Your fiancé won’t be your only true love standing up at the altar come your wedding day. If you’re lucky in friendship, you’ll also have a handful of some other true loves by your side — your bridesmaids, of course! They’ve claimed BFF status for years and now they’ve added wedding dress consultants, on-call therapists, and bachelorette party planners all to their list of titles. Most brides don’t know how they would even get down the aisle without their fabulous friends (literally) leading the way. And through the years, that’s a fact that will probably never change. But you know what has changed? The dresses! Bridesmaid trends have drastically evolved throughout the decades, so much so that we just had to feature them in our latest BRIDES video — 100 Years of Bridesmaids!
Bridesmaids of today, feel free to thank your brides that your dresses don’t feature layers upon layers of ruffles and wide-brimmed hats. Go ahead. We’ll wait. While these ladies were surely stylin’ back in the day, some of these over-the-top bridesmaid frocks have got us clutching our pearls!
Let’s start back in the 1900’s when fanciful gowns, big bonnets, and baskets of greens were all the rage. Epic bouquets really did seem to dominate those early, turn-of-the-century decades, with bridesmaids toting bushels of blooms down the aisle. (Not too far off from the cascading, wild bouquets of today, huh?) When we got to the 1930’s, however, it was all about the caps and collars. And when we say collars, we mean collars, with the big folds of fabric practically taking over the neckline of the bridesmaids’ dress.
By the ’50s, brides were dressing their ‘maids in short and sassy frocks with voluminous skirts and tapered bodices. Oh, and bows. So. Many. Bows. But only ten years later, and gloves were the must-have accessory. (Just imagine having yet another item to try to keep clean and stain-free…) And then there’s the ’80s. Ohhhh, the ’80s. Ruffles, shine, and big hair were the name of the bridesmaid game back then, leading up to the must-have updos of the ’90s.
And now? The trends are unique as your bridesmaids themselves! From blush gowns to mismatched frocks to powerful prints and sparkly sequins, there are endless fresh and fashionable styles to dress your best gal pals in for the big day. The trends may change, but your love for them will always stay the same!
See More: 100 Years of Wedding Dress