Mother of the Bride & Bridegroom Suits

With so many attractive suits designed especially for the mothers of the bride & groom, the main

difficulty when you're shopping is going to be choosing between them.

Forget the formal , rather boring church suits, there is plenty of feminine touches and color when it comes to finding the right outfit to wear as the modern mother of the bride or bridegroom.

Why Wear A Suit Not A Dress ?

For many women, our shape changes as we grow older. A suit can hide a little weight that's sat around the stomach area far better than a close-fitting dress will.

If you're a straight up and down shape, you can use a jacket & skirt to give your figure some curves.

For petite women, dressing all in one color can help elongate the body and give the illusion of being taller than you are.

Some women prefer the tailored, structured look of a suit; whereas those who struggle to put complete outfits together enjoy the fact that you can often get a skirt, jacket & hat (and sometimes even accessories, such as shoes & handbag) in color co-ordinated shades to match.

Still wondering, remember those images of Jackie O and how great she always looked, it's a great and timeless look for every woman.

Tips For Buying A Suit to Suit You!

Before going shopping, it's helpful to know what the color theme for the wedding is. Whilst this won't entirely restrict you, it can certainly be helpful if you end up with a difficult choice to make when shopping.

For example, if the wedding theme is pink, you could wear a purple or lilac suit to contrast, but still fit in with the general color theme of the wedding. Try to choose colors that complement rather than clash with the bridesmaids dresses.

Next, consider where to shop. Specialists in special occasion wear will probably have the widest range of styles and sizes, from petite to plus size. Plan a shopping trip to try on a range of designs, this can help to get a feel for what shades, lengths and styles work best for your body shape.

It can really help to take a friend along for this shopping trip, as a second opinion can be really valuable if you're already feeling strange trying on formal clothing.

Most suits are in a single shade or color, with embellishments left for your hat, floral buttonhole, beaded or lace top.

Shapes & Sizes

Plus Size Women's Suits

Plus size curvy women can find a range of styles to suit, though it's important to find a style that's designed to flatter the fuller figure, not just adapted from other sizes.  Jackets should be longer and shaped to highlight your waist and curves.  Stores & designers that offer suits in larger sizes include Darius Cordell and Women's Suits. 

Petite women need to ensure that they choose a single-breasted jacket, shorter style (giving the illusion of longer legs), choose 3/4 or full length sleeves in non-bulky fabrics. 

Try and choose simple designs without embellishment to make the most of your figure, creating height and helping to slim down your figure.    Stores & designs that offer fashions in petite sizes include Womens Suits, Petite Minuet, Jacques Vert & Country Casuals.

It's fashionable to wear suit skirts just below or above the knee , rather shorter than the popular wedding wear of a tea length dress or longer evening dress styles. 

Designer Fashion Options

For couture and designer options, check out the collections by Paule Vasseur (formal wear in tailored & embroidered silks) , Amanda Wakeley (soft tailoring), Cameron Blake (iridescent taffeta, with long skirt options) & Yves Saint Laurent (Paris designer). 

Deciding on your Outfit

One way that can be very helpful is to take photos of the outfits on your shortlist, either on the hanger, but preferably with you wearing them in the changing rooms.

When you get home, create a collage with them (use Picasa) and ask one or two individuals whose fashion opinion you respect for their advice as to which one to buy.  They may have helpful ideas on how to accessorise and finish off your outfit too.

If you have travelled a long way and feel that you need to buy on the day, don't forget to check the stores returns policy, in case of buyers regrets!  If the suit is a "one off", ask the shop if they can put it by for you for a day or two, to allow you to think it over.

So, take your time and once you're ready to make your purchase, go ahead and enjoy having something to beautiful hanging in your closet.

Useful Resources

Buy Formal Suits - shop the range from one of the foremost online stores

Mother of the Bride hats - styles of headwear for mum to wear on her daughter's special day

For a wide range of women's formal wear & suits, check out the link below:-