When it comes to fashion on The Bachelor, the looks tend to range from sparkly gowns to sparkly going-out tops—not exactly the pinnacle of high fashion, or even necessarily a reflection of the latest trends. To be fair, the contestants have to pack for unpredictable circumstances (and destinations), bringing along clothes that are as great for rose ceremonies as they are for “stealing you for a sec.” It can get pricey, with some admitting to spending thousands before the show in order to have an eye-grabbing wardrobe. This season they definitely got our attention, in spite of how hard producers wanted us to focus on Colton showering.
Ever wondered what gown to wear when seeing your ex for the first time, on national television or otherwise? What about the perfect swimsuit in which to look cute but also cause a scene at a pool party? Below, we round up the best, most dramatic fashion moments from this season of The Bachelor—from night one to the many, many breakups.
The gown so good two women wore it on the same night
The most surprising bit of Bachelor history to come out of Colton’s season wasn’t the long-awaited fence jump, nor was it the sheer number of times the word virgin was uttered (though, that must’ve been a record). Rather, it was that, for the first time ever, two contestants showed up to the mansion on night one wearing the same dress.
That’s right, Heather (she who would go on to have her first kiss on air) and Laura the accountant picked out the very same red strapless Likely gown to make a first impression on Colton—only to inadvertently re-create that Spider-Man meme in the living room of the Bachelor Mansion. The two handled it well, though. Honestly? It’s not hard to see how that would happen. It’s a good dress! Oh, and it’s on sale and you can even buy it from Amazon.
Buy Now: Likely Windsor Strapless Gown, $378 $188.99, Saks Fifth Avenue
The dress that made for a memorable exit
We were sad to see Elyse take herself out of the competition for Colton’s heart this season after such a good one-on-one date—but damn, what a way to go.
In an iconic self-elimination, Elyse did her best glam (she’s a professional makeup artist, after all), put on her most stunning white dress (so on the nose), and broke it off with Colton. She looked good.
According to Bachelor fashion fan accounts, Elyse was wearing Vici’s Antonia Maxidress, which features a velvet-burnout floral print over a sheer full skirt. Listen, if you’re going to make a grand exit during prime time, you’ve got to dress for it. The dress is currently available for preorder, so if you need a similar one ASAP consider this Yes Please maxi from Free People which we’re sure would also look good when you want to say, “Thank you, next.”
Shop Similar: Yes Please Maxidress, $118, Free People
The swimsuit that reminded you of all those stylish people you follow on Instagram
Toward the end, Onyeka sort of lost us with her drama with Nicole, which ultimately got both contestants eliminated. Before then, though, when the conflict was still centered on the Caelynn and Hannah B. conflict, she was a source for funny commentary—and solid fashion. Onyeka wore the type of things you’d see on your favorite fashion influencer: plunging velvet minidresses with shoulder pads, low-cut gauzy maxidresses, and scalloped two-piece swimsuits. She even wore that one Marysia bikini every blogger and their squad owns for a poolside cocktail party.
