Bridesmaids' Style Guide: Mixing And Matching Jewel Tones Like A Pro

Mixing and matching jewel tones for bridesmaids is a great way to make your wedding unique and trendy. It allows each bridesmaid to showcase her unique style while maintaining a coordinated look. To achieve this, you can follow these steps:

First, decide on a consistent element, such as a jewel-toned colour family like emerald, ruby, sapphire, and amber. Alternatively, you can opt for a specific fabric, such as chiffon or satin, and let your bridesmaids choose their dress styles.

Second, develop a well-thought-out colour palette to ensure the dresses complement each other. Consider using different shades of a single colour for an ombre effect, selecting colours that fit the season, such as rich jewel tones for autumn.

Third, allow variations in necklines and silhouettes to accommodate different body types and comfort levels. Options include strapless, halter, V-neck, and off-the-shoulder necklines, and A-line, mermaid, sheath, and ball gown silhouettes.

Fourth, mix and match fabrics and textures to add depth and interest. Pair soft fabrics like chiffon with sleek materials like satin or silk, or create a romantic look with lace and tulle.

Fifth, use accessories to tie the look together. Coordinated jewellery, shoes, and bouquets can help unify different dress styles. Matching jewellery, identical shoes, or complementary bouquets can create a cohesive touch.

Finally, communicate your vision clearly to your bridesmaids. Provide guidelines, visual aids, and fabric or colour swatches to ensure everyone understands your desired look and to avoid misunderstandings.

By following these steps, you can achieve a stylish and cohesive bridal party, with your bridesmaids feeling comfortable, confident, and excited about their attire.

Same colour, different dress styles

Mixing and matching bridesmaid dresses is a great way to let your bridal party showcase their individuality and style. Here are some tips to achieve a cohesive look while still allowing your bridesmaids to wear what they love and feel confident in:

Pick a Colour, Any Shade

Firstly, decide on a colour that fits your wedding vision. Jewel tones like emerald, navy, and ruby are perfect for fall and winter weddings. You can then ask your bridesmaids to pick a dress in that colour but allow them to choose the style that best suits their body shape and personal preference. This way, you'll get to see everyone's personality shine through. To ensure the dresses are an exact match, it's recommended that your bridesmaids choose gowns from the same designer.

Harmony in Variety

If you want to add a bit of harmony to the mix, ask your bridesmaids to add a matching design element to their dresses. For example, they could all include some ruffles or wear matching shoes or jewellery. Alternatively, you could decide on the length or fabric you'd like them to wear. This will create a sense of unity, even with the different dress styles.

Keep it Balanced

While you want your bridesmaids to have freedom in choosing their dresses, providing some guidelines is essential to maintain a cohesive look. You can recommend a designer, length, material, or colour family to ensure the dresses complement each other and your wedding theme.

Mix and Match Made Easy

Using a convertible bridesmaid dress in a single colour is an easy way to achieve the mix-and-match look. Each bridesmaid can wear the same dress but style it differently to suit their unique taste and body shape.

Floor-Length Flow

Consider keeping the hemlines of the dresses floor-length. This way, regardless of the height of each bridesmaid, the hemlines will all hit the floor, creating a consistent and elegant look when standing side by side.

Accessorise to Perfection

To tie the mismatched dresses together, you can include matching accessories. Jewellery, shoes, hair accessories, and even hairstyles or makeup can help unify the look. For example, each bridesmaid could wear the same hairstyle or a matching nail polish colour.

Same dress style, different colours

Mixing and matching bridesmaid dresses is a great way to make your wedding unique and let your bridesmaids' unique styles shine! If you want to go for the same dress style in different colours, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Choose a Colour Scheme

Decide on a colour scheme with your bridesmaids and choose several variations within that scheme. You can opt for super feminine shades like pink, purple, and lavender, or go for bold jewel tones like amber, ruby, sapphire, and emerald. Neutrals are also a classic choice, with shades of beige, cream, taupe, grey, and brown that are flexible, match almost every skin tone, and are easy to find.

Create a Cohesive Look

While you want each bridesmaid to stand out, it's important to ensure the dresses still look cohesive. Stick to no more than 3 to 4 colours in a similar colour palette to avoid a distracting look. You can also opt for a gradient or ombre effect with the dresses, creating a beautiful flow of colours.

Consider the Season

Selecting colours that fit the season is a great way to ensure your bridesmaids' dresses complement the overall wedding theme. For spring, consider pastels, while for fall, rich jewel tones are a perfect choice.

Allow for Different Skin Tones

Keep in mind that certain colours may complement some skin tones better than others. Neutrals tend to work well with most skin tones, while shades of blue or pink can also be mixed and matched to create a flattering look for everyone.

Add Accessories

Accessories can help tie the look together and create a unified touch. Coordinated jewellery, shoes, and bouquets can be used to create a sense of cohesion, even if the dresses are different colours.

Communicate Clearly

Finally, clear communication is key. Provide your bridesmaids with guidelines and inspiration for the look you're going for, and be open to their input as well. This will ensure that everyone is happy and feels comfortable and confident on your special day.

Same texture, different dress styles

Mixing and matching bridesmaid dresses is a great way to let your bridal party showcase their individual styles and personalities. If you're looking to mix and match jewel-toned bridesmaid dresses with the same texture but different dress styles, here are some tips to achieve a stylish and cohesive look:

Firstly, decide on the specific jewel tone you want your bridesmaids to wear. This could be emerald, navy, ruby, sapphire, or any other gemstone-inspired shade. Having a specific colour in mind will help to create a cohesive look, even with different dress styles.

Next, choose the texture you want to incorporate. This could be chiffon, silk, sequins, lace, or beading. Using the same texture throughout will help to tie the different dress styles together.

Now, it's time for your bridesmaids to choose their dress styles! They can opt for different silhouettes, necklines, and sleeve lengths, creating a unique look for each bridesmaid. For instance, one bridesmaid might choose a strapless gown, while another might prefer a halter neckline.

To add a bit of harmony to the mix, you can suggest adding matching design elements, such as ruffles, hem length, or draped details. You could also suggest they wear matching shoes or jewellery to tie the looks together.

Finally, consider the same dress length to create a sense of uniformity. Whether your bridesmaids prefer a short, knee-length, or floor-length gown, having the same hemline will help to create a balanced and cohesive overall look.

By following these tips, you can achieve a stylish and cohesive bridal party look, showcasing the unique style and personality of each of your bridesmaids.

Same dress style, different textures, patterns and colours

Mixing and matching bridesmaid dresses is a great way to allow your bridesmaids to rock a look they love and feel confident and comfortable. If you want to go for the same dress style, different textures, patterns, and colours, here are some tips to achieve a cohesive look:

• Find a salon that offers an in-house stylist to help you style the dresses together. Alternatively, look for brands that offer mix-and-match styles as part of their collection. This ensures that the dresses complement each other and don't look too dissimilar, as they are all made by the same designer.
• Pick one silhouette for everyone in your bridal party to wear, and then mix it up by choosing different textures, patterns, and colours for each bridesmaid. For example, put one or two bridesmaids in chiffon, and one or two in sequins.
• Look for two or three colours that work well together. That way, you'll have colour variety while still maintaining a cohesive look.
• To create a harmonious link between the dresses, mix within the same family of hues and textures. For example, dusty blue and grey, or neutral shades of taupe, beige, and cream.
• If you want to add some fun details, choose patterns of the same family, or add identical accessories such as jewellery, shoes, or bouquets.

Different dress styles, colours, textures and patterns

Mixing and matching different dress styles, colours, textures, and patterns for your bridesmaids is a great way to make your wedding unique and allow each bridesmaid to express her unique style. Here are some tips to achieve a cohesive and stylish look:

Choose a Consistent Element

Select one unifying element across all the dresses, such as colour, fabric, or length. For instance, you could choose a colour family like jewel tones and let each bridesmaid pick a shade they like. Alternatively, you could choose a specific fabric like chiffon or satin, and let the bridesmaids select their dress styles. You could also opt for a mix-and-match style where all the dresses are the same length, whether short, midi, or floor-length.

Develop a Colour Palette

Creating a well-thought-out colour palette is essential for a cohesive look. Consider complementary colours like blush and gold or navy and silver. Using different shades of a single colour, like jewel tones, can also create a beautiful gradient or ombré effect. Choose colours that fit the season, such as pastels for spring or rich jewel tones for autumn. Using fabric swatches can help you visualise how different colours will look together.

Allow for Different Necklines and Silhouettes

Each bridesmaid has a unique body type and comfort level, so allowing for variations in necklines and silhouettes ensures everyone feels comfortable and looks their best. For necklines, you could offer options like strapless, halter, V-neck, or off-the-shoulder. For silhouettes, consider A-line, mermaid, sheath, or ball gown styles to flatter different figures. This flexibility will help each bridesmaid find a dress that suits her figure while maintaining the overall theme.

Mix Fabrics and Textures

Combining different fabrics and textures adds depth and interest to the bridal party's look. Pair soft fabrics like chiffon with sleek materials like satin or silk. Mixing lace and tulle can create a romantic and ethereal look. Balance the textures so that the overall look is harmonious, such as pairing smooth silks with more structured fabrics.

Use Accessories to Tie the Look Together

Accessories are crucial for creating a cohesive look. Coordinated jewellery, shoes, and bouquets can help unify different dress styles. Matching bouquets or identical jewellery pieces like earrings or necklaces can provide a unified touch. Shoes in the same colour family or style can also create a sense of unity. Consistent accessories ensure that each bridesmaid's unique dress is part of a polished and cohesive whole.

Communicate Your Vision Clearly

Clear communication is vital when mixing and matching bridesmaid dresses. Provide your bridesmaids with detailed guidelines on colour, fabric, and length. Use visual aids such as inspiration boards and give out fabric or colour swatches to ensure everyone understands your vision. This helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures that each bridesmaid's dress aligns with your desired aesthetic.

Frequently asked questions