Mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses have become increasingly popular in recent years. This trend has taken the pressure off of some brides to choose just one dress for their besties to wear, as well as given bridesmaids the freedom to select a gown that complements their personal style and figure. Done well, this can lead to a visually pleasing bridal party look—take Alexi Norton’s blue and yellow array, for example. Alexi worked with stylist Cynthia Cook Smith to help style the bridesmaids by lending her editorial input and sending out links.

Having a third-party opinion can be the key to making mismatched dresses still look cohesive, as this trend can be difficult to navigate if bridesmaids are not given enough direction. We asked the experts at Bella Bridesmaids for advice on how to achieve this look and their best tips on the three most common possibilities open to brides for this trend.

Same Color, Different Dress Styles: Brides can stick to tradition by having their bridesmaids wear dresses that are the same color, but they can choose the style of dress that best suits their individual body types.

Bella Bridesmaids:  “Be sure to specify a designer and fabric in order to ensure that the shade of your chosen color is consistent, or you could end up with one or more dresses looking faded or even a different shade entirely. For instance, if you simply tell your bridesmaids to pick a navy dress, you’re going to end up with six different shades of navy that most likely will not blend well together.”

Same Dress, Different Colors: Creates a sense of unity while offering a striking variety of hues.

BB: “Choose a flattering style for your bridal party’s various shapes and sizes. It’s also a good idea to specify the designer and color options, and then limit how many bridesmaids can choose a specific color, to ensure that the palette you’ve chosen is evenly represented among your bridal party.”

Combination of Styles and Colors: Offers the most distinctive and memorable bridal party looks.

BB: “To achieve a sense of harmony, pre-select a variety of styles, colors, and possibly prints that you like and know will work well together. If you allow your bridesmaids to choose from your pre-selected options, limit the number of bridesmaids who can choose a specific style, color, or print in order to achieve the desired variety.”