They always say “you can wear your bridesmaids again”, but if four to ten other women you know have the exact dress can you really? Where would you wear it? Still, you can pull that dress out of the closet and recycle it, turning it into a completely different outfit. Here are some options for recycling a bridesmaid dress into something you will actually use again.
Make the dress part of your next costume. Costumes are more and more elaborate these days. Starting with a pretty dress will make your outfit shine. Add a tiara and scepter for a queen or princess costume. Add wings and sparkly makeup and go to your next costume party as a fairy.
Strip down the dress by removing all decorative accents from it. If the bridesmaid dress had bows, bustles, or excess ruffles, take all of that off, then examine the simplified dress. It will probably be a classic design that you can wear anywhere.
Shorten your bridesmaid dress. If you really like your bridesmaid dress, but don’t know when you are going to wear a floor length dress again, cut it down to a mini dress, a knee length dress, or a tea-length dress. Just cut off the extra fabric and hem the dress.
Deconstruct the dress to salvage a skirt or bodice that you can wear again. Perhaps you only like the top of the dress, or the bottom, or maybe you just hate the sleeves. Remove the offending part by taking the dress apart by the seams and hem the raw edges. You will have a brand new wardrobe piece that you will love.
Salvage the bridesmaid dress for fabric. If you love the fabric, but hate the dress, consider using it to decorate your room. You can make throw pillows, window toppers, and new lampshade covers with the fabric from the dress.