So what passes for a bridesmaid dress these days? I only got married two years ago, but it took me about five minutes of online shopping to know that I wanted to pick the color and leave the rest up to the bridesmaids. I went with black, since I was having an evening wedding (outdoor ceremony, sit-down reception inside) and that was that. Tall, short, skinny-minnie or curvy-girlie--it didn't matter because each girl could pick out what she liked, what she could afford, and what she felt most beautiful in. I also chose black in case any of the girls couldn't afford a new dress but still wanted to be in the wedding; everyone has an LBD, or knows someone they can borrow one from.

I've been thinking about weddings a lot lately; it's that time of year, after all. And after writing 10 Tips for Wedding Dress Shopping I got thinking about the bridesmaid dresses I've worn over the years, which led to a leisurely stroll around the Internet in search of hideous bridesmaid's dresses. Guess what? No shortage of those.

The Dated Dress

Some bridesmaids dresses are ugly just because they are old and out of fashion, right? I suppose that is true to some degree. But were these dresses ever really considered "beautiful"?

Ditto for these. If the cut weren't unflattering enough, the color is painful and the fabric just looks itchy.

All I can say about this bride is that she must have hated her bridesmaids. If you want to get the full effect of this photo I have to send you to the Bless Your Heart, Virgina blog where I found it. Worth it!

I'm so curious about both the dress selection and the decision to pose the women directly in front of a curtain which almost exactly matches the pattern of their dresses. I mean--why? And--why, again? Bridesmaids' dresses are tricky enough without bringing a patterned fabric and window dressings into the mix.