By mixing and matching separates, playing with colors and details, or allowing each lady to choose her own most flattering dress shape, you can offer your attendants something much more than a place in your bridal party: the opportunity to look and feel their best in the spotlight. Here are a few ways to give the bridesmaid outfits a personal touch, while keeping your overall wedding look consistent.

The Shape of Things

If your attendants are various weights and sizes, a wise strategy is to pick a manufacturer, color, and fabric, then let each bridesmaid choose the dress style that suits her figure and personality. For example, if one of your friends is still shedding weight from her first pregnancy, she'll look lovely in a flattering empire-waist gown. Does your sister loathe her arms? Cover her up with cap or 3/4-length sleeves. If you've got a vixen in your party, let her go wild in a sexy strapless. Many bridal designers offer dozens of silhouettes in a single color, from universally flattering A-lines to sexy halter-top numbers. And many manufacturers offer maternity styles. Keep in mind that your bridesmaids don't have to select drastically different designs -- they can stand apart just as easily in contrasting necklines or hemlines.

We Are Family

Have a favorite color you can't get enough of? Select a universally flattering dress, then let each attendant pick a shade that flatters her skin tone and hair color. If you're passionate about purple, march your maids down the aisle in lavender, lilac, amethyst, and plum. If you're thinking pink, your leading ladies can wear anything from rose petal to carnation, fuchsia to raspberry. "This scheme looks great in photographs," notes dress designer Vanessa Fox, who recommends choosing a color group that matches the mood of your wedding. For example, if you will exchange vows three feet from the ocean, a bridal party in shades of blue will look dreamy. To complete the look, use the same array of shades for your attendant flowers and accessories.

Taking a Tone

Perhaps you yearn for an island wedding under a canopy of palm trees. Maybe you adore the soft shades of the Mediterranean or have the colors of a Santa Fe sunset on your mind. Let your preferred palette inspire your bridesmaid attire. Interior decorators use this trick all the time: to evoke a particular mood, choose several colors with the same tone that work together. For example, if you love tropical hues, dress your attendants in turquoise, yellow, lime green, and coral. Having trouble settling on a palette? Consider your apartment decorating and wardrobe preferences: Do you like being surrounded by demure pastels, or does your taste lean more toward bold brights? Whatever tone you choose, purchase the dresses in the same fabric, such as shantung or chiffon.

Tops & Bottoms

Are you a hip bride who's planning a slightly more casual wedding? Then consider outfitting your attendants in separates, such as a festive ball skirt paired with a crisp white wrap shirt. Most bridesmaids love this look because the skirts (usually in an A-line or bias-cut) flatter virtually all figures, and the tops are seasonless separates that may be worn after the wedding. Companies such as Watters & Watters and Alfred Angelo offer unique spins on the classic wrap blouse. If wrap shirts aren't your thing, consider a cream or ivory cashmere twin set -- the ladies can wear their cardigans while you're exchanging vows, then shed the top layer during the reception for a sexier look. As far as the skirt goes, you can put all your attendants in the same solid (or a classic print such as plaid), or assign each woman a different color for a rainbow effect. Keep in mind that you don't have to order the top and bottom from the same manufacturer. Some retailers will let you purchase separates from two different designers and, if you're a sleuthing bride, you may even find an amazing top right off-the-rack.

Accent on Individuality

Who says your attendant outfits must be monochrome? More designers, like Simple Silhouettes, are using accent colors to spruce up their dresses and allow you to give each bridesmaid an individual look. For instance, put one attendant in a turquoise strapless dress with a lime-green sash, another in a solid turquoise shift, a third in a lime strapless with a turquoise cuff at the neckline, and a fourth in a lime sheath with turquoise edging at the hemline. Purchase all the dresses from the same manufacturer and in the same fabric, although you can opt for a second material for the accent color. You can also use accent accessories (an orchard dress with an amethyst shawl or vice-versa) as well as prints (a plaid skirt with a cream sleeveless top; a cream skirt with a plaid halter) to punch up basic dress silhouettes.

Petal Mettle

Something as simple as flowers can also add personal flair to your bridesmaid outfits. Even if your attendants wear the same dress, you can customize their bouquets to make them feel special. While you'll want to select colors that work with your wedding scheme, you can choose multiple shades of the same flower, or mix and match several flowers and/or colors. A fun option is to vary the shapes of the arrangements. For example, give your bridesmaids round bouquets of pink roses, your flower girl a little basket of white rose petals, and your maid of honor a trailing bouquet of pink and white roses. If your attendants are wearing different color dresses, decorate their bouquets with matching ribbons.

It's All in the Details

Finally, little extras can go a long way. To give your attendants a unique look -- even if they're wearing the same dresses -- choose accessories that complement their outfits and personalities. "With accessories, the sky's the limit," says Cheryl Levkoff of dress manufacturer Bill Levkoff. Try flirty satin tie belts or preppy silk scarves. Fanciful flower pins, placed at the collarbone or hip, are charming accents that can also mimic your floral arrangements. And pretty beaded purses solve your bridesmaids' problem of how to transport their lipsticks and driver's licenses from church to reception site. If you're having an outdoor wedding or will be taking photos in the park, chiffon or satin wraps are elegant add-ons, while faux fur stoles look breathtaking at an extravagant winter wedding. For a final touch, turn to semiprecious jewelry: sexy chokers or whimsical charm bracelets make great attendant gifts and add sparkle to your bridesmaid ensembles.