Plus Size Mother of the Groom Dresses

Selecting a Dress

The bride and groom will decide whether the wedding and reception will be formal or informal. The bride will then select her bridal gown and the bridesmaids' gowns to work with her chosen style and color scheme.

The mother of the bride may contact you and let you know what color and length dress she has chosen to wear. This will help you coordinate what each of you will be wearing. The bride can also be a good source of information about her mother's wardrobe plans.

You should select a dress that makes you feel and look terrific. This is a day when you may meet a lot of new people and see a lot of old friends and relatives who you might not have seen recently. Your dress should be comfortable to wear, fit your style, flatter your figure and work within your budget. Plus size formal clothing does not have to be expensive to be elegant and fashionable.

Style

The style should reflect your personal flair. You and the mother of the bride may not have the same style or look good in the same colors. The colors you choose should harmonize with the color scheme selected by the bride for the flowers and the bridesmaids' dresses. Attempt to find a dress the same length as the mother of the bride's dress. If the wedding is formal, long dresses are appropriate. If the wedding is less formal, knee-length dresses might be preferred.

Look for dresses and fabrics that fit your fashion personality. You don't have to wear matronly styles or expensive designer evening wear to look elegant. A wide variety of plus size mother of the groom dresses is now available including fabrics from lace to silk to slinky rayon. Wear what you feel comfortable in and what you think looks elegant on your body type. If you are unsure of your decision, consider inviting the bride and her mother over before you purchase your dress so that you can all preview what you plan to wear.

Color

Ask the bride or her mother about the color scheme of the wedding. They can tell you the color of the bridesmaids' dresses and the mother of the bride dress. See if they have suggestions for the colors you should consider for your dress.

Consider what hues of these suggested colors work best with your hair and skin tone. The goal is to coordinate with, not match, what everyone else is wearing.

Select your best color making sure that you:

• Don't wear the same color as the bride
• Coordinate with the overall wedding color scheme
• Coordinate with the depth of the colors being worn. If everyone is wearing dark colors, you should not be wearing a pastel. You will create too much of a focus on yourself in the group photography. If you don't look your best in the depth of color selected, consider wearing a mid tone neutral such as tan or grey.

Shopping For Your Dress

Give yourself as much time as possible to shop for your dress. Selections of dresses and sizes are sometimes limited so you may need to shop in several stores. It might take up to six to eight weeks to get your dress in-stock.

Dress For Comfort

You want to look great but you also need to be comfortable:

• Wear shoes that feel good even after standing for long periods of time. This is not the day to wear brand new three-inch heels. Consider having a pair of flat shoes handy to switch to during the reception and after any professional photography sessions.
• Wear comfortable lingerie. A convertible strap bra can give you the support you need and keep your bra straps from showing. Avoid wearing colored nylons. They may look great with your dress; but, they can put too much focus on your legs in a group photograph.

Where to Buy a Plus Size Mother of the Groom Dress

Large retail stores like Lane Bryant, Kohl's, Macys or any of the better department stores may have the perfect dress for you. Formal dresses can also be ordered in plus sizes from specialty dress shops. The largest selection of styles, colors and sizes of formal dresses is available online:

• Peggy Lutz Plus – Custom-made dresses and separates to size 38/40 (a 70" bust)
• Sydney's Closet – Wide selection of elegant gowns ready-to-ship and made-to-order to size 30
• Audrey's Mother of the Bride – Made-to-order dresses to size 4X
• Kiyonna – Dresses and separates to size 30/32
• Ulla Popken – Dresses and separates to size 32/34
• Zaftique – Dresses and separates to size 6X