5 Things to Avoid When Shopping for Mother of the Bride Dresses
Posted by Dimitra Designs on Nov 6th 2024
If your daughter has nuptials coming up, you’re likely stressed about what to wear. After all, lots of photos are sure to be taken, so it stands to reason that you want to look your best on the special day.
The good news is today, the dress code for the mother of the bride and groom is fairly lax. There are countless options to consider when it comes to a mother-of-the-bride dress color, style, and more.
However, with such a wide swath of possibilities, this means mistakes can be made as well. When in doubt, trust the expertise of clothiers like us to guide you away from a potential fashion faux pas.
In this guide, we’ll cover 5 common mistakes that mothers of the bride typically make when dressing for their daughter’s wedding. With these insights in hand, you can find the perfect wedding dress for the mother of the bride or groom.
1. The Color White
Let’s start with the obvious: don’t wear white to your daughter’s wedding. This is a classic faux pas, and most folks know to avoid it, but it bears repeating.
If your daughter plans on wearing white, ivory, or some other light shade to her wedding, take a beat and be respectful. It’s best not to steal the spotlight from her by wearing a competing color.
That is, unless she actually doesn’t mind the idea of you wearing white. There is some precedent for it, after all…
So, what color dress should the mother of the bride wear? If you’re looking to avoid white outright, mother of the bride dress colors to consider are:
- Navy blue
- Dusty rose
- Champagne
- Sage green
- Burgundy
- Pastels
- And more
If you need guidance on which colors best suit your skin tone, hair color, and more, ask your trusty wedding stylist.
2. Failure to Match the Theme
If your daughter’s wedding has every detail planned to the T, there’s a good chance she has a wedding theme in mind. Imagine, for a moment, if the event is going to be a black-tie affair. Or consider a farmhouse wedding in a beautiful pastoral setting. Each of those likely has a very distinct vibe, right?
That means that each of those weddings is going to come with an expectation of distinctive looks. This is true for the guests, but especially true for the wedding party. Think you can roll up to a black-tie wedding in a sundress? Or think an evening gown is going to look good next to distressed wood and cattle?
When in doubt, match the theme. The wedding photos will be all the better for it. Of all the insights on this list, matching the theme is the one that will ensure you don’t stick out like a sore thumb. Follow this mother-of-the-bride dress etiquette to ensure you’re a natural part of the crowd.
3. Going Trend Crazy
There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying on-trend. But it’s an entirely other can of worms where multiple pieces are considered. When you’ve gone so far into trend territory that your look may be cringe-worthy a decade later, that’s a problem.
For your wedding dress for the mother of the bride, consider a look that is a statement, sure, but that is also timeless. Timeless, by its very nature, never goes out of style and never embarrasses. It’s a great way to look your best while also following mother-of-the-bride dress etiquette.
Timeless cuts to consider include:
- A-line dresses,
- Sheaths,
- Cap sleeve dresses,
- Off-the-shoulder looks,
- And more.
4. Accessorizing to Death
A little sparkle never hurt anyone. But attention-stealing, excessive sparkles here, there, and everywhere? Maybe not quite as harmless.
A wedding day is a chance for everyone to look their best. But it’s also an opportunity for the more lavish instincts within us to come to a head. And the more lavishly we dress, the more attention we steal.
Remember, the wedding day is about the bride and groom. You are an important part of the proceedings, but you’re not the main event. Every extra piece you wear, from a dazzling brooch to a statement sunhat, speaks volumes.
So, remember what Coco Chanel said: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”
5. Not Wearing a Flattering Fit
The perfect dress isn’t worth its weight if it doesn’t fit well. And while your reliable local dress shop should have many options, almost nothing will look perfect straight off the rack.
This is where an expert tailor or seamstress comes into play. With the right know-how, they can turn a perfectly “fine” fit into a thing of beauty. This way, you’ll look your best on the wedding day. And honestly, isn’t looking your best the best gift you can give the bride and groom?
If you need great styles from popular designers for your mother-of-the-bride dress ideas, Dimitra Designs is here to help. We carry popular colors and cuts from many of the most popular labels today.
Our team of deluxe seamstresses can ensure your wedding dress for the mother of the bride looks and fits like a dream. We might not be able to tell you the wedding dress code for the mother of the bride, but we can at least help you match it.
Ready to be inspired by beautiful and timeless mother-of-the-bride dress ideas?