Mismatched bridesmaid dresses have been in style for years now, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to go out of style any time soon! And we are totally loving this trend—you can be as traditional or contemporary as you want! Let your imagination go wild with this trend. There honestly aren’t many ways to mess it up! Hesitant to jump on board this trend? We totally understand, so we’re here to help!
How to Do Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses
Despite your hesitancy, it’s actually pretty easy to plan out mismatched bridesmaid dresses! Far gone are the days when all bridesmaid dresses had to be the exact same, down to the color, style, and length! Lucky for all of us, you can have every single one of these elements of a dress different than the rest! But how do you make a bridal party look cohesive despite their differences? Let us help you, girl! We’re going to give you all the best ways to pull off the mismatched bridesmaid dresses look!Way #1: Different colors, same style
An easy way to pull off this look is to note the undertones of your wedding palette. Do you mostly have jewel-tones? Dusty tones? Pastel tones? Pin down what types of undertones are prevalent in your wedding palette and incorporate them into the palette you use with your bridesmaid dresses. Once you nail down the tones of your wedding colors, determine if you want the various shades of the same color in your bridal party or completely different colors. For example, if you wanted to do various shades of blue, you could have a slate blue, sky blue, and greyish blue bridesmaid dresses. If you wanted to do completely different colors of a dusty wedding palette, you could feature a dusty pink, purple, and blue in your bridal party rather easily! Note the tones and secondary colors that you’ll have featured in your wedding palette so you won’t clash colors.Shop This Style:
Kennedy Blue's Elena
Top Left: Bourdeaux; Top Right: Desert Rose
Bottom Left: Dew Drop; Bottom Right: Dove
Kennedy Blue's Caitlin
Top Left: French Lilac; Top Right: Latte
Bottom Left: Dew Drop; Bottom Right: Mint
Kennedy Blue's Summer
Top Left: Marine; Top Right: Slate Blue
Bottom Left: Silver; Bottom Right: Sea Glass
Way #2: Same color, different styles
This is an easy one to pull off! When shooting for a mismatched bridesmaid dresses look, most brides choose to go this route because of the ease of it. Simply choose a color that best fits your wedding vision and let your bridesmaids choose which styles they love best. When brides choose to go this route, they usually limit their bridesmaids to one designer from one store. This ensures that all of the dresses are going to be the same color. Kennedy Blue is a great designer to order mismatched bridesmaid dresses from simply because we guarantee that all dresses ordered in the same color will actually be the exact same color! Check out Kennedy Blue’s bridesmaid dress collection!Shop This Style:
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Wisteria
From Left to Right: Milly, Melanie, Allison, Melanie, Cameron, Cameron, and Allison
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Slate Blue
From Left to Right: Natalie, Wren, Iris, Elena, Elena, and Thea
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Emerald
Top Left: Riley; Top Right: Sam
Bottom Left: Thea; Bottom Right: Sarah
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Sage
From Left to Right: Mackenzie, Ryan, Ryan, and Mackenzie
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Bourdeaux
From Left to Right: Thea, Cameron, Mackenzie, and Natalie
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Cornflower
Top Left: Athena; Top Right: Elena
Bottom Left: Rose; Bottom Right: Molly
Way #3: Different colors, different styles
This way is intimidating to most brides. There is so much freedom involved! But I promise that if you do it right, your bridal party will look STUNNING. If you look up mismatched bridesmaid dresses on Pinterest, you’ll find a plethora of ideas for bridal parties with different colors and styles. We think one of the best ways to pull off this type of mismatched bridal party is to throw a couple bridesmaids in patterns. Those patterns add a lot of texture and flare to your bridal party, and we are totally digging how cohesive yet diverse these bridal parties look! The best thing about this type of bridal party style is that it is so lax. You can have bridesmaids in various length, patterns, fabrics, and more! Get creative with it! The key to this style is to have all of the colors complement each other in some way. For example, mustard yellow, burnt orange, and red are great options for a desert wedding because they are fall colors and close to each other on the color wheel. Want to pull off this look but aren’t sure how to? Scour Pinterest and other blogs (like ours) for inspiration! We promise that at least an idea or two will strike your fancy!Shop This Style:
Kennedy Blue Dresses
From Left to Right: Lauren in Blush, Elizabeth in Bourdeaux, and Riley in Slate Blue
Kennedy Blue Dresses
Top Left: Clara in Latte; Top Right: James in Desert Rose
Bottom Left: Milly in Peach; Bottom Right: Ella in Wisteria
Kennedy Blue Dresses
Top Left: Kay in Sea Glass; Top Right: Kinsley in Blush
Bottom Left: Anne in Dew Drop; Bottom Right: Athena in Wisteria
Kennedy Blue Dresses
From Left to Right: Riley in Slate Blue, Elizabeth in Bourdeaux, and Lauren in Blush
Kennedy Blue Dresses
Dresses Pictured: Fatima in Bourdeaux and Elena in Blush
Kennedy Blue Dresses
Top Left: Allison in Blush; Top Right: Lydia in Silver
Bottom Left: Iris in Fog; Bottom Right: June in French Lilac
Way #4: Different shades, same color
Here is a popular, trendy option that brides are totally loving! Choose a color and have each bridesmaid wear a different shade of the same color. Some brides love to set their bridesmaids up so they also create an ombrè look as they stand at the altar alongside the bride. This is a super fun way to make your bridal party stand out! While doing an ombrè look is an option, you can also choose to do different shades of the same color without creating an ombrè illusion. For example, you could choose to have a slate blue, cornflower blue, and bluish grey in your bridal party, and we promise those three colors will mesh together beautifully!Shop This Style:
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Shades of Blue
From Left to Right: Isabella in Slate Blue, Cameron in Sky, Cameron in Slate Blue, Allison in Sky, and Isabella in Slate Blue
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Shades of Purple
Top Left: Ginger in Wisteria; Top Right: Amanda in Violet
Bottom Left: Melanie in French Lilac; Bottom Right: Hope in Mulberry
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Shades of Grey
Top Left: Jenna in Charcoal; Top Right: Jeslyn in Dove
Bottom Left: Miranda in Silver; Bottom Right: Caitlin in Dew Drop
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Shades of Blue
From Left to Right: Isabella in Slate Blue, Allison in Sky, Isabella in Slate Blue, Cameron in Sky, Cameron in Slate Blue, Allison in Sky, Isabella in Slate Blue, and Allison in Sky
Kennedy Blue Dresses in Shades of Pink
Top Left: Ryan in Peach; Top Right: Jade in Desert Rose
Bottom Left: Natalie in Peony; Bottom Right: Nora in Blush
Tips on How to Pull off Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses
Look, we know that trying to coordinate mismatched bridesmaid dresses can be an overwhelming task, but we promise that if you follow our tips and suggestions, you’ll pull off this trend fabulously. Check out some of our best tips on how to pull of mismatched bridesmaid dresses!Tip #1: Don’t be afraid to use patterns
It can be scary to use patterns when trying to coordinate a bunch of bridesmaid dresses because you don’t want those patterns to clash too much, but don’t let this fear ward you off from using patterns completely. Patterns are a bold choice but also a solid one if you do it just right! The key to pulling off patterns is to avoid using too many. If many of your bridesmaids want to use patterns, you can pull that off by choosing patterns that are more subtle so they do not clash!
Tip #2: Don’t use too many colors that aren’t next to each other on the color wheel
Pay close attention to the color wheel while choosing different-colored bridesmaid dresses. If none of the colors that you are choosing for your bridesmaids are near or next to each other on the color wheel, the dresses will most likely clash and not look good next to each other.Tip #3: Incorporate some sparkle if you want your bridesmaids to be glamorous
Mismatched bridesmaid dresses are the perfect bridal parties to incorporate some sparkle into! Throw one, a few, or all of your bridesmaids in various sparkly dresses! We promise that they will slay this look!
Tip #4: Necklines don’t have to look the same at all
The best part about mismatched bridesmaid dresses is that they can cater to all of your bridesmaids’ body types. If some of your bridesmaids want to wear strapless while others want short-sleeves, you can totally cater to those wants rather easily and still totally pull the look off! The best part about this type bridal party is that each bridesmaid will totally feel comfortable and beautiful in what she’s in!
Sophisticated Grace Photography
From Left to Right: Madeline, Iris, Gabby, and Thea in Slate Blue
Tip #5: Use transition colors if you’re using a variety of colors
The best way to pull off a multitude of colors is to have transition colors in between the bolder colors. If you want to pull off a bridal party that features blue, orange, and red, you can do it if you find some good transition colors (greyish blue, champagne, and pink for example).Tip #6: Not every bridesmaid has to be in a dress
Have some bold bridesmaids that don’t want to wear a dress? Lucky for you, there are TONS of adorable jumpsuits that would look beautiful with your other bridesmaids’ dresses! Jumpsuit-clad bridesmaids is totally trending right now, and we are totally loving this trend! Jumpsuits add some great flare to any bridal party!
Tip #7: Give your bridesmaids strong guidelines and encourage communication
Even if you’re going for a more lax bridal party, that is totally fine! But we don’t recommend that you simply tell your bridesmaids what colors you’re thinking and let them purchase whatever they want. We promise that you’ll end up with a hodge podge bridal party. The best way to pull off the mismatched bridesmaids look is to set strong guidelines and encourage communication. For example, you couldn’t care less what style or length of dress your bridesmaids get, but you do want them to incorporate mustard yellow into their dresses. Tell them this. And then make it clear that you want them to send you the dresses that they want to buy before purchase. This is super important so you can line up all of the dresses that your bridesmaids are going to buy and see how they all mesh together.Tip #8: Use the same bouquet for each bridesmaid
Even if all of your bridesmaids are getting completely different dresses completely, it’s a good idea to have all of your bridesmaids holding the same bouquet so that it ties the whole look together. Your entire bridal party will look cohesive if you have all of the bridesmaids holding the same bouquet.Tip #9: Have each bridesmaid use at least one of the same accessory
An easy way to make your bridal party look cohesive despite their different dresses is to have each bridesmaid use at least one of the same accessory. For example, one of my coworkers is having all of her bridesmaids wear the same earrings despite the fact that they’re all wearing different dresses.
I’m so on the fence about this. Sometimes this looks super cute but other times it doesn’t work out so well…
I love the idea of letting my bridesmaids pick out a style that looks best on them!
Thinking about this for my wedding. Great ideas to add.
Love the subtle differences in colors that give a little texture to the bridal party but still match well! Thank you!
We are doing same color different style! I want my girls to be comfortable all day!
Love the shades of blue!
Thanks for the tips and tricks so hard to decide what to do for bridesmaid dresses!
I love the same color but different styles. I think I want my maid of honor to have a different color from the bridesmaids tho.
I love this idea! I am letting my bridesmaids choose their own dresses. Not everyone’s body shape, comfort level, or budget are the same, so I want my girls to pick something they can afford and will feel their best in!
I knew I wanted my ladies in the same color but different dresses to fit their comfort levels.. it’s nice to see this!
I am doing different shades same color for mine.
I’ve always known I wanted to have my girls in different styles so that they feel comfortable and confident. It’s so nice to see visuals and ideas for not only different styles but using a variety of colors.
I have 3 bridesmaids all with SUPER different body types, finding one dress they all feel comfortable in would be impossible, but if they find their own dress, my stress is gone!
I know at the end of the day all that mattered to me was that my girls felt confident and comfortable in there dresses. Especially since the will be in front of a crowd. That is nerve racking as it is.
Totally doing this at my wedding!
I hadn’t considered this idea before, but I’m thinking about it now. I like the same color, different dress idea!
I am planning for my girls to all wear different style, different color dresses – I want them all to feel and look like themselves!
I am really set on having mismatched bridesmaid dresses at my wedding but I wasn’t exactly sure how to best do it. This article is super helpful!
I’m a fan of the same color different style idea!
I am 100% too chicken to do the different shades and different dress idea, but it’s definitely worth noting that the bouquet and maybe a piece of jewelry should be the same to keep some uniformity! I hadn’t really thought about that.
love the idea of mix and match! such a fun way to make your wedding party feel unique and stand out
Love the shades of blue and tips on how to make them still work together even with different styles too! That’s what I want to do and am glad to get the confidence here to go for it!
The idea of 1 or 2 colors and allowing them to pick styles that they feel good in…that’s a win-win for bride and bridesmaids!
I didn’t put too much thought into this, but the different styles different colors was what I was going with… but the different styles same SHADE… that sounds fun. Giving me something to think about! Thanks
This trend is such a great idea! I’m having 2 maids of honor and I’d love for them to be in different dresses than my bridesmaids to differentiate between the two.
i’m definitely going this route for my upcoming wedding. My maid-of honor is 27, and my bridesmaid will be 50, so they have different styles and body types. I’m going to keep it the shame shade, just different dresses.
I love these. I just dont know what style to go with or how many different mismatches to have.
Loved this article! Trying this for my wedding and can’t wait!
I love this idea!!
Such a great idea
Love mismatched dresses!!!
I LOVE these ideas. It’s hard to make a definite choice on the dresses, and I think these all compliment each other beautifully.
I love #2. Same color different styles!
Not sure how I feel about this, but I feel like I like a more uniform look.
I’ve had an idea of what I wanted to do, but this changed it. I love this. Too cute and original.
This is what I want to do! Love this idea!
So helpful. I know I definitely want to go with different style same color. I would have loved to see the convertible type dresses as I’ve been leaning towards that
I really love the same color different style look. It looks even better than same dress for everyone.
I definitely want to mix the colors of my bridesmaids’ dresses. I’m doing a Gatsby themed wedding and I think vintage means I don’t have to be so worried about matching exact colors. The beauty is in the creativity of the thing!
Such great ideas! I want each of my bridesmaids to not only feel beautiful but also unique while sharing my special day with me. I was worried that with what I had picked out it wouldn’t look good to have mismatching styles or colors, even though I love mismatching everything, even my socks! Now I have a better idea of what I would like my girls to wear and I will definitely be letting my girls pick out their own styles, as long as they buy from the same designer and use the colors I have picked out. Thanks for all the input! Love this article
I love the color wheel advice for different color bridesmaid dresses!
This is a nice way for bridesmaids to show off their personalities. Love it!
I love the mix and match idea! It gives each bridesmaid the ability to personalize and pick a dress that is the most flattering for their body shape. We are not all cookie cutter shape, and so finding the best fit of a dress for each bridesmaid will make each bridesmaid feel more confident and beautiful!
I love the idea of different styles and colors!
I love this idea! I have been a bridesmaid in two of my friends weddings with mismatched dresses and it was so nice to be able to suit my style.
I like this trend, it makes everyone a bit more comfortable because they can all pick a dress they like and feel comfortable in.
So pretty!
I would really love to do mismatched bridesmaid dresses but I was nervous. After seeing this post I think I can put a step forward in the right direction to get it completed. They are beautiful all together!
I definitely want to have mixmatched dress styles at my wedding. Our colors are burgundy red and a burnt orange color for our fall wedding. I have two maid of honors so I am considering having them wear different colored dresses than the other bridesmaids. I was thinking maybe have bridesmaids wear a burgundy dress with orange shawl, and maid of honors wear orange dresses with a burgundy shawl. I’m just not sure how that will look.
I’m planning on doing this for my marriage celebration! It’s a great way to keep your bridesmaids feeling comfortable and not have to fit into a style of dress they don’t agree with. Thanks for the article!
I love the idea of mismatched bridesmaid dresses cause you get to see the uniqueness of each bridesmaid and you can just choose a color and they can pick the dress!
Definitely love the flexibility of this idea! I want my girls to feel as beautiful as I do on this special day. It definitely doesn’t hurt that this trend also gives them a little more power over what they budget for the dress. Super excited to see this trend gaining traction!
I’ve been thinking about doing shades of purple in different styles. My biggest concern is the wide variety of types of purple out there
I love these ideas. I have been struggling to find ways to mix and match! So helpful🥰
I love this trend! I think it’s such a fun way to add personality to your wedding!
My sister is getting married in September and we are all wearing different dresses but by the same designer! Two of us are in one color (the Maid and Matron of Honor) and the Bridsmaids are in a different, complimentary color!
I really want to do mismatched dresses for my wedding!! I love how the different styles and different shades of blue look next to a pretty white wedding dress. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
This article is amazing. I wild have never thought of some of the ideas!!!! Having different bridesmaids dresses is perfect for my bridesmaids because they All have different body styles.
These are some awesome tips! I will be sure to include some of them in my wedding vision.
This was extremely helpful!
Love this idea!
I am in love with the idea of mismatched but coordinating styles. I like different colors because then I don’t have to worry about making sure that all of the dresses are exactly the same or from the same dye batch (I’ve heard stories of issues) and style wise, each person gets to choose what fits them best! Another thing I’ve been exploring is potentially going the route of dress separates. I feel like that might give ladies the opportunity to be even more likely to wear their dress for other occasions.
This is super helpful for visualizing how to let bridesmaids show off their individual styles and body types will still maintain a cohesive look. Thanks!
I’m so excited to try mismatched dresses!
I am working on same color different styles. Yet, even same color with different shades of the color so my friends are comfortable to wear what they want, when they want.
I’ve really been wanting to mix and match my bridesmaids in shades of purple, but I feel like it won’t look as nice as I imagine. I love the plum, wisteria, and mauve colors.
Mismatched dresses are always fun specially if not all your bridesmaid decide on the same dress 🙄
I plan on doing different colors (shades of blues) and styles of Kennedy Blue dresses for my bridesmaids and can’t wait to have our appointment to pick everything out
We are planning on doing mismatched dresses/ bridal parties. I love everything non-traditional about this!!!
My best friend did mismatched dresses at her wedding that I was in and I LOVED the idea. I’m stealing it for my wedding next year.
I love this idea. Though some of my family think it’s such a horrible idea and want one consistent color for my wedding. However I want every girl to feel comfortable in their dresses.
Love!
Can’t wait to try this!
This was actually super helpful! So far, no other websites have given more than “same style different color” or “same color different styles” I’m glad this gave so many tips!
I love this trend so much! Different styles for sure, to flatter each bride.
My sister-in-law had us do mismatched dresses and it was really fun! The photos turned out really well.
I’m vibing with the level four mix n match ?