Sizing it Up
Knowing How to Pick the Proper Dress for Mom
By: Susan Powell, Owner at Bridals by Sandra

“Mom, I’m ENGAGED!”  Three little words that come with so much excitement and anxiety for all mothers. Planning a wedding and helping a daughter through this fun and exciting time of her life is what a mother dreams from the time she is a little girl. However, along with the joy comes serious frustration for many mothers of the bride and groom.

Time and time again we see mother’s assisting with the wedding helping to select the wedding gown and also the bridesmaids’ styles. Yet finding just the right style for themselves can be challenging.  It is important to remember that the Mother of the Bride, along with the father of the bride, will be giving their daughter away in marriage and that they are an essential part of this wedding party.  Mother’s shop for themselves last with many indicating a desire to lose weight or tone up before being measured for their gowns.  Today’s styles are very flattering, less matronly and often figure flattering with rouching at the waist to create an amazing waistline.  Open necklines will help to help to minimize a full bust line and Spanx become your very best friend to create a smooth body image. Your personal bridal consultant will show you various styles that are suitable for all shapes and sizes.

What is important to remember is that you will be photographed with the wedding party and that the color your select should blend with the other colors your daughter or future daughter in law has selected.  Navy, Aubergine, Platinum and Black are the most common colors ordered for fall weddings.  They are not only slimming colors but will also blend easily with most color themes.  For a formal wedding, with the men in black tuxedos is it always safe for all mom’s to wear black and blend.  Gone are the days that black is not acceptable.  It is nicer for a mother to wear black and focus on the bride’s theme color rather than to clash with the rest of the wedding party.  It is also important to follow suit with regards to the length of the gown or dress.  If the wedding is more casual and the men are wearing suits, it is proper to wear a t-length or short style. If the men are wearing tuxedos, regardless of the color, please dress as formally as your escort and select a long evening gown rather than dress in the same attire of your guests.

Sizing for a mother of the bride or groom’s style depends on the manufacture of the gown.  Beware of the gown that is available in a “Junior Ticket”.  A missy size is a size geared to the body type of most mothers. A more simplified style, often known as a bridesmaid style, may also be worn by a mother, however, is available only in a junior ticket size. This means you will need to order at least one to two sizes larger than your normal missy sized ready to wear dress.  Confusing? Perhaps. But your personal consultants will assist you.

You will also want to be aware of the delivery schedules on special orders as the Mother’s Gowns are the number one item that is placed on a RUSH order.  Best time to look for a mother’s style is right after the maids select the gown and color theme for the wedding.  Planning your daughter’s wedding can and should be one of the most fulfilling time of a mother’s life.  Just remember that without YOU, this entire celebration would not be happening.  So the bottom line is that you, the mom, deserves to be looking and feeling amazing too!