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.

I’ve been looking online for ideas for the kind of necklace/jewellery I have in mind, but can’t see much yet. If some of you know Sophie Harley’s work, I only own some of her earrings, but in my dreams I’d like to own a necklace of hers like this. fab necklace
can you help me find the costume jewellery version of something like this? Or is it too boho/busy for my two chosen outfits? I’ll look out a few more pictures of things I’ve liked, but not seen anything quite right yet.

Wowsers! The price. I’m on a slow old pc and on my screen it started off at £21 😂

I daydream on here where I think I saw similar a while ago whilst I was looking at brooches.

www.wolfandbadger.com/uk/category/women/jewellery/necklaces/

Yes, understood. As I said to @EleanorMc67 , I hesitated to even mention it because of the cost, but then thought it could be just right and you might find one online somewhere at a second hand price, though tbh they tend to hold the value, or even increase (which I guess is always another option: buy, use, sell!)

But you are right that it will be less the focus than your outfit on the day.

Thanks @OneNewEagle. I know, the price is utterly mad isn’t it? I’ll browse the Wolf and Badger site, thank you. I can think of one or two shops in Bath that might be worth a look as well.
Gosh, so much to think about! Still, with everyone’s help the hardest part is done: my outfits and my hair. So just shoes, bag, jewellery, and maybe make-up, still to sort! I feel like I’ve come a long way since I started this post a week ago ☺️

Ooh and I’m forgetting that I’m going to need a faux fur jacket! 😍

I hope that you recognize what a TREMENDOUS way you've come in just a week, @ihaveafavouritecat, and how incredible the final selection are (particularly, when you look back to those very first photographs). The outfits now - well - just GORGEOUS. And beyond that, we see you - your lovely figure, yes, but also your energy and vibrance and confidence - in each one.
You really have been a trooper in your willingness to try new things and take some gentle prodding.

FOUR?!! The envy is killing me ...!!!

Re art & design - yes, all things connect! In fact, I don't know that I can completely separate the visual arts/design fields from one another in terms of inspiration - they all feed into each other really?

I mentioned a while back on another post that I collect vintage Jacqmar silk scarves, & have done since I was a student at art college (when you could pick them up for a couple of pounds in charity shops/flea markets etc). Back then I pinned them on my walls like pictures, & wore them tied to the handles of my bags.

Nowadays, the colour combinations in them are sometimes the basis of an outfit (sometimes I wear the scarf, sometimes I don't!) - but also, if I'm feeling a bit uninspired in my planting design combinations, I'll pull them out & get ideas from the often unusual colour mixes. And not so long ago I designed a client's front terrace planting based on the colour-way of the Timorous Beasties wallpaper in her downstairs loo! Which I suppose meant everything came full circle as the wallpaper pattern was comprised of a mix of various flowers & foliage ...

And the underwear, don't forget!

The necklace is lovely, OP. I had a look back on the photo thread to see your dress & jumpsuit again, the jewellery you were wearing - & the necklace that they added to the jumpsuit in the store.

I think that a necklace works really well with the jumpsuit - as long as it's the right length. And from what I can see, the one in store does fill the neckline very nicely. The two strands (I think?) mean it's not too short or too long (it shouldn't come past the base of the V). I know you said it was a ridiculous price, but do you know the make/which one it was? As I find using Google Lens to search on an image, then scrolling down past the links to the actual item, often throws up some great, similar-looking alternatives?

The dress, however, would be best with earrings & no necklace, IMO. Even in the photos where you're wearing your own small necklace, you can see that it disrupts the neckline.

Be careful on Wolf & Badger - there's lots of great stuff, but lots of overpriced rubbish too. There's often little to no information on the content/fabric/measurements of anything.

And the mark-ups are high - if the maker/brand is listed, look them up & have a browse through their own store. Often there'll be a bigger range, as well as lower prices.

I also wouldn’t focus on too much jewellery but it could just be my taste.

so for me for the jumpsuit I will wear , assuming I like it, nothing more than a chunky gold bracelet, my watch, and a pair of diamond studs, which I wear all the time,

for the dress I would do similar, except I’d wear a silver bracelet if the teal dress, keep it quiet and elegant,

for the dress I’d wear simple nude heels. Gold could work with the green dress pewter with the teal one. However I’d go something like these,

www.emmylondon.com/products/claudia-mid-heel-blush-suede?currency=GBP&country=GB&variant=39428926636131&stkn=d5f27583f903&srsltid=AU7gw4VX1iwWVkhSFJvuFSmNRMknuKfeR7v6yctp0MSzleV6yNeniBzQZCE

The jumpsuit I think need flats.

I’m aware my tastes are usually understated and elegant, which some might say boring. rather than statement, but I think when you’re wearing an eye catching and stand out piece you can guild the Lilly too much, and less is usually more,

I agree about too much jewellery and I would definitely keep it clean-lined and simple jewellery.

But honestly OP, even if you ended up going with no jewellery, no bag in the extreme case, you will still look great because the lines are good on you.

Another one who’s not a fan of statement jewellery. Aways makes me feel old fashioned , like I'm about to appear on Loose Women

Love both OP. So glad you went for a jumpsuit, you look brilliant. Xx

Yes it takes a very classy elegant look into the territory of “if kat slater had money”

don’t get me wrong, many can pull it off, it’s their look, but looking at the clothes the op picked, her hair style, then I don’t think she’s gaudy and loud. I would suspect she’s more in the tasteful quiet luxury bracket,

I have a colleague, she’s German, six foot, very slim, short pixie cut hair, and she wears a lot of statement pieces, and suits it, it’s her style. I just don’t think the op is in this bracket, and as she picks clothes similar to how I dress, and I’m the same demographic, I’d suggest she keeps it elegant and clean.

the accessories should not compete for attention, it all becomes just too much , she needs to stay paired down and one overall cohesive look.

Hi @ihaveafavouritecat .
This has been a great thread, so happy for you that you have found such lovely outfits.

I would recommend looking in Portman's for a faux fur jacket (independent boutique on Milsom Street). They also have bags and jewellery, so you might be able to tick a few things off your shopping list!

I'm not an expensive bag person at all (except my tiny Vivienne Westwood sale clutch) and I agree it's really not worth spending lots on a bag that will hardly be seen.

I think I'd be looking for something with a slightly whimsical vintage vibe, maybe in velvet or with embroidery.

This sort of thing, although not necessarily this actual one
https://www.asos.com/asos-design/asos-design-floral-jacquard-frame-clutch-bag/prd/210945258?affid=31541&_EAIaIQobChMIzfb4mo2vlwMV-I9QBh0MaSJMEAQYESABEgI7S_D_BwE&channelref=product+search&ppcadref=23592643649%7C%7C&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=23592643649&utm_content=&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23587195386&gbraid=0AAAAADqFjOCvvv9MCTf6wHUWDi0mLytzW&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzfb4mo2vlwMV-I9QBh0MaSJMEAQYESABEgI7S_D_BwE

Sorry about the big link - I can't make it smaller!

Another
https://onehundredstars.co.uk/collections/bags-1/products/primula-black-quilted-velvet-kiss-lock-bag?_gl=1it5alk_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzfb4mo2vlwMV-I9QBh0MaSJMEAQYEiABEgJKnvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAACR8jXU0kOwaE7I_xXKHiPUY-oeFy

Or even just a pretty pouch of some sort, if all I needed was my phone and a lipstick!

https://www.johnlewis.com/elizabeth-scarlett-wild-garden-mini-pouch-green-multi/p114524526?s_ppc=2dx_mixed_home_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22439628441&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1y1Jz9BBYyMPwbCnWZzh3PYg&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI88my_46vlwMVfJWDBx3lVjF-EAQYByABEgK45PD_BwE

I’m not sure I’d go faux fur jacket, again I think we are moving into a bit too much, but again that’s just taste,

if it’s the green dress, I’d recommend a velvet blazer , I have this one in navy and it’s fantastic . And brown would contrast well and you can wear it again, with jeans etc . I wear mine a lot,

https://www.meandem.com/sharp-shoulder-contour-blazer-dark-chocolate-brown

this would also work with the green dress,

https://www.meandem.com/silk-blend-velvet-deconstructed-contour-blazer-bay-green

the teal dress I’d go for a navy velvet blazer, I have this Bella Freud one in cognac and can throroughly recommend both , it’s thicker and warmer than the me and em one, which is more close fitting and thinner . Again it can be worn with many things,

I wear both of mine a lot when going out, although comically I commented to my 29 year old daughter, when I’d bought the ne and em one and met her for dinner, and she looked at me up and down, that I had now two velvet blazers she cocked an eye brow and said with a grin “which is two more than most people “ which made me laugh, but they do look great on, just a bit different.

bellafreud.com/products/velvet-saint-james-jacket-dark-marine?variant=40440846975129

and I’m not sure on the jumpsuit, but I think a cropped jacket ,not velvet, sitting at the waist, would keep the proportions right.

something like this could work,

https://www.meandem.com/textured-peplum-jacket-cream

#TeamFaux

But I'd keep jewellery very simple and avoid statement pieces unless it was a single bracelet or pair of drop earrings.

I Coukd be biased against them, my sil wears them, she’s a very large woman and she wears them over sized, she looks like the honey monster coming at you. It’s always put me right off,