Keeping bridesmaid dresses?

[laine]

I am the current owner of two dark red A-line ball-gown bridesmaid dresses (couldn't they have picked the identical dress?), and am trying to decide if there is really any reason to keep either. The dresses are nice and pretty plain, but they still look like polyester bridesmaid dresses to me, so I really don't see myself wearing them again (plus I don't go to anything that requires a ball-gown). I'd rather donate them while they're still in style so someone can wear them to prom or something.

Am I going to regret getting rid of them? Is there any reason to keep them?

What have you all done with old bridesmaid dresses?

ETA: Do you think the bride would be offended that I didn't keep it? Would you be offended if you were her? The weddings were 1 and 3 years ago.

 

[robbie3982]

I definitely wouldn''t be offended if my BMs don''t keep their dresses.

So far I only have 1 BM dress. It''s from 2 years ago and I kept it because I really like it. It''s a burnt orange a-line dress and I really didn''t think I''d ever wear it again, but I ended up wearing it to my sister''s bat mitzvah this year! Everyone kept complimenting me on it so I''m glad I kept it.

I''m still hanging onto it incase my sister or one of my nieces would want to wear it. I doubt I''ll have another occassion to wear it since all of my family saw me wear it to my sister''s party. It could make a fun halloween costume eventually though.

 

[Ruby Shoes]

Hi Laine,

There is an organisation called The Glass Slipper Project that you are able to donate used bridesmaid/prom/formal dresses to, and they distribute them to less fortunate girls who need dresses to wear to their school proms etc.

There are some really lovely stories on the website http://www.glassslipperproject.org/ and I think it is a great way to pay it forward... how lucky are we to be as rich as we are?

Just a thought

 

[somethingshiny]

I was going to mention The Glass Slipper, too.

I wouldn''t be offended if my BMs got rid of their dresses. One of them cut it off short and wore it to her military boyfriend''s shindig, one of them got lost in a housefire, and I don''t know where the other has gone.

Also, I''ve seen segments on talk-shows (I think Rachael Ray) with how to re-make those dresses. If they''re a good color for you, I might try to take one to a seamstress and see what she could do with it.

 

[qtiekiki]

I wouldn''t be offended if my BMs got ride of their dresses. One of my BM actually ended up wearing her dress to her frat formal, but their dresses aren''t really typical BM dresses. If you don''t see yourself ever wearing them again, then donate it. Someone will get usage out of it.

 

[MustangGal]

I tried selling mine from my BIL''s wedding on ebay. Twice. No one would bid on it for even .99. So I gave it to Goodwill. Just let them go off to someone who will wear them again, no point in keeping them.

 

[LauraLoo]

I can''t imagine any bride being offended...I just feel bad for the bms that they even have to purchase this dress when rare is the case that it ever gets worn again. I am building quite the collection actually. I was about to get rid of them and then changed my mind. I am keeping them just to be able to look at them years from now and laugh!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am sure they would not be offended. I think one of my BMs cut the dress to knee length to wear again.