Mother Of The Bride (& Flower Girls)

My sweet Jessica is getting married in May. Her dress is ivory & the bridesmaids are sapphire blue. I wanted to wear silver. I am pretty small - 5'1" about 96lbs - that limits the designers/brands that are available to me. I don't want anything provocative or anything that looks too prom-ish or matronly. Here is my first possibility.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3081510?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=keywordsearch&keyword=sue+wong&origin=searchresults

What do you think? I will ask for more opinions when I find more possibilities.

 

I like it, its very pretty and it looks like it will suit your build/body type. Good Choice

 

Nikki, I think it is beautiful and silver is a very nice choice. I know you didn't say provocative, and that isn't, but the back is very low (which I find stunning) but I didn't know if you wanted to show that much.

 

Nikki, that dress is beautiful. Congratulations to your daughter on her upcoming marriage!

 

I think the dress is beautiful, but I also think it is too revealing for my taste. I don't really do super low backs. I would also be concerned about the 5 inch train and the girls stepping on it during the reception. As you will have to get it altered for your height anyways, that might be easily fixed.

 

I think it is really pretty and not too revealing. Is the wedding in Texas, outdoors? Then that low back might be nice since it might be really hot & humid outside? One thing I would think about is if you have to get it shortened, will it have to be hemmed right in the middle of those circle patterns? Will that mess up the hemming, or would it bother you?

Otherwise I love it.

 

it is a very pretty dress but a bit low in the back for my taste also. If i had the figure for it and your height i would hem the train up in the back and see if they could use some of that material to cover the back.

The close up view shows some beautiful detail.

 

I love the dress and think you will look great in it. The back doesn't bother me at all. Very pretty.

 

Very nice dress and the color goes great with the other dresses.

 

WOW Nikki, that dress is stunning. I'm sure it's amazing on.

In deciding on it, I would consider the style of the wedding, the venue and the cut of the wedding gown & bridesmaid dresses. To be honest, it seems a little too sexy for a MOB dress and I've never seen a MOB have a train before, but maybe that's a lame Midwest thing. I think silver is a great choice of color. It sounds like you are having a lot of fun with the wedding planning. Enjoy!!

 

I really like that dress, but agree with Sheryl that it's not a usual MOB style. However, if your daughter likes it too, buck the traditions! (I would definitely get your daughter's input on what she'd like to see you wear). One caveat, that dress might not look as nice in a petite style as it does on a tall model, it's definitely designed for a taller shape, you'll loose a lot of the graceful drape of the ruffle in the hemline when you have it hemmed (and you will have to hem it, states 58.5" from shoulder to hem, and you are probably only about 51" from shoulder to hem, without heels though). Also, it will likely seem kind of nightgown-ish to the seniors in the crowd. But, I'd still wear it in a heartbeat for a nice evening party or dance. Hope you find something that makes you feel beautiful, no matter what. I love the wedding color choices.

ETA: parenthetical remark

 

That's a beautiful dress, but not one I would expect to see on the mother of the bride. If you tinted it white, it could even be a bride's dress. For the MOB, it's a bit too showy with the low cut back, and I agree with everyone else that it might not drape as nicely if you're 5'1". Unless it's an outdoor wedding in the middle of the day, I'd get something that covers your shoulders so you don't look like you're competing with your daughter or trying to look too young.

 

My mom wore a simple blue dress suit style skirt with blazer. It was very beautiful actually. To me that is more of a bridesmaid dress.

 

I hope I don't offend anybody, but I cannot stand the typical MOB styles! They're definitely matronly! My mother and mother-in-law both wore much younger and more stylish dresses (they were 46 and 60 at our wedding) and I much preferred them.

I love the dress. I agree about the alterations possibly affecting the pattern, though. I'm only 5'2" and this is a problem that dictated my wedding gown, so I'd be sure to have an seamstress check it out before buying.

Have fun! I love a great wedding!

 

My only instructions from Jessica were "Wear whatever makes you feel good. My only request - do not wear one of those mother of the bride dresses with the little short sleeve jacket." Jessica & Sean both love this dress - I would be happy to wear anything they are happy with. I am not "wedded" to this dress yet....I can't find it in a store so I ordered it online. If I like it, I will take it to a good seamstress & see if the dress can be altered without affecting the integrity of the design.

This is my second choice - if the first doesn't work out I will order this one. I tried it on & it was gorgeous....but pricey. I will buy it if I have to but I am hoping to save a bunch of money by being happy with the first. This one has a shell on the front & their wedding has some beach elements in it.

http://www.edressme.com/beaded-evening-gown-880225.html# one.

The wedding is going to be in a beautiful church on the grounds of the university where the bride & groom met. The reception is going to be at a wedding pavilion on the intercoastal waterfront with views of the ocean. It will be in Florida & it will be hot.

Thanks for all the feedback. I originally intended to wear a short dress - I would like to find one but no luck yet.

 

I hate to burst your bubble, but as a seamstress, the first one will look funny when hemmed 6-8 inches. I did hem a dress for a MOB last summer and took off the train, not as easy as it sounds. But when you need to hem more than an inch or so, you really need to look at the lay of the entire skirt. Personally, I would keep looking, besides, those dresses are wayyy out of my budget!

I was just looking around online and found this dress: http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49998958&currentIdx=31&subCategory=-49998976|-49998959|-49998958&catentryId=6097047&sort=

The neat thing about it is that you can remove layers and make it shorter if you wish.

 

Dress #1: Not only is the back low cut, the fabric that is there is sheer, so it's essentially backless. I don't like matronly dresses either, but I don't think I'd go backless. I'm not fond of the train idea, either. A bit too bridesy for my taste, but maybe that's just me. And as someone who sews, ITA w/ Sharon...big alterations such as this can really ruin the integrity of a dress. The less you have to tweak, the better, usually.

Dress #2: I'm sorry, but my first impression is that this looks like you are trying to steal the limelight. Too much glitz, too much fabric (which, imo, would make someone as petite as you look like you were drowning in fabric)...that dress really looks like it would be a lovely nontraditional wedding dress, not MOB dress.

Like I said, I truly do hate matronly MOB dresses w/ a passion, but I also think that a classic, subtle look is the way to go for a MOB. If you are willing to shell out $800 for a dress, then you can afford beautiful tailoring and couture details that will make you shine...but not OUTshine the bride.

Just my 2c ardon:

 

I actually have this dress - knee length though & gold in color.

 

I like the 1st choice better like i said before, its pretty, simple and not too overdone i dont think.

 

How about this one:
https://www.idressonline.com/Terani-Couture-Tears-Drop-Embelllished-Dress-_p_1327.html#

Or this one:
https://www.idressonline.com/Terani-Couture-A-line-Dress-with-Bolero-_p_1610.html

And finally:
http://www.demetriosbride.com/us/index.php?page=collection_evening&styleID=2527

 

Out of all the ones you have shown, I love the second one in the last post! I think it could be perfect.

 

Ok, this is probably due to the fact that I DO sew and pay close attention to pattern placement to avoid...um...flower-on-the-boob faux pas but...

Is Dress #1's bodice ONLY smiling at me??? (sorry, I just can't get past that)

 

I'm having a hard time picturing these on your body type. A full length skirt might be a bit overwhelming.

Have you looked into having a dress made? Take a dress you already have into a seamstress and find out how much it would cost to duplicate in a silver fabric.

I think you should splurge and wear whatever you like! definitely avoid the sheer over satin look--very matronly.

 

I like this idea. That way you could get something that would really flatter your petite figure and avoid the matronly/too showy dilemma entirely.

 

Agreed. In fact, I don't find the back too low. It's just perfect. Great choice.

 

I like dress # 4 and # 5.

The ones in your first two posts would probably be hard to alter to fit your frame, I think they would lose something in the translation (I also don't really see them as MOB dresses).

I like the idea of finding a seamstress to make one for you. I bet you could get something fabulous that way.

 

Out of all of them, the fourth dress would be best. It does have that little jacket, but it's a long sleeve drapey style, so passes that short cap MOB sleeve restriction. It can be shortened without compromising the design too. Design three looks dark and dull (and the beading is smiling at you!). Design five is OK, but awfully tight, shiny, and the jacket is just too much.

Alternatively, a PP mentioned, find a style you like and go to a good seamstress so she can construct it on your frame from the beginning. High end fabric shops will have a lot of beaded and embroidered fabrics like you see in these examples for dresses just like this.

 

Interesting on the different povs...when i got married i gave my mother no input and she wore a nice yellow dress (we had a summer wedding outside with only 10 people, our immediate family).

My sister is getting married next month and the pain they went through to find my mom a dress, oy!

4th one (the one you posted with the latest 3) - the 5th is nice, but looks a bit like a negilee to me (just in terms of the flowy fabric). The sixth one is nice, but could be a bit showy....

At the same time, a happy bride is never outshone and your daughter seems very unconcerned with what you wear and that tells me she is confident.

 

Wow! Those dresses are stunning....but not what I would think a Mother of the Bride would wear. One of them looked like it would be perfect for a second wedding dress. I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

Love the second. The next choice would be the first.

 

I'm sorry but I don't care for any of them. If you can afford those prices, have one made. I like the color you have chosen, though. Very pretty. And congrats to your daughter! I just think some look like nightgowns and some look like prom dresses.

 

I live in a small town, I don't know of any talented designers in the area. Having a dress made is too risky - if I hate it, if it looks "homemade", if the seamstress is not reliable, etc I don't have the time or money to spend making sure it is done right. I have ordered the first one, but it is more to "try on" than a commitment. I am going to make a trip to Austin to hit the malls & dress shops in a few weeks, if I don't like it or it can't be altered to fit me. I am open to whatever I can find - but I really don't want anything "prom-ish". Thanks for all the feedback!

 

I was looking at the Demetrios site and liked this one. Similar to the David's Bridal dress.


This one is also very pretty.

Both come in platinum.

Your first choice seems too sexy for MOB, maybe it's because I would never wear a dress like that.

Would you mind posting a full length picture of yourself so we can get a better idea how the dresses might look on you?

 

I like the second one cjk posted, the one I left linked above. It's not your typical MOB dress, but is more understated than the other designs you've posted. And it can be shortened at the waist without affecting the skirt's hem design. Plus, it looks like it would be easy to wear with your little girls, wouldn't have to worry about cleavage accidentally showing if you needed to bend over.

ETA: My mother lives near you, I think (she's in Llano, but is a business owner and very active in the hill country community), and knows a LOT of people. I can ask her if she can find a good seamstress recommendation. Alternatively, my SIL, who lives in Dallas, is a buyer for Neiman Marcus, and might also have some recommendations for good seamstresses, or even helping you find a design/dress - she is also petite.

 

oooh I really like the second one posted here. Out of all your posted dresses, the one in your last post of 3 dresses I liked the middle one the best. But I like the second one here better than that one. I think you can probably find a dress easier by going to the shops and trying them on. Sometimes what looks pretty in a picture looks horrible on yourself. And I think you can find something that is elegant, but won't outshine the bride, but won't look old-ladyish MOB style.