help me pick bridesmaids dresses?

[hippi_pixi]

yes this could/should be in the brides forum but i dont think it gets that much traffic and i need to order ASAP.

my wedding will be in the Australian spring, October at this venue, http://www.weddingsattiffanys.com.au

Theme buzzwords: vintage, lace, daisys, lots of pastel colors. no color scheme set in stone, the 3 long guest tables will have LOTS of little glass drink bottles filled with pastel colored flowers down the length of the tables. my BM's bouquets will be easter daisys.

I've got 4 bridesmaids and originally was planning on having them in different pastel shades lilac, baby blue, pink, turquoise, but this is turning out to be difficult so i think i will do them all in 'ice coral' or 'pastel peach' 1 girl (the model in my pics) is a size 6 and the others are size 8's although one has the bust of a size 12 and another has the hips of a size 12

here are my 4 options

One shouldered $215 - this one is online so we can't try on before ordering. takes 3 months to make and non refundable exchangeable so if sizing is wrong... also something by her right elbow indicates the fabric goes over the shoulder and then straight down and back around the front to tie up?


strapless $199 - the fabric on this sits lovely and the color looks great. in real life its a peachy pink. one of my bridesmaids is conservative and is adamant she is happy to wear whatever i choice but i worry she will spend all day pulling it up to her chin... the dress do come with a matching bit of fabric meant to be a sash which could potentially be used to convert all or some of the dresses like one shouldered, halterneck, etc


Halterneck $299 - firstly we would have to completely close the midline bust peekaboo. way too revealing. also the vertical fabric at the very top is actually a 'bibby' bit of fabric that we have tucked up and into the dress this would need a seamstresses touch too which means bust, bib and lenth would need altering on each dress.
this was my models favourite and i admit it was very nice. my only hesitation is that it might be too formal for my down to earth theme. i'm seriously considering having daisys in my BM hair as well as bouquets...


silk shouldered dress $359 - this one is silk which i love cos its so flowy and natural. the only example they had was dark blue and a size 12 which is sitting weird on my size 6 model. it has a little slit up to the knee which looks lovely when walking. i worry with this one that the waist ends lower on the girl which made my models small hips look much wider. my widehipped BM has said she doesn't like this kind of thing
ps. my model is doing a 'Jolie leg' pose in this pic


i never seem to write anything but essays on PS!

 

[hippi_pixi]

oh poo all my pics have come out sideways

 

[Dee*Jay]

I actually like the one shouldered one a lot (which is unusual because I don't typically like that style of dress). The part about taking months to make and being nonrefundable is a little off-putting though. #2 is... OK. I guess that's my second choice. The peek-a-boo one... um... not so much. I think even if the boobage Grand Canyon were closed up a bit, all the pleating on both top and bottom would still make even the skinnest of bridesmaid's look fat. And the last one is also only OK.

(Keep in mind this is just one [wo]man's opinion, and a [wo]man who has yet to have coffee at that!)

 

[hippi_pixi]

hahaha thanks for your input! it is a boobage grandcanyon isnt it! my model quite liked that aspect but i said straight away that would have to be completely closed. sorry love!

they all take 3 months to make but the last 3 have samples at a physical store that the girls can try on and we can see how the fabric sits and if the dress is good quality. difficult to get perfect fitting sizes online and the fabric isn't gathered like the others so less room for error for those of us with hips

 

[Dee*Jay]

Is there a sample of a different style of dress from the same maker as the first one you're maids can try on? That might be useful guidance even if you can't have them try the exact dresses.

 

[momhappy]

The halter neck is WAY inappropriate for a wedding....
The others are lovely. I prefer the one-shoulder.

 

[vintagelover229]

What about something like this? Comes shorter too!

http://www.aubridalgowns.com/bridesmaids-dresses/8247-chiffon-tapered-ruched-straps-sweetheart-self-tie-at-waist-directionally-ruched-bodice-a-line-bridesmaids-dress.html

 

[movie zombie]

all the dresses look "Roman" [except the last which I don't like]......of them all my fav is the strapless. looks like it would blend with the venue more than the others. but then what do I know?

 

[Smith1942]

I know lots are keen on the one-shouldered, but I'd just like to sound a note of caution. Often, drapey styles like this look fab in the model pics but in real life they can be way too loose and unstructured. The model might be very tall - like over six foot - and thin and she probably has clothes pegs holding it at the back. I've found that this kind of thing can swamp you in fabric and look a bit like a dressing-gown, just too loose all over. Since you can't try it on before ordering, this might be risky.

Agree the one showing the boobs is too puffy. (I know you'd close that slit; but like another poster said, bit poufy.)

I LOVE the dark blue one as a formal evening gown, but you said that it emphasizes hips and if you think that in a dark colour, the effect will be multiplied in a light colour.

I think the strapless is lovely and fitted, and the way to go. Mine were strapless BUT I also had one bridesmaid for whom that was not appropriate, being only 15. So we added thin spaghetti straps in the same material as the dress and gave her a gauzy wrap in a shade complementing the outfit. Having said that, I'm not sure any kind of strap, no matter how thin, would work with the scalloped top. As the BM is adamant that she will wear whatever you choose, maybe just take her word for it!

ETA: It's really hard to see the pics properly as they're sideways, but I've just craned my neck and had a closer look at the strapless. It, too, seems to have a huge amount of fabric from the bust down. It also looks a bit nightie-like and as if it emphasizes stomachs.

All the dresses are loose and drapey with a large amount of spare fabric, it seems, which is fine if you're very tall and thin, but not so much otherwise. I wonder if a style with less loose fabric might be more flattering for the different shapes you've got?

ETA2: Just looked at the dress Vintagelover suggested. I do think that one would be universally flattering.

 

[kmarla]

I like the strapless best The dresses will probably need hemming etc so why not have the seamstress use the left over fabric to make shoulder straps for the more modest bridesmaid.

 

[House Cat]

The one shouldered is best, but the return policy etc makes it a no-go. The strapless is the runner up.

 

[yennyfire]

The one shouldered is best, but the return policy etc makes it a no-go. The strapless is the runner up.

I agree completely...I also love the one VL posted if it comes in the right color.

 

[FancyDiamond]

What about something like this? Comes shorter too!

http://www.aubridalgowns.com/bridesmaids-dresses/8247-chiffon-tapered-ruched-straps-sweetheart-self-tie-at-waist-directionally-ruched-bodice-a-line-bridesmaids-dress.html

I voted for strapless, because it has the option of adding some coverings on shoulders/top. However, I love the dress that Vintagelover posted best.

 

[arkieb1]

Another vote for the strapless, have you looked in Brisbane, or are you looking at Noosa? There are lots of shops here in the suburbs....

 

[woofmama]

What about something like this? Comes shorter too!

http://www.aubridalgowns.com/bridesmaids-dresses/8247-chiffon-tapered-ruched-straps-sweetheart-self-tie-at-waist-directionally-ruched-bodice-a-line-bridesmaids-dress.html

I voted for strapless, because it has the option of adding some coverings on shoulders/top. However, I love the dress that Vintagelover posted best.

Plus 1. Love the dress linked above.

 

[madelise]

You've got me bending my neck! But I love the silk shoulders one. Reminds me of all those Reem Acra dresses.

 

[maccers]

I think number four would be the best once it's tailored to fit properly. In the picture, evryething is saggy because your model is petite. Once tailored, i think it wojld be much better. The first and third are very Grecian and I'm not sure they would fit your theme. The second one (strapless) would be runner up.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I love the one that VL linked best and the strapless one second. If the dress is fitted correctly, she shouldn't have to be pulling it up all evening.

 

[hippi_pixi]

thanks everyone for putting in some input!

arkieb i had looked at the bm dresses in brisbane store while looking for my own dress and found they all looked cheap. i expected the same at the store in Coolum i saw these ones but was surprised at how nice these looked in person

to all: sorry the photos are sideways! i took them upright, they were upright on my phone and computer, upright even on preview and then i posted and they all went sideways so i dunno... ill try adding them again


diamondseeker the bridesmaid i mentioned might pull up her dress all day if i put her in strapless: i didn't mean because of fit i meant because shes conservative and would prefer to more covered. having it fit well will just make her pulling it up more difficult! she said shes happy to wear whatever i choose but i wonder how she will cope.

 

[arkieb1]

Have you ever been to one of the designer sales they have at the convention centre - they come here now and then. I have seen two people buy wedding gowns from them and they were stunning on, and there are a lot of nice shops in the city. Badly overpriced but the dresses again are stunning so I think it depends on how much you want to spend and where you shop.....

One of my favourite dress designers in Brisbane is this lady, she can custom make things but she is quite expensive. Her gowns are TDF;

http://www.keooula.com.au/

When I was younger and used to go out more before kids I used to buy a lot of dresses at Harts, the gowns are mid level prices but they usually have half yearly sales and none of their stuff looks trashy;

http://hartsfashion.com.au/

There are two upmarket gown shops at Westfields at Chermside down around the corner from Myers that have lovely dresses as well..... they have a lot of gowns in the style you are looking for from memory and again the half yearly sales are just about to happen!!!

 

[Tuckins1]

I chose the one shouldered, but I also loved the strapless one equally as much. Good luck to you, and congratulations!

 

[tyty333]

What about something like this? Comes shorter too!

http://www.aubridalgowns.com/bridesmaids-dresses/8247-chiffon-tapered-ruched-straps-sweetheart-self-tie-at-waist-directionally-ruched-bodice-a-line-bridesmaids-dress.html

I voted for strapless, because it has the option of adding some coverings on shoulders/top. However, I love the dress that Vintagelover posted best.

Plus 1. Love the dress linked above.

I picked the strapless but I love the one VL posted. Its pretty and looks like it would be easy to wear withe the straps. (I need support) .

 

[arkieb1]

Check this site out;
http://www.jjshouse.com/

 

[Gypsy]

The one shouldered is best, but the return policy etc makes it a no-go. The strapless is the runner up.

I agree completely...I also love the one VL posted if it comes in the right color.

Me too.

 

[Gypsy]

Something like this would be lovely as well: http://whiterunway.com.au/bridesmaid-dresses/full-length-dresses/kristy-dress-by-jadore.html

 

[amc80]

As a member of the big tata club, the strapless dress might be tough to wear. It doesn't look like there's a much support, and big boobs in a strapless dress generally mean you spend the entire evening fussing with the bra. But if the excess fabric can be used to make straps of some sort it could work. Honestly, I don't care for #4 and #3 doesn't seem like it would be flattering on 90% of the population. #1 is my favorite but seems risky.

 

[erinl]

Have you thought about selecting a designer and fabric color, then giving your bridesmaids a couple selections of styles? I kind of prefer when the bridesmaids are in the same color but slightly different styles, especially since it allows them to pick the style most flattering to them. I personally think it looks a little more modern too...

 

[erinl]

Lady GaGA was a bridesmaid recently and they had slightly different dresses:

 

[kenny]

I don't recommend sideways dresses.
The bridesmaids will fall on the floor.

 

[hippi_pixi]

LOL thanks kenny.

I'm gonna go for the strapless dresses. the halterneck and silk shouldered one it turns out wont come in a color i like. and the online dress - im just too worried i pay wait 3 months and then the sizings not right or something. the other store can actually get the strapless dresses in straight away in the peach color i like so that makes it easier. its a lovely padparascha color in person anyway

gypsy i got excited about your white runway dress but only 3 colors to choose from .

amc80 i only have one lady whos well endowed and shes the most in favour of strapless. the rest of them are less chesty.


Thanks everyone for your help!! its so good to have access to a wide variety of opinions. now who wants to help me pick my menu...