The Struggle to Find a Bridesmaids Dress

Oh man, kids. Dress shopping is an absolute nightmare. That sh*t online is a LIE. You can't trust anybody these days.

My best friend Alaina is getting married this summer. Like she's ACTUALLY doing it. I got the "save the date" in the mail and everything. My little Lay Lay, the love of my life, is tying the damn knot. Come August she will be walking down the aisle right into the arms of the most gorgeous man any of us have ever laid eyes on.  If you want to know what they look like together click here. (Sorry for the invasion of privacy, Alaina, but if our readers are anything like me they NEED to drool over pictures of the happy couple.) They glow every time they gaze into each other eyes. Absolutely untouchable couple. Nicholas Sparks should write his next book about these two. All while the rest of us are just trying to swipe past the serial killers on bumble. 

I am a bridesmaid HOLLAAAA. It is an absolute honor to be in this wedding. So of course, I’ve been panicking for the past couple months on what to wear. This is the King and Queen wedding celebration of the Boston College athlete alumni. You can't be caught dead in a mediocre frock. This is Game of Thrones royalty sh*t. Go chic or go home. 

This is my first time being a bridesmaid and second time in my life wearing a gown. If you can even call my prom dress a gown. I don't know if my royal blue sequin dress that broke on the dance floor counts. My assistant principle had to paper clip my strap back together. 

 

I must have tried on at least 100 dresses over the past five months. And I have to say, I learned a lot about dress shopping. 

My biggest mistake was I only tried on one type of dress. I wanted a blush pink, silky, spaghetti strap, wrap dress with a slit up the side. Not specific at all. I thought this style would look best on me because the wrap dresses this season are very flattering around the waist and the slit would help me show off some leg. 

I've said this before and I'll say it again- so many times, girls and women try to hide the parts of their body that portray them as athletic. For example, I feel like I have broad shoulders. Sure, some dresses might not accentuate my shoulders in the right way and people would mistake me for a swimmer. But you can bet that I'm not hiding them- I'm looking for a way to make them look toned and strong. 

I found a couple of forgettable dresses that looked okay. There was always something slightly wrong with them. Too heavy, too thin, too tight around the thighs, too loose around the chest, blah blah, blah. The usual issues we run into as athletes. And then there were the ones that you just laugh at yourself in the dressing room for thinking that it would look good on you. I couldn't not share them so get a good laugh in. Here are some pictures of the bad and the ugly. I'm actually surprised I was able to keep a straight face. 

Advice: Personally, I think fitted dresses are better. Show off those curvy muscles. Body hugging dresses are the way to go and can be done in a tasteful way. I think its a crime to hide what we work so hard for. Flowy, fun dresses can also look amazing but just make sure you're showing off your best attribute. Try on different styles and different colors that you might not expect yourself to like or look good in. Have an open mind. For years I watched “Say Yes to the Dress” and the stylists would always say you usually end up with a dress you would least expect. They are exactly right. The dress I have for the wedding is one of the first ones I saw online but didn't think the style, fit, or color would look good on me. #TimeWasted

I also think that above all the rest,  make you are comfortable and feel great in what you are wearing. Confidence trumps everything else and can make almost anything look beautiful. Now that my online ordering overload is all over, I couldn't be more excited to stand next to my best friend, shed some tears, get a little swass in the August heat, and cheers to the couple of the century.