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How to Choose Dresses Your Bridesmaids Won't Hate

One of my favorite television ads is a yogurt ad that has two bridesmaids discussing just how good the yogurt they're eating really is. "It's never having to wear this dress again good," one declares fervently. The tradition of hideous bridesmaid dresses is a long one that's been exploited in the popular media dozens of times.

Most brides have vowed at one time or another that they would NEVER do that to their friends. No. THEY will choose dresses that their bridesmaids will love, and will wear again. Unfortunately, we all know from attending wedding that most brides don't keep that vow. Is there really a way to choose dresses that your bridesmaids won't hate? Here are five tips to help you pick out dresses that your best friends will be comfortable wearing on your big day - even if they never wear it again after your wedding.

1. Be flexible about wedding colors.

Okay, so you've dreamed about a red and white wedding ever since you were a little girl. Now that you're all grown up, you've got a pretty good idea that most women just don't look good in pure red. The same is true of yellow, lavender, peach and many other popular wedding colors. That doesn't mean you have to change your wedding colors - just think of them in a different way.

Hint: Your wedding colors don't have to be the main color of your wedding party dresses. Choose a dress in a nice neutral tone that looks good on most people and accents in your wedding color(s). For your red and white wedding, for instance, you might choose simple neutral dresses with a red sash and let your bridesmaids carry a single red rose.

2. Remember, it's a wedding, not a beauty pageant.

We've all seen the wedding party that looks like the runners up lineup at a local beauty pageant. Ruffles and frills look good on almost no one over the age of 10. Skip the flounces, hoop skirts and ruffles - unless of course, you're planning a period wedding, where they'll be right at home.

Hint: One of the reasons empire waists are so popular in bridesmaid dresses is that they are more forgiving of high and low waists - but don't flatter many shapes. Simple silhouettes look the best on the most women. Choose shapes that skim bodies rather than hugging them and keep fussy details to a minimum.

3. Eschew tradition.

Tradition says that all of your bridesmaids wear the same dress, but who says you can't throw tradition to the winds? One of the biggest challenges in choosing dresses that look good on ALL of your bridesmaids is that every woman is different. It's almost impossible to choose one dress style that will look good on every girl. Take your bridesmaids shopping with you and let them each choose a dress that looks best on them - and that all look good together.

Hint: Avoid the mismatched look by choosing a common element for all the dresses to share. For instance, you might choose an era for a period wedding, or the same accent color in every dress. Other ideas include the same dress in complementary colors, or different dresses in the same color. Enlist the help of a fashion design student to help you pull together different styles into a cohesive theme.

4. Do consider price.

Since bridesmaids generally pay for their own dresses, it's really important for the bride to be considerate of her friends' pocketbooks. The typical bridesmaid dress can easily cost $300. That may not seem like a lot for a stylish, well-cut dress, but when that dress is one that you didn't choose for yourself and won't ever wear again, it can be a tough pill to swallow.

Hint: You can find beautiful dresses that are suitable for your wedding party in the formalwear department - generally at a considerable discount over what you'd pay for something similar in a bridal shop. Why saddle your friends with an expensive dress they'll never wear again?

5. Trust your friends.

Okay, they're all fabulous people or you wouldn't have asked them to be your bridesmaids, right? One of the newest wedding trends is the unmatched wedding party. Just tell your bridesmaids the color scheme and let them choose their own dresses. That way, they're sure to choose a dress that they love and enjoy wearing. And they really will wear it again.