Help to find motb dress, please.

[Hoogieflip]

First time here - could I have some (a lot!) of help to find a mother-of-the bride dress, please? I’ve been trying for ages and even done the John Lewis personal shopper thing, but to no avail. I don’t like ‘dressing up’ so don’t want a hat or fascinator. I’ve tried on dozens of Hobbs, Phase 8 and similar, but nothing’s worked for me. I’m a size 8/10, but have an ‘older woman’ tummy, and boobs but no thighs. Petite sizes are almost always too high in the waist (so uncomfortable) but standard sizes seem to be too broad across the shoulders. The wedding’s in August! Budget is up to around £300 and ideally it’d be something I could potentially wear again. I love green although I’d settle for anything that fits nicely! (I have grey hair and cool colouring if that’s relevant.)

Whoops missed your budget - maybe the sale at JC. Or look at rental Selfridges and JL do it for designer dresses:

https://www.jasperconran.com/products/daria-broderie-a-line-dress-1?variant=55223123247477

I find most of those co-ordinated MOTB ensembles quite frumpy and ageing. Even my two slim and usually very glamorous and trendy friends managed to make themselves look inifinitely worse when they were MsOTB. I'd steer clear of anything that has been designed for that purpose. Just pick a knock out dress and some great accessories and leave the dress and matching coat and hat alone.

I love that Jasper Conran but, again, I think there's just too much fabric for me to carry off. The dress for the previous (informal) wedding was a Julian Bacconi shift dress with a round neck and cap sleeves. It has a bright floral pattern on a cream background.

I love this, thank you! I'm scared to see the price, but will find it among my many open tabs shortly ...
I've never even thought of trying rental.

This will help you with where to look if you decide to rent. But it won’t help you choose!

https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/clothing-rental-sites

Why don't you take the dress you love to a dress maker and have something made in a similar style but in a luxe fabric?

I think shirt dresses A line are good for reworking proportions. I have a bigger bust but chunky thighs at 5ft 3in - and find that a v neck shirt dress with couple of buttons open at the base of the dress is eloganting and not swamping - and leaves the thighs (whether skinny or chunky) to the imagination.

The JC blue dress is £206 - but probs can get 10% off if sign up on first order?

https://www.neverfullydressed.com/products/khaki-plisse-tilly-dress-petite

Have you checked Never Fully Dressed?

I don’t blame you. It’s bloody ridiculous.

https://ginabacconi.com/products/willow-twist-knot-maxi-dress-sbe5099-ja
yiud probably want it a bit shorter??

https://ginabacconi.com/products/bella-georgette-tiered-dress-wbd4023-gn

Good grief, why would motb wear an expensive green potato sack

Elegant, quite simple Bute the cape detail makes it “Mother of the Bride”‘special whilst not being too in your face.

www.debenhams.com/product/coast-floral-embellished-cape-midi-dress_bcc06185?colour=sage&size=14&istCompanyId=76f7277d-6e78-4dc2-aaff-1eb77fae16b0&istFeedId=258a4886-8f3c-47ef-9369-d1eda8d84501&istItemId=qlrxlwrxt&istBid=t&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22684702074&gbraid=0AAAAABevdS7MEuIlTLLaEkO1eOZfKy_aS&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpeiGiN2ojgMVZ4pQBh2-9CNxEAQYICABEgJuE_D_BwE

That's interesting, thanks. I've tended to worry that shirt dresses are too 'office' for a wedding. Happy to hear that I've got that wrong, especially as it helps broaden my choices.

https://www.wolfandbadger.com/uk/the-odes-revisited-solitude-dress/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20407013689&utm_content=151320228669&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20407013689&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvajDBhCNARIsAEE29WpQi6KHv4NMZWbMMSgWn0NX5MzMtzQnmC0aCPe2Jgdu4Q4phmkWW58aAhU2EALw_wcB

Over budget but gorgeous. https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/peacock-manor-silk-satin-gala-maxi-dress-R549614006.html?utm_term=549614006&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21771402426&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvajDBhCNARIsAEE29WpPwz6zk0ckMd-QT9dgyfUekLtD9iqNV71vSUQqjB3rBZcRk1KOpc8aAuK0EALw_wcB

Lovely in green or blue. https://www.johnlewis.com/raishma-darcie-floral-maxi-dress/green/p111671695

Hey OP,

I see PP has linked Jasper Conran. I have this for my niece's wedding in a few weeks. It's ruddy lovely on. Definitely size down, though, they're big made. There's also other dresses in green. It's a lovely shade.

I also found a more streamlined cut - but the first silk one would hang beautifully.

https://www.jasperconran.com/products/blythe-full-skirt-shirt-dress-4?variant=55348348092789

Thank you! I love the peacock one (someone included it earlier - sorry if I missed thanking you), but it's too expensive. The other two are great - I'm going to order them both from John Lewis 😀

The Wolf & Badger is gorgeous.

Don't go NEAR Catherine's of Partick. I live near it & it's just so contrived MOTB- lots of dress/ jacket/hat/shoe matching. I think they put years on people, & are often an absolute fortune (sister's friend was £1800 😱).

My sister bought a beautiful dress from Mint Velvet.

Thank you, But, it's still a bit too MOTB for me.

I'll have a look at Mint Velvet, thank you.

Yes, I've seen the silk ones- and also in the sale making them in budget- beautiful. I personally don't suit a shirt dress, but if OP does it would be lovely. And wearable again- could be dressed down easily for other occasions.

This is absolutely stunning!!!

https://mintvelvet.com/products/green-floral-print-dress

https://mintvelvet.com/products/floral-print-ruffle-maxi-dress