Help! Mother of bride no clue

[Motherofbride23]

I'm hoping you lovely S&B people can help.
DD is getting married at the beginning of May. I am 58, 5'4" & a bit dumpy (size 14-16). I do have a waist!
I have attached a picture of something I like but it's from one of those weird Chinese on line places & I don't trust them to be any good. Also, what sort of hat? I have curly hair (think Channel 4 newsreader Cathy Newman but not blond). I think it will have to be a fascinator.
Anyone got any thoughts for an outfit? Should I wait until the new season's clothes are in?

I've just looked at reviews for that company on Trustpilot - you are right to stay well away from them.

Have you tried looking at the John Lewis website? They have a good choice of dresses and wedding outfits from different designers like Hobbs and Phase Eight which might suit you.

How about this??

www.coastfashion.com/premium-stretch-crepe-scattered-jewel-bodice/BCC01837-2.html?color=148

I think fascinators can be nicer than hats xx

Thank you
I have & was a bit uninspired I like blues, turquoise, jade type colours& a lot of the (Phase 8 in particular) seem to be quite washed out colours.
I'm hoping their summer collections are better!

I do really like that, although would probably need something over it. I'm quite large of bosom so prefer a v neck but with something over it that might work so there's not so much acreage of boob 😂

I quite like this, although again my giant norks might be a bit much! This was on the John Lewis website

Why don't you book an appointment with a personal shopper/ stylist at John Lewis? They will find you something lovely that you probably wouldn't usually have considered before!

Thank you, I think I will. It's so long since I last bought anything for an occasion & I haven't got a clue. Feeling fat, old & frumpy but want something nice for Dd's big day.
I had another look at Phase 8 and I think i must have missed a fair few, or they've added things since I looked previously.

That's lovely, what colour jacket, hat, clutch etc would you choose?

Interesting … I’m a million years older than you and Would Never Consider the outfits you’ve shown here.

How do you usually dress? And what sort of budget are you thinking of for the wedding?

I usually dress in jeans & jumpers! I really don't know what I'm looking for 😂. What with Covid & then illness I haven't had to dress up for years.
I can splash out for the right thing but I would think £200-£300

I agree that a personal shopper appointment at John Lewis could be great. I was mother of bride recently and due to Covid lockdown I got my outfit online from phase 8 and studio 8 and I was really pleased with how it turned out ( long patterned v neck dress with floaty half sleeves, and a jacket which picked out one of the colours). I rented my hat which cost half of the price to buy, and I also had a fascinator which was more comfortable for after the meal. Good luck with finding something nice.

I’m older than you and a similar size and think you’ve chosen two of the frumpiest dresses so far. I would never wear anything like that. Lace is quite tricky and can be ageing. The Coast dress is sleeveless and again pretty awful.
There are more modern/tasteful options.
The pretty dress company and Bombshell do good dresses for MOB. If you don’t want a hat or fascinate don’t wear one. Hope fashion might have something.

Gave a look at www.nancymac.co.uk/

Lots of lovely things in your colours eg www.nancymac.co.uk/collections/greens-of-every-hue/products/sable-long-sleeve-dress-in-emerald-crepe-1 plus beautiful shrugs and jackets.

Thank you. I don't want to look frumpy!
This is why I asked 😊
I'll have a look at the companies you suggested.

Ooh also … it’s nice to have your make up done for the big day if you can. I had never had mine done but it lasted well - I had a reasonably ‘natural’ look! and I even had false eyelashes which were marvellous, I didn’t have anything else on my eyes and this was great when I welled up a bit as she came down the aisle.
I know weddings are expensive so if budget is too tight then get the bride and bridesmaids etc to show you their modern make up products and try it out. Some of the stuff they have nowadays is really good and lasts well for the whole day

Yes, I definitely plan on getting my makeup done & supplementing my spare menopausal eye lashes!
I've had a look at the Nancy Mac website & like some of the dresses on there, also the pretty dress company & will look at the other one too.
Thank you for being so helpful - this is what I was hoping for - websites I had never heard of, although I would like to go to a physical shop.

Two more or less impeccable examples of reasonably grand, formal-ish coat dresses that would carry any mother of the bride through the day. Only needing jewels and celebratory grooming. One midi, one short. (Sure to be in the sales before May.)

The style you like is very much like Gina Bacconi, have a look here ginabacconi.com/gbp/occasion/mother-of-the-bride.html?page=1

for a more modern option I’d look at the Fold, there are some size 24 dresses in the sale that may suit

thefoldlondon.com/sale/dresses-jumpsuits/?_bc_fsnf=1&size=UK+14+US+10

Oh sorry, tap photos!

This dress is lovely

Similar look to the gorgeous blue Max Mara - £189 from Hobbs.
Like the fascianator and shoes too!

Thank you, I'm looking at all if these.
I really like the Bombshell ones, which I would never have found on my own. I think I might pay them a visit.

In case anyone is interested I ended up with a lovely Ispirato dress not unlike the Bombshell one linked above, in shape at least.
Thank you for all the advice - I have ended up with something much less frumpy than I might have done left to my own devices & I know I will feel fab.

Aw lovely.
Have you got a hat or are we still looking?

I like popsy for dresses for me, they have some lovely ones. I stumbled across a company the other day that had some fabulous dresses. It was called bombshell. They were quite pricey but had some beautiful dresses.