Whether a bridal party is small and intimate or on the larger side, you want all bridesmaids to feel comfortable in the dress selection. Finding a color, style and fabric that works for everyone can inevitably seem like an impossible feat–especially when your bridesmaid count reaches the double digits. However, it is possible to find a gown that everyone in the party will feel beautiful wearing.

For expertise on all things bridesmaid dresses, we reached out to co-owners Danielle Bourque and Meghan LeBlanc from Baton Rouge’s Bella Bridesmaids to get advice about choosing the perfect frock in line with 2021’s newest trends.

“We are so ready for 2021, since it’s definitely bringing on a fabulous trend: velvet!” says LeBlanc. “Jenny Yoo has definitely hit the nail on the head with their gorgeous velvet gowns. They’re structured enough to make you feel confident but also have a stretch to them so you can dance the night away.”

But what about style? Women come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes, so there must be a way to keep in mind the different needs and wants of an entire party.

“We still have brides who choose to select a designer, fabric and color, and then let their bridesmaids choose their own style of dress from that group,” Bourque explains. “However, it’s becoming more popular for the bride to choose only one dress for everyone to wear.  Most of our designers really have an eye for making a dress that is made for a woman’s particular body type. So it hugs all the right places and gives room in all the right places.”

And while a certain cut may flatter a certain body type no matter the decade, color trends can certainly change with the seasons and the calendar year. 

“Color trends change all the time,” says LeBlanc. “Right now, we are seeing tons of hunter green and mauve. As far as fabric goes, crepe is a big hit. It’s more structured than chiffon but has plenty of movement to it.”

As for dress length, tradition still seems to reign supreme.

“I’m not too sure the last time we did short dresses!” she says. “Even down here in the South, long is all of our brides’ choice to complete their romantic, fun and gorgeous evening.”