Beautiful bridal party dresses for your gorgeous bridesmaids!

Notoriously unflattering and more costume-like than elegant, bridesmaid dresses have always had a bad rep.  With the trends of weddings ever-changing, the style of bridal party dresses are finally following suit and designers are coming out with some of the cutest and most gorgeous styles ever.  Many of my favorite bridesmaid dresses in the spring 2011 collections are designed to wear again and although that idea has been around for quite some time, these styles are finally getting it right. So brides, no matter what type of wedding you’re planning, I think you’ll find exactly what you (and your bridesmaids) are looking for with my favorite designer bridesmaid dresses of spring 2011 list.  It’s 1 part girly and 2 parts completely and totally gorgeous.

Photo courtesy of Mad Chicken Studio

 Short and Sweet

These first 2 bridesmaid dresses are definitely dresses that I would wear over and over again.  I’m a sucker for anything that has a nipped waistline with a full skirt and these Alfred Sung bridesmaid dresses have all of the above, plus a rockin’ color palette to go along with it.  It just doesn’t get much better than that.  Alfred Sung bridesmaid dress D486 is a strapless, cocktail length bridesmaid dress with matching skinny belt and Alfred Sung bridesmaid dress D488 features the same silhouette as its sister style, D486, but the bateau neckline screams sophisticated. As we discussed earlier in my favorite bridal gowns blog, I have an soft spot for anything ‘Audrey Hepburn’ and I believe she would agree in saying Alfred Sung bridesmaid dress D488 reminds me of her.  What I love most about these designer bridesmaid dresses is  you can dress them up or dress them down depending on the look the bride is going for and after the wedding is done, you can make this look all your own with some fun accessories.  Love love love the versatility.

Ruffles, Sparkles and Floral Details

Any girly girl, like myself, has a few weaknesses and usually they involve at least one, if not all, of the above.  Ruffles, sparkles, and floral details leave me weak in the knees and to incorporate them into bridesmaid dresses make me giddy with excitement.  These bridesmaid dresses take those details and execute them flawlessly.  We’ll start with Alfred Sung bridesmaid dress D498.  With its cocktail length and sweetly gathered bodice accented by the fabric flower at the hip, this dress is a classic option for a bridesmaid dress and the lovely little details make it an easy choice.

I love me some Jim Hjelm Occasions and season after season, they never seem to disappoint me.  One of my favorites from the latest collection is Jim Hjelm bridesmaid dress JH5114T.  This cocktail length bridesmaid dress has asymmetrical pleating throughout the bodice and a perfectly placed fabric floral accent at the waist.  It’s part sophisticated and part feminine which is what I love.

Similar to the Jim Hjelm style, next in line on my favorites list is this super gorgeous Love by Enzoani bridesmaid dress C10.  Also featuring a pleated bodice and sweetheart neckline, this bridesmaid dress does boast one very big difference over the previous dress—the unbelievable sewn-in flower and jeweled sash.  This to-die-for embellishment turns me into putty.  I’m seriously considering making my own version of it for every day (yes, I said every day) use.

Although this next dress certainly deserves a category all its own, I definitely swoon with delight every time I see it so couldn’t help but put it with all these other lovelies.  Bill Levkoff bridesmaid dress 594 sparkles and shines in the most perfect way.  Featuring a sequined, strapless bodice and a chiffon skirt, this dress could be worn again for a night on the town or any time you feel like you need a little sparkle in your life (like maybe every day…)  If you would like to see this bridesmaid dress in action, check out our blog post Sneaky Peeky: Love. Sushi. Style. by Gina Zeidler.

Structured elegance

There is nothing more elegant or lady-like to me than a structured pencil skirt and belted waistline.  These next bridesmaid dresses are perfect for both a wedding and a cocktail party.  I would even consider getting one of them to wear to a wedding as a guest…they’re that cute.  Alfred Angelo bridesmaid dress 7123 hugs your curves in all the right places and features a fun ruched bodice.

Alfred Angelo bridesmaid dress 7129 is another streamlined, classy bridesmaid dress.  With a strapless neckline, an asymmetrically pleated bodice and a self-belted waist, this bridesmaid dress is sophistication at its finest.

After Six bridesmaid dress 6597 is chic dress featuring pleats but this time they extend past just the bodice alone and instead flow through the whole dress—horizontal pleating done right.

Watters and Watters bridesmaid dress 8449 is my favorite dress in this category by far.  Structured yet flowy, this Watters and Watters bridesmaid dress features a modern sweetheart neckline, pleated bust and draped skirt.  It’s different yet still classy…a perfect combination.

Full Length Drama

Full length bridesmaid dresses can be just as beautiful as tea-length dresses even though the latter has become more popular as of late.  Wanting too show you a couple of the elegant styles we have for full length bridesmaid dresses, its no surprise that Jim Hjelm bridesmaid dress JH5122 appears in this category.  Made of Dupioni, this a-line bridesmaid dress has a soft sweetheart neckline and ruched bodice.  My favorite part of this gown, however, is the necklace that can be ordered with it!  Perfectly imperfect and handmade, the shoe-string necklace makes a statement.  Love love love it.  Jim Hjelm Occasions rocks my world.

Allure bridesmaid dress 1235 is a more refined full length bridesmaid dress.  The satin bridesmaid dress features an asymmetrical pleated bodice and a pleated one-shoulder neckline.  With a satin trim belt around the waist, this Allure bridesmaid dress is perfect for that black-tie affair.

So, there you have it, my favorite bridesmaid dresses for spring 2011 proving that the days of bridal party dresses with puffy sleeves and awkwardly placed bows are gone..these designer bridesmaid dresses will actually help beautify your wedding, not detract from it.  Elegant and stylish are two words that come to my mind when I think of what a bridesmaid dress should be and I believe that each of these styles is just that.  What do you think? Do you love them or hate them? Let me know, your comments are welcome and always much appreciated. 

Shop our huge selection of bridal party dresses both in store and online at Wedding Shoppe Inc.

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Other Blogs You’ll Love:
Spring 2011 Bridesmaid Dresses: Laura’s Picks
Sarah’s Top 12 Spring 2011 Designer Bridesmaid Dresses
Trend Alert: Alfred Sung Mix and Match Bridesmaid Dresses
Love by Enzoani Special Occasion Dresses and Wedding Shoes for Spri...

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