Twist Dress

One of the biggest trends in weddings is transforming the look of a dress from ceremony to reception. Many brides are also opting to allow their bridesmaids to wear different dress styles. I discovered the “twist dress” by Dessy Group via a Facebook ad. As soon as I changed my relationship status from “In a Relationship” to “Engaged,” the right side of my Facebook profile blew up with wedding-related ads. A majority of the ads are not applicable to me, but I was intrigued by this ad after seeing twist dresses on David Tutera’s My Fair Wedding. Among changes to the ceremony and reception, Tutera frequently changes both the bride’s and the bridesmaids’ dresses. In several recent episodes, Tutera has opted for different versions of the twist dress.

I know a lot of brides say they want their bridesmaids to purchase dresses that they can wear again, but let’s be honest, how many of those dresses do we ever take back out of the closet? Depending on the number of weddings you’ve been in, it starts to look a little like Katherine Heigl’s closet in 27 Dresses. The twist dress is one of the few bridesmaid styles I have seen where I can truly picture someone wearing the dress on multiple occasions. The dress can be twisted into an elegant, ceremony-worthy style, but quickly transformed into a fun party/reception look. The jersey material and a more relaxed, fun twist allows this dress to double for date nights and other less formal affairs. Watch the video below to see some of the twistable styles.

The twist dress from Dessy Group comes in both full and cocktail lengths, allowing the bride to achieve different looks based on the theme and location of her wedding. I really like the cocktail-length version, because I can see this style worn after a wedding more so than the full-length version of the dress. I am definitely considering the twist dress as a possibility for my bridesmaids, but I’m not sure which style would coincide best with the overall look and feel I want to achieve.

The twist dress is available in 22 different colors in a washable matte jersey fabric. Based on the color swatches, a bride would almost certainly be able to find an approriate shade (I personally prefer the “concord” shade). There are a couple downsides to this dress, however. I’m not sure if any bridal boutiques offer this dress or similar styles in their stores. It would be difficult to decide on a bridesmaid dress without allowing your bridesmaids to try it on first. The different twistable options don’t necessarily guarantee that the dress will be flattering to all body types. The dress sizes also range from XS (0-4) to 2X (26-28), but a size 0 and a size 4 are two very different sizes. As far as dresses are concerned, I prefer to get a customized size based on my exact measurements.

If you're like me, and you're not sure if the twist dress is for you, you can purchase a sample-on-loan dress for $35 (either cocktail or full-length) in your color choice. However, the sample must be sent back within 48 hours with the pre-paid shipping label.

Choosing Colors

Many couples spend a lot of time debating over a wedding color scheme. Yes, you should choose colors that you like and compliment you as a couple, but a variety of different factors come into play and have to be considered. A few tips and questions:

• Does your color scheme compliment your venue? Things that cannot be changed, such as paint color and carpet, should be taken into account.
• Is your color choice appropriate for the season? Some colors and color shades are more appropriate during a specific season. Pastels, for example, are not the best choice for fall or winter.
• Does your color choice reflect the mood of your event?
• Choose exact hues by visiting a fabric shop or paint store. If you say your dominant color is purple, there are a variety of ways in which that can be interpreted. Eggplant, plum, or wine offer a more specific shade.
• Apply your colors to paper. Envision how they will look on invitations and programs.
• Not all flowers come in a variety of colors and shades. If you are settled on a particular flower, try to plan around the colors of the flower and realize what colors offer more floral options or limitations.
• Tie it all together -- Make your color choice consistent.
• Think of your bridal party! What colors are more flattering than others?

So, what is my color palette?
To be quite honest, our color choice evolved from a conversation in a bar after a friend’s wedding. The best way to get inspired is to attend other weddings. What did they do that you liked? What didn’t you like? This wasn’t really such a significant decision for us. Like many aspects of planning, it is different for every couple. Much of what we have planned has naturally evolved over the course of our relationship. We are very much attuned to each other’s tastes and creative directions.

Although we are getting married in spring, we chose a more dramatic color scheme: eggplant, silver/grey, and black. Below is an inspiration board created using dessy.com.

The inspiration board is a really fun tool that can also be useful in getting your ideas all together to see how they interact and compliment each other.