Comments on: Think about it–will you really ever wear it again?

By: Kate Cavendish

Kate Cavendish — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:27:33 +0000

With the trepidation of sounding sacreligious on a bridal blog, I’d venture to say that I really am not a fan of wedding dresses either. To me they appear costume-y, rather than enhancements of a woman’s personality . . .

By: Never teh Bride

Never teh Bride — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:07:20 +0000

Dianasaur: There’s always Halloween for the other two! I’d love to be in a Renaissance wedding so I could get the dress.

Twistie: Separates rock in terms of re-wearability! Even if you don’t care over much for the two halves together, you can always wear the individual pieces. I bet your bridesmaids loved you

By: Twistie

Twistie — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:29:12 +0000

If I played football and could squeeze into the dusty rose horror I wore for my brother’s wedding, I’d join in on the pastels team. At least it was cheap.

That said, the other two weddings I was a bridesmaid in, the dresses were absolutely wearable again. I wore one to the opera in San Francisco several times and got compliments from random opera goers every time. That one was well worth every penny I spent on it…all fifty bucks worth. Not bad, even for 1987.

When I got married, I had my bridesmaids wear off-white blouses and skirts. I handed them the patterns and the base fabric and told them to trim them as they pleased. One actually had the same blouse from another wedding, ironically enough, and just wore that one. I’m not sure if anyone wore the skirts again, but I know at least three of the five wore the blouses. And since the expense was again in the fifty dollar range, at least nobody was out much money for clothes they’d never wear again.

By: Dianasaur

Dianasaur — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:36:31 +0000

Since my mom made the bridesmaid dresses, we were able to include them in the wedding budget, so they only needed to buy their sandals. The dresses are renaissance, and two of my bridesmaids probably won’t wear them again, but sister and sister in law have both worn theirs at least once more, and will probably wear them each summer to renaissance fairs. Two out of four’s not bad

By: Never teh Bride

Never teh Bride — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:47:03 +0000

It’s so true, Melissa B. — the less bridesmaid-y the dress, the more expensive it usually is!

That’s a real shame, JaneC. I think that the world will be a better place once dress styles resolve in some way and there are no longer any truly bridesmaid-y dresses.

By: JaneC

JaneC — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:15:16 +0000

I doubt that my bridesmaid will ever wear her dress again, but the dress wasn’t my choice so I have no guilt in the matter. All I said was that it had to be sort of cranberry red–she decided cut, style, fabric, length, and where to buy it. She ended up having a dress made by a seamstress. It was a pretty enough, but definitely had that “bridesmaid” feel and she wasn’t happy with it.

By: Melissa B.

Melissa B. — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:16:49 +0000

I read that NY Times article too. I loved the dresses they showed in their slideshow, but unfortunately, “fashion-forward” choices seem to be much more limited in lower price ranges! I would love to keep dress costs for my bridesmaids under $150, which puts Bagdley Mischka and Alvina Valenta somewhat out of my price range. Alas!

By: Meg

Meg — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:57:46 +0000

I lucked out on the one and only bridesmaid’s dress I’ve had to wear: the bride said “any dress in this shade by this manufacturer” so I picked something flattering and wore it five or six times to the opera after that. And then I tired of it and donated it to goodwill

I tried not to torment my one bridesmaid at my wedding. We picked out a nice gown she felt comfortable in and could wear again at a formal occasion.