Are White Bridesmaid Dresses an Acceptable Choice?

By Lisa Beth Miller

Let’s talk about bridesmaid dresses. More specifically, let’s discuss white bridesmaid dresses.

Pippa Middleton famously showed off in that white Alexander McQueen bridesmaid dress at William and Kate’s nuptials, then the Kardashian sisters donned white, almost bridal-style dresses for one of Kim Kardashian’s weddings, years ago. So, what is going on with this trend?

Well…white is definitely an easy color (or lack of color) to work with. White is a clean, crisp, elegant color to work a big event around. There are endless varieties of beautiful flowers that come in white and white linens and décor are just as easy to come by. Paper products are often white anyway and white men’s accessories are certainly out there.

The issue seems to become problematic when brides think about bridesmaid dresses.

Most brides want to be the star of the show. They see their wedding day as their time to shine. They want all eyes on them and many feel white bridesmaid dresses may take away from that.

But you can stand out from your best girls even if you do dress them in white! Try some (or all) of these tips:

Dress them in a silhouette that’s different from yours. If you’re in a long, sleek gown and are surrounded by girls in shorter cocktail dresses, there will be no mistaking who the bride is.

Accessorize bridesmaid dresses with a colored sash. If you’re going to work in other colors, pick it up in a sash. It will make the look of your wedding cohesive while establishing a difference between the bridesmaids and yourself.

Adorn the bridesmaids in fun accessories. Bold pieces that aren’t classically bridal will set them apart—whether it’s earrings, a necklace or a fun hairpiece.

Style your hair differently. If you’re wearing your hair down, ask your girls to get up dos (and vice versa). Again, this will establish an obvious difference between yourself and your girls.

Have your girls wear a bright shoe. A bright pop of color on the feet is another way to bring in other colors. You could also put the girls in a neutral and rock the fun color yourself.

The lesson to be learned? Don’t be afraid of white bridesmaid dresses! You can create a beautiful clean look with white and still stand out as the center of attention. It can be done!