Guest blog from the founders of Birdy Grey

Birdy Grey is a direct-to-consumer bridal startup on a mission to change the way millennial women shop for their weddings. An all-female team founded by 2 besties, Grace Lee and Monica Ashauer, they combine their love for the digital space with all-things bridal to disrupt the $300 billion global wedding industry by offering women exactly what they want: a seamless online shopping experience + flattering, photo-ready bridesmaid dresses that compliment their wedding palette, at prices that make everyone happy.

Every bridesmaid dress is $99, and comes in a variety of styles, colors and inclusive sizes that are carefully curated for easy mix and match. The days of traditional matchy-matchy bridesmaids are fading away, and the mix and match trend has claimed the spotlight. Brides most commonly opt for this trend so their bridesmaids can each choose a dress they’ll feel most comfortable rocking, so they can each feel uniquely beautiful. But we know there’s a few different ways to go about it, depending on your wedding vision. Here are our tips on how to create the perfect mix and match look for your own bridal party— with a mix of colors and styles, a mix of styles in the same color, and with our convertible gowns. 

Mixing and matching with colors and styles

Step 1: Decide on color tones

The first step of mismatched bridesmaids is to decide on the general color tones. Do you want to stick with cooler shades like blues and grays, or warmer shades like pinks and mauves? Maybe even a mix of both? You’ll most likely want to take cues from your overall wedding color scheme here, to ensure the girls look cohesive with decor, details, and overall wedding vibe.

‍

Step 2: Create an ombre effect

Within your chosen color tones, you’ll want to create a dreamy, gradient ombre effect. Select an even distribution of lighter, darker, and middle toned colors. We typically recommend choosing 2-4 colors (depending on how many bridesmaids you have), to keep things looking orderly and not too cluttered. Just make sure there’s a balance of shades, so no bridesmaid is the odd one out.

Step 3: Incorporate a variety of necklines

We always recommend that the bride assign each bridesmaid a color to wear, and then allow them to pick a style they love within that. To add dimension and visual interest to the bridal party lineup, include a variety of dress necklines. This can be achieved if the girls wear a mix of different dress styles, or if they’re styling one of our convertible bridesmaid dresses in different necklines. Alternate between strapless, halter, v-neck, etc. for the best effect. 

‍

Step 4: Bring everyone’s look together with accessories‍

Finally, take all these unique styles and turn them into a proper, photo-ready bridal party! Have the girls wear similar shoes, jewelry, hairstyle-- or at the very least, just hold the same bouquet. This will help to unify the group, and ensure everyone’s look is perfectly coordinated.

Mixing and matching styles within the same color

Not a fan of the multi-toned look? No worries! To achieve a more traditional monochrome bridesmaid look, simply assign the girls one color, and they’ll pick the dress silhouette. For the best effect, make sure they choose a variety of dress necklines and fabrics. This way there’s a balance of different styles and nobody will look like the odd one out.

Mixing and matching with convertible dresses

If you want to get the look without all the fuss, make bridesmaid mixing and matching a total breeze with one of our convertible styles! Keep it simple. Just let the girls know which convertible dress they should order, and allow them to style their neckline however they feel is most comfortable and flattering. This is perfect for any bride feeling overwhelmed by all the details of wedding planning, but still wanting a unique bridesmaid lineup on the big day. Have the girls wear our Christina, Chicky, or Grace gown, and they’ll style the straps. Easy peasy, and so chic.

‍
When designing new styles here at Birdy Grey, we keep easy mixing and matching in mind. It’s safe to say that our bridesmaid dress styles are truly made, by design, to be mixed and matched seamlessly! All available exclusively online at birdygrey.com.