8 Bridesmaid Dress Trends Your Attendants Will Love, From Poppy Pinks to Corset Waists

We spoke to bridal specialists about the looks that are on trend now—but will still be beautiful for years to come.

You’ve got your date set, your venue locked in, and your wedding gown in production. Next on the to-do list: selecting your bridesmaids’ looks. Many brides today leave specific dress selections up to their bridesmaids, yet the overall look is still up to the bride. But with such an endless number of directions to go in, where do you even begin?!

To help, we asked bridal specialists for tips on finding inspiration and insight into what's trending in bridesmaids' dresses. From pops of pink to pattern play and even elegant black, you're sure to find a direction that you—and your attendants—will love.

Meet Our Expert

• Erin Casey Wolf, franchisor of Bella Bridesmaids

• Gabrielle Hurwitz, New York City-based bridal stylist

Finding Inspiration

“Seasonality, formality, and the style of the bridal look should all inform how the wedding party is styled,” says Erin Casey Wolf, franchisor of Bella Bridesmaids, a must-shop bridal party destination with nearly 50 showrooms nationwide.

Décor is another great place to find inspiration. “The color of your bridesmaids’ dresses should play up the design of the wedding, so the bridesmaids become an intentional design element,” says New York City-based bridal stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz. “For example, I have a client getting married in a gorgeous gilded ballroom, so we’re pulling inspiration from the colors of the ceiling fresco and putting her bridesmaids in shades of dusty blue, sage green, and gold.”

For more inspiration, see these gorgeous ideas Hurwitz and Casey Wolf peg as trending—yet are still timeless enough to look back on and love for decades to come. 

Related: 17 Wedding Trends You'll See Everywhere in 2024, According to Experts

Poppy Pinks

Shades of pink are in, and the poppier, the better. “Brides have been looking for strong, true pinks this year,” Casey Wolf says. “They are setting aside more fleshy, blush tones and purple-hued magentas in favor of powdery pinks and bright azalea.”

A few hues to look out for? Jenny Yoo recently introduced a color dubbed Azalea to her bridesmaid line, and Casey Wolf cites the shade as one she particularly loves. Also, check out Amsale’s fluid satin Fuchsia, LulaKate’s Pink Peony (the brand also has an incredible hot pink floral), and Dessy Collection’s Think Pink. Curate the bridal party so they’re all in the same true tone, or have each member select her pink hue for an ombré effect.

Texture

“Slip dresses are still popular but I’m seeing brides want to incorporate more texture with their bridesmaids dresses, whether through fabric or silhouette,” Hurwitz says. “Think a sequin shift maxi dress or a dress with cascading ruffles.” Need some inspiration? This sequined Staud is stellar—and Show Me Your Mumu’s Romance ruffle gown also fits the textural bill. Dresses like this are also re-wearable. In fact, adds Hurwitz, “a lot of my brides are looking for bridesmaids dresses that don’t necessarily look like bridesmaids dresses, but rather a chic evening dress.”

An Updated Take on Satin

For brides and bridesmaids still drawn to satin—which has been ultra-popular the last few years—2024 offers an updated take. “Satin is still very popular, but brides are calling for easier-to-wear styles with more sweep in the skirt,” Casey Wolf says. She pegs Jenny Yoo’s Daisy bridesmaid dress and Mac Duggal’s Flounce Sleeve Satin Gown as great examples.

Black Gowns

It’s true what they say: Classic black will never go out of style. Whether it’s an actual trend or a timeless choice, black gowns make our list of trending bridesmaid looks.

Black is an especially great option when you want to let your bridesmaids pick their own gowns—since there’s little variation in the color, black dresses will almost always look cohesive, no matter the style. It’s a top choice for black-tie weddings, and there’s a bonus: Bridesmaids can always re-wear a black dress, which is a major plus as wedding attendant budgets seem to rise and rise.

Related: The Difference Between a Maid of Honor and a Matron of Honor, Plus How to Have Both in Your Wedding

Structured Forms

“Structure is really trending, and that makes sense because we are seeing so many gorgeous, traditional ballgown shapes for the bride,” Casey Wolf says. For bridesmaids, structure can translate to oversize bows, molded skirts, and heavier fabrics that hold their form—whether for black-tie or even more casual attire. “We’re seeing column skirts have a moment, and wedding parties are looking for details that nod to classic elegance and old Hollywood.” Check out Alfred Sung’s bow-back column gown, Sachin & Babi’s Sophia gown, and LulaKate’s Shantung Eva dress.

Rainbow or Ombre Wedding Parties

In prior years, mismatched bridal parties meant each bridesmaid wore a different floral pattern. This year, we’re seeing a pared-down version, with each bridesmaid wearing a different color—either for an ombre effect in the same color family or different colors altogether. “When done well, I love a mismatched bridal party,” Hurwitz says. I think the key is having a really clear vision.”

She makes some recommendations for brides. “Put together a mood board with reference images you’re drawn to, your ideal color palette, and even some dresses you love. You can easily create a Pinterest board, mock something up in Canva, or even make a Google Slides presentation," she says. If you go with a rainbow of colors, ensure the colors are distributed well. "Once you have your vision, ask your bridesmaids to rank their preference of color one through three, or however many colors you have, then assign each girl a color so you don’t end up with five girls in blue and only one in green,” says Hurwitz.

Unique Patterns

Though we’re veering away from the typical florals of years past, pattern is still in. “I love a bridal party with pattern,” Hurwitz says. “The key is to play with the scale of prints and, if you can, to find prints that incorporate all the colors in the palette to tie everything together. I’ve seen chic stripes and abstract prints work well in bridesmaids’ dresses.”

Corset Styles

A bridal trend that has made its way into the wedding party? Corsets. “Bridesmaids have started to embrace corset styles for more specific waist definition and style,” Casey Wolf says. And, as opulent weddings take over from the more casual weddings of the past few years, bridesmaids are looking to get dressed up. This fashion-forward style is exactly that—and ideal for black-tie weddings. Casey Wolf recommends Alfred Sung’s fit-and-flare Sonnet dress, a draped cowl corset by Bari Jay, or an understated Lazaro style.

Related: The 7 Best Wedding Cake Flavors, According to Professional Bakers

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.