What to do with old Bridesmaids Dresses

Photography by Robert Evans

I may not have been a bride yet, but I’ve definitely heard (as I’m sure you all have too) every bride udder those awful words to me as I’m slipping into a bright pink silk satin dress with a giant flower on it:

“You can totally wear this again!”

I have yet to discover the proper occasion to don any of my old bridesmaids dresses, which leaves me wondering, what exactly are you supposed to do with them?  If you’re lucky, the dress is cute, little, and black, but for the rest of us, we can’t seem to get the garment bags out from the back of our closets.

After some hunting and creative brainstorming, here are a few ideas on what to do with your old dresses, as opposed to burning them in a fit of “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” fury.

Donate them: the evening sections at any local thrift store are always slim, and believe it or not there are people looking. High schoolers attend formal dances where their parents don’t want to dish out the dough for couture, and even college and twenty somethings without a lot of cash have formal events to attend. Help them out, and feel good about the cause (plus write it off on your taxes!).

Alter them: a dress may not appear too flattering on a hanger, but with a little cash and a trip to any seamstress, you can completely re invent just about anything. Shorten them, belt them, even dye them, and you can get yourself a “new” cocktail dress that’s surely one of a kind.

Save them: this idea may sound a little extreme, but after seeing the movie 27 Dresses, there’s nothing more humorous than making a bridezilla wear her own bridesmaid dress in your wedding!

Trash the dresses: a creative and fun idea for the bridesmaids AND bride, arrange for a photo shoot where you all “trash the dress.” This trend is hugely growing with brides and photographers, making a mess out of something beautiful, but this could also be a fun bonding experience for the bridal party. Grab some paint, chocolate, grass, and a camera, and have some fun!

Re use the fabric: a great idea for a gift, use the fabric and any detail from the dress to re cover a photo album and personalize it with pictures of you and the bride. She may not be happy to know you destroyed her dress, but the memories inside, and wedding colors outside, would make a great keepsake.

Next time you’re asked to be in a wedding, instead of cringing at the thought of spending your hard earned money on a dress that’s sure to never see another day after “the big day,” impress your friends, and your bride, with using your dress again and again!