Wedding Blog
Haven’t we all be in a wedding where we’ve had to wear a hideous dress? And by hideous, I mean not only was the dress ugly, but it was an awkward length, and it probably cost somewhere around $300. Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t like wasting money. Especially not on a lime green dress with a pink sash and orange tulle underneath (don’t forget the matching flip-flops and straw hat!), nor on a dress with shoulder pads that went out of style during the Brenda & Brandon years (90210, holla!). Whatever the bride told you, you absolutely, positively wouldn’t have worn such a dress again. It would have been so obvious to everyone around you that you were wearing a recycled bridesmaid dress!
Check these out. Tell me these aren’t hilarious!
From Ugly Bridesmaid Dresses, where people freely submit their own pictures.
Image from Giggle Sugar
When it came to choosing bridesmaid dresses, I thought I would let all of my girls pick their own dresses. My only requirement was that it was to be chocolate brown and knee-length.
Well, uh… cough…
That idea went out of the window when I was introduced to Watters, Jim Hjelm, Bill Levkoff, Alvina Valenta, etc… the list went on and on. I began to lust over the perfectly coordinated wedding parties I’d seen pictures of in Town and Country Weddings and Modern Bride. My mind began to wander off into a deep sea of chocolate tissue taffeta and champagne silk sashes. How could I have been so blind? Coordination was a GREAT idea! Matching bridesmaids? Who would have thought?
After many hours of searching, I’ve narrowed our choices down to these three dresses:
From Bill Levkoff, style #874.
Both dresses above from Jim Hjelm
My BMs said they would prefer straps of some sort and nothing above the knee. One of my girls needs some coverage for her “girls” (lucky!) and I think that all three dresses would do the job nicely. They are all around the same price, and I think the last one could even be worn again.
Our wedding is at night in the spring, so I’ll be providing cream and/or champagne colored wraps for them to wear if they get chilly. I really want my girls to be comfortable and feel gorgeous.
What do you think? Has anyone worn or used any of these dresses? Are there any other dresses you’d recommend that are similar?
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Wow, those dresses are hilariously awful! But good job you for picking out three gorgeous dresses for your girls. I would be thrilled with any of the three!
Your choices above are beautiful. My fav so far is the last one… it’s similar to my bridesmaids dresses.
I offered my girls several jim hjelm dresses at first. The larger breasted girls were not a fan of your last one because they did not think that it could reign in the boobage. I would check with your girls to make sure they think the style would go with their body types. I do love the ones you chose. Even though I ended up going with J Crew, I still look at that same Bill Levkoff dress in my binder and second guess my choice.
Nordstrom has a good selection of chocolate brown bridesmaid dresses. We ordered 5 of them online, had a big trying on party with champagne and then picked the one that was most flattering. Then it was easy for each girl to log in and order their own…
JH does such amazing stuff, I swear his dresses look great on so many different shapes. But I do love the blue with the parasol (omg didn’t we all have that as a toddler pics) some people are so cruel. I think either the 2nd or 3rd are great and both can be worn again.
I’m dealing with the same earth shattering decision as we speak — how bout we swap? 
j/k I do totally agree with Pom - #2 is awesome!!
#2’s actually one of the one’s I’M looking at for my girls. Good taste, Dumpling!
Um…not sure that those last 2 would be good for someone with boobs. would definitely need to try them on to see.
They are all lovely, but to me the first one seems to be the only one that is going to providing the coverage your bridesmaid requested… I saw something very similar to #3 in a wedding last month… and one endowed bridesmaid was more than falling out of her dress (granted she was one hot mess to begin with!). #2 looks nice on the model, but I would think on larger chested girl it might be a bit less than tasteful- that’s just me though!
I really like all of them, but #2 really sticks out as beautiful and compatible with different body types. My BMs have all different body types and they’ve told me that the thin straps are not too good for bigger boobs. I wouldn’t know - so I have to take their word for it! Haha.
I like #3 the best because the empire waist is almost universally flattering, and not hard to fit to your maids’ bodies like a body-hugging dress would be.
I have tried on #2 and it was a TERRIBLE choice for anyone with boobs! Relatively flat chested or plastic-surgeon created breasts only — there was cleavage hanging out everywhere, and it would have been darn near impossible to find any sort of a bra that would not have been visible. Pictures online are so deceiving — in reality, there is much less chest coverage than a lot of these dresses seem, because the models have no boobage whatsoever.
Yeah, I love # 2 as well. I suggested that one for my three readers (I let them pick; just gave them some color preferences), but none of them took that bait. Love it! But these all are nice, though I agree that #3 might be not enough coverage for some — and I suppose that might be true of #2 as well . . . *sigh* 
I’d have your bridesmaids try on the dresses first, especially the ones who want coverage in the front. My MOH is much more well endowed than I am and even though I gave my girls a choice of about 30 different dresses (same manufacturer, same color), only one looked good on her. So we just went with a different color and style for her. How about giving them a choice of different dresses, just in the same color? The dress that looks adorable on my 15 year old BM wouldn’t look as good on my 67 year old BM.
I love number #1! I wanted it for my own bridesmaids but ended up having to find something else due to budget and time constraints. As for the chest coverage, as someone who has to worry about that myself, #2 and #3 looks like they would make for quite a bit of cleavage.
Was price a matter to consider? Aren’t those designers expensive? Did you have any BM troubles?
My face is the middle one. But for coverage of the girls, the middle and bottom choice might not quite do it. You should ask your girl, though. I just worry about them. The top choice should be fine.
And, I too lust over those coordinated parties. So gorgeous!
Oops: face = fave!
Like most of the commenters, WOW I like that 2nd dress. I think that one AND #3 could be worn again. Actually, #1 too, but I don’t like it as much as the last two. And I wouldn’t know, but it does look like the #2 might have trouble in the boob coverage department. Too bad because it is so beautiful!
I wore a Jim Hjelm very similar to #3 in a friend’s wedding last year, and it was a great dress — very structured and supportive of “the girls.” My friend who is large-chested wore it with a strapless bra and said she was super-comfortable all night. So I think that would be a great choice!
My personal favorite is #1, but to be honest I could never pull it off with my hips, I think your BMs would have to be almost perfectly proportioned to look their best in it.
I just noticed how low the neckline on #2 dips! I originally thought #2 would be best…but now I’m not so sure. It’s tough to gauge these dresses when the models are 12 pounds. I agree with another poster who said to have your ladies try the dresses on first!
My girls are wearing #3! We ordered it in black and it’s so cute… they all love it! I have two bridesmaids that are well-endowed and they feel comfortable and supported with it. With that being said, there’s definitely some cleavage so if your BM is not OK with that, then it probably wouldn’t be good. If you would like to see a picture of a real person in it, send me an email at colleen.noble@gmail.com
I like the first two. As a person who has to worry about covering, erm, the girls, though, I would worry about cleavage with the second one. (Although, I like to show some cleavage… but that’s to each her own!).
i agree too…although 2 & 3 are very pretty, it would be difficult for your bridesmaids who have to worry about their “girls”…(especially dress #2)..dress #1 has best coverage…speaking from experience…
#1 seems to be the best for coverage.. and the simple cut of the dress means it can be worn for other occasions.
I like number one- and by number one I mean the purple one. I think the girls would wear it over and over, a closet must-have if you will.
very cute choices! however as a big girl-ed girl i have to note that none of them would be my first choice.. #2 and #3 (and ANYthing with a deep V or cross-over front) will show a lot of cleavage and will require a special bra. of course if you don’t mind cleavage showing it would be very red-carpet pretty, but if it’s a church wedding it might not be a good idea. 
also, #1 definitely has more coverage but since it’s an empire waist, she will probably have to order a huge size and get the waist, skirt, and hem all altered down drastically (which may change the look of the dress). remember that an empire waist’s seam has to sit under the girls… so unless you want marie antoinette-type spillover cleavage, she’ll need a really big top.
just my thoughts… i hope this helps!
i love #3, imo #2 is too revealing. nice choices! i went with jcrews emboss beach dresses. it was expresso brown so it looked a little more dressed up. added a satin sash and pashmina’s and viola! an ensemble that would probably not be worn together. but the dress alone can be versatile and be casual or semi formal with the right accessories.
My bridesmaids are wearing #1 in taupe, and they love it. (They picked it out.) Three of my four have had to have the chest area taken in (they’re all small to average size in that area). The fourth is a brand new mommy who had to order a size WAY too big for her to be safe since she was pregnant when we ordered them…she’ll probably have to have the whole thing re-worked. Anyway, the dresses look fabulous on them (and the ruching is very forgiving). Good luck making your decision!
@Miss Avocado: I do own #1 and I just wore it in a wedding. MISTAKE! It was the worst dress possible, so Im taking it off the list!
@Brilleen: Id LOVE to see it!
@MagPie518: Thanks MagPie! Let me know what you decided to pick!
@Me: They are expensive, but most BM dresses are. Really though, that same dress at Macy’s would be $75. I think they are all a waste of money and I seriously considered getting them made by a seamstress. ALl of my girls live far away, except for one, so coordinating fittings and sizes, etc. would be difficult=(
I would go for the second one because wrap dresses are flattering on all body shapes, especially ladies who are larger up top.
I love the 1st 2. The only proble with the first is that any extra bulge could show badly. The second is a but more forgiving. Plus the wrap style is very flattering.
@ miss avocado……it was NOT a mistake!!!! dress #1 looked gorgeous on her!!! absolutely fantastic!!!
she looked beautiful…
I’ve tried on the black Jim Hjelm and it was very cute- my favorite out of the ones I tried at the wedding shop.
#2 is a hot hot dress, but that HAS to be photoshopped beyond all recognition. Her head is wider than her waist!
[...] Remember when I said that at first, I wanted all of my BMs to pick their own dresses? And then I decided I needed fancy-schmancy matching dresses? Well… now we are back to the mix and match bridal party. I know—Miss Dumpling is a total flip-flopper. Do you still like me? [...]
[...] Remember when I said that at first, I desired every of my BMs to garner their possess dresses? And then I definite I necessary fancy-schmancy matched dresses? Well… today we are backwards to the intermixture and correct ceremony party. I know—Miss Dumpling is a amount flip-flopper. Do you ease same me? [...]
Hi, my friend picked the bill levkoff dress #874 for her wedding. I am big breasted and do not fit into the top of the dress. The chest section is too narrow so my boobs spill out at the top. I am now scrambling to either lose weight or find a larger size.
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Mrs. Dumpling, Las Vegas
Age and Occupation: 27, Finance
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 34, Real Estate
Engagement Date: March, 2008
Wedding Date: March, 2009
Blogging Since: August 26, 2008
Venue: Catholic church ceremony & golf course reception
About Me: I grew up in the Deep South, and while most people say I have a thick southern accent, I tend to think it only comes out when I need to use it. Living in Las Vegas has definitely been an adventure and Mr. Dumpling and I are loving every minute of it! We are planning a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony and a reception with lots of DIY! We might even get Elvis to show up! I'm a HUGE Beatles fan, love The Office and can't wait to become a Mrs.!
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