TwoBirds Bridesmaid Recap

Yesterday, MOH and I went to TwoBirds Bridesmaid to check out the "everything in one" dress. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. First off, Ariane (owner and creator) was wonderful to work with, and she was very patient with my questions and need for demonstrations. It's so great to know that, even though she's been on the Martha Stewart Show and the Tyra Banks Show (among others), she's still working face-to-face with customers.

Secondly, the dress was actually really cool. It truly is "one size fits all" for the most part (they do have a plus size dress, as well as an extra long one for those really tall girls). As it happened, the only floor length sample dress they had was extra long, which of course was xxxxtra long on my 5'2" MOH. We also tried on the shorter, butterfly hem dress, but quickly ruled it out. While it's a neat concept, it just looks unfinished to me. The hem is calf length, but then cuts to the knees in front, making it uneven. Plus, with the floor length dress, the girls can easily cut it off after the wedding since there is no "finished" hem.

Thirdly, there are indeed a multitude of ways to wrap the dress, and I think there is something for everyone. It would be fun to have a "wrapping party" the day before the wedding, perhaps at the bridesmaid luncheon, to see how everyone wants to wear it. I'm also thinking that I may have the girls wear it with the cap sleeves for the ceremony (a more conservative look) and then for the reception, they can wear it however they want. Not 100% on this, though, as part of what I like about the dress is having each girl look slightly different.

Fourthly, they now have a 2 toned dress that they're marketing as the MOH dress (to set her apart), but I think it would work for all the girls, if you wanted. Basically, you can pick any 2 colors available and the top portion (that which you tie) is one color and the skirt is another. She had an example in rosewater (top) and chocolate brown (bottom) that was really lovely. I think if those were my colors, I would go with that combination for all the girls. However, since I'm probably going with "deep ocean," the color pops on its own, and I don't think there's a good contrasting color for it. To set the MOH apart, or again maybe for all the girls, I may just get them brooches to place somewhere on the dress (depending on how they tie it).

Finally, since my bridesmaids are scattered across the country, this dress definitely makes sense. It's one size fits all, so no need to have the girls measure themselves. There's no need for alterations, which in addition to saving them money, also means that I can pick up the dresses and just hold onto them until the wedding date, if necessary. And, even though it's a bit pricey at $290, it is totally re-wearable and they're saving the $100 or so they'd probably end up paying in alterations. It seems like a win-win situation!

So, without further ado, here are the pictures. Please pardon my MOH's bright red bra (MOH's note: if you're going to try on bridesmaid dresses, probably best to wear a nude strapless bra).

Short Dress in Deep Ocean:

This color looked really good on MOH, with her blue eyes. I'm thinking of requiring all the girls to wear blue contacts to match. :) The color will also look good at our venue, which overlooks the ocean (after all, it is called "deep ocean").

Long Dress in Navy:

I actually really like the navy color, too. I'm still debating between it and the deep ocean. I think the navy has almost a dark purpleish tint to it, which would go well with our flowers. I'm definitely going with the floor length dress, though. It just looks so much more elegant than the shorter one.

Short Dress in Aubergine:

Initially, we looked at aubergine since it was the closest thing available to dark purple, but it's a little too wine-colored for me. I think it would look great for a fall or vineyard wedding, though. Also, Ariane is in the last picture. TwoBirds is run out of a cute little apartment in Midtown that she used to live in before she married. It's nice to be able to try on dresses there, instead of an impersonal store.

The Best for Last:

Clearly, MOH approves of this dress. She says it's very comfortable and light, and thus very easy to wear. Deep ocean was also her favorite color. So, what's the general consensus? Yay or nay?