A girl’s wedding day is the biggest day of her life, but it is also a big day for her mother. The bride’s mother is usually involved in the planning of the big day, so the wedding is a reflection on her as well as on the bride. She wants to project an image of elegance and control, and choosing the right mother of the bride dress is a big part of that.
Mother of the bride outfits will either be formal or semi-formal. However, they are usually more conservative than a cocktail dress or formal evening wear. Most mother of the bride outfits are dresses, but pant suits are sometimes worn as well. The mother of the bride should avoid wearing a white or off-white dress since most brides wear white.
Mother of the Bride Dresses
Mother of the bride gowns should not draw undue attention to the bride’s mother. This is the bride’s big day and she deserves to be the center of attention. For this reason, dresses for mother of the bride often have skirts that extend below the knee, and most are closer to floor length. If the mother of the bride dress is sleeveless or strapless, it usually has a matching jacket. The jacket should be worn during the ceremony, but may be removed during the reception.
Tea length mother of the bride dresses are popular for outdoor weddings and receptions. Because full-length dresses may drag on the ground, staining the hem, the slightly shorter tea length dress is more appropriate for outdoor venues. The term "tea length" is often misused by retailers, so there could be some confusion here. A true tea length dress has a hem that hits at the bottom of the calf. A mother of the bride mid length dress, which has a hemline ending around mid-calf, is also appropriate for outdoor weddings.
For summer mother of the bride dresses, knee length may be a better choice due to the heat. However, the hemline of a mother of the bride dress should never be higher than just above the knee. A hemline that is too short can risk drawing attention away from the bride.
Plus size mother of the bride dresses usually have long, flowing skirts to help camouflage excess weight. They may also have high waistlines to draw the eye away from the belly area. When shopping for a plus-size wedding outfit, it is best for the bride’s mother to go to a store where she can try the dress on and look at it in front of a full-length mirror unless she has purchased similar outfits in the past and know what styles flatter her figure best.
Mother of the Bride Pant Suits
If the bride’s mother is uncomfortable wearing a dress, she may choose a mother of the bride pant outfit instead. To keep the look traditional, it is best to choose a pant suit that has a jacket as part of the ensemble rather than just a blouse and trousers.
Accessories for Mother of the Bride Outfits
Even designer mother of the bride dresses can look plain without accessories. When planning what she will wear for the wedding, the bride’s mother should take care to choose shoes and jewelry that will complement the mother of the bride outfit. If she wears a watch or carries a handbag, these accessories should look like they are meant to be part of the ensemble.