You got engaged, found a venue and planned a wedding, and if tracking down your own dress wasn’t difficult enough, you now have to find the perfect bridesmaid dress that will make everyone in your bridal party happy too. But before you panic about dressing each of your nearest and dearest and their entirely different personal styles and body shapes, let's scale it back and start with the one thing that is inevitably the most important—the colour scheme.
Although the bridesmaids' dresses aren't the star of the show (we'll leave that to the bridal gown), they do play an important part in setting the tone for the wedding. Whether you're jetting off abroad, booking a country church or nipping to the local town hall, what your bridesmaids wear will be front and centre in your pictures, so it's well worth finding dresses that make them feel and look their best. I may have taken the easy way out for my own wedding (they all chose their own dresses, and there was no quarrelling over colour as the brief was "black satin"), but if you're currently facing this dilemma, I've enlisted expert help to identify which key colour trends bridesmaids will really want to wear in 2024.
Who better to ask for insider information than Frances Cookson, co-founder of Rewritten and a specialist in bridesmaid dresses that can be worn long after the nuptials? So, should you be ready to say yes to the dress, round up your bridal party and keep scrolling for the five elegant colour trends about to be huge this year, no matter size, shape or style.
1. Sky Blue
Style Notes: If ever there was a runway trend made for bridesmaid dresses, it has to be 2024's ice-cool baby blue. After 2022 had us pink-obsessed and 2023 reintroduced buttermilk yellow, it's about time we heard from this underrated pastel hue, and wedding dress designers agree. "From sage green to sky blue and rose pink, our brides are loving a mix-and-match pastel look, especially for late-spring and early-summer weddings," notes Cookson. And should you be looking for outfits outside of the norm, baby blue tones happen to look just as good in tailored separates for those who aren't comfortable in dresses.
Shop Sky Blue Bridesmaid Dresses:
A breath of fresh air.
Something chic to slip into.
A square neck feels so classy.
Just look at those cute sleeves!
This looks even better from the back.
2. Summer Terracotta
Style Notes: Got a summer wedding planned? Aside from white, terracotta and similar warm, earthy tones stand out against a lush, sunny backdrop, and given just how popular brown has been so far this year, it makes sense that it would be given a dressy update just in time for wedding season. "Warm-weather colours have been gaining popularity recently, and this trend is going nowhere," notes Cookson. "Terracotta is one of our colours of the summer, and this warm tone looks amazing in the sunshine paired with burnt orange, hot pink and champagne."
Shop Terracotta Bridesmaid Dresses:
Choose your colour scheme and shop in several different cuts.
Easy elegance.
This one has a fitted bodice for more bust support than traditional slip dresses.
The cowl-back detail is perfect on this minimalist dress.
3. Spring Greens
Style Notes: You can't go wrong with fifty shades of green, and this refined colour palette is an age-old wedding colour scheme that stands the test of time. "Sage, olive or forest green dresses have been big news in the bridal industry for a while, and they don't look to be going anywhere in 2024," says Cookson. "Not only are they flattering, but they also go with just about any floral colour scheme." Need further proof? If prints are your thing, take notes on Bettina Looney's garden theme (pictured above), or mix and match with colour-blocked seafoam, mint or olive.
Shop Green Bridesmaid Dresses:
Imagine how good this would look with a white bouquet.
Dress it up with gold heels or keep it casual with chunky, flat sandals.
Galvan does bridal-party dressing expertly well.
I keep coming back to this print.
This looks at least four times its price tag.
4. Sunset Reds
Style Notes: Caution! Bold brights ahead. Although we've been factoring red tights and fiery dresses into our wardrobes since last winter, 2024 marks the first time we're seeing the trend meet a formalwear dress code. "We are all obsessed with red this year and soon will be welcoming the most delicious shade of chianti satin into our collection," notes Cookson. But until then, we're busy scrolling through shades of chilli, crimson and scarlet for spring and summer weddings, and bookmarking berry, burgundy and garnet for later in the year.
Shop Red Bridesmaid Dresses:
I'm not about to be a bridesmaid any time soon, but I want this anyway.
Prepare to turn heads in this stunning dress.
A simple cut that should keep everyone happy.
Don't forget winter weddings!
This would look incredible in photos.
5. Classic Black Tie
Style Notes: And last, but most certainly not least, a true classic—eternally elegant black. True, some might think it too dark for a wedding, but forget the funeral connotations because black is the one colour we can agree suits everyone, and your bridesmaids will get plenty of wear out of a black evening dress for years to come. "We are seeing a huge shift towards black-tie weddings, and the bigger the better," says Cookson. "Our brides can't get enough of champagne and black bridesmaids dresses for the ultimate formal wedding look." So there you have it; it's tough to improve on the LBD (that's Long Black Dress).
Shop Black Bridesmaid Dresses:
If you're looking for the best satin slip dresses on the market, start at Ghost.
Such a sweet neckline (no pun intended).
A little va-va-voom for the afterparty.
Ready for even the strictest dress code.
Simple yet sophisticated.
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