Stepmother of groom outfit needed

[mrsmogg]

I feel like I am going round in circles trying to find the right look so hoping for some inspiration!
Summer wedding , church then marquee at the family home. Dress code is morning suits preferred so I need a hat too.

I am 40, size 10, 5'3 so would prefer midi length but I will get the dress tailored. Not yellow. I am brunette and fairly pale, jewel colours suit me. Would like something classy and contemporary, bonus points if I can wear it again for the races etc. budget up to £1000, would prefer to spend less and happy to buy on vinted etc as well.

I love this dress, particularly the turquoise colour, but I don't think it will work for me length wise. Thanks to your link, I've just bought the mini dress though... oops lol

I got carried away by its loveliness though, & forgot that it's the one dress that really can't be taken up for the 5' 3" OP ...

I love back details & I love bows - down the back or anywhere ...!! Have to rein that one in, being middle-aged not five years old ...

Agree that it is indeed a fine line between one person's fabulous & another's frumpy!!! Hence the slanging matches healthy discussions that always pop up on S&B!!!

I think that dress wins the thread.

I'm not sure it would be too long. I'm 5'3" and I'd take a chance on it. The site doesn't give the actual length of the dress. I don't how it works but I've bought loads of things which look long on models who are taller than me but in reality there isn't any significant difference. Do they make "the model version" and the normal version?

You're right about the Mouret, I wavered about posting it. But I thought that the OP might by then have been browbeaten into full conventionality!!

I loved the mini version too!!! I'd even thought of posting it in case it came to the knee on you.

I'm presuming though you just bought it because you love it? In which case the search goes on ...?!!

I do think, if the right one hasn't appeared yet, that loads more by some of the quirkier labels will be emerging soon?

I'm constantly surprised by dresses that don't look anything like they do on the model when I try them on ... 😁

Valid point re worth trying it on anyway - though the OP has just bought the mini version!

Yes, bought it on a whim because I love it, I don't think it will come to my knee so the search goes on..

edited to add- these dresses are good examples of what I mean by striking, colour/print or material detail. Certainly not anything near crass!

Look at the Whistles hammered satin dresses in royal blue or emerald. In sale, a little different and not too traditional mother of bride.

Or, given your budget, I’d consider getting on a plane to a Spanish city and choosing something there. Bound to be different, better quality and nice break to boot. Personally I prefer Malaga to Barcelona for shopping.

Where is the mini version?

Love this, simple, classy, elegant. It is beautiful.

Zimmerman, Reformation, Rixo - Self Portrait is a bit done to death. Mytheresa, Netaporter and Harvey nicholls and Liberty will have less obvious designers. Don’t go near Monsoon or Phase 8! Please!!!

Why on earth would it matter if she chose something from Monsoon or Phase Eight? If someone likes something but won’t wear it merely because of the label, that’s just crackers.

And in the real world, rather than MN fantasy land, Self Portrait would be very rare, a real treat, at the high limit of available budgets and certainly not, ‘Done to death’.

How the other half live! 😂

There you go! Isn't it lovely?

https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/mini-supremes-peony-swing-dress-000862912.html

This is lovely.

That’s not a bad shout - Mathilde Cano has some great dresses although there’s a lot of chiffon and wrap dresses to wade through there are some gems

I wore this to a winter event (more work related)
https://www.matildecano.es/en/short-dresses?page=2

and I love these separates for a summer party

https://www.matildecano.es/en/home/top-samarkand#/887-size-36

Well, there are going to be people in the fashion business there, & she has circa £1k to spend.

The former factor is probably more determining as I probably wouldn't want to wear something easily identifiable. So yes, it shouldn't matter, but in some circumstances it might matter more than others?

As for the price, nor should that matter if it's the right dress.

Personally, what would matter to me is that I loved it & felt great in it, & no one else was wearing the same (as I wouldn't have the nerve to laugh it off & the other person would probably look better than me!!).

I have worn (properly) vintage dresses from charity & vintage shops to weddings, which I've felt great in. The most expensive was about £220, the least was I think £22!! All could be from contemporary labels.

Maybe, @mrsmogg you should look in Tu or George & have it tailored - none of your super-fashionable friends will know the label ...?!!! 😁

Those dresses are gorgeous!

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie She’s £1000!!! This isn’t monsoon money. Why not have something that doesn’t scream High St? Mn is unfailingly non stylish and boring. I’m not sure people who only spend £100 can advise someone spending a lot more. If you have some money, shop where you can get better design and a bit more quality. Who really wants high street mediocracy?

Some of those are lovely!

Especially like these - though with my shoulders I'd look like a shot-putter in them ... 😬

Well, I can't afford to spend even £100 right now - but I'm vicariously getting great pleasure out of spending the OP's money for her!!! And even going over budget ... 😁

But I would equally find it fun looking for an outfit for below £100. Sometimes the challenges posed by constraints lead to interesting & creative choices?

If you are under 5”6 in height I have found a lot of the UK more expensive brands and designers are the wrong cut. At 5”4 and a smaller build, I personally find Spanish and sometimes French designers and brands to be cut to my shape. The OP is petite ….

This is a really stinky attitude. You appear to be suggesting that people who aren’t loaded will never be stylish. I’m really not convinced that all the designers over the years who ‘borrow’ from street style/peasant style etc would agree with you. Just because someone has got £1000 doesn’t mean they have to spend that much to get something nice.

Yes!

But unless you’ve got a big label saying, ‘Loadsa money’ your opinion is apparently worthless to some!!!! 😂