Mother of the Groom in 8 weeks!

[ihaveafavouritecat]

Please help me! My son is getting married in 8 weeks and I haven’t a clue what to wear. So far I’ve ordered three dresses online (Coast, Lavish Alice and Florere) and have sent them all back. Earlier this week I had a personal stylist appointment at John Lewis, bought 3 items (Hobbs dress, Reiss dress and Phase Eight jumpsuit), but not sure any of them are right. Also ordered a jumpsuit from Me+Em, not yet received. I don’t know if that will be right either, I know it will need shortening about 6 inches!
I’m 5’3, 9st 6, have lost 7 stone over last 3 years. Blue eyes, brown hair/blond highlights. i think the colours that suit me best are greens/golds/sandy but not at all rigid except that pastel colours make me look washed out.
There’s a register office wedding service and then the bigger wedding ‘do’ 3 days later, so I need two outfits! Budget about £400ish for both. I just feel so much of what I’m seeing is so ‘bland’ and ordinary, I want to feel a bit more cool and funky but still smart of course.
Would really appreciate some help or suggestions of makers/brands I’m not aware of… thanks in advance.

Hooray for all these lovely photographs!
Send the Boden one back. Fine, but what you would have worn for a Christmas work's party in 2008. That knee length is frumpy-dumpy.
The Gina whoever - NO. Too "mob wife" and also "wearing this to Christmas office party, trying to look a bit sexy but actually feeling really awkward, as I only get to go out once a year" in 2002.
The teal or the olive green Florere are PERFECTION. As @Calliopespa says, both more current and more relaxed, as if you are a naturally gorgeous, stylish person, used to wafting around looking fabulous. I think the olive green tops it, but I love both.
Do NOT take up the length. That's what makes it so perfect. You could take up the sleeve a little, if you wanted, but to be honest, going down a size has made the top part fit perfectly.
Do NOT fold the neck back to make it v-neck. V-neck is not your neckline. It makes your top half look scrawny, whereas, with the higher neck, your figure looks balanced and WOW.
Imagine pairing these with a gold (but matte, dull gold, not shiny) or a lizard print shoe in creams/browns. And gold jewelry. INCREDIBLE.

I also like the Me&Em, but order it in a smaller size.

How do you feel?

The jumpsuit is fantastic. Is it slightly too big as well as long? Could you try the 6? I also love the green Florete. You are going to look amazing!

Oooh the Florere dress is GORGEOUS on you! Fits like a glove. You look stunning. Either colour. I'm torn as teal is my favourite colour but the olive green somehow seems to work so well with the style and also your colouring, it looks so organic on you. So I'd probably vote green. But that's is a choice for you anyway!

Accessories next 😁

I love the me & em jumpsuit.

the jumpsuit the jumpsuit!

the texture of the fabric gives it depth of movement and light.

1: jumpsuit
2: teal
These both look amazing.

I hate the burgundy Boden one, sorry.

I dont think that at all, I love the jumpsuit, however I am glad we can have different opinions on here, I love this thread

I was meaning the wine sort of coloured version of the green and teal dresses? It has quite pretty sleeves with the little buttons, but was less tailored round the midriff?

Hello Folks. Thanks so much for your lovely comments ☺️ I think we’re broadly in agreement! The order I shared them with you, was the order I tried them on…
My thoughts:
Boden burgundy dress - meh. Pretty ordinary. No edge. Not special enough.
Gina Bacconi burgundy dress - not bad, but not me really. Kind of bland and safe.
Teal Florere dress - took me by surprise as I loved it much more than I was expecting to. Colour was surprisingly good on me I thought, and I was amazed at how different it looked, once I’d switched to a size 8, having previously tried a 10, when I’d ordered the green a month ago, and ruled it out. Also amazed that the length seemed ok too. Didn’t feel swamped by the 8 like I had felt in the 10.
Burgundy Florere dress - different shape with the tight cuffs and different shaping round the waist. Didn’t feel quite so comfortable in this and didn’t think it was so flattering around bust/waist. Still a beautiful dress though, with some very similar features to the other two Florere dresses.
Olive green Florere dress - I tried this on last, thinking it would be the one I liked best… and again, amazed at how much better it looks on me than it did in the size 10 which I sent back. (Never occurred to me to order an 8 at that time, so thanks to you all for that!) But having now discovered the teal, I love the same beautiful dress in both colours!
So, I think, like some of you, it’s either the teal or the olive Florere dress for the wedding ‘do’, and probably the beautiful Me+Em jumpsuit for the registry office service and immediate family meal afterwards. There’ll be lots of opportunities to wear that again too which is good.
Very happy to say that both of these items feel very me!
To help me decide which colour dress, I think I’ll ask my future daughter in law if she has a preference, given what her bridesmaid (sister) is wearing, and also what her mum may be wearing. The jumpsuit is definitely a keeper, and one of those Florere dresses too.
Tomorrow I’m seeing my hairdresser and will try and articulate the slight change in colour that I want, as well as seek her advice on changing the shape a bit. Need something a bit more edgy to go with these beautiful clothes!
I feel I’ve come a long way with your support and feedback in just a few days. Thank you so much!

@ihaveafavouritecat, I LOVE these decisions and agree with you completely!
You will look INCREDIBLE.
And what a good idea to ask your Daughter in law to be which color she prefers. Both are great.
For the hair-dresser, ask her what kind of bob she would cut if she was styling someone in their 30s. I think she has you pinned as "mature lady seeking neat bob" when, in fact, that isn't you at the core.
This has been so much fun. Aren't you glad that we said, actually, that's really good, when you originally posted the olive dress having entirely written it off?

Oh, and don't forget that new bra! It will make a world of difference. If you can't get to a real, professional bra shop, then measure yourself using the boob or bust system. If you are currently wearing the right size, I would eat my hat.

I am so glad you are feeling happy OP!

You just LOOK as though those choices are right for you. I feel as though even your body language changes in them.

Great idea to ask about colour; both are lovely. Looking again I think I marginally prefer the teal for this ... but it's a shame you can't have both, as the green is a little more casual I think (thinking of the boots again, and how it would tone with fur/leather!) whereas I feel the teal is maybe slightly more a formal colour and perfect for the occasion and the sort of more formal shoes you were pairing with it.

Also maybe show the pics of you in these "winning" outfits to the hairdresser. I think that will convey the vibe you want for your hair better than words can.

And now all that really remains is to have a wonderful time!

You will look lovely, enjoy the two wedding celebrations. I would go for the teal as it’s a different colour than the jumpsuit and I really think it looked the best. (Also good to find a new colour that suits you that you didn’t know about).

Thanks for the update OP! I'm so thrilled you're happy with the dress and jumpsuit! They all look so good on you. Agree about your body language changing when you're in them; they're what you love and you feel and look good in them! I hope the hairdresser can rise to the challenge. Keep us updated!

Oh those are the exact ones I'd have picked for you. The burgundy ones were fine, they look nice, but no edge to them. Sounds like you'll feel more like "you" in your choices. You're going to look fabulous!

Me+Em jumpsuit is fabulous!!! Gorgeous OP!

Cider, have some lovely dresses that would look great for an autumn wedding ,give them a look!

If there’s some of you still dropping by, I’m happy to share that I’m very happy with what my hairdresser did for me today… hopefully I don’t have a stale old bob anymore?! Then I went to Me+ Em and tried on the jumpsuit again, they pinned it up and gave me some heels and a necklace to try it with. So now I have to find some chunky gold coloured jewellery and some gold heels and a bag. Anywhere you’d recommend I go in search of those? Or maybe that’s another thread?!

Fabulous!! Do you want the accessories to go with both the jumpsuit & the dress, OP?

You look lovely and can see how happy you feel in the jumpsuit.

Yes that would be great. I’m thinking gold coloured, and maybe chunky, and ‘organic’ looking? If such a thing can be found? But not fixed on that because this thread has helped me so much to see alternative options.

Gold heels - Eska Charlie would be perfect with that gorgeous jumpsuit.

I think an oversized gold clutch bag would be lovely. Whistles?

M and S Autograph have some chunky gold jewellery.

You look fantastic. The new hair is stunning. Total transformation.

For footwear that has lots of stylish options but is also comfortable, I always recommend Anonymous Copenhagen. It's on the pricey side though, which you might feel isn't worth it for occasional wear. Have a look though, as it might at least give you ideas re the shape of footwear. And the height! They also do a lovely clutch bag in two sizes in gold leather, but it's currently sold out.

https://www.anoncph.co.uk/?tw_source=google&tw_adid=823293873261&tw_campaign=1542183076&tw_kwdid=kwd-318086665332&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1542183076&gbraid=0AAAAADxa8RzAwSl_GgfB0srtYLFGzaGAQ&gclid=CjwKCAjw_pzWBhAkEiwAwDCi1bpbsJsEhGRytXz4earkOgTMoXI_lirZx4wogiKN-8SVEOu2hRBF9hoCXYsQAvD_BwE&shpxid=e9b03519-6e08-4fe2-9da7-02c121f446e0

Personally, I prefer a closed toe or maybe a peep toe in winter - I don't like anything super-strappy.