Not Just One of the Guys: Groomswoman Attire

In post long ago, I mentioned that my good friend Jacob has asked me to be a groomswoman in his wedding.  This has lead to many questions!  An important one- what to wear?  Until searching the web for some advice, it had not occurred to me that wearing a dress matching the bridesmaids may make it seem that I was a bridesmaid who got lost and ended up on the wrong side of the aisle!  It seems that there are no hard and fast rules about attire, but here are some things to consider if you happen to have a groomswoman in your wedding:
1.  Should she wear a dress?  Not necessarily.

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Here the groomswoman is wearing a suit very similar to that of the groomsmen.  I think she looks great, but don't think everyone can pull off this look!  The groomsmen attire (given the footwear) has a non-traditional feel, which I think works well with this gender-bending outfit.  If your wedding is more traditional you might want to consider some other options.  (I did see a groomswoman wearing a tuxedo matching the groomsmen and must say it wasn't attractive).

2. Can she wear a color matching the groomsmen?  Absolutely!

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Wearing a matching color, especially black, is very easy!  She fits right in, but still looks feminine!  In my research I also found the photo of a groomswoman wearing a dress matching the color of the tan suits the groomsmen wore.  You can view that here.  Love it!

 

3.  Should she carry a bouquet or wear a corsage?  Either one!

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As with every detail of your wedding, the look is up to you!  My personal preference is the corsage to keep things cohesive with the groomsmen.  But, I think either look is great!  And sometimes (see above) the design of the dress doesn't work with a corsage.

4. What about color?  Groomsmen often have some of the color of the wedding incorporated into their looks with the corsages, their ties, or cummerbund.  Women can have the same splash of color with a sash.

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In this wedding, the groomswoman wore a tie that matched the groomsmen.  Obviously, this was a more non-traditional wedding.  Very cute idea!

5. Black and white dresses...
A few of the weddings I came across had black and white dresses, like a female-version of a suit.

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I especially like this look.  Not sure if it is a skirt and blouse or all one dress.  I love that the top has a tie.  It is still very feminine, but goes nicely with the men's attire.

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In this wedding the bridesmaids wore long dresses, in keeping with that look, the groomswoman also wore a long dress. 

6. Same color as bridesmaids, different dress. 

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In this instance the groomswoman wore the same color as the bridesmaids.  She still is set apart by a few details.  She is wearing a different cut of dress and she has a corsage like the groomsmen. I think this might not work as well if the bridesmaids were wearing the different cuts of dresses as well.