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.

Thank you @EleanorMc67 i have been feeling very much like this… and yes, @owlpassport you’re so right that’s it exactly, normally I know who I am and what I want to wear, and don’t really care too much what others think of my choices, but this wedding mullarkey has skewed all of that and had me questioning what I ‘know’ or feel.
Thank you, all of you, for supporting me with this, I really appreciate it. Clearly there are much more important things in all our lives than the trivial matter of what to wear to my son’s wedding, and you’ve shared lots of your time and advice so generously. I really appreciate it and I have learned a lot from you heroes! Hopefully there’s some silent watchers who have gained a lot too 🙃 I’m nearly there for sure.

Do you even need a bag? 🙀

That's unthinkable to me, @Calliopespa!!! I'd rather go out without any knickers ...!!!

I think you are right about the plushness - and I though both those two looked to be quite a nice texture. The River Island one looks rather like a £500 one on the Maje website!

I think they keep the sensuous vibe of the two outfits op, which are both very textural and soft. You will also be sung and cosy and practical.

Well we haven't got to them yet ... I was going to say skip them too!

I'm just sitting down with a bit more time. Have we rejected the Gabor shoes OP found and if so, why? I think they are quite a good muted colour that would go with both, they have a good block heel which OP likes, and, as she said, they look comfy.

Yes, she was merely advised to get a new bra ... knickers optional! (I can't recall ever having gone knicker-less, especially in winter!)

I wasn’t so keen on the close up of the Vinted M & S one @Calliopespa what do you think?

On the knicker front, just to really mess your head up OP, I highly recommend Skims 😂 the bras, not so much. They come in lots of skin colours

That is not such a nice photo, you are right. I liked it much more when hanging on the wardrobe.

I think I rather like the River Island one.

River Island faux fur jacket ordered.
I think it will work beautifully for both outfits. I will be plushness personified !

The cream M&S faux fur I posted previously is also still in stock.

I do like the look of them - but then, giving money to Kim Kardashian ...? That does put me off a bit ... but then does that mean I should research the founders/owners of every brand? If so, I'm going to run out of places to shop soon ... 😁!!!

Yessssss @ihaveafavouritecat
I’d definitely wear black shoes and bag with the jumpsuit (see Me & Em pic below) which you’ve got, so it’s just shoes and bag for the teal dress, easy peasy!!!

I think it will too op. It will be a lovely contrast with both fabrics.

Also, when you tried the teal dress you had your black shoes on. I couldn't really see them but had thought you intended to wear them and I was not alarmed! You might get away with them for both.

Oh good! One more thing sorted, hopefully!

I'd saved a few links already, so if it isn't as nice in the flesh, have a look at these. If you like the look of any of them as well, maybe order on the credit card now while they're still in stock in your size, so that you can try them alongside the River Island one & compare??

https://www.debenhams.com/product/coast-chocolate-occasion-short-faux-fur-coat_bcc11580?colour=chocolate&sv_campaign_id=1858990&awc=22735_1792618296_c5a94ee2a22371dc5fe7bf5c0d0d278a&sv1=affiliate

And the brown is showing as available in all sizes for me.

Vero Moda, £80.

I'm thinking about this and I know what you mean. A bag is great fun if you have found the right one. It also looks a finishing touch if you are going to stand round at a long church service or similar, but, as OP said, she is probably going to stash it away immediately on arrival.

Op I think try the black shoes when you get home. I've realised there is a further complication with metallics in that you have your gold jewellery. I don't think shoes need to match, but I do think they need to speak to the outfit in the right "keynote," and that is going to be a further complication.
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I do like evening/going out bags - plus I would feel anxious without lipstick, powder, tissues, debit card, loose change, pen - kitchen sink ....!!!

But it won't be on the OP's person all the time so - regarding the overall outfit each day - I think that shoes & jewellery are more important accessories (than bag & jacket).

I’m getting the impression that @ihaveafavouritecat likes the olive over the teal and it would definitely be easier to buy just one bag and one pair of shoes to do double duty.

Thank you @minnowonthesay for the helpful summary. Your intervention brings order where there is chaos a tad of disagreement and uncertainty.
To answer your questions:
Yes, happy to buy 2 x shoes provided they don’t end up being £100+ each, especially if shoes I’ll never wear again.
Brown faux fur ordered and will look great with both outfits
Only black evening heels I have are the prob c.20 year old ones from Laura Ashley: black velvet, diamonte sparkly, kitten heels. I think I need a bit more height to go with the jumpsuit. But yes I could look for black velvet heels and black velvet evening bag for jumpsuit, and they shouldn’t be too difficult to find or too ££s, there will be loads to choose from.
Then, just shoes and bag to find for teal dress - still finding this tricky but will keep looking.

Yes, I think she said that was the colour she'd naturally lean towards - but that on consulting family/friends, the consensus was the teal. Personally I think that bronze shoes/bag would be fine with both.

Do you like bronze though, OP? If they worked with both, would you see yourself wearing the bronze heels &/or bag again (together or separately) for slightly dressy occasions? As whether or not I would wear something again would be a big determining factor for me?

Gosh that’s lovely as well. Can’t quite work out what the neckline is like though? Looks very plush-y too!

A bit more expensive - but I'm linking it as the fur quality of my own Whistles one is really gorgeous.

https://www.johnlewis.com/whistles-short-faux-fur-jacket-brown/p116008646?size=8&s_ppc=2dx_mixed_fashion_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20151164127&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1x-SMtCkFrIgP9uQEj_xIIYl&gclid=CjwKCAjwxeHWBhBPEiwAiqtQ-drHJaMkPVufeQcnFhXD25uHO6tP2UeeosELtdwuC8pF8w23lVpsMxoC7SMQAvD_BwE