As your wedding day quickly approaches, it’s time to think about the attire for your bridal party. Quite often brides tend to make the mistake of hunting for their bridal party’s attire well before they have found their own gown. It’s always best to ensure that as the bride you have found your dream gown before beginning to plan your bridesmaids. This will ensure that the dresses you select for your gal pals, tie in beautifully and cohesively with your chosen dress. For all you Fall/Winter brides, it’s time to bring the tribe together and head out to some bridal boutique and formal dress stores. It’s important to remember that like most bridal gowns, a bridesmaid dress can take quite some time to order in. A big challenge of finding the perfect bridesmaid dress is being able to find that one gown that suits each and every girl in your bridal party. Quite often a bridal party will consist of women of all different heights, body shapes, hair colour, skin tones etc. If you’re not so keen on having your bridesmaids wear different style gowns then a great option would be opting for a custom-made bridesmaid dress. A special-hand-crafted gown can be a fun and unique experience for your bridal tribe and it will ensure that each girl fits perfectly in their gown and looks just as flattering as everyone else. We have gathered a whole bunch of versatile, fashionable and trendy styles for this upcoming Fall/Winter and we are so excited to share them with you!!
RUSTIC GLAM
Designer: Jenny Yoo
As the Autumn leaves begin to fall and the weather slowly cools down, the bright colourful trends tend to disappear. But this Fall season it’s all about keeping those warm rustic tones carried throughout the cooler months. A must-have staple this season is the classic velvet outfit. The every-day-wear trend made its way into the evening and formal-wear scene and we cannot get enough of it. A beautiful pure silk velvet gown is a great way to add formality and glam to any bridal party without having to worry about extravagant designs and complex dresses. A simple, plain dress made from a beautiful velvet is a great way to add elegance and warmth to your bridal tribe. From countryside, barnyard weddings to traditional city church and mansion receptions; you can’t go wrong with a beautiful array of rustic toned dresses. Expect to see a lot of burnt orange, wine coloured and burgundy toned gowns flooding the stores over the next few months as these Autumn tones hit the market.
ROYAL IN BLUE
Designer: Sorella Vita
From rich reds, deep mauves, burgundy’s, royal blues and rustic burnt oranges; how can we not love winter fashion!! Quite often bridesmaid gowns tend to feature a simple sweet-heart neckline with an elegantly gathered chiffon skirt; and whilst this makes a divine option, we can expect to see something different and unique this season. Straying away from sheer overlays and flowy skirts, this Fall/Winter features well-tailored gowns made from structured fabrics such as silk satins, dupion, zibeline and Queen satins. For all you brides that have a diverse bridal party, we can understand the difficulties of finding a versatile gown for your bridesmaids. Perhaps consider a simple tailored bodice with a pleated skirt. Pleats are extremely flattering and comfortable for women of all body shapes and sizes. Another great idea is to create your custom-made bridesmaid gown with inseam pockets. Pockets make a gown extremely functional and convenient; especially at a wedding when you don’t want to constantly be holding your phone or the brides lippy.
OPULENT ORANGE
Designer: okbridal.co.uk
This Fall it’s all about those stunning warm, rustic tones from Terracotta red to your muted burnt oranges. As the weather gets cooler, contrasting colours such as your warm shades tend to look fantastic to brighten up the look and feel of your wedding. A burnt orange is a great way to add a splash of colour into your theme without it being too overpowering or wishy-washy. It’s also a very versatile shade which is commonly found to be more flattering on a variety of skin complexions in comparison to your bright orange and yellows. Finding the right colour can be quite the challenge, but more so than this, finding the perfect gown for all your bridesmaids can be even more difficult. A great option is to have a beautifully draped pure silk satin skirt. A comfortable bridesmaid is a happy bridesmaid!! Remember that functionality is very important for both the bride and her tribe. A draped, flowy circle skirt suits a wide variety of body shapes as it has the ability to hide any imperfections or areas of concerns which is a massive plus for any diverse bridal party.
MIX AND MATCH
Designer: Jenny Yoo
We understand that the biggest fear of mix-and-matching is having an inconsistent and uncoordinated bridal party. The number one key to executing this exciting Fall/Winter trend is to ensure that the colours are all the same and that you don’t have too many options across the gowns. Keeping in mind that it can be a challenge to find multiple different styled gowns in the exact same colour and dye-lot. The safest option is to purchase all the gowns from the same dress boutique as they tend to use the same fabric and dye-lot across their collections. By wearing the same colour, your bridal party will already look coordinated, therefore giving you more freedom to explore unique necklines and various fabrics. However, try to avoid having some gowns plain, some beaded and others in lace. A vast variety of fabrics and embellishments can clash and can highlight some dresses whilst also detracting from others. The easiest and most flattering way to dress a diverse party is to pick one or two gorgeous colours and to custom-make the dresses with the same skirts and opt for a variety of unique and funky necklines.
SUBTLE FLORAL VIBES
Designer: Camille La Vie
A new trend emerging this Fall/Winter are your delicate floral-patterned gowns. Sometimes a print design on a bridesmaid gown can be too overwhelming and clash with the bride and the theme of the wedding. However, when done correctly it can look absolutely beautiful and tie in great with your bridal theme. When selecting a patterned gown, opt for a subtle floral design with a large scattered pattern and minimal colours. A scattered pattern won’t draw in too much attention and is pleasing for the eye. Ideally select a pattern with colours that can be intertwined with the decorations such as incorporating the floral colours as the ties and pocket squares for the groomsmen. This will make your bridal party appear sophisticated, clean and consistent. A floral pattern can add some quirk and warmth to the appearance of your bridal party, especially if you’re having a relatively simple wedding or are struggling to select a theme.
DIVINE IN WINE
Designer: Sorella Vita
As the chilly Winter breeze kicks in, all the gorgeous dark colours begin to hit the market. Expect to see a lot of deep red and wine-coloured gowns with beautiful contrasting green and white floral arrangements. These deep purple and red coloured shades tend to suit a lot of different skin tones, making it a fantastic option for your bridal party. As the weather begins to cool down it’s important to think about the appropriate style gown that will be both flattering and comfortable to wear during the cooler season. A beautiful floor length silk skirt is an ideal length when having a Winter wedding. Alternatively, you can opt for a gorgeous knee-length or tea-length skirt with ¾ sleeves to add extra coverage to compensate for the skirts shorter length. If you’re bridesmaids opt for a strapless or spaghetti strap dress, perhaps consider having a light weight silk chiffon throw or a simple fur bolero. These are great ways to add warmth to your bridal party’s attire whilst still remaining extremely formal and glamorous.
WHEN IN DOUBT
Designer: Jenny Yoo
Finding a neckline that suits everyone in the bridal party can be one of the most challenging things when trying to find a bridesmaid gown. When in doubt opt for a subtle V-neckline with a slightly dipped backline. The V-neckline is one of the most flattering styles that tends to suit a wide variety of body shapes. The V-design is extremely elongating and can give the illusion of a slimmer top-half. When selecting the V-neckline try and avoid a low plunge as it can often show off unflattering areas and tends to be less supportive for the wearer. A subtle dip at the back is a great way to elongate the body without showing off too much skin and still remaining relatively modest. A slightly loose fitted bodice is also a great option when in doubt. A tight fitted bodice doesn’t always suit everyone and can often draw attention to any unwanted areas. However, a loose fitted bodice is a lot more comfortable and breathable.
REGAL ELEGANCE
Designer: Marchesa
A big issue when hunting for off-the-rack bridesmaid gowns is that there tends to be very limited styles and the gowns often all look the same. If you’re wanting to have something different and unique then a great alternative would be opting for a custom-made bridesmaid dress. A beautifully draped skirt with a side split can look extremely elegant. It also allows the wearer to move comfortability without any restrictions. Another elegant feature is the Bateau and off-the-shoulder neckline; which is another big emerging trend for Fall/Winter 2019. The off-the-shoulder design is a great way to accentuate the collarbones and draw more attention to the bridesmaids pretty faces. Another beautiful feature is to have a subtle ruched bodice which can give the illusion of a slimmer figure whilst also appearing extremely flattering. It’s a great option which can replace having lace and any complexed silhouettes.
MUTED GLAM
Designer: Birdy Grey
The cooler seasons tends to showcase a variety of dark colours such as rich reds, rustic oranges and royal blues, along with a stunning range of muted shades. For all you pastel lovers, this is a fantastic option! Many people tend to fear muted shades as they can often wash you out. When selecting a muted colour, it is best to stay away from cooler undertones such as blue and grey based shades. Find a colour that has a yellow or red undertone as it will add more warmth to your skin. Muted colours should still have a good level of vibrancy without being too strong and overpowering. Muted purple is one of the most popular and flattering lighter Winter shades. It is also a very versatile colour that can be accessorized with both gold, silver and nude accessories. Instead of adding a heavily beaded lace or extravagant sleeves, perhaps opt for a simple yet elegantly ruched bodice. A touch of pleating or gathers can add the perfect level of elegance and glam to your bridesmaid’s gown.
CLASSIC PASTEL
Designer: Camille La Vie
Finding a bridesmaid dress can be quite a challenge, especially when it comes to selecting a colour for all your girls to wear. A fantastic option that tends to suit most skin tones is the pastel range. A beautiful baby pink, pale blue or light lavender are great colours that suit both fair skin and darker skin tones. As most wedding gowns tend to be either white or ivory, sometimes it’s better to opt for a subtler shade that won’t contrast too much against the bride’s gown. Sometimes a vibrant colour or patterned print can be quite overpowering and clash with all the decorations and theme. The safest option for a diverse bridal party is to select a pastel shade, as it tends to be very versatile. Whilst pastels tend to be known as relatively summer-based colours, when it comes to the bridal world, pastel is a true classic and can be worn throughout all seasons!
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