Thursday, October 22, 2009

What Not to Wear . . .

For years I've been telling people how terrible the bridesmaids dresses at my sister D's wedding were. I've described them for friends: thin sheeting cotton in pastel rainbow shades (mine was peach), trimmed in poly lace with iridecent threads, ill-fitting, with an asymmetrical hem and large bows. There were matching lace chokers and fake flower wreaths as well. I would see my friends cringe, but assure them that they could not fully appreciate the truly hideous dresses without having seen pictures.

Well, here they are. The pictures were sent by my mom, and they are very faded (this was back in 1996), so you cannot fully see the colors we were wearing, but you get the idea, I'm sure. Any brighter, and you might have nightmares for a week, in which pastel dresses threaten repeatedly to pull blueberries out of your boobs (don't ask).


My sister's dress was mint green, and yes, the bodice and sleeves were covered in that terrible lace. They didn't fit any of us correctly; the "seamstress" (I use the term very loosely) had measured and fit us all, and then somehow managed not to get a single one of the dresses right.


This picture seems to suggest I needed to get doped up to endure this experience. I wish that had been the case.



Yes, that is indeed Tabitha. Funky dancing. She still dances like this. Dancing crazy was her outlet for the horror.


Brides, an entreaty: do not do this to your bridesmaids. No friend or sister or cousin deserves to be dressed this way, and then immortalized for all time in pictures like this. We don't club baby seals or pull the wings off dragonflies, so don't be this cruel to us.

That is all.


6 comments:

Betty Manousos said...

Ok, I agree with you I don't like that lace either, but the pics are sooo great!!
Have e nice time:)
xxx

Sarah said...

those are pretty bad...seems alot earlier than 96 :) I like when brides have the wedding party wear the same color but different dresses :)

Brandi said...

I am so glad you shared these photos! I can't believe they were taken in 1996 -- the style reminds me very much of the 80s somehow. Was this one of the reasons you decided to start learning how to make your own clothing?

InspiredDreamer said...

Oh wow, I feel for you. I've only been in a few weddings but most of those dresses are one-time only. There was one dress that I could actually wear again for other purposes though, and that was predominately because it had a separate top and skirt. It's amazing how often a floor-length wine-colored skirt can look amazing with nice sweaters, a long fitted suit jacket, etc. Now that I know it's possible, I vow to do my absolute best for my bridesmaids whenever that time comes!

Thanks for sharing!

Rebecca Jo said...

Oh dang... yeah, that's really bad!!!

Isis said...

Words fail me.