Plus Size Mother of the Bride Outfit

[Leeds2]

To cut a very long story short, my daughter will be getting married within the next three weeks and I need an outfit urgently. Nothing is booked yet (will be very small, not in this country) but I want to look smart and as though I have made an effort! Any links to anything you ladies think would be suitable would be much appreciated! I have no idea what suits me (nothing does, really) but I have in mind maybe a waterfall type jacket?
Size 22/24 below, 24/26 on top.
Tia.

No idea but these dresses are pretty
Mother of the Bride Dresses | John Lewis & Partners

I’m not sure posters can usefully offer suggestions with no knowledge of country or climate. Norway or Nigeria? Jamaica or Japan?

We also don’t know how much you want to spend?

I would discourage the waterfall jacket …

Sorry, I should've said. Climate similar to UK. Cost I am not bothered about. I just want it to be "right." I think it will be a fairly relaxed vibe, so no hat but still smart.
Why do you say that about the waterfall jacket? I have always thought they looked nice on larger ladies 😂. As you can tell, style isn't my strong point!

Have a look at Live Unlimited, Scarlett and Jo, and if you've got a good budget then Katya Wildman. I hope you find something you will enjoy wearing.

I would look at African inspired brands like

Heritage Clothing
Heritage Clothing

Kemi Telford
Kemi Telford

Zuri
Zuri

The designs are interesting and materials are usually natural fibres. They are African inspired but they are not just for black African women.

Scarlett and jo
Yours Debenhams
Next

I’ve messaged you @Leeds2 as I might have an idea ☺️

What colours do you normally like/suit.
Happy to show legs ?
Etc

How do you feel about this dress?

www.phase-eight.com/product/petra-blue-pleated-midi-dress-221812751.html#navAjax=true&is=true&cgid=occasion&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&prefn1=sleeve&prefv1=3/4%20Length|Long%20Sleeve&prefn2=size&prefv2=24&pid=221812751&pos=36

This is more an idea on shape. The cape top looks like it would give balance.
https://www.curvissa.co.uk/products/sheego-chiffon-cape-cocktail-dress/_/A-86H296_16?PFM_rsn=browse&PFM_ref=false&PFM_psp=own&PFM_lpn=48

Well OP hasn't come back but that caped dress is one of the worst things I've seen on here.

The site it came from is actually ok. There's a selection of Monsoon dresses up to size 24.

Monsoon

There seems to be a strange change of understanding in how MN works. With possibly three quarters of the threads I’ve posted on recently there’s no second post from the OP. (And other people post after me, I’m not killing them all!) Threads are just put up and abandoned - and one does begin to wonder whether it’s worth responding at all.

Perhaps people are busier now? Or perhaps everyone except me is just an AI starting threads to scrape whatever they scrape.

Not the lovely OP here, of course.

The caped dress is not suitable. It's too plain and tent-like.

Oh, yes - forgot to say I agree with Castle’s closely argued opinion on the caped garment.

Next have a few nice dresses that you might like
https://www.next.co.uk/shop/gender-women-category-dresses/size-24-use-motherofthebride?p=1#0

From what I can see it’s not the easiest time to be looking for a decent celebratory frock as a plus sized woman.

Following another thread I found myself browsing Hope & Ivy and then ASOS which stocks that brand and several others going up to about size 26. Lots of them are pretty - I don’t deny that. But from over £300 down to less than £30 they’re almost exclusively some version of ‘chiffon’. With lots of flounces and embellishment and no tailoring at all.

So then I looked at Marina Rinaldi - which really should be ashamed of itself. You could spend £1k and be quite terrifyingly badly dressed.

There are three website articles by IIRC Vogue, Glamour and Laura Adlington on good sources for fashionable plus size clothes - perhaps the OP will glance at the thread and find them.

The Curvissimo site however has lots of other reasonable plus size budget price options.

The cape dress isn't awful, it's just not MotB dressy.

What I'm really thinking is 'Would they have made that dress in the smaller sizes? Like waterfall jackets/cardigans, it has an air of 'I am trying to hide in this voluminous garment' about it.

You're the MotB, you should look lovely, as I'm sure you will.

You would rather she look a monstrosity in an African themed dress 😂😂😂

The african-themed dresses are fab. @winfongdown

Phase 8 has a plus size range that hoes up to a 26. The clothes are lined and tend to be cut well.

https://www.phase-eight.com/product/natalia-floral-maxi-dress-10001920300.html#navAjax=true&is=true&cgid=mother-of-the-bride&sz=60&start=0&isSecondPage=false&prefn1=size&prefv1=26&pid=10001920300&pos=4

The J L link I posted had Phase Eight and Monsoon on it.

Any good? They’ve got quite a lot of dresses but this was the one that caught my eye.
Karen Mullen dress

‘Monstrosities’, @winfongdown?

Although what was suggested was actually African inspired clothing, such language regarding things that might be ‘African themed’ could be uncomfortable reading for S&B posters of African heritage. I am one such.

We have no idea of the race or ethnicity of the OP. (Nor does it matter.) Whether one thinks women of whatever race or ethnicity should be free to buy clothes by Black designers is a matter of personal opinion - but there are plenty of dresses by Kemi Telford or Heritage Clothing that would make perfectly lovely wedding guest dresses. Unfortunately sizing would be an issue with the first for the OP, but perhaps not for others.

Kemi Telford dress

Heritage Clothing dress

Maybe try Monsoon they go up to a 22 but you might be lucky. Also try Phase Eight, Scarlett and Jo, TK Max, Live Unlimited, FatFace, Never Fully Dressed. Follow Laura Adlington or FatFabFabulous on instagram they often wear some nice clothes or outfits. Maybe contact a John Lewis personal shopper and ask about an appointment and the size ranges they have in stock.

Personally, I would also invest in a good bra and good shape wear it can make a world of difference and try and loose at least half a stone (just because you feel so much better). I did both of these for an event previously I was a size 22-24 and I ended up loosing closer to a stone (getting into a size 18) in about 4 weeks. This, a new dress, good shape wear, getting my hair done, a new lipstick and earrings made the world of difference to my confidence.