Here are some of the confounding factors:
1. I've been a bridesmaid before, and know how it feels to shell out a lot of dough for that role. And particularly, for a dress that is just OK, or a dress that I feel like I could have found a very similar one for a lot less on my own. Or for a dress I will never wear again. Cause really, when will you wear it again?
2. My style is definitely not the same as my bridesmaids' styles. So I have to be careful to pick something they will all be comfortable in, and not something with ruffles and flowers just because I like them. Right?
3. I always thought I'd do the "just wear a black dress" thing...that the newly married MRS. Pumpkin did, and it looked lovely, see?
personal photo
But I'm getting married in the fall...and somehow black dresses feel wrong in our outdoor, colorful, autumn influenced wedding.
4. I want to pick something moderately priced. This seems to be more challenging now than in the good ol' days (I can say that because I am 30). I'm looking at you, J. Crew. Why are you jacking up your prices for*??? Have you not heard about the global economic crisis?!?
5. I have actually found some bridesmaid dresses I like. But they are, um, designer. Jim Hjelm, to be exact. Yes, I have a problem.
Are these dresses really better than those other more affordable ones? I think so, but I am also swayed easily by my label whore tendency.
6. Last confounding factor, I promise. Cardigans! Oh how I love a cardigan. I was originally thinking about letting the brides pick their own style of aubergine colored dress, and I would gift them a cardigan (in either a contrasting solid print or a floral print). But then I stumbled on this image....
I think I'm just gonna keep waiting for some inspiration. I have awhile anyway until the wedding. But until inspiration finds me...
Do you have a preference over style versus price point? Where did you find your bridesmaids' dresses?
*For the grammar freaks out there, yes, I am aware that you are not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition like "for." But, it's my signature preposition at the end of a sentence for when I am especially frustrated. Thanks for giving me a pass.
The cardigan look is so cute, I also love black dresses for ANY season :D Keep searching, there's tons of stuff out there. Did you try all the usuals- Vicky's, DB, J. Crew?
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that picture on the bottom left! That's a great picture - the different cardigans really make it interesting!
ReplyDeleteI love the cardi's they are adorable! When i see photos like this i wish i was having more bridesmaids, im just having 2, so easy on dresses but not as cute for the out of the box things!
ReplyDeletetwo immediate thoughts:
ReplyDelete1. i love, love, LOVE that purple jim hjelm dress with the ruffley neck thing. that is soooo pretty. does it cost one million dollars?
2. cardis = maximum cuteness. i am also all over that idea!!!!
-Mrs. Penguin
I'm bummed because I can't see the cardigan pic.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I picked two colors for my bridesmaids dresses. I had 4 bridesmaids so 2 wore each color. However, none of them wore the same dress (they got to choose their color and style). My MOH's dress had a gorgeous sash in the other color tied around the waist, so she was special. I feel like it worked really, really well. I totally stole the idea right out of a catalog. We got them at David's Bridal.
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs023.snc3/11036_635654556261_25004736_37049377_7050716_n.jpg
Hey try again, sugarlumpy, I fixed the image...idk what happened to it!
ReplyDeleteOh, and that purple Jim Hjelm dress. A friend of mine had her BMs in that at a wedding last weekend, and they looked fantastic! Not that you need any more influence to covet the Jim Hjelm dresses! (c:
ReplyDelete