Bridesmaid Dresses Post Wedding-What To Do?

*the dress closet*

Weddings seem to be surrounding me constantly. Calm down none of them directly involve me. I seem to be a perpetual bridesmaid..hmm at least I'm not yet up to 27 dresses level. Though I do have all of the dresses hanging in a closet and I can't live with out my paper calendar/organizer, then again maybe I am yikes!

Phew so you survived this wedding season. If you are around my age I'm sure you have a couple BM or MOH titles under your belt and have more coming down the pike. So what do you do with that bridesmaid dress after you've had the ultimate honor to stand up next to your friend on that very special day?

 I know all the brides say "I picked this one so you can wear it again".  I appreciate the thought and it is my goal to do, but really how often can you wear a bridesmaids dress? I'm the type of person that always remembers what people wear so I know others do too. Or heaven forbid you attend a wedding wearing {gulp} the same cut or color as the bridesmaids! awkward

With a newly announce engagement in the family I know I will have to make room for another bridesmaid dress in the closet! I explored the closet of dresses and found one that I think its time to retire. This navy dress I've worn 3 times and it is now too big woot woot!

* Wedding, Derby, Christmas*

 Ok what to do with it....here are just a few ideas on how to recycle that dress:

1) Buy a cute little black dress and donate your old. 

Buy a new dress on newlymaid.com  and they will give you a prepaid envelope to send in your gently used bridesmaid dress and they either: a) donate it to the charity clothes4souls or b) recycle the material. Clean out your closet to support a good cause.

      *note I had to revise this post. I went back on site tonight to try it out and they no longer give you a credit towards a new one if you trade in a dress :( when I originally was looking into ideas that was the deal I guess it was too good to be true!

super cute dress!

2) consignment shop-you get money right then and there. 

I like clothes mentor (grown up Plato's closet) you don't get a ton but it's better than $0

3)  donate to a local school- see if students need dresses for formals or even theater department. At work there was a cotillion for the middle school girls and they were always looking for dresses  

4) Trade it or sell it on Bridesmaidtrade

You create listing for dress you want to sell or trade and if it sells you get paid.

I'm not quite ready to get rid of the 3 other dresses since I have yet to wear them again (oops) To be fair two are from this summer and I have a plan well sort of..maybe you can help.

*the others*

from left to right:

teal cotton sateen- no idea but I love the color and cut

light blue chiffon- to the opera???

watermelon satin- Christmas or Valentines Day?? 

Any other suggestions?? Quick someone host a fabulous party so I can wear one of these.