Dream weddings can mean nightmare dresses for bridesmaids says survey

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Mar 6, 2017

Most bridesmaids hate the dresses they wear for a friend or relative’s wedding, new research from fashion brand Simply be shows.

Its new survey of over 1,0000 UK adult women shows 78% of bridesmaids have been unhappy with the dress they felt forced to wear, potentially storing up negative feelings about the brand for their own weddings. However, it also suggested that a simple switch to a more eveningwear-focused style could prove popular.

And the results seem to support the decision of the large number of fashion brands that are moving into bridal/bridesmaids dresses. So far this spring, Whistles, Lipsy and Topshop have launched or about the launch into the sector.

Well-known high street labels that launch into bridal usually offer styles that fit with the brand’s signature look and come in at more affordable prices than ‘traditional’ bridal ranges.

Simply Be spokeswoman Suzi Burns of Simply said the retailer has seen a recent growing trend among its customers who are buying evening and occasion dresses to use as bridesmaids’ dresses.

The company’s survey also showed that the most unpopular choice of bridesmaid’s dress colour is peach followed by pistachio green, yellow and lilac. The favourite option is teal blue with nude/cream and aubergine and purple proving much more popular.

Stylewise, frills, ruffs, shiny synthetic satin and puff sleeves are the biggest turn-offs for bridesmaids, while fitted, floor-length evening styles with V-necks or plunging necklines get the thumbs-up. Themed and fancy dress-style outfits are also hated.

And despite nearly 80% of bridesmaids feeling unhappy about what they have to wear, 86% feel that they should go along with the bride’s choice “without complaint”. Only a tiny 2% of women polled said they would rather refuse to be a bridesmaid than wear a dress they felt they looked awful in.

Bridesmaids are also unhappy about being asked to pay for the dress they wear, an understandable complaint given the large number who hate the dresses. Some 29% said they had been asked to pay for their dress.