Dresses and Economics, part I

So far I have been 3 times a bridesmaid. First, I was my sister's maid of honor when I was 15. I wore a long hunter green tank top style dress. My mom paid for it but I remember it being from Chadwicks catalog and being about $80. Not too shabby for a bridesmaid dress. I wore this to another wedding and my exchange student wore it to a homecoming dance.

Friend H and I just before K's wedding - 2005

Next I was a bridesmaid in my friend K's wedding in 2005. We wore ~$120 knee light blue length strapless dresses that I loved but have only worn again once or twice. I still own this dress and should probably see if it still fits, hmmm. Three years later I was the maid of honor in my friend H's wedding and I wore a $120 light blue knee length spaghetti strap dress. I was never able to wear this dress again because mice destroyed it when I was living in a really old house during my undergrad. Errr!

So having been in 3 weddings I knew I wanted to keep the cost of dresses low and choose a color that the girls would have the chance to wear over and over and over again. I for instance didn't want to choose dresses like:

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When I was in elementary or middle school I attended a wedding where the bridesmaids wore simple black dresses and right then and there I knew what I wanted. The look was classic and stunning. I couldn't get the picture of my ladies in little black dresses out of my mind.

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I want amazing pictures with my girls such as this one above. How cute is that pic? All the lovely ladies out there know that an important addition to their wardrobe is a little black dress. It is essential. They can be worn to weddings, funerals, dinner parties, out on a nice date. I think they are so useful that I have about 4 little black dresses in my closet.

The next plan of action is choosing a dress.

How did you choose your bridesmaid dresses? Did you keep the cost in mind? Did you keep the girls skin tone in mind?

personal photos unless otherwise noted