The Best New Dresses For the Mother of the Bride

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The mother of the bride used to have to resign herself to wearing an unflattering matronly dress. Mother of the bride ensembles have come a long way, however, and it is now possible to find dresses that are stylish, figure flattering, and very pretty. These are the best new dresses for the mother of the bride and groom.

Dressing as the bride's mother is one of the biggest fashion challenges that many women will face. How do you find something that is the appropriate degree of formality, hits the right note for the style of the wedding, is beautiful but not so beautiful that it competes with the bridal gown, and is not black, like the vast majority of formalwear? This is a tall order, and it is no wonder that the idea of shopping for a dress for their daughter's weddings is something that intimidates even the most enthusiastic shoppers. Happily, there are some outfits in the shops that actually achieve all of these goals, so it is not as difficult a task as you may initially fear.

One of the biggest trends for mothers of the bride are two piece ensembles. These usually consist of a long dress worn with a short fitted jacket. This can be a great style, because you will have the appropriate amount of coverage for a formal ceremony, but you can remove the jacket to be comfortable during the reception. A jacket will also allow more mobility of the arms than a dress with fitted long sleeves.

Mother of the bride dresses are definitely more slender and figure flattering than they used to be. You no longer have to look like the Queen Mum just because your daughter is getting married! Many of the dresses feature nicely fitted strapless bodices (to be worn with a jacket) or wide v-necks with cap sleeves. For the more fashion forward moms, there are even one shouldered gowns that look like they are straight from the red carpet. Ruffles are another hot fashion trend that is being seen in some of the mother of the bride ensembles.

Silk shantung is a wonderful fabric choice for a tailored and attractive long gown, and it is one of the most popular fabrics for the mother of the bride. It has a lovely soft sheen, comes in a rainbow of beautiful colors, and has a texture which makes it very forgiving to any lumps or bumps. Shantung holds its shape well, and will not cling too much, making it very nice for any shape or size. Crepe is another favorite material for mother of the bride dresses, as it has a lovely soft flow, but is much more substantial than chiffon. Sometimes lightweight chiffon is layered over crepe, which is very soft and feminine. Crepe is nice when you prefer a dress that has no sheen to it.

Other big trends in mother of the bride dresses include fluted skirts, short trains, and waists with special details. Sashes, ribbons, and brooches at the waistline are all in style right now. As for your accessories, look for pieces like custom bridal jewelry that can be made in crystals to coordinate with your dress. Many of the shops that specialize in custom making bridal jewelry for the bride and her bridesmaids will also make unique and special necklaces, earrings, and bracelets for the mother of the bride to make sure that she looks just as fabulous as the rest of the wedding party.

The perfect mother of the bride dress is out there. Flip through magazines and look online to get ideas of the styles that appeal to you before you start shopping. That way, you will have printed examples to help the bridal consultant steer you to a mother of the bride ensemble that you will actually love wearing.

Laura is interested in wedding planning and wedding trends including jewelry,receptions and gifts. Custom bridal jewelry is a wonderful mother of the bride gift.