Which Decade Had the Best and Worst Bridesmaid Dresses?

Wedding dresses have changed a lot over the past century, as have the bridesmaid dresses that accompany them. Being a bridesmaid is a big commitment and each one is there to support the bride on the big day and before it, jut as the groomsmen support the groom. But, when it comes to what the bridesmaids wear there can be a lot of controversy. The dresses can be expensive, but they can also be not quite to everyone’s taste. It would be hard to get. group of people to agree on the same dress, so usually a bride makes this choice hands down. Occasionally there can be some debate, but largely it’s about the bridge’s chosen color scheme and the style of the wedding she’s chosen overall. Whether you love them or hate them the designs have evolved over time which begs the question: which decade had the best and worst bridesmaid dresses?

1910s

The style back then was quite modest, with the ladies in evening gloves and draped gowns reminiscent of Roman togas. The hats though are a huge! Not every bridesmaid dress included accessories, but many did. And, they could make or break the look.

1920s

This upscale wedding shows a much trendier style of dress for the bridesmaids, with arms showing and covered only in a bit of short-sleeved lace. The hemlines are shorts as well. But, this seems to match the bride with her very stylish beaded veil.

1930s

The more bridesmaids, the more dresses you have to buy! This bride wasn’t hearing about less is more. She had her whole gang with her. The eight bridesmaids are dressed in what looks almost more 1970s than 1930s, proving that fashion comes around in cycles. The ruffle placement, pouffy sleeves, and hats could have been plucked straight from the 1970s.

1940s

The 1940s in fashion was an interesting time as skirts were sometimes shorter and bright colors were en vogue. But, for many brides a more covered approach was taken to avoid looking too modern. This bride and her bridesmaids are well covered in their long sleeves, the bride in lace and the maids in satin. Something about the fabric just doesn’t look all that comfortable.

The sheer, heart-shaped visor hats for the bridesmaids certainly are a choice and we have to wonder if the girls liked them or not.

1950s

In the 1950s it was quote common for bridesmaids dresses to be fitted at the waist and flared at the skirt, as we see below. This classic silhouette could include many layers of tulle or lace or could be simpler with more streamlined skirts.

1960s

In the 1960s the fit and flare silhouette was still very popular, with lots of tulle and lace. In this photo is appears the bridesmaids were wearing their own dresses, each one different from the next.

1970s

In this decade there were a lot of capelets on bridesmaid dresses. Large hats were very popular, and long, A-line maxi dresses were in style. Put them all together in bright, synthetic fabrics, and you have one of the most notorious eras in wedding couture.

1980s

Lots of white lace and big sleeves were the 1980s look. A slight nod to the Victorian era crept into many wedding fashions, giving a more old fashioned look to many wedding parties.

1990s

The big sleeves of the 1980s continued into the 1990s, with bright colors, satin fabrics, and bold designs featured in many weddings. These hot pink bridesmaid dresses below have a unique bow cut-out pattern across the backs.

2000s

Simple, strappy dresses were in style in the early 2000s. Brides were branching out into colors that were unexpected for bridesmaids including grey, red, maroon, and black. Bridesmaid dress colors up until this point had often been cheerful colors or pastels.

2010s

In the 2010s strapless bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses were very on trend. If they were having custom dresses made some brides allowed their maids to choose the style of the dress since each person has a different level of comfort with strapless dresses. Wrap dresses that can be styled dozens of ways became very popular for bridesmaid dresses during this era as a cheaper alternative to custom dresses that allowed each person to choose their style.

Now

Soft, muted colors in cream, pink, or sage green are common for bridesmaid these days. They can be matching or not as each bride has her own ideas for the women in her party. Some today would say these dresses are more appealing than vintage styles, but who knows: in a few decades we might be just as put off by these as the infamous 1970s polyester bridesmaid dresses!