How To Style A Bridesmaid Dress With House Of Fraser

Summer has broken through the veil of spring and as the weather heats up and the world goes outside, bridesmaid’s are called to their position at the brides side. Flowers are scattered as the bridesmaids walk up the aisle, in their pleated pink gowns that were blessed by the ‘Goddess Of Pink’ herself, flower crowns perched on their waiting heads. But knowing how to style a bridesmaid dress is another question entirely, as the bride and groom frantically converse with their fellow ‘wedding team’ calling into action ‘House Of Fraser‘, who as if by magic has come through to save the day. With a magic wand they blow a wish and out of sparkle and glitter comes a website anew, green dresses, blue, cropped jackets,blazers, one by one they dance like a merry go band, waiting for their chance in the spotlight. There are the punk bridesmaids who live their lives in a riotous explosion of music, ‘upcyling’ their dresses to show off their rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and there are the bridesmaids who are part mermaids and unicorns at weekends, who stroll into the sunset in shades of green and blue, until they meet with the princesses that transform them all into a legion of spectacular colour.

But the question of knowing how to style a bridesmaid dress was still perched on their lips, when they struggled to decide between the bridesmaid tribes that were battling for their chance to shine. But then it came to them, in the spur of the moment, they would merge two bridesmaids tribes together to evoke the summer season, a beautiful princess dress with a vibrant flower crown. She would upstage even the bride herself in a pink pleated lace off the shoulder dress, whose train pooled down to the ground in a waterfall of chiffon, a simple ribbon tied in a knot. The blue satin shoes jeweled with diamante would peek out underneath the dress, shyly at first as the bridesmaid would hitch up her skirts, taking care to not let the droplets of water that had fallen on the grass, moisten her dress. And the crowning glory would be the glorious rainbow flower crown that made her seem like she was even taller than she was, a symbol of power and strength in one bold bridesmaid dress. But poetics aside, the struggles of knowing how to style a bridesmaid dress can be a difficult feat to manage,especially if your gown is as extravagant as the brides to be. From picking out ‘key bridesmaid styles’ that suit the type of wedding you are attending, to learning what accessories can accentuate even the most simplest of gowns, here are some surefire ways to turn you into the mermaid princess bridesmaid queen that you have always dreamed of becoming…

Choose A Dress That You Can Wear Again 

The bridesmaid turned to her ‘bride to be’ best friend and asked if she could have a say in the bridesmaid dress ‘selection’, being someone who was chosen to be the ‘chief bridesmaid’, her chest puffed out with bride. And the bride agreed, she said ‘choose something that you can wear again’, that wont sit in your wardrobe collecting dust. And then the decision was oh so clear, the bridal gods had paved the way once more and showed her how even something as elaborate and as formal as a pink maxi dress, could be worn again outside of bridal occasion’s. The bridesmaid would wear it with a knitted jumper and belt during winter, with a beret cap and heeled sandals, so that it looked like she was wearing a top and beautiful skirt, as opposed to singular dress. But in the summer the flowers would be wreathed into her plaited bun and she would wear the bridesmaid dress once more, accessorizing it in as many different ways that were as humanly possible. But perhaps on another occasion she would choose another dress to wear, it should be a shorter cocktail number that she could dance in, a vision in pink satin, a smaller flower crown twined round her curly black hair, in a floral dance.

On another occasion she was a bridesmaid who had no choice as to what she could wear, roped into traumatic ‘try on sessions’ with a bride who payed her no mind. But in the end with careful accessorizing she was able to make it work and transformed her bridesmaid gown into a thing of wondrous beauty. So remember that even a dress that you do not or are unable to choose yourself still has the possibility to be worn again, so that it does not lie forlorn in a crumpled mess at the bottom of your wardrobe. But if you are given the choice to choose your own bridesmaid dress then go for something that can be worn more than once so that it is worth the money you spend. After all moments might be priceless, but make sure that it is a moment worth living for.

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Remember Your Wedding Guest Colour Etiquette

The bride dreamed of a wedding that would be filled with colour, where the mermaids and merman would hold hands in unison as the Merqueen and her ‘Mer-bridesmaids’ would walk down the aisle, glitter confetti and jewels trailing in their wake. But outside of a ‘mermaid fantasy’ it’s important to remember that you should respect the brides choice of colour for the wedding ceremony, whether that be blue, black , pink or anything else as after all it is her very own special day. And while most colours whether they be pastel, rich jewel tones or neutral colours are acceptable hues to wear as a bridesmaid, you should never turn up in ‘pure white’, especially if the bride is a traditionalist and is wearing white herself. Picture the shock and horror that would transpire in the brides eyes as her brides meld into one, a snow white fantasy gone wrong. Instead talk to the bride and see what she wants as a colour theme for her special big day. Perhaps it will be the colour pink as I have gone for, a simple pastel colour that radiates summer through every inch of its glorious pleated fabric. Whatever the wedding colour you choose, just make sure that you do your homework and learn how to style your bridesmaid dress, in a way that matches her theme.

So for example the theme I had in mind when thinking how to style my own ‘bridesmaid dress’ for a summer wedding fantasy was to keep accessories like shoes and bags in a similar pastel palette, with rose gold metallic accents, before contrasting that with a large rainbow flower crown, to bring the spirit of summer alive. But for others, they might choose to do the opposite and instead of going for a block colour like pink, might choose instead a ‘floral print’ that is so reminiscent of summer, with simple accessories like a pearl headband and block coloured accessories that accentuate the print of the bridesmaid dress.Just make sure you check in with the Bride To Be First though!

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Shop The ‘Pink & Purple Theme Bridesmaid Dress & Co Selection’

 

Shop The ‘Yellow’ Theme Bridesmaid Dress & Co Selection’

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Shop The  ‘Printed Theme’ Bridesmaid Dresses

If The Bride Is Having An After Party Be Cost Efficient By Choosing A Dress That Can Be Worn To Both Ceremonies 

The bridesmaid floats into the hall where she changes into another, shorter gown that she can twirl and dance in as the music commences. The wedding afterparty has officially begun and streamers are pulled, as the guests join in with the wedding fun. But knowing how to style a bridesmaid dress for the evening ceremony isn’t always the easiest job in the world, especially if you are in a beautiful maxi gown like myself, that might not be the easiest dress to dance in. Which is where you have one of either two options 1. you choose a dress that is both formal and can be used for the evening ceremony which is more cost efficient as you don’t have to spend extra money or B. Choose a cheap ‘evening dress’ that you can dance in and wear outside of the wedding season too. An example might be a beautiful cocktail dress or even if you are feeling daring why wear a dress at all? You can invest in a beautiful trouser suit, a jumpsuit or even a co-ord that will still tie into the gorgeous summer wedding theme but shows that you can still have fun with your fashion choices, even when you are a bridesmaid. After all there is a reason why there is a film called ‘Bridesmaids’ because Bridesmaid have hella’ fun. Unless you are the maid of honour, in which case, bless you child for you have sinned. I jest.

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Turn Trash Into Gold By Making Even The Most Hideous Bridesmaid Dress Look Stellar With Key Accessories 

So you made it to the big day and you can’t help but wrinkle your nose in disgust at the unflattering meringue of a dress that makes you look like you are just a puddle of voluminous material that goes on and on. Well have no fear, for the dress doctor is here; even if your Bride is a little bit of a ‘Bridezilla’ and is not budging on the choice of dress, there are still ways that you can turn even the most dreadful dress into a beautiful gown to cherish. Which is where the art of accessorizing comes in; from statement earrings to flower crowns, turn trash into gold with statement pieces that can divert any fashion travesty. Luckily for me, my bridesmaid dress was the most beautiful shade of pink, a pleated princess fantasy that was half Barbie half flower girl, whereas as a bridesmaid for my aunt’s friend a few years ago we were dressed in stunning lace coral mermaid fishtail bandeau gowns with gold caged gladiator sandals and a matching crown to boot, while the bride looked resplendent in her white satin gown. But for those of us who aren’t quite so fortunate don’t worry, from ribbons to add structure to voluminous gowns, to flower crowns that help distract the guests from the meringue you are currently wearing, here are some key accessories that will breathe some magic into your bridesmaid dress.

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*Flower Crown Is From Dandelion And Bloom and are made bespoke to order.

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Choose The Right Cover Up To Match Your Dress 

The sun flees and turns into a thunderous storm as your garden wedding party turns into a mudslide and the outdoor canopies are captured by the visiting wind. Because being a bridesmaid at a wedding in the UK can often mean temperamental weather, which can’t decide as to whether it is going to be a heatwave, a grizzly rainy day or even the odd sighting of snow which likes to pop up at random occasions. Which is why choosing a cover up that both accentuates your dress and also can keep you warm during chillier days is ideal for knowing how to style your bridesmaid dress and have you looking as ‘fishy as can be’. And yes that was a drag race term, I think you know by now that I am obsessed. Choosing the right cover up for your dress is all down to the ‘style of your bridesmaid dress’. So for example a more tailored , conservative look would be ideal paired with a structured blazer, or tuxedo blazer cape with a fascinator for the extra icing on the top, while a more floaty bohemian look like the pink dress above is ideal for cover ups like shrugs, shawls or even scarves to wrap around yourself when you are cold. While I happened to be shooting on the hottest bank holiday on record and didn’t need a cover up, for colder evenings, I would pair the of the shoulder dress with a cropped tailored jacket in baby blue, to add a colour contrast to the bridesmaid dress. So that is how to style a bridesmaid dress 101…

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And If You’re Feeling Super Sassy…

So maybe your bridesmaid is not a traditionalist and loves nothing more than seeing her bridesmaid get sassy with their own individual styling to reflect their personal style, which is where the ‘Sassy List’ comes in. From super skinny cat eye sunglasses that have the 50’s retro appeal that millennial’s have in their droves to tinted sunglasses, off the wall accessories like bamboo bags ( my gal Marie, has her own little collection and I’m jealous because I want a bamboo pet of my own) and fascinators that will look like you are ready to crash the royal wedding, here are some sassy accessories below that will have you looking like the perfect bridesmaid style icon. The only question is what sassy bridesmaid accessories will you choose to learn how to style the ultimate bridesmaid dress this season?

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How Would You Style Your Bridesmaid Dress? 

*Disclaimer

Please note this is a collaborative post with House Of Fraser, but all thoughts are my own and are not affected by monetary compensation.

**All Brands Linked Are Available At House Of Fraser.

Shop The Summer Bridesmaid Look

Flower Crown is from ‘Dandelion and Bloom’ isn’t it gorgeous?

Blue Heels

Floral Wallet 

Rose Gold Two Tone Bag 

Shop The Alternative Bridesmaid Look