To the delight of many young couples, wedding season is back again. It's undoubtedly a time of joy, but also a time of stress for bridesmaids who plan out their outfits many days before the event. It's easier for guys, of course. They usually keep two or three suits in their wardrobe for such occasions, and at special occasions they add variety to them with a shirt or tie. At this time, the bridesmaid is tormented - can she choose a black or white dress? In this article we will answer this and other questions.
Wedding or civil ceremony
Please note that a wedding usually consists of two parts. The first is more formal and takes place in a church. The second part is in the restaurant.
- For the formal part, it is worth considering an outfit that covers the shoulders and neckline.
- In a restaurant, you can allow yourself more freedom and expose part of your body. The most important thing is that the outfit does not interfere with competitions and dances.
How to dress for a wedding as a bridesmaid?
Basic Rules
- Do not overshadow the bride - she should be the brightest on this day.
- Be careful with a black and white outfit - although this is a classic dress, it may be inappropriate during a wedding.
- Choose comfortable clothes. A wedding is a multi-hour event.
- Follow the rules of elegance - this way you will always feel fashionable and appropriate.
- Forget about flashy jewelry, provocative makeup and sequins. A wedding is a family holiday, not New Year!
- Choose high-quality, elegant fabrics - emphasize the importance of this celebration, so leave tight dresses and jeans for other holidays.
- Dress appropriately for church and for a restaurant - with the help of a well-chosen outfit, you will look appropriate for these two parts of the holiday.
Figure
- Girls with massive hips should opt for flared, long or midi dresses. A corset-style top slims the upper part of our body.
- Very slender women can freely choose dresses with large geometric patterns. Then the accessories should be more restrained so that the image does not take on a caricatured look.
- Short ladies should wear fitted dresses. High-heeled shoes will add a few centimeters.
- Asymmetrical dresses suit girls with small breasts.
- A-line dresses perfectly hide extra pounds.
- If you have massive shoulders, then complement your outfit with a bolero or shawl.
For those who don't like dresses
Consider the option of a beautiful trouser suit, because it personifies severity and nobility; you will look festive, but at the same time you will not attract increased attention and whispers behind your back.
Suits have long been in fashion; Hollywood, and then ours, representatives of celebrities, became the legislators of this hot trend. There are many options and colors available, you are sure to find your own unique look.
This is an excellent option for a business woman; in this outfit you can go to a wedding, to work in the office, or even better - straight from the ship to the ball. Well-chosen accessories and the right make-up will help your suit become multifunctional; it will help you out more than once.
So, you have decided on the outfit, but there are still many nuances.
Remember that professional hair styling, proper makeup and a neat manicure have never been canceled. It is these seemingly insignificant components that are the basis of your well-groomed appearance.
What exactly should you avoid?
- You should definitely avoid colors like white, cream or ecru. These are the colors reserved for the bride. So don't try to compete with her. Unless the bride asks you to wear such a dress.
- It often happens that in order to emphasize the importance of the role she plays at the wedding, the bridesmaid is asked to choose an ecru dress or suit, powder pink or cream. However, these dresses usually differ significantly in cut and shade from the bride's dress.
- While a wedding is a great occasion to wear formal attire, be careful with it. Very deep necklines, mini, sequins, provocative, bright makeup will be inappropriate. Let your outfit highlight your figure, but emphasize classic elegance, and you will certainly feel well dressed.
Nowadays, leopard print, snake and zebra prints are again popular in everyday looks; they are not suitable for weddings. This outfit may seem too vulgar, especially if it is also very tight. The animal motif should be used in accessories - a handbag or shoes.
What should the fabric and style be?
The style and fabric of the dress can be completely different, it depends on the time of year, the weather, your own taste and even the design of the hall in which the celebration is supposed to be held. A sheath dress, distinguished by its elegance, and even a summer sundress are quite acceptable, if it corresponds to the importance of the upcoming event.
The length can be any, with the exception of the defiant mini, the top is open or closed. However, it should be taken into account that if the newlyweds are planning to get married, their shoulders will need to be covered; for this purpose, you can use a cape.
Important point:
A win-win option will always be an outfit in a romantic style.
For example, a light, loose skirt made of chiffon or silk with a train looks very gentle. A dress in the Greek style also looks impressive, especially with a matching hairstyle.
However, any outfit, first of all, should emphasize the figure of its owner in the most favorable way. For example, a tight dress will not suit both a plump and a thin girl. A loose-fitting dress would be optimal here.
High cost is also not a guarantee of success. Moreover, for those who are experiencing financial difficulties, it is quite possible to rent a dress or choose an outfit in such a way that it can be worn after the wedding.
Dress according to the dress code!
It happens that the bride and groom indicate in the invitation what kind of attire is required during their celebration. Most often, this convention concerns the style of clothing called black tie. This means that the wedding will be very magnificent - similar to a royal celebration.
At such an event, men most often appear not only in suits, but also in tuxedos. In turn, ladies can afford ballroom or evening dresses. Then you can wear a sophisticated cocktail dress that ends below the knee. An elegant suit will also suit such a special day. First of all, focus on quality materials such as silk, velvet or georgette.
However, in Russia it is rare to specify a dress code in a wedding invitation. Therefore, it is best to figure out what to wear for such an occasion. Ask the bride about her wedding style. Maybe it'll be a banquet where you'll feel your best in a cocktail dress. Or maybe the newlyweds will have a wedding outside the city, where you will conquer the dance floor, then you will need a comfortable outfit.
Taking into account your body type
When thinking about what dress to wear to a friend’s wedding, the style is no less important, but here you will have to completely focus on the characteristics of your figure and height.
| Body type | What to choose |
| Pear shape | Pay attention to models that are close to the body, but widen at the bottom (new bow or empire style). You can afford multi-layered sleeves and unobtrusive decor on the dress. |
| Apple shape | Straight cut and A-line outfits are preferred. Empire style can also be worn. If the festival is in the summer, pay attention to sleeveless styles. |
| Hourglass figure | The ideal figure in terms of choosing outfits - you can afford anything. Fitted dresses, American armholes, and retro style are especially good. Do not forget about the correct selection of complementary accessories; there should not be too many of them, otherwise you will look cheap and vulgar. |
| Inverted triangle shape | Bet on open shoulders and a complex multi-layered skirt. We recommend non-solid clothing, for example, dark top and light bottom. Empire style is also suitable. |
| Rectangular figure | The drapery and sheath style are just right. Tight or baggy clothes look bad on such figures, sharply emphasizing their flaws. |
Selecting accessories to match a friend’s wedding dress is important for every woman. There is no need to sprinkle yourself with rhinestones and put on ten rings and five beads at a time, even if they are all beautiful, expensive and you want to show them off to everyone. You can complement the look with a shawl, a neat hair accessory, and, of course, choose the right shoes.
How to dress for a summer wedding?
Wedding fashion changes depending on the season. It `s naturally! How to dress for a summer wedding? Here you can choose more airy outfits from light but elegant fabrics. Silk, chiffon or muslin are ideal. On the other hand, velvet or velor can look ridiculous in summer. In winter, they will fit perfectly into the image of a bridesmaid.
In summer you don't have to wear stockings or tights. Stylists very often emphasize that tights are worn only when the weather requires it, and not on occasion, as they said before. If you feel like you won't be cold, forget about tights! Especially if you choose sandals or open-toe shoes for your wedding dress.
In summer you can allow yourself to show more skin. Dresses without sleeves or even with a strapless neckline will be most appropriate. However, be sure to cover your shoulders during the ceremony in the church.
Dress for a witness: seven rules
The witness plays a special role in the wedding ceremony.
Throughout the day, she should not leave the bride for a minute, which will inevitably be captured in wedding photographs.
Therefore, the witness bears a special burden of responsibility for the correct choice of outfit. In order not to spoil one of the main holidays in a friend’s life, she should adhere to some rules:
- When choosing a dress, you must take into account the opinion of the hero of the occasion.
- Before you go shopping, it’s worth looking at what models fashion magazines offer for such an occasion.
- It is better to match the bridesmaid’s outfit to match the bride’s dress or the general decor of the room.
- The style of the dress and the texture of the fabric must match the bride's wedding dress.
- You should not wear too short dresses or dresses with a deep neckline, this also applies to fluffy skirts.
- The witness's dress and shoes should be comfortable, because she will have to move quite a lot.
- It is important to take a handbag with you to the celebration, where cosmetics, a mirror, handkerchiefs, and the bride’s hairpins will be stored.
Winter wedding
Although most couples decide to get married in the spring and summer, there are also such celebrations in the winter.
How to dress for a winter wedding? At this time of year, dark colors look completely different at weddings and you could even say that they are definitely more appropriate than in the summer.
This is a reason to choose a dress in green or blue and complement it with bright accessories. In winter, avoid sandals and wear closed-toe shoes. But don't go to extremes. Boots are not suitable for the wedding dance floor!
Color selection
It is important to choose the right dress for your friend’s wedding in tone, focusing not only on the bride’s outfit and the decoration of the festive interior, but also on your own skin type:
- Fair skin, light eyes and light hair go well with pale red, pink and gray;
- For dark-haired girls with fair skin, blue, cyan, violet, lilac and coral are ideal (red too, but it was mentioned at the beginning of the article - you should refrain);
- Fair-skinned people with warm undertones are well suited for peach, blue, coral, pale yellow, pale pink, beige, and lilac colors;
- For redheads and brown-haired women with dark eyes - shades of red, blue, brown, golden.
Of course, these are color guidelines only, and no one is forcing you to buy a gray dress if you want a green one. It is important that the chosen color suits you, plus you need to take care of the appropriate makeup to create a complete look and highlight all your advantages, diverting attention from flaws.
Images
Daytime
For a daytime wedding, it is recommended to combine prints with solid-colored shoes and accessories. Pastels, nudes and earth tones are also great options.
Evening
For an evening wedding, you can choose brighter and darker colors: burgundy, metallic (silver or gold), passionate red.
