Choosing Bridesmaids Dresses

One of the biggest questions to ask when choosing a bridesmaid dress is about color. Aside from choosing a shade you like, you'll want to pick one that fits the tone of the ceremony: elegant, refined, causal, religious, etc. You'll also want to choose a color that flatters the bridesmaids.

Here are some thoughts on choosing a color for your bridesmaid dresses.

Black. Black gowns are most appropriate for an elegant evening ceremony. However, black can be made a bit more casual if you go with a shorter dress or by combining it with white or another light color. This color looks good on most women and is slimming, and black bridesmaid gowns usually are easy to recycle for a later formal occasion. In some people's minds, though, black just isn't "wedding" enough because it is associated with mourning and sexuality.

Red. Red is a bold color choice. Like black, it tends to work best for the elegant evening wedding, but can be toned down if the dress is shorter or contains other colors. To avoid the 'fire engine" effect, choose a shade that's a little muted, and to tone down the sexual connotations of this color, choose a modest dress. Red often looks best on women with olive or brown skin, and sometimes makes blondes and redheads look pale.

Pink. Pink signifies innocence and youthful femininity. It's a good choice for a springtime, outdoor wedding, but might not be appropriate for older bridesmaids. A more sophisticated choice is rum pink, which is feminine and pretty without looking too prom-like. You can also tone down the prom look by keeping the dress simple, without frilly bows and poofy stuff.

Navy blue or royal blue. Dark shades of blue can be a good alternative to black. They're sophisticated, slimming, and look good on most women, but don't have that mourning connotation. Dark shades of blue work well with older bridesmaids. If you choose royal blue, don't pick too bright of a shade, because that screams bad '80s prom dress. If you choose navy, try not to go too dark or else the dresses might clash with the tuxes.

Maroon and hunter green. Along with navy blue, maroon and hunter green are clean, vivid, "preppy" colors. They're dark and colorful without being too overpowering. Green is hard for some women to pull off, especially if you choose a brighter kelly green.

Purple. Purple can be a good alternative to red. It's bold and colorful, but doesn't come with red's sexual connotations. Like red, purple can make a woman with pale skin look paler, but it can also complement yellowish skin tones. Choose shades carefully, as some can be pretty tacky. Purple doesn't always look good on heavier bridesmaids.

Pale blue, pale green, pale yellow, or lavender. These pastel shades are nice alternatives to pink that aren't quite so girly. These shades typically work best for daytime weddings during spring or summer, and don't always look so good on older bridesmaids. If you go with pastels, minimize the prom look by avoiding frilly bows and big skirts.

Orange. Orange is in vogue, especially subtle shades of peach and coral. Not everyone can pull off orange, though, especially darker and brighter shades. Bright orange tends to look better on women with dark skin.