During the 80's and 90's it was quite common that if you were asked to be a bridesmaid for a friend you would be expected to wear a puffy sleeved taffeta gown with lots of frills which I am sure many of our customers will remember and cringe at when they see old photos. Bridesmaid dresses were made from traditional Bridal Fabrics such as satin, taffeta and lace and were not particularly the most flattering of styles however they did fit in with the fashion of the time. Recently we have seen brides opting for more non- traditional Bridal Fabrics to dress their bridesmaids in and many even choose to style each bridesmaid individually with a different dress to suit each persons shape and colouring which again is non- traditional. Here are some alternative fabrics that can be used for bridesmaid dresses: Cotton Spandex - This fabric is not usually seen as one of our Bridal Fabrics however with many people opting for the 'vintage look' for their wedding it is perfect for 50's style bridesmaid dresses as it is ideal for creating circle skirts and fitted tops due the weight of the fabric. Our cotton spandex fabric comes in some beautiful floral designs and colourful patterns which can make the bridesmaids stand out in wedding photos and with 3% spandex in the fibre content, it is very comfortable for the girls to wear all day. Lycra Jersey - Traditionally jersey fabrics would never be used as Bridal Fabrics but in the last few years a dress style called the 'infinity wrap' has become particularly popular for bridesmaids and our lycra jersey is an ideal fabric to make this style of dress. The 'infinity wrap' dress can be wrapped, twisted and tied in a variety of different ways to create different looks including halterneck, one shoulder and crossover straps. The lycra jersey is perfect for this as it has a large amount of stretch to it which allows it to be manipulated into different styles. Cotton Prints - Cotton prints can be used as Bridal Fabrics for brides looking to keep their costs down for bridesmaid dresses without compromising the quality of the dresses. Rose and Hubble produce a large number of floral cotton prints which would make stunning dresses for bridesmaids. These could be made into short tea length gowns with dress nets underneath and would fit in well with a vintage style, handmade wedding.