I remember my preteen years, unfortunately. I had a frizzy bob of uncontrollable hair, coke-bottle glasses, and wore high-waisted jeans with belly tops and snap-crotch bodysuits. (p.s., whoever misses the fashions of the early nineties is certifiably in-sane)
My hands were too big, my feet were too big, and the only direction my hems ever travelled was up - and at break-neck speeds. I was AWKWARD, with a capital everything. I had a different mad crush every week and wrote vociferously about my “true loves” in journals I kept hidden around my room and guarded with secret, surprisingly ineffective signs saying “KEEP OUT! THIS MEANS YOU! YOU’RE DEAD MEAT NOW!!”
Ahh, the preteen years. Until high school, it was the only time in my life where I felt simultaneously condescending towards everyone and conspicuously gawky.
By the time our wedding rolls around, two bridal party members will be in the thick of such pubescent turmoil (”awww man, did she just say ‘puberty’? that’s soooooo embarrassing!”) as they will have reached the tender, hyper-sensitive ages of ten and twelve years old.
Because of their ages, they are much too mature to be flower girls, but still fall short of bridesmaid requirements (ie, puberty …”awww man, she said it AGAIN!”)
Thus, Mr. Shortcake’s lovely and oh-so-loveable cousins, Gretchen and Gertrude, (fake names have been used to protect their true identities) will be my junior bridesmaids.
Gretchen and Gertrude, I know you follow along with my weddingbee posts, so here is one for you two:
Which of the following dresses do you prefer?
And for the hive, which dresses do you prefer, and what other sweet flowergirl/junior BM dress sites can you recommend as our search continues?
3) The Briar Patch Garden Lattice Pastel Dresses
4) My Girl Dress Diamond Quilted Dress
5) Amazon Flower Smocked Taffeta Dress
6) Amazon Easter Pink Dot Dress
9) Amazon Chocolate Brown Bordered Dress
10) My Girl Place Ribbon Accent Flower Girl Dress
#1. For girls that old, they’d probably be more comfortable in something they won’t see as “babyish,” no matter how cute the other “babyish” dresses are!
definitely the first one.
I agree with the other posters that #1 is the most “mature”, but I think #10 isn’t too baby-ish either 
I love 9 and 11!
2-6 look like it’s for much younger girls!
2 or 8!
#1, #6 and #9
I like #1 the best. I remember how I was at that age and I think it would make me feel like I was older teen but it wouldn’t make me feel like a litte kid.
I love number 1 too. So cute!
I like 1, 7 and 10. The other ones look young to me.
1 or 6 or 8 or 9.
#10!
I think 1 and 10 are def the best choices for their ages.
#1 is the most grown-up of the bunch… but definitely plan for possible minimal strap tacking. My 10 year-old neice was our JrBM with a simillar style dress - the spaghetti straps had to be altered so that she wouldn’t flash her ‘boobies’ - - seriously it was so funny to me how concerned she was about it, especially with as much big girl boob talk there was at BM dress picking time. It just goes to show that BM dresses and boobs are a touchy subject even for the little ones
unless your adult BM are wearing poofy skirts too, I think #1 is the only way to go.
I am with everyone else. 1 or 10. I love 10 because that is the kind of girl I am, but I know my FI’s younger cousins would pick 1. I have to remember that younger girls don’t have to hide hips like I do!
I like #10. It’s elegant without looking too much like a flowergirl.
I think the spaghetti straps on #1 are just too much for girls that age. And the girls may not even be that comfortable wearing spaghetti straps. But of course, this is just my opinion/assumption based on how I felt at that age. The obvious advice would to ask the girls. =)
I agree with Jenningsblue, 1 or 10. The poofy dresses look too cutesy, and I remember hating being told I was cute at those ages (still do, actually). It seems fitting to help a sensitive pre-teen feel grown-up and graceful, not like an overgrown flowergirl.
Agreed. #1 looks more grown-up than the others, although I like #7 and #10 as well.
I like 1 and 10– the others are too little-girl and I remember wanting to look grown-up at that age :).
I really like #10. Actually 9-11 are all good for me. I have a (gulp) 9 year old daughter. I think 1 might be a little too… adult for my liking
1, of course, 7 would be good for a (semi)formal ceremony and I also like 10.
Count me in as another for 1 or 10. Depends on what your bridesmaid dresses look like. If they have spaghetti straps or are strapless, maybe 1 would go with the overall look better. But 10 is my favorite. Elegant, but still wearable to parties afterwards, since it’s not too “adult” for a pre-teen. (hee, “you can wear it again!”)
#1 or #2
love #12
1 or 10. the others are all WAY too young-looking for 10-12 year olds.
Another vote for 1 or 10, with 1 being the most re-wearable.
And please stop saying “puberty”!!! Gahhhh MENS-STROO-AY-SHUN!!! flashbacks of 4th grade health class
I agree, #1 or #10. I have a 12-year-old sister, and I think #1 is the only one she’d really like - but she’d probably ask for a cardigan to wear over it! Jim Hjelm makes some nice, age-appropriate junior bridesmaid options, too.
I’m having this issue too, as my junior bridesmaid will have just turned 14 at my wedding. I really don’t want to get her anything too “little girl”, and I’m looking for a short skirt to match the older bridesmaid. We haven’t gone to try anything on yet, but I’m hoping she’ll just be able to fit into a size 0 bridesmaid dress rather than having to find a specifically “junior” dress for her.
#1 or #8
#1 is the most appropriate for Junior bridesmaids. #10 and #7 could also be suitable though. The others are too young and more for the traditional flower girl age.
definitely #1.
I have to brag; the girl modeling #2 and #8 is my niece-to-be!! She and her twin modeled for Watters’ latest line of flower girl dresses. They just turned 9, and they’re looking for the most “grown-up” dress to wear in my wedding…ahh, they group up too fast!
I like 7 and 10, but I would recommend, especially for this age range, that you widen your search to include “regular” dresses from Nordstrom, Macy’s, etc.
@Laura (#32) - that’s pretty cool! It must be so exciting to see their pictures show up in random places.
I agree with that #1 seems the best way to go. The others do seem a little too young, but #7 and #10 would also work.
I like 7-8-9.
Love #1! Have you looked at the junior bridemaids dresses at Alfred Angelo?
Number 1 is my fav! Of course I am bias since that is the dress my junior BM’s will be wearing!
I really like #1 and # 10!
#1. the others are all for much younger girls!
The blue in #12 is positively ROYAL, but it does look a bit young for junior bridesmaids…. maybe something that color but in a more mature cut lie #1?
Mrs. Shortcake, Vancouver
Age and Occupation: 24, Marketing Manager/Children's Lit Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Master's Student/Personal Trainer
Engagement Date: August 7, 2007
Wedding Date: October 2008
Blogging Since:
Venue: Ceremony in a historic church, tented lawn reception at a golf and country club
About Me: 1950's housewife sent to the future, reborn as crafting-obsessed, jill of all trades. I enjoy decorating, writing, baking sweet things, singing show tunes/dancing in public, wearing pearls, and knitting sweaters for my furbaby, Harvey, to chew upon. I heart pink, and believe that sparkles are the new black.
Defintely the first one for Jr. Bridesmaids. The others, while cute, scream Flower Girl to me :o)