Bridesmaid Dress Dilemma

According to all of those timeline and checklists out there for the Bride To Be it is time to start thinking about what my gals will wear. I don't know if I am the only Bride out there that feels this way but I am absolutely dreading it. I don't know if it's the closet full of two-hundred something taffeta and chiffon that I will never wear again (sorry ladies, but it's true) or the idea of getting 8 girls to agree on something but this task has been totally hanging over my head and I have been putting it off for as long as possible.

My first thought was to let everyone pick out their own cocktail dress in the same color family and to have an ombre look and everyone in a dress of their choice. Thinking something like this:

http://www.theweddinghunter.com/2012/01/02/hunted-bridesmaid-trend-mis-matched-bridesmaids/

I love the way everyone is different but they all coordinate so well. I love the idea that everyone gets to pick their own dress and feel comfortable in it. A friend of mine did this with black cocktail dresses and it just seemed like one less stressor. The awesome thing about black is that it is easy to match and even the differences in materials weren't super noticable.

via Facebook

Although, as a part of this bridal party I felt a little stressed about finding a good dress that was going to blend with the others and that would meet the standards of the bride. Just me?

Well, after lots of research and debating (just with myself) I have narrowed it down to two options. Option A being risking it and using Little Borrowed Dress, where the girls have the option of renting their dress for $50 or buy it for $150 but won't be able to try it on unless they go to NYC or Option B where the girls can pick any dress they want from Bill Levkoff as long as it is short and chiffon and they will be able to try on their choices at any store that carries his line, likely with a price tag of $150-$200. Both options have tons of different styles so I would still be able to get the look of everyone looking slightly different in the same color.

So, if you were a bridesmaid which would you prefer? Renting and risking or buying and trying?

I'm running out of time to order and am still so torn and none of the girls seem to have a big preference.