday: More Bridesmaid Dresses!

I woke up this morning in a minor panic realizing that it is nearly April and that means that it is almost June and that in turn is so close to September. My rule for these little “attacks” is to immediately channel it into planning action. It usually dissipates as soon as I get to business.

Today, more bridesmaid dress options. I’m having a hard time visualizing what would be a good compliment to my vintage lace dress. I have three bridesmaids, each with very different skin tones and shapes. And I’d prefer to have it cost under $250, which should be reasonable…right?

1. Nanette Lepore Etched Dress $290 – My current favorite. I love Nanette.
2. J.Crew wrap Dress $140. I think it would be more flattering in person.
3. Vince Clip Dot Dress $285. Cute but basic.
4. J.Crew Mirabelle Dress $395. Obviously, very pretty…but $400?!
5. Saffron Step Dress $138. I love the color but it’s a too casual.

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There are 29 comments for this article
  1. Rachel F at 4:33 pm

    I love the nanette lepore dress, but it might not be flattering for every body shape. I think JCrew Mirabella and Saffron Step Dress might be more flexible for people. Or mix them all! So much fun!

  2. Anonymous at 4:35 pm

    I know adding options means adding stress, but you should definitely try typing “yellow dress” into shopstyle.com – it’s like Google for clothes.

  3. Beth at 4:44 pm

    nanette lepore!! I think it would look good on every body type. Simple, nice shape, vintage-y. I esp like the flowers– or you could go with a simpler dress and have everyone put a large flower in their hair! And anyone with a large chest does not want ruffles over it, like the J. Crew dress.

  4. G at 4:59 pm

    #2! And with all the J. Crew sales that go on, you could get your bridesmaids a good deal on this. There’s one going on right now for 20% off sale and regular-priced sales on until Saturday!

  5. Meg at 5:32 pm

    I like #1, but I wouldn’t ask bridesmaids to spend that much without chipping in myself. Which I am considering doing.
    Personally, I think mixing is the best possible option, since what really matters is that each girl feels really pretty.
    I’m starting to deal with this myself, and its HARD.

  6. Rose at 5:49 pm

    As a newlywed and someone who just went through all this last year, let me suggest an option that may not be popular with brides, but will be very popular with your bridesmaids: let them pick. Either they can vote on the dress and majority rules, or let them pick any of those dresses. The second option is only if you’re able to handle your bridesmaids not matching perfectly. That said, that Nanette Lepore dress is very pretty, but the J. Crew is probably more wearable for everyone. Best wishes with the rest of your wedding planning!

  7. katek at 5:53 pm

    I like #1–sexy and definitely doesn’t look like a bridesmaid’s dress. The high-necked j crew sheath is good, too, but much more traditional.

    In terms of skin tones and going with your dress, I think the creamier yellows will work better. I know stronger, more mustardy yellows are the hot color right now, but your vintage lace and any pink-faced girls in your group will mesh better with a softer tone, as long as it doesn’t look too Easter-basketish.

  8. Stephanie at 6:11 pm

    I like #1…it is stylish and womanly. and yellow is one of the “in” colors for spring, so you might consider letting them buy it now so they might get more use out of it. I also like the idea of letting them choose among these options.

  9. Meghan at 7:40 pm

    I loved #2 and actually considered that dress for my bridesmaids, but when I saw the dress in person I thought it was a bit too casual. That didn’t stop me from buying it in bright berry for myself! 🙂

  10. ChairADay at 7:41 pm

    you gotta go with 2 for many reasons.
    wrap dresses look good on everyone.
    affordable.
    you can actually wear it again.
    LOVE IT.
    and its easy to return if someone gets the wrong size!

  11. Stephanie at 8:31 pm

    Though I favored #1 initially from the picture you posted, when I clicked through to the ShopBop link I liked it less–that’s a hard yellow to pull off.

  12. Fig at 10:00 pm

    Is there some newfangled wedding etiquette I’m not aware of? I was under the impression that brides pay for bridesmaid dresses . . . I’ve been a bridesmaid twice, and both times the bride bought the dress, and I paid for the dress MY bridesmaid wore.

    Seriously, do some bridesmaids buy their own dresses?

    Oh, and I like the Nanette dress but agree that it may be less flattering for some shapes than, say, the J.Crew would be. The $400 dress is my favorite, but the price is ridiculous, agreed.

  13. mrsem Author at 10:06 pm

    I thought that was the case too, but my friends laughed at me and I looked it up. Even Emily Post has the bridesmaids buying their own dresses now.

    I’m going halfsies with my bridesmaids just to be fair.

  14. Sarah at 11:20 pm

    I bought dress number 2 from J Crew online in a different color. It is really cute, but when I got it and tried it on, it was not flattering on me at all. It looks great on the J Crew models and on someone thin like you. I am pretty thin too, but have hips and a mommy tummy.
    I agree – let the bridesmaids choose. The photos will be yellow with each maid’s own style reflected.

  15. Mary at 3:55 am

    You are being very fair! That’s great. And all of your choices are lovely. I went the “let them choose” route but picked the color via JCrew and had them get any dress they liked in that shade. It worked out well in terms of everyone matching but having their own look. I wasn’t a huge fan of all the styles but once they were all together I did like them. Well, when I saw them in pictures, anyway–i was so overwhelmed the day off I mostly only noticed what my husband looked like! 🙂

  16. Sara at 7:43 am

    i agree with rose and did something similar, i told my bridesmaid to pick any light blue short dress. There were 4 of them in 4 totally different dresses in different shades of blue and I think it looked really lovely. Everyone got a dress that suited them as far as style and color. And they were matching without being identical.

    I can send you a photo if you would like.

  17. AEO at 1:30 pm

    I tried on #2 yesterday in a different color and, though I thought it would be really flattering, it wasn’t. And it’s really NOT dressy. I like the other JCrew one a lot, though I’d have a hard time paying $400 for it!!!! What color shoes are you thinking about with the yellow dress?

  18. Janet at 1:53 pm

    Hands down, the Mirabelle dress is my absolute favorite. Some of the others seemed too casual to me. Yes, it is pricey, but perhaps it will go on sale at some point soon.

  19. heather at 2:35 pm

    I vote for the Vince Clip dress. Lovely texture with your lace, classic silhouette, flattering to most shapes, and reasonable price.

  20. Anonymous at 2:45 pm

    i agree with the previous comments: #1 is beautiful but a difficult shape for everyone to pull off. i am tall and thin, but with my boyish shape, that cut makes me look like a box. very unflattering. i think that with some simple pearl earrings and great shoes, #5 would look elegant, not casual. you could also use a seamstress to make something similar to #4 for less…

    that said, definitely let them pick. that’s what i did and everyone loved their dresses. in fact, everyone wore them again–and they were yellow too!

  21. Navy & Gray at 3:39 pm

    I love the idea of having bridesmaids wear all of the same color but different dresses. That way they can pick the shade of yellow that best suits their skintone and the style dress that best complements their figure.

    But J. Crew bridesmaids dresses will always have a special place in my heart 🙂

  22. cindy at 6:05 pm

    costing under $250 in theory seems reasonable, but then again i just grumbled when purchasing my $120 bridesmaid dress because i seriously doubt i can find another occasion to wear it to. none of your dresses seem too “bridesmaid-y” though. so that’s a definite plus! i love 1 and 3, for those dresses i can imagine spending more. it’d be nice to base it on what sort of financial situations your bridesmaids are in.

    in practice if i’m going to spend that kind of money on any article of clothing, i would really hope that a) it looked good on me and b) i could easily wear it again. plus there are all the other costs your bridesmaids are going to have to consider: shoes, accessories, travel?, gifts, just to name a few. maybe $250 for the entire ensemble?

  23. lsaspacey at 1:38 am

    What about these two yellow dresses that were in this What To Wear? post of yours? http://emilystyle.blogspot.com/2008/02/wedding-wednesday-what-to-wear.html
    I really think the first one could be flattering on all body types, curves or no curves.

    If you’re worried about the color, have J.Crew send you a swatch, or have your bridesmaids request them so they can try it out with their skin.

    I thought you had another post on possible yellow dresses but I couldn’t find it. Am I mistaken?

  24. Caroline at 11:02 pm

    love the J.Crew one..but yes expensive…love 1. very unusual and your bridesmaids will love it!