Bridesmaid

For her wedding day,
my best friend selected a designer, a fabric, and a color,
and then gave us bridesmaids the liberty to pick our dress cut
and accessorize how we wanted.

Ordering a bridesmaid dress is kind of tricky.
As a petite woman,
I never have the option of trying something on in my size.
Wedding dress stores usually carry more universal sizes,
so while I originally tried this on in a size 12,
I had to image how a 00 would fit on me when it came in.
Additionally, these dresses do not have a petite option,
which meant I had to keep in mind how the waist would hit
since it was designed for a taller frame.

To get the best results, I kept a few key things in mind when selecting my dress:

First, I got something that fit my shape.
I have an hour glass shape,
which means I needed something that would cinch at my waist,
and not be too tight on my hips.
I wanted to highlight my waist as the smallest part of my body,
so I picked a cut with a large band there.

Second, I kept alterations in mind.
This dress was great because if it didn't fit 'off the rack'
the alterations would be easy.
With a strapless dress I would only have to worry about adjusting the length,
and then the side seams if the torso didn't fit.
The other options would have required straps, shoulders, hips, etc. to adjust.
That would have been MUCH more costly.

Third, work your accessories.
I'm not super confident in a strapless dress.
I feel somewhat naked in them.
That's why whenever I wear one,
I like to put on a chunky statement necklace.
I feel like it adds some more coverage,
and it leaves me feeling more comfortable.

Hope that helps any of you ladies out there
who are getting ready to order a bridesmaid dress for this summer!
Do any of you have other tips?

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy, The Mrs and the Momma, Plane Pretty, and Vodka Infused Lemonade!