MOB outfits- Where did your Mum find hers?

Whereabouts are you based? people may have local reccomendations for you

Good thinking Greenbean. We're in the East Midlands- Nottingham/Derby areax

Not 100% sure, but I think Mum got hers in a local independent boutique. It's a shift dress with a circle/skater knee length skirt, in a vaguely chiffony (but heavier) material, and a matching jacket. Since there will be lots of dancing, that sort of skirt will be much better than anything tight or fitted. She would never spend the £500+ charged by MOB specialists like Condici, and tbh I'd can't see they represent value for money. She's also short (5ft if that) so anything sleek and designed for models would look ridiculous on her.

I'd try places like Jaques Vert, other concessions in dept stores like Debenhams/House of Frazer/John Lewis, M&S and posh ranges in any shop that she knows does clothes that suit her.

I'll be watching this thread with interest as my mum is exactly the same! She's more of a size 18 and is tall not short but so worried she won't look fabulous enough, she keeps going on that the MOB is supposed to be one of the next best dressed after the bride and is worried she wont look nice in anything and that my FMIL will look better than her as she's slim and a very attractive lady, not that my mum isn't!!! So any suggestions that also don't consist of condici style prices will be greatly appreciated here too!

I think more thought went in to MOB's outfit than mine lol. I understand your mum's concerns as my mum had similar. I think it's important that the shopping experience is a positive one. John Lewis/Debenhams/House of Fraser all do personal shopping where they will pick out potential outfits for you to try on. They know what they are doing and tend to pic stuff you would never choose on the hanger but look good on. I'm not too sure what size the concession stands go up to though. The MOB brands are designed with MOBs in mind (funnily enough) and so can cater for real sized women - they are pricey though. Good luck with helping her find something she feels fab in! x

My Mum has been looking for dresses for a while and has tried a couple of the proper "mother of the bride" outfits which have been nice but so not worth the money! (IMO)

She has bought a couple of possibilities from Phase eight, one of which is this:

It looks really lovely on, nice and floaty and has little bits of sparkle on it. My mum is a P.E teacher so used to being in trackie bottoms and trainers so for her to like it is good news!! Hope that helps someone out! x

My mum got hers from Jacques Vert at Debenhams, with shoes from M&S. I also looked at the "MOB" adverts in the wedding mags and thought that most of the women in those definitely didn't look old enough to have daughters getting married! My mum's a tall size 16, as well as being at least 20 years older than most of the models, and the stuff at JV and a couple of the other Debenhams concessions really suited her.

If you're in the Midlands, do you have a Beatties nearby? Or have they all been taken over by House of Fraser now?

My mum is just like yours hates her arms and has a big bust although is a size 14 and only wears black dresses as she feels better in them but i had been shopping on Saturday with my Bridesmaid and when i got home my mum called me to say she hoped i don't mind but she had been to a shopping outlet and seen an outfit and when she tried it on loved it and the shop assistant in formed her it was the last one as it as the end of that line. So she bought it. When she showed me it it was lovely. It is a silver/cream colour and has a lovely jacket with it too. It was reduced for the outfit to £100. It was from Roman Origionals. Before she found this though we had been looking at some nice ones on the wallis website.

Sorry for the long reply but i HTH x

My Mum also bought her in Jacques Vert, got about 50% off in the sale.

This is the one my MOB has opted for too. Def looks lovely on her its very flattering x

Ooops that was meant for Larkie08.

The top runner for my mum is also a Jacques Vert number. I would also recommend looking in Kaliko - they have some lovely bits in at the moment.

Have you tried Emily Brigdens at the Cathedral Quater in Derby?

Not sure if it will be any help but my mil got hers from Debenhams (not that she was MOB but she wanted to look stunning too) she is a larger lady as well, but found some really lovely things in Debenhams

Not sure where mum got her MOB outfit from but I'm thinking it may have been somewhere similar but smaller possibly?

My mum struggles usually as she is only 4'11". I think this was from Debenhams but the shoes were M & S

My mum was adamant she wanted a "proper" MOB outfit. She spent ages looking, but eventually got something a couple of weeks ago from a bridal shop. She's a size 18 and found that once you got into the bigger sizes, everything was frumpy, but she finally found something she was happy with. It's by Veni Infantino, which is a Ronald Joyce make. MIL also got a "proper" MOB/MOG outfit but from a shop specialising in smart older lady clothes! Hers is John Charles.

LittlePixie I so want that outfit for sons wedding in June it is gorgeous!

is it still available or was the wedding a while ago?

When my daughter got married I bought my dress from John Lewis and my hat from M & S. I changed the hat for a fascinator after the church.

I was worried I wouldnt look good enough as you feel under pressure to look super glam! It was fine on the day though.

Just make sure your mums feel comfy as to be honest I wasn't, it was a boiling hot day and I had a fitted dress and killer heels (not a good choice for the weather!!)

The personal shopper service in Debenhams is fab. They pick out loads of stuff that you wouldn't even think of wearing and because they have lots of concession stores in there, they have a massive choice.

Hope your mom gets sorted.

We got married in September so it is 6 months ago now. I would advise booking a free personal shopper day in debenhams and seeing what they come up with. Maybe they still have it in or something similar.

Mum got hers from a little boutique in Chepstow (i know not much help). It was a Condici and the RRP was £850 (ouch!!) then reduced in the sale to £650! This was way out of mum's budget but eventually had it for £300. Went next door to Stead and Simpson (shoe shop) and bought the shoes for £20 and bag for £10!! Here is the link of her outfit

and here is mum in the outfit

I was an extremely proud daughter ?

Sal.san my mum tried that one on and loved it but we couldn't get it for less than £1000 including hat - you did well! Your mum look lovely (as do you obv).

She has gone for a condici she got from Preloved for under £500 including hat.

Same as Kharv.

She found a John Charles outfit from Preloved....it require a 250 mile round trip though to go and get it!

My mum bought her dress from Jaques Vert and the Jacket she got from Coast.

Got my mums from Phase Eight at Debenhams this weekend. It was a Blue Cross sale to there was 20% off this weekend, however they didn't have the correct colour way in store so we came home orderd it online and got an additional 10% off. Today they are back at full price - Bargain of the week. She had looked at some specialist shops but they were wanting £700 upwards for a suit which she wouldn't have been comfortable in anyway.

http://www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eight/Dresses/Guipure-Lace-Dress/201653832

It has a matching jacket too. I really like it and it matches our informal country theme.

Will be watching this thread with interest as mu mum does not have her outfit yet either - some really good inspiration here already!

The only suggestion mum made recently was "I was thinking of this great Ivory number I've seen" and I reacted with a 'noooooo, it's me that wears the ivory!'. My only slightly bridezilla moment so far, but I think as she is going to be stood next to me in some of the pictures, a contrasting colour would be better!

My mum did the same BV! She was pointing out a couple of outfits and while they were both really nice, one was red so I politely told her that she might want to pick another colour instead seing as I'm wearing red!

Awe thanks Kharv! Your mum looks stunning too! The woman in the shop said that if she sold it she would get about £400 for it!!

my mum is exact same as yours!!! Plus she didnt want to spend hundreds of pounds on something she will never wear again, and i totally agreed with her there, plus i wanted her to feel comfy and traditional MOB dresses arent for her!! She found hers in a catalogue (isme i think), think it came to around £250 for whole outfit minus bag and shoes of course, she looks amazing in it, and i dont think it is the type of thing a normal guest would buy for a wedding, although i know it is risky buyin from catalogue. p.s. she is also size 20/22

For my (ahem) first ewdding 10 years ago my mum bought a lovely bias cut summer dress from Jaques Verts which was sleeveless, but long, with loads of room round the tummy and was realyl falttering (size 16). She bought a jacket in the same colour from somewhere else. She hates shopping, too, but was ok once we knwe what we were looking for - not structured, nothing too formal.

She looked fab, and nearer the time she even bought a hat!

She's worn it loads ond loads since.

This time she's looking for a summer dress, too - something she can wear again...but then we're having a casual wedding so might not be what you're after.

I'd say traditional MOB if structured, fitted and forma. I think everyone looks best in what they feel comfortable in, so she should go for shape that she knows she likes, and work from there. She could always get something made if she can't find something perfect - it wouldn't cost anymore than top end high street.

Good luck x

Jaques Verte for my Mum too, shoes and bag too, Hat was Debenhams.

Bimey! I didn't expect so many replies- thanks everyone.

I've made a note on a sticky note of all the places you have suggested and I'll go through them all with Mum at the weekend.

Thank you for all the flashes too ladies, your Mum's all look lovely! I know my Mum will look fab whatever she chooses, I just want her to feel it too!

Thanks again all.

Glad I read this thread, this is also my mum to a tee, zero confidence but I was her to feel confident on the day!

I've looked at the Jaques Vert website and can see her picking quite a few of the range so I shall be taking her to Debenhams for definite!