I’m one of those people who loves being a bridesmaid. Making wedding favours, writing invitations, painting cake toppers, tablescaping and even floral arranging—I’ve done it all, and get this—I actually enjoy it. While duties tend to vary for each wedding, one bridesmaid task I’m always bestowed with is finding the perfect, affordable bridesmaid dresses for myself and the rest of the group to wear on the big day. My job as a fashion editor means I have intrinsic knowledge of the dresses currently on offer, and as such, I can make quick work of finding styles I think the bride should consider.
With most brides choosing to have more than one bridesmaid, investing in dresses for the entire group can prove costly. Even if you’re a bridesmaid and intend on purchasing your own dress, chances are you mightn’t want to break the bank on a dress you’ll, at best, only wear occasionally. This is why I always advise looking to the high street.
Typically speaking, high-street bridesmaid dresses are more affordable than those found in bridal boutiques. Still, the last thing you want is for the dresses to look cheap—especially when standing next to a beautiful bridal gown at the alter or in perfectly posed photographs.
Thankfully, the high street has been serving up increasingly elevated bridesmaid dresses of late, with styles that look and feel much more premium than what they cost. Due to the sheer volume of options out there, finding affordable bridesmaid dresses can be tricky—take ASOS, for example, which has over 17,000 dresses on its website alone. This, however, is where I come in. Putting my 11 years as an editor to good use, I’ve found 30 high-street bridesmaid dresses that are stylish, chic and wedding ready and that I’d genuinely love to wear—scroll on to see them.
I can confirm the straps on this dress fully cover your bra straps.
Don’t disregard prints—this polkadot midi presents a very stylish bridesmaid dress option.
Just imagine twirling on the dancefloor in this beauty.
This romantic dress comes in several colours, so there’s bound to be one to match the scheme.
The bow straps and gathered bust are so pretty.
Yellow is a stunning option for summer weddings.
This also comes in a camel hue.
Doesn’t this look like it belongs on the red carpet?
For minimal ceremonies.
The Own Studio specialises in satin gowns.
I make the most of any excuse to wear tulle.
This dress has a chic cut-out to the side.
A classic.
The perfect accessory to a bridesmaid dress? A statement headband.
Try adding a jewel belt to this dress.
A lace dress like this will never go out of style.
A shade that feels very “fashion” in a silhouette you’ll be excited to wear again—win-win.
Florals are a timeless bridesmaid dress option.
Nola London is another independent bridesmaid dress label I’d like an excuse to wear.
This makes me think of Rachel Green in Friends, which is a very good thing.
A modern take on the one-shoulder dress.
A dress you can absolutely wear for other occasions after the nuptials.
The detailing on this dress goes way beyond its price tag.
The sleeves add serious drama to this ensemble.
The long sleeves and column skirt feel so elegant.
A shade that’ll suit all skin tones and hair colours.
Just add gold shoes.
Not sure on the plunge neckline? A basic stitch will sort that out.
I adore the sleeves on this maxi.
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