Mother of the bride outfits. Help!

Look at Hobbs or Phase Eight trousers suits. Comfortable and elegant.
Mix and match a few items to change from day to evening. Good Luck.

Thank you

I bought a matching dress and coat both very lightweight floaty chiffon type fabric. Both ankle length. Bo ho style. I absolutely loved it. Wore both pieces for the wedding anf took the coat/top layer off later.

I personally would go for a stylish trouser suit too, am not a dress person either, just make sure is a comfortable fit if you are looking after the GC as well.

Have a look at Next Online , loads of choices . Easy to order and return too

It may be hot in France in April. How lovely to be able to wear summer clothes.
I hope you find something you like that's comfortable and fits well.
I had a session at John Lewis with a personal shopper before DD's wedding. She had me trying on all kinds of outfits without pressurising me to buy any.
I enjoyed the session but wasn't pleased with the outfit I chose.
Lots of people wear trousers at weddings.

I’d echo the idea of a personal shopper session. The only time I’ve had one (for free, at Harvey Nick’s in Leeds) was before DD1’s wedding. I was a bit apprehensive, being far from your typical HN shopper, but I’m so glad I did this. She listened carefully to what I had in mind and what my (modest!) budget was, and came up with several great outfits. There was no pressure at all to buy, but the one I went for was perfect.

I second the suggestion of using the John Lewis personal shopper. I’ve used this a couple of times with good results. It’s been an enjoyable experience

I got a lovely outfit with a jacket and dress that had horizontal type pleats with lots of stretch in the fabric
Was comfortable throughout
Not cheap
Navy and pink:purple tones quite classic

I last bought an outfit for a wedding in M and S but it was a dress .
I always think that M and S is worth a look .
If you are looking after a small grandchild wear something dark .
I once had sticky finger marks down my dress at an occasion !

I hate wearing dresses in fact I don't even own one, when my son got married I dreaded finding an outfit to wear especially as being a large size.
After much searching and I will admit tears I found a
Anne Balon outfit mega expensive but got mine off eBay for a quarter of the price, most comfortable outfit to wear and so easy to pack in a suitcase no creases just hung it up when I got to the hotel, After the wedding I washed it and put it back on eBay and sold it

DD’s big wedding do was in France in summer, and I knew it was likely to be hot. I rarely wear dresses, but wanted a nice but simple one, not sleeveless and not too short, certainly nothing typically mother of the bride.

I even used a personal shopper in John Lewis. She couldn’t come up with anything at all suitable, though there were plenty of dresses that would have been lovely if I’d still been 39 and a size 10!

In the end I found one online from Poetry, but that was 10 years ago and I’ve never worn it since!

Su22 has written exactly what I was about to suggest.
Ann Balon.
No crease lace, fancy, stretchy and durable. I bought new the first time and it was a terrible price but subsequently have had two others that were second hand (vinted and ebay) both very cheap.
They don't crush, can be easily hand washed and worn as separates afterwards.
So easy to wear!

Good luck.

Oh yes,
I discovered this company recently- Olvis lace.
Really stunning dresses.
I tried one locally but it was more than I wanted to spend and a little snug - but even this was still really stretchy and would obviously be easy to wear.

My daughter found a once-worn on Vinted at a fraction of the price and wore it to a wedding. She said it was really comfortable.

If possible go to a shop that sells lots of different (and maybe more niche) brands if you don't want to be stuffed into a never-again outfit!

www.olvis-lace.com/

I am a similar shape i e. 5ft 6in with a bit of a tummy. I wore separates to both my sons' weddings with a calf length skirt so I could get different sizes. Also, as you'll be looking after little ones, make sure you can bend easily and definitely wear comfy shoes!

Does depend on which part of France to guage the climate - if somewhere warmer have a look at onehundredstars.co.uk/
They have very pretty outfits and lovely kimonos, long and short to drape over a trouser co-ord or jumpsuit.
Also I would agree John Lewis will have a good lot of options.

Thank you all.I will check out the names mentioned. I hadnt thought about lace,thought it would be to restrictive.

Larger and taller than you with also a tummy issue and v rarely wear dresses but wanted to look lovely for son’s wedding. A few false starts but finally bought a beautiful , v-necked , sleeveless maxi from Monsoon with tasteful sequins . It was a boiling day, well over thirty degrees but I kept cool but felt confident and well dressed too. Not the cheapest but you don’t go to a child’s wedding every day!

You're the bride's mum, so it's a good idea to tell bridegroom mum what yoy will be wearing. You don't want to be wearing the same colour.
My DD's MiL got her outfit very promptly and fortunately DD told me what she'd got. I was a bit miffed as it is the bride's mum's prerogative to choose colour first.
But hey, I got an outfit in a muted gold silk. Which I sold very well the week after the wedding as it would have been a bit OTT for any other wedding

I am like you Haydnpat I dislike dresses too. I never wear one but I did for my son's wedding. First time in probably 30 years.
I bought mine from Roman. I didn't wear a hat either, I had my hair put up (another new for me) and added a pearl hair slide at the back.

Personally I think a dress would be more appropriate than trousers for a summer wedding in France perhaps with a matching jacket or coat. Would certainly be cooler than a trouser suit and you are mother of the bride, a time to dress up. I would try Hobbs for a middle of the price range outfit or like others have said John Lewis is always a good bet.

Why do you not ask your daughter to help you find an outfit?

My sister took the advice of her eldest on a similar occasion and looked very nice indeed in a trouser suit, that tactfully disguised her very thin legs and a tummy that not only was the reverse of thin, but according to my sister, stuck out (the rest of the family could not see that feature, but she could and it worried her.)

Unless the wedding is to be extremely formal dress-wise there is no reason at all why you should not wear a trouser suit, or even a pair of slacks with a contrasting top.

If it is to be so formal that it takes place in the late afternoon with the gentlemen in tails and white tie, then go for a full length kaftan style dress or something similar.

And as the wedding is taking place in France, you are not obliged to wear a hat.

Linen wide leg trousers with a nice top maybe with frills on or a statement necklace.

Gina Bacconi have lovely designs