Outfit for mother of the groom

[SirChenjins]

Help me, oh wise, less than wise, and everything inbetween MNetters. I need an outfit for my son's wedding in the summer - thought I'd found one from Hobbs (navy Tess shirt dress) but it was a very odd fit and not as nice looking in RL as it is in the photos. I need something special that's suitable for a relaxed and informal wedding, but nothing too formal or dressy that makes me look like I'm trussed up like a chicken.

What I need:
Around £300-400
Petite - very important. I am five foot 1. I don't want to have to spend a fortune altering something that will look very different when altered. It's not just the length that has to be taken into account, it's shoulder width, sleeve length, waist position, torso length and neck line.
I'm 10/12 on top, 12/14 on the bottom.
Blonde hair, hazel eyes, so something that looks good with that

I don't want:
Anything Scandi-architect type thing - it's meant to be a happy occasion
Lots of frills and frou-frou
Anything maxi length or above the knee. Midi is best
Nothing too florally and floaty

Thanks

I wore this in a different colour for my own son’s wedding @SirChenjins, with gold Esska type sandals. The style is really flattering!

Have you looked at The Outnet? It’s a bit hit and miss but this is nice.

https://www.theoutnet.com/shop/product/badgley-mischka/dresses/midi-dresses/draped-crepe-midi-dress/46376663162924861

No I haven't @DialSquare - thank you!

It is nice - but the model is 5' 10"? Definitely would need altered.

@SirChenjins Is something fitted, like this & the previous one you liked, the kind of dress shape you want?

What about Whistles Petite?

I rather like this, & think it's a wee bit more contemporary. Dressed more casually here but it's satin - easy to add metallics/colour like hot pink, & accessorise it well?

https://www.whistles.com/product/satin-twist-waist-midi-dress-40540.html

I also really like the jumpsuit! An exception to the no maxi rule? Somehow I think jumpsuits are different in that they're very lengthening for someone shorter?

https://www.whistles.com/product/satin-short-sleeve-jumpsuit-40546.html

More midaxi than midi - but could have a couple of inches lopped off?

https://www.whistles.com/product/blurred-floral-crepe-dress-41010.html

I think I've resigned myself to an alteration in order to widen my choices @EleanorMc67

I'm open to suggestions (just not scandi-architect or that awful Renli Su that was on the recent S&B thread looking for ideas for a 70 year old woman getting married). I would be open to florals, but not St Michael type florals.

I love that navy dress @EleanorMc67 Not so keen on jumpsuits for the loo issue, although I do wear them - I just wanted a dress for the wedding.

Ha - I was a defender of the Renli Su - but only after looking at the individual items - the styling was bonkers & really offputting!!!

Here's some of their stuff photographed elsewhere. Romantic/quirky yes, Victorian asylum no!! I think some of it's lovely? Not suggesting it for your outfit though!

Whereas this is their own Tim Walker/Isabella Blow-type styling. Fine for Vogue - but it's very hard to look past! You might even consider that pink dress - if she wasn't posed like the youngest Victorian Royal daughter who's kept hidden away in a separate wing, far from the public eye ...

Back to the actual matter in hand!!

Yes I'm with you on the loo issue - I'm sure just the very act of wearing a jumpsuit makes me pee more than usual!!!

This too floral? It's certainly joyful!! I like the print too - it's very Florence Broadhurst?

https://www.whistles.com/product/bloom-floral-midi-dress-39762.html

Are you part of the "no red at a wedding" brigade (new to me til MN - like many things!)?

https://www.whistles.com/product/annabelle-cape-sleeve-dress-36812.html

https://www.whistles.com/product/painted-leopard-amelia-dress-36803.html

I'm all for quirk, but there's nothing about that the screams joyous occasion!

That Whistles one is too St Michael floral for me I'm afraid. I like this sort of floral - sort of muted, almost like a colour run

Like the red one, but it's the kind of dress I wear to work. No no no to leopard print!

NRBY have got a number of dresses in the sale at the mo. This is probably my favourite - and silk. No sizes above small, which is supposed to be 8-10. But it's loose. Worth looking at their sale dresses?

Pia Silk Indian Ikat Print Dress in Multi | NRBY Clothing

They've got this in all sizes. Also silk.
Carly Silk Watercolour Splash Dress | Women's Luxury Silk Summer Event Dress | NRBY Clothing

I absolutely love that site @TemporarilyCantDoMyself! This one is gorgeous- though not sure how it will look on my shape/height as I'd have to lose too much of the design https://nrbyclothing.com/collections/outlet/products/dahlia-silk-placement-flower-dress?_pos=9&_fid=0b2432773&_ss=c

https://www.wallis.co.uk/product/coast-short-sleeve-crepe-midi-dress-with-lace-pleated-skirt_bcc11124?colour=navy

the model is wearing a distractingly ugly hat but the neckline and dress shape is flattering.
Hope you find something, I’m a similar height and finding petite nice clothes can be a struggle. I wore a lovely jumpsuit to a wedding last year from next, fit perfectly but had to get someone to undo the zip on the back by a couple of inches every time I needed a wee so not ideal so I think you ruling out jumpsuits is probably a practical idea!

You might get away with this - especially if you were willing to go a little bit longer. If you lose too much of the black it might look odd. Try it on & pin it to see?

Oh yes that one is fabulous! Do you think belting it would solve the height problem? You could try it slightly blousoned over the belt? Worth a punt? 😍

Most of Karen Millen's stuff is synthetics galore now, but she always cut for smaller women - think she was 5' 3" herself. Out of stock in all but the green, but this is actually a linen-blend organdie, which is a kind of slightly stiff gauzy semi-transparent fabric?

I like the navy & the unusual pink too (if it was your shade) - they might be findable elsewhere.

https://www.karenmillen.com/product/karen-millen-organdie-plunge-collared-woven-maxi-dress_bkk24517

Most of the Whistles petite dresses are in the sale, so I should think they're about to get lots more in soon. Other sites have new stuff in already.

I like some of the higher end, silk/satin etc - but non-petite - stuff on Whistles more, but hadn't posted initially.

Like this:

https://www.whistles.com/product/satin-twist-waist-midi-dress-40717.html

Or this.

https://www.whistles.com/product/avery-satin-twist-dress-40052.html