Help me dress a 94 yr old lady

[CisMyArse]

I've taken my MIL to a local bridal shop and the styles they've offered her are stiff and really uncomfortable and in excess of £800. She isn't skint but she says that she cannot justify the cost since "I'll probably be a gonner rather too soon for me to get value for my money" Her humour is outstanding, it must be said.

Anyway, we have a John Lewis in Cardiff so I plan on taking her there where I know there are many styles under one roof (plus toilets, sofa and restaurant for regular breaks.

So, please, wise and stylish MN'ers, please help me dress an elegant, slender, upright and mobile 93 yr old lady. Outfit must be soft and comfortable. She'll be Grandma to the Groom. I'm clueless and don't have a clue about clothes.

My mil likes Basler, Eastex...just trying to think of a few more...

my 90 year old like debenhams are you megan markel fgs?

Make an appointment with the John Lewis personal shopper and say what you’re looking for.

she will look out outfits for your dh’s gran and she can try them in the comfort of a changing room.

I’ve done this a couple of times and it’s been a really good experience.

When my brother got married I had to find my mum an outfit (age 70 but with dementia so very intolerant of anything uncomfortable), and I got her a fab outfit on ebay. Jacques Vert, heavy jersey black dress, pink jersey jacket, hat and handbag for £50 which I then sold it on for again!

Do bear in mind that although she is upright and sprightly, she's going to find trying on multiple outfits in an unfamiliar place very very tiring. At 94 her muscle tone and flexibility is going to be very poor and that makes dressing and undressing 100x harder than it used to be.

So it might be worth obtaining a catalogue, letting her order whatever she wants, and organising the returns for her so she has the time and energy to try things on in the comfort of her own home.

Peter Hahn catalogue - you can shop from the comfort of your sitting room!

www.stacees.co.uk/taffeta-knee-length-sheath-column-sleeveless-bateau-zipper-mother-of-the-bride-dress-with-appliqued-s10232996ism.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg6nuztKr2gIVRLHtCh1PMgtZEAQYBSABEgIi6fD_BwE

www.stacees.co.uk/taffeta-knee-length-sheath-column-sleeveless-bateau-zipper-mother-of-the-bride-dress-with-appliqued-s10232996ism.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg6nuztKr2gIVRLHtCh1PMgtZEAQYBSABEgIi6fD_BwE

www.johnlewis.com/bruce-by-bruce-oldfield-picture-collar-dress/p3390021

www.johnlewis.com/gina-bacconi-millie-dress-and-chiffon-jacket/p3459168

www.johnlewis.com/gina-bacconi-victoria-sequin-trim-cape-dress/p3391856

Bruce Oldfield has some very nice comfortable but dressy dresses on the JL website. At under £200 they are more reasonable I think. They have sleeves, which lots of older ladies prefer.
If she is planning on a new hat, you'd probably get the whole outfit for £200.
Encourage her to wear comfortable shoes on the day!

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_20/4427146114

www.stacees.co.uk/satin-mother-of-the-bride-dresses-a-line-princess-bateau-knee-length-with-lace-s10232563m.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo9f_0dar2gIVYSrTCh1THANWEAkYDyABEgK0ZfD_BwE

Thanks everyone. Mail
Order is a great idea actually. I'll bring her over to mine and get online.

She's looking forward to
An afternoon in JL so I'll
honour that.

mercury I don't understand...

In her 90s my mum wore pull on trousers and top most of the time. This wasn't out of choice - she loved clothes - but because she could no longer deal with fastenings of any kind and she preferred to dress herself. So anything with buttons, zips etc etc was out. Likewise tights so no pull on skirts or dresses either.

I don't know how typical this is but I would definitely try and find out before the trip, especially if you're seeing a personal shopper as my mum would have died rather than tell a stranger she couldn't fasten her own clothes.

I'm fairly sure her solution to a big occasion would have been a beautiful coat or jacket to wear - unfastened obviously - over said trousers and top. She also liked to dress up her 'uniform' with scarves, long necklaces (without fasteners) and nice perfume.

Please don't just choose from a catalogue - a trip to the shops and a nice lunch can be a real treat. But looking at things in advance is a good idea, and some planning ahead e.g. checking where the lifts are and thinking about distances to walk and availability of chairs would probably be helpful too because, as a previous poster has said, she may be mobile but still not have masses of energy.

Lastly my mum also had a good line in coffin humour but she sometimes used it to disguise a strong resistance to spending any money on herself. She felt it was wrong. So that's also worth bearing in mind if your mother in law starts objecting to things on price (assuming she can actually afford them obviously).

Hope you have a successful trip.

Phase Eight are often good for comfortable and dressy.

Floisme, that is such a thoughtful post.

Floisme, yes I'll second that - really thoughtful post - thank you. She definitely doesn't like spending on herself - she politely tried on 3 outfits in the Bridal shop this week but the air was powdery blue in the car on the way home

I can see her spending £300 but definitely not £1000!

i suggest a trip to JL with a personal shopper, as a PP suggested. You gat a room to sit down, and someone else does all the running around. I am pretty sure you can book online.