What’s A Mother To Wear?
What’s A Mother To Wear?
From One Mother To Another
“We are getting married!” Becca gushed as she and Musa barged into the house. She was waving her hand in the air displaying her beautiful Tiffany diamond. Little did she know that Musa included us in the top-secret engagement plan! My husband and I, along with her sister, were anxiously awaiting their arrival with a bottle of champagne! Tears of happiness and bubbly champagne flowed that afternoon! We were over the moon with the thoughts of Becca and Musa’s impending wedding. The conversation swirled with the different undertakings of wedding planning. Then one question was asked. “Mom, what will you be wearing?”
When I got married, mothers would rarely consult the bride in their wedding attire. They played it safe by wearing matronly beige dresses! Today, it’s different. Thank goodness! The bride is very much involved with the MOB and MOG fashion and she should be! It’s her big day! A smart bride will know that all eyes will be on her as well as the moms!
With this in mind, I wanted to be respectful to Becca and Musa’s fashion sense. I started by simply asking them about their fashion expectations. Questions such as is the wedding going to be formal, semi-formal or casual? What were their wedding colors? What would be the Bridesmaids colors? Becca was so excited! She even wanted to plan a mother/daughter shopping day to look for the perfect MOB dress! Now armed with their vision, a shopping spree date on the calendar and the guidelines from the Emily Post Institute, I was able to make my MOB dress selection!
*Side note: Emily Post was the renowned authority on manners and etiquette. She died in 1960. Today, the Post Family keeps Emily’s legacy alive through the institute by providing current trends and guidelines on manners and etiquette. Below is the Emily Post Institute’s advice on what to wear, Moms! So in the spirit of Emily, here we go!
Guidelines for brides to encourage “the moms” to work together in selecting outfits.
- Traditionally, the bride’s mother has the honor of selecting her outfit first.
- Remember outfits should be fashionable, tasteful and age-appropriate.
- Try not to choose colors that are the same or very similar to the bride’s or bridesmaids’ dresses-you won’t stand out.
- Wear different colors from each other. Variations on the wedding color scheme are fine as long as each mother’s dress is distinct.
- The length of the gown or dress is a personal choice, even for formal weddings. Long dresses and skirts are fine for any wedding from noon on.
- The mothers do not have to wear dresses of equal length, although many do, feeling that it creates a more harmonious look, especially in wedding photos.
Wedding outfit wisdom: Top Five Tips
- Some moms have great results in shopping online. This allows you to order as many dresses and sizes all tried on in the comfort of your home. But realize, you may have plenty of returns and frustration of trying to find the right dress for your frame. Specialty store, rather than a department store, will offer much more personalized attention throughout the process from choosing a dress to making alterations to selecting just the right undergarments. I tried the online shopping but epically failed! The dresses I chose from the pictures did not fit my frame like the models shown. I also noted that some dresses did not have the quality that I was expecting. I ended up frustrated. The shopping spree date was the best way for me to go. I shopped at specialty stores, as well as, department stores. I ended up buying my dress at a department store. Just like the specialty store, the staff gave me impeccable service. They were attentive to every detail. They even escorted me from the dress department to the shoe department making sure I had everything for the big day!
- If possible, bring in a swatch of the bridesmaids’ gown material when you go shopping, or have a description of the gown’s color.
- Order your outfit at least two to three months ahead of time, and allow at least two weeks for alterations.
- When buying your dress, get specific advice on which undergarments and hose will go best with it.
- As for who calls whom to discuss “our outfits”, the MOG shouldn’t stand on ceremony; if she hasn’t heard anything once the initial wedding plans are underway, she’s perfectly welcome to call the MOB.
After a day of shopping, I finally found the perfect dress at Norstrom! I said, “Yes to the dress!” It was a fit and flare navy cocktail dress by Eliza J! It had pockets!!! I even purchase an adorable hot pink Kate Spade purse with a pair of AMAZING Kate Spade floral shoes! (So romantic, fun and fashionable!) And the best thing, about the entire ensemble, I felt like a million bucks when Becca and Musa’s said, “I do!”
Post Written By PKM
From One Mother To Another
“We are getting married!” Becca gushed as she and Musa barged into the house. She was waving her hand in the air displaying her beautiful Tiffany diamond. Little did she know that Musa included us in the top-secret engagement plan! My husband and I, along with her sister, were anxiously awaiting their arrival with a bottle of champagne! Tears of happiness and bubbly champagne flowed that afternoon! We were over the moon with the thoughts of Becca and Musa’s impending wedding. The conversation swirled with the different undertakings of wedding planning. Then one question was asked. “Mom, what will you be wearing?”
When I got married, mothers would rarely consult the bride in their wedding attire. They played it safe by wearing matronly beige dresses! Today, it’s different. Thank goodness! The bride is very much involved with the MOB and MOG fashion and she should be! It’s her big day! A smart bride will know that all eyes will be on her as well as the moms!
With this in mind, I wanted to be respectful to Becca and Musa’s fashion sense. I started by simply asking them about their fashion expectations. Questions such as is the wedding going to be formal, semi-formal or casual? What were their wedding colors? What would be the Bridesmaids colors? Becca was so excited! She even wanted to plan a mother/daughter shopping day to look for the perfect MOB dress! Now armed with their vision, a shopping spree date on the calendar and the guidelines from the Emily Post Institute, I was able to make my MOB dress selection!
*Side note: Emily Post was the renowned authority on manners and etiquette. She died in 1960. Today, the Post Family keeps Emily’s legacy alive through the institute by providing current trends and guidelines on manners and etiquette. Below is the Emily Post Institute’s advice on what to wear, Moms! So in the spirit of Emily, here we go!
Guidelines for brides to encourage “the moms” to work together in selecting outfits.
- Traditionally, the bride’s mother has the honor of selecting her outfit first.
- Remember outfits should be fashionable, tasteful and age-appropriate.
- Try not to choose colors that are the same or very similar to the bride’s or bridesmaids’ dresses-you won’t stand out.
- Wear different colors from each other. Variations on the wedding color scheme are fine as long as each mother’s dress is distinct.
- The length of the gown or dress is a personal choice, even for formal weddings. Long dresses and skirts are fine for any wedding from noon on.
- The mothers do not have to wear dresses of equal length, although many do, feeling that it creates a more harmonious look, especially in wedding photos.
Wedding outfit wisdom: Top Five Tips
- Some moms have great results in shopping online. This allows you to order as many dresses and sizes all tried on in the comfort of your home. But realize, you may have plenty of returns and frustration of trying to find the right dress for your frame. Specialty store, rather than a department store, will offer much more personalized attention throughout the process from choosing a dress to making alterations to selecting just the right undergarments. I tried the online shopping but epically failed! The dresses I chose from the pictures did not fit my frame like the models shown. I also noted that some dresses did not have the quality that I was expecting. I ended up frustrated. The shopping spree date was the best way for me to go. I shopped at specialty stores, as well as, department stores. I ended up buying my dress at a department store. Just like the specialty store, the staff gave me impeccable service. They were attentive to every detail. They even escorted me from the dress department to the shoe department making sure I had everything for the big day!
- If possible, bring in a swatch of the bridesmaids’ gown material when you go shopping, or have a description of the gown’s color.
- Order your outfit at least two to three months ahead of time, and allow at least two weeks for alterations.
- When buying your dress, get specific advice on which undergarments and hose will go best with it.
- As for who calls whom to discuss “our outfits”, the MOG shouldn’t stand on ceremony; if she hasn’t heard anything once the initial wedding plans are underway, she’s perfectly welcome to call the MOB.
After a day of shopping, I finally found the perfect dress at Norstrom! I said, “Yes to the dress!” It was a fit and flare navy cocktail dress by Eliza J! It had pockets!!! I even purchase an adorable hot pink Kate Spade purse with a pair of AMAZING Kate Spade floral shoes! (So romantic, fun and fashionable!) And the best thing, about the entire ensemble, I felt like a million bucks when Becca and Musa’s said, “I do!”
Post Written By PKM
