Mother of the bride dresses – and how to choose the best one

A perfect available mother of the bride dresses – 2022 edition 

It is generally accepted that only the bride and, in some cases, her besties should have a special, unique wedding dress. This notion is false. However, wedding etiquette prescribes a thoughtful approach to choosing the bride’s mother’s dress. It is no surprise then that according to a popular belief, the daughter’s future happiness depends on how well the mother of bride dresses were chosen. 

Wedding etiquette requirements 

According to the rules of wedding ethics, which, unfortunately, very few people know and employ in life, the wedding dress for the mother of the bride is chosen according to specific rules:

• It should not be white, beige, or cream – that is, match the color of the bride’s wedding dress. However, if, for some reason, a girl marries in an outfit of a non-traditional color for the wedding (for example, in lilac or scarlet), then her mother’s beige outfit will be appropriate. Anyway, the mother of the bride should not wear a white dress in any case. 
• The mother of the bride purchases the dress before the groom’s mother does so. After that, she informs the future mother-in-law of the color of her outfit well in advance. That is done for the practical reason that their dresses won’t be of the same color, which is correct according to the wedding etiquette. Better yet, the mother’s dresses should be in various styles as well. 

At the same time, the conversation about a dress between future relatives should take place as tactfully and carefully as possible. For example, the bride’s mother could call the mother of the groom and carefully tell her what outfit she has already chosen for herself. The ideal option will be if the mothers of the newlyweds go shopping together in search of dresses suitable for them so that they will undoubtedly be able to avoid an awkward situation at the wedding. 

What folklore says about the dress of the mother of the bride

There are several sayings and traditions associated with the dress of the bride’s mother. For example, even though a “little black dress” would be appropriate for any other holiday, women should not wear clothes of this color for a wedding. After all, black color is traditionally associated with mourning. In addition to that, should the bride’s mother come to the wedding in a black dress, the guests may think that she disapproves of her daughter’s choice. It is acceptable that only some outfit details are black: a jacket, bodice, or lace on a skirt.  

Another saying goes that if a mother wishes her daughter a long and strong marriage, she should be at the wedding in a dress, not a suit. Still, European celebrations favor evening costumes. Therefore, what dress to wear to the wedding for the mother of the bride depends mainly on the venue of the event.

What can the dress of the bride’s mother be 

Considering all the variety of dresses and suits for mothers of brides, the dress of any style and cut can be chosen. Thus, the following options look equally appropriate: 

• With a loose floor-length skirt;
• With a flared long skirt;
• Straight knee-level skirt; 

The vital piece of advice from bridal stylists is to avoid mid-calf length outfits so as not to draw too much attention to them. Also, a skirt above the knees is not appropriate at all at a wedding in the outfit of the mother of the bride, as for the upper design of the bodice, sleeves, and neckline. 

And for a woman to have more sense of freedom, it is best to choose a light jacket or shawl for the evening outfit. You can choose a dress where such a piece of clothing is already available. That allows you to permanently hide the femininely open shoulders from the evening chilliness without having to break the overall ensemble at the same time. 

The color of the bride’s mother wedding dress 

An essential requirement for the image of the bride’s mother is the color scheme of her dress. In addition to the unambiguous ban on white and a disapproving attitude towards black, there are several more criteria for choosing the color of the wedding dress:

• Red and Burgundy colors for a dress are highly undesirable. Not only do these colors age, but they also make a dress look almost vulgar;
• Gold- and silver-colored dresses may blend with the bride’s white dress in the photos. Therefore, such colors should be chosen with due care and attention to detail;
• Thus, it is best to give your preference to pastel shades of green, blue, purple, and pink. 

Suppose you want to be the most fashionable at your daughter’s wedding. In that case, you should choose the colors and shades that are specifically popular among the designers – and it is not the first season that the calm blue, matte, or metallic gray coffee fills in this niche. Any woman will look fresh, modern, and slick in these colors.

Is it possible to choose a pantsuit?

In rare exceptional cases, the bride’s mother can appear in a dressy pantsuit at her daughter’s wedding. It is important that this pantsuit is of high quality and will not look like simple office clothes. Cheap festive pantsuits most often look vulgar, so it is best to give preference to designer models. As for the color of the suit, the requirements here are the same as for the dress. 

However, wedding stylists advise avoiding trousers, because among the outfits you can find a vast number of models that are suitable in style and design with skirts of different lengths and shapes. Choosing a suit with a skirt or a dress is much better than selecting trousers. Regardless, shoes, in any case, should be on an elegant heel.