Lace is a beautiful and romantic fabric for a wedding, and it is not just for brides. Pretty lace can be a wonderful choice for the bridesmaid dresses as well. Here is a look at the many options for beautiful lace bridesmaid dresses that your attendants are sure to love.
The key to making dresses look like bridesmaid attire and not bridal is to use color. The lace can be a color, or it can be layered over a colored lining. As long as you avoid lace dresses in all white or ivory, you should not have to worry about anyone mistaking your attendants for the bride. Because you can change the look of lace with a colored lining, it is also a great way to get around the taboo of bridesmaids wearing all black or all white. Just think how much more romantic a black lace dress would be as compared to a solid black dress. Choose one with a champagne or gray lining for understated elegance, or opt for a pale pink lining to make the black dress more feminine.
White lace can be marvelous for summer bridesmaid dresses. A substantial cotton lace or Venise lace is ideal. Layer it over a lining in your favorite summery color like sunny yellow, pretty pink, or baby blue. This is an adorable look for a knee length strapless bridesmaid dress. A sash around the waist made from the same color as the lining will complete the dress perfectly. Classic pearl bridesmaid jewelry and strappy sandals are beautiful finishing touches for this lovely style. Check out the spring collections from designers like Lilly Pulitzer to find the dresses.
Another beautiful design for bridesmaids is a solid dress with lace accents. This is often done in a fairly high contrast way, such as a heavy white lace layered over the bodice of a solid black dress. Another lovely style is a shift dress in a dark color like navy with white lace trim around the hem or the neckline. Shaped lace can also be used to create a beautiful neckline for your bridesmaids, such as a romantic scalloped border framing out a halter neckline. These are marvelous options for brides who prefer to have bridesmaid dresses which are not entirely made of lace.
Remember that lace can be found in colors other than black and white. A brown chantilly lace would be stunning for an autumn wedding. Orange and brown bouquets would be a wonderful accent for the wedding flowers. For a formal wedding, consider breathtaking metallic gold or silver lace. A very soft lace in a metallic will flow and drape beautifully. Your bridesmaids will look like movie stars in such gorgeous dresses! Strappy evening sandals will complete their ensembles.
Lace can also come in some very fun colors. One of the most wonderful summer dresses I ever bought is a pink lace over a white lining. It is a strapless dress with a white bow at the waist, and the style would be fantastic for a preppy summer wedding with pearl bridesmaid jewelry and flower-bedecked sandals. Not a pink fan? Look for another winning color combination like powder blue lace over a brown lining for a late summer wedding. Not only are lace dresses beautiful, they are so different than the standard bridesmaid dresses that your attendants may actually be able to wear them again. That is something which is sure to bring a smile to the faces of all of your bridesmaids! Bridget Mora
