Tips for Pregnant Bridesmaid Dress Shopping

One of your best friends is getting married and wants you to be her bridesmaid. You’re thrilled and are excited to do it—but there’s one problem. You’re pregnant and none of your fancy clothes fit! Relax and don’t worry - you can still look great with the right maternity dresses.

There are many trendy pregnancy evening gowns you can buy in Toronto—and you can even order them online from stores that specialize in maternity clothes. Here are some tips to help you shop for the right bridesmaid dress:

1. Ask the bride about the color scheme. This is very important before you shop for maternity dresses so you can narrow down your choices to appropriate colors.

2. Shop at the right time. Regular bridesmaid dresses are typically ordered around five to six months before the big day. Don’t do this when you’re expecting. You body will keep changing drastically within that time frame, so the right time to buy your bridesmaid dress is up to 2 months before the wedding date.

3. Take your measurements correctly. Shopping for regular dresses usually means taking measurements of the bust, hips, and waist. But when you’re pregnant, you can forget about measuring the waist—it will keep growing to accommodate the baby. Only the bust and hip area needs to be measured. Be sure to add some allowance especially if the wedding is still a month or two away.

4. Leave room for alterations. Maternity evening gowns are specifically designed for pregnancy. They have enough allowance to accommodate any alterations down the line. This will help avoid any stress and make you feel confident that you will still fit in the dress even as your body changes.

5. You can’t go wrong with empire dresses. The empire waist cut is usually the most flattering for pregnant women. That said, you can certainly rock a figure-hugging dress, too, if you feel more comfortable with that. Don’t let your pregnant belly get in the way of your style.

6. Choose the right fabric. Chiffon is an elegant and flowy fabric that makes it a good choice for pregnancy clothes. It is also versatile enough for maternity evening gowns.