Love the Dreaded Bridesmaid Dress!

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

For years, Bridesmaids Dresses have been the butt of many jokes and the term has struck fear into many "honoured" friends of the bride. One look at the website UglyDress.com, with their tag-line "Bridesmaids Dresses From Hell", featuring nothing but real-life pictures of bridemaids and you will surely understand.

This year's trends will hopefully undo some of the damage past brides have inflicted. A lot of brides are realizing that their friends come in different shapes and sizes, so they are choosing a colour and letting their friends choose a dress in a style that suits them best. Other brides are choosing Day dresses that aren't actually Bridemaids dresses at all.

Here is a look at some of the most popular dresses, that just might actually get worn again!

The Convertible Wrap Dress

This dress comes in knee or floor length, a multitude of colours, petite, average or plus-size and can be worn in any one of 24 different ways!

The above dresses are available through Two Birds.

The above "Twist Dress" is available through Dessy.com. Many other stores carry different versions and materials including Tristan, Victoria's Secret, Swak Designs (Plus) and Monif C. (Plus).

Florals & Prints

Plaids, stripes, patterns and florals, these Bridesmaids dresses are like the un-Bridesmaid dress. Fresh and fun, these dresses are cocktail or tea-length, rather than the long gowns we have seen in the past decade. This trend is my current favourite.

Sources: First two photos The Knot, second set The Budget Savvy Bride

Bridesmaid Dress designers like Alfred Angelo have introduced prints in their 2010 designs.

All-White Chic

Right now, white is not just for the bride, it is for the bridesmaids too! The key to an all-white Wedding Party is making sure the bridesmaids gowns are completely different than the bride's gown and of a style that can't be mis-construed for a Wedding Dress.

Source: Amelia Lyon Photography