Hello 100 Layer Cake readers! My name is Alex and I am a fashion and beauty editor for LaurenConrad.com where I have been blogging all about the preparations (and lessons learned) for my upcoming nuptials. As you can see I’ve joined forces with the lovely ladies of 100 Layer Cake and am excited to share some of my best industry tips and insights with all of you throughout the coming year. I’ll cover everything from aisle style to hair ideas and even a few makeup tutorial. To kick things off I thought it would be fun to talk about one of my favorite parts of planning: picking the bridesmaid dresses!
Coordinating bridesmaids dresses is tricky. More often than not you are working with a variety of different body types, skin tones, and hair cuts, which really complicates the process of picking the right dress for each attendant. To really throw a wrench into things, mismatched maids dresses have become all the rage as of late making the coordination a tad trickier…and that’s where I come in. If you’re into this on-trend medley of maids’ attire, take note of these 5 tips to create a perfectly coordinated crew of ladies for your big day.
1. Decide what aspect you are going to mismatch. You don’t just have to mix and match colors, you can also have everyone wear the same color but in different styles, or you can play with different materials and textures. If you’re really daring, try mismatching all three!
2. Select a color scheme. If there is a marquee color for your big day, be sure to base the dresses on various tones of that central color or are pick shades that are within the same color family. If you’re not especially savvy with color matching, stop by your local hardware store and grab a fan of paint samples to get inspired.
3. Make an inspiration board. As any modern bride may already know, Pinterest is an incredible visual resource. By pinning all of the dresses and accessories you are considering onto a single board you will be better able to imagine how everything will look together on the big day.
4. Let your maids pick out their dresses. No one knows your body better than yourself and the same goes for your bridesmaids. If you can outline the basics of what each girl needs to look for in a dress, she will feel empowered to find something that looks best with her unique figure. For my maids, I went to Dessy and pre-selected the color, brand, and fabric with my Maid of Honor. Then, I invited all of my maids to pick out their own cut from the selection. I think everyone was really happy (and appreciative) of the fact that they got to have a say in the style they would be wearing on the big day.
5. Tie it all together. One of the best ways to tie mismatched dresses together is by selecting a uniform element that each girl can wear. Whether it’s a necklace or even a fun pair of shoes—I think a common item that each maid can wear makes the overall look more cohesive.
More Ways to Mix & Match
Seeing as there are dozens of ways to mismatch your maids’ dresses, I thought I’d list out a few more ideas to get the wheels turning:
Same dress in different colors
Same dress in different lengths
Same color, different dress
Same color, different textures and/or patterns
Same dress, different accessories or beauty looks
Same color, length, fabric, different dress
Same designer, different dress
And there you have it. I hope you found this post helpful and feel confident to curate your mismatched bridesmaids! Are you into the mismatch look?
For more bridesmaid dress picks, be sure to check out 100 Layer Cake’s Bridal Party Shop!
Until next time…
xx Alex
Photos: The Long Haul
