What's Appropriate and What's Flattering when Dressing Your Bridesmaids
When it comes to your bridesmaids and their wedding day attire, the choice is yours! Now, of course you don’t want to make everyone wear something that they absolutely hate, but the rule of thumb is that you make the decisions in terms of color, style, shape and length of their dresses.
Although your bridesmaids’ dress length may seem trivial in comparison to the millions of other things running through your brain, it has a subtle but integral part in setting the tone, the theme and the character of your nuptials.
Decisions, decisions.
Though today’s bridesmaids may be allowed to choose a style of dress that best suits their body type, a defined dress length is a statement of elegance for your wedding
When deciding on your bridesmaids’ dresses and whether they should be long or short, you will have to consider the type of wedding you are having (formal vs. informal), time of day and the time of year.
Formal (black-tie) weddings call for floor-length gowns, while an informal wedding (i.e. cocktail receptions, black-tie optional and/or daytime) is the perfect place for a cocktail-length dress, which is usually above, below or directly at the knee. Whichever length you choose, make sure that each bridesmaid is aware and compliant with your decision.
If the ceremony is taking place during the day, keep the dresses at cocktail length, as opposed to evening affairs where short, t-length (mid-calf) or floor length are a personal choice. Sundresses for a wedding on the beach are perfectly appropriate, while a t-length dress is a great option for an evening wedding at home.
When it comes to a climate, consider how it affects your bridesmaids. If it’s 30-degrees, your ceremony will most likely not be outside, therefore both short or long dresses are plausible However, if you, your bridal party and your guests are going to sitting outside in 90-degree weather, with little breeze and lots of sunshine, be kind to your friends by letting their legs breathe.
Straight down the line.
Directly after your bridesmaids purchase the dress, you must specify to all of them how many inches the dress should be shortened from the floor when the shoes are on. Call them directly, or send them an email with the specifics because this is often overlooked, resulting in the bridal party looking uneven.
A floor-length gown should be no more than 1 to 1 ½ inches off of the ground, with the shoes on. Therefore, when your bridesmaids go to their dressmakers, they must have the shoes they purchased for it with them. If you are firm, direct and pleasant in your instructions, they will have no problem with complying, and will look nothing less than extraordinary for your day.