A Modern Style Guide To Keeping Bridesmaids Happy.

One thing I see time and time again at weddings are bridesmaids wearing similar looks to one another - which I can guarantee they would never normally consider wearing in their everyday lives. I’m always very confused by this kind of thinking because if I were to watch a red carpet awards ceremony, I never see any of my favourite actresses wearing cloned hairstyles and matching makeup. Women are currently celebrated for their unique take on fashion styling as well as grooming, so it only seems natural to me that this movement should filter through to the modern bridal party.

THE ORIGINAL ROLE OF A BRIDESMAID

Look familiar?

The idea of having your bridal party all wear the same dress actually dates way back to an old Chinese practice during the feudal era for when a young girl would soon be married. The original role of a bridesmaid was to protect the bride from a potential kidnapping by a jealous suitor or evil spirit. The bridesmaids she chose would be requested to all wear white dresses so that if someone were to try and kidnap her, they would hopefully be confused by who the actual bride was and capture one of her maids by mistake. It wouldn’t be until after the ceremony that they would be aware that they had taken the wrong woman. Later, as legal protections for marriage were established, this was no longer necessary, and the role of a bridesmaid became more symbolic.

As we no longer need to trick our guests into knowing who the bride is, I believe it is more agreeable than ever before to allow your bridal party to look and feel as comfortable in their wedding attire as you do in the gown you have likely spent weeks or months searching for. Another thing to bear in mind is that often bridesmaids are told they could wear their dress again – however, if the dress doesn’t make them feel comfortable or like any version of themselves, that (pricey) dress will most likely end up in a charity shop, on eBay or at worst just thrown away directly after your big day.

STYLING OPTIONS

Models wear THE OWN STUDIOS dresses, available in various styles and tones.

One of my favourite bridesmaid styling options is allowing your friends the opportunity to find what looks best on them. If you truly have your heart set on a particular colour palette, something as simple as allowing them to pick alternate tones for their dress can make a world of difference to how they will perceive their dress. Another styling option would be to have them each choose a different cut in the same tone so that their varying body shapes all fit perfectly in their dresses, leaving them as confident in what they’re wearing as you do in yours. I find brands such as THE OWN STUDIO and SHONA JOY to be wonderful suppliers as they carry their dress styles across a range of different cuts and colour palettes which flatter different body shapes and skin tones. An added bonus to these styles is that they really are items you would be happy to wear again & can be worn with other pieces in your wardrobe for either everyday wear or for a special occasion.

Another modern but fun item for bridesmaids is something like a monogrammed boyfriend shirt to get ready in, rather than the ultra feminine bridal robes we have all seen before. The added touch of having their initials embroidered onto the garment is something they will appreciate alongside the fact this is a wardrobe staple they can wear again after the wedding day.

One for everyone - Bride included!

After the dress, the next clone culprit usually has something to do with hair or makeup. Time and time again I see women subject their friends to exposing unfortunate hairlines or wearing mismatched colour palettes just because it’s a wedding. Honestly, if your friend came out of the hair salon looking like their toner was off, you would advise her to march straight back in there and ask them to fix it, so I think the same could be said for style choices on a wedding day. These ladies are supposed to be your friends, after all.

Differing style height options and partings are not the only way to mix things up to suit everyone. If one friend looks better with her hair down and the other with a ponytail style, plan ahead and practice wearing these different styles together on dinner dates to make sure you can all agree on something which both makes them feel themselves and makes you happy. This relaxed setting is also a casual way to give each other opinions and take photos of styles you like on each other without the heightened pressure usually surrounding the wedding day.

When it comes to makeup styling, so long as everyone feels enhanced, I think you should let them wear makeup they feel comfortable in. There is honestly nothing worse than being told you have to wear eyeliner when you don’t have the eye shape for it. Tightlining the upper lash line will give enough definition to the eyes for those with small or hooded eyes, so there isn’t any need for every bridesmaid to wear winged eyeliner. Sometimes this classic look just doesn’t suit everyone, so it’s better not to force it.

FINAL TOUCHES

To make sure everyone is totally equipped for the day, designate a day around the week of your hen party to catch up and collect those final items to make sure you are all ready for the day. This can include things such as the perfect jewellery choices to match their style (and yours), touch up items, heel protectors and those magic curve huggers we all know as Spanx. Never underestimate the importance of girdle style support underneath silk finish fabrics - it can really make or break an outfit!

The final step is now to organise any last appointments for you and your ladies to enjoy together a week before the wedding so that you all feel your absolute best and worry-free in the last two weeks before the wedding. This is a great way to ensure everyone is absolutely primed and prepared before the big day, as well as a means for you to have a little female bonding together through self-care. If you or your bridesmaids have any hair appointments during this time, just remember to save any major changes for after the wedding day so that no one ends up with a poor fringe choice in your forever photos! The same goes for facials. If you really can’t resist one, I personally recommend the FaceGym facelift. This one is more focused on lifting through massage, so there will be no nasty chemical redness, reactions or breakouts after. Just remember to try anything new beforehand to be sure of the results so that there are no surprises before the big day.

If you liked the above or have any questions, be sure to leave a comment below! I’d love to hear your thoughts and get chatting.