MOB style- does common sense go out of the window?

my D has been married twice,I've never bought a MOB outfit.I bought a nice matching skirt and top and a lovely jacket for the first time...I still have and wear the jacket now 17 years later .The second time it was a dress and jacket .neither outfit cost more than £350 .Both outfits were worn regualrly over the years since.
Could be because weddings are our business and we see lots of MOB and MOG in awful aging tight satiny rig outs and often wonder what they were thinking when they spent literally thousands of pounds on them .
Still...if they think they look fab,thats all that counts .

I could not agree more,it would seem these certain stores think the MOB has lost all common sense.
When in fact all she wants is to look her very best (despite whatrever little oddities she maybe forced to live with)...........and of course do her daughter proud on her big day.
There is such pressure today on this looking absolutely "right," that possibly we ourselves tend to loose our usual sound reasoning when it comes to choosing these outfits..............much as your dear friend found when looking and purchasing her new outfit Maw

It is easy to look to others for advice and sadly fall by the wayside...........listening and following a friend or the assistant`s advice.
Sadly these "dressed up" outfits in these stores need putting in an oversized bin.............the designers need to start over,realising that we are now in the 2018`s..... and no longer want or wish to be fobbed off with outfits that might have done justice x number of years ago.

Lets protest ladies.

Get these Stores to ditch the old stuff and lets demnand we move with the times.
We are the future............so lets set the pace!

I agree with you. I put together a silk dress, jacket and bolero ( for the evening do) from good old Country Casuals.
I wore the dress and bolero to another wedding and then sold the lot on EBay.
I was pleased that another MOB/MOG got the opportunity to wear the outfit at a small fraction of the cost.
Fancy ruched satin etc. Not my style.
BTW, I happened on an amusing programme ch5 weekdays ,it’s set in an expensive occasions dress shop that sells such outfits.

I think the whole wedding thing is a an overpriced ridiculously expensive farce I have been MOB twice once in a Cerise shift dress and coat- no hat no matchy matchy accessories and once in a black and white Hobbs dress. Didn't spend a fortune and wore both things again. As GOB a couple of years ago I bought a lovely bright blue Hobbs dress and jacket and haven't worn them again as I don't go anywhere dressy - indeed apart from weddings is there anywhere dressy now?

My DS had two weddings - the first one was a very small quiet affair and I wore a suit which I felt very comfortable in. The second one was to be a large formal summer affair and frankly I was terrified of what I was going to wear because I am not a dressy person - I don’t wear dresses - and I didn’t want to let anyone down. I found a dress in Country Casuals and as soon as I put it on I knew it was the right one. I came out of the changing room to show DH and a man who was there with his wife said “That dress looks lovely on you.” His wife said “Yes, it really does!” Job done. DH liked it too ?. I bought a matching jacket, whole ensemble cost an arm and a leg, was much admired, and I have only worn it once, but it was worth it.

I have just started recording 'The Posh Frock Shop' on Channel 4 at 5.30pm. Prices are never mentioned but some of the outfits are lovely and other ridiculous. The last time I watched, a mother of the groom wanted to wear a fancy white wedding dress! Fortunately she was persuaded to have it made in grey.

When mine got married I never considered a "MOB dress" at all. I went to our local nice dress shop and took my husband as a second pair of eyes. Tried on a few nice outfits that suited the wedding's "cocktail" dress guide. HB said " that looks great on you" so I bought it. A lovely wine-coloured handkerchief skirt with matching beaded top.

Later I bought a beautiful pair of high heels with crystal beads decorating them , and I made a sweet little bag to match the dress. No hat, just got my hair and makeup done professionally and felt like a million dollars.

Goodness how we all miss Country Casuals!, I got a lovely winter wedding outfit there, years ago now. Most people don't dress up now so I guess when this particular role comes along we actually have to think quite hard about what to do, we are out of our comfort zone and more easily persuaded by the shop assistants specially in the MOB shops.

shysal that was the programme I referred to. Highly amusing! The costs are briefly shown to the left of the screen when the dress is worn. Usually £15000 upwards!
I’m amazed that so many MOB/MOGs want to outshine the bride.
Some look like they’ve been wrapped in foil or cling film, as the dresses are so tight.

Spot on lulu That’s exactly what happens.

I enjoyed putting an outfit together as MOG [not MOB so it might be different in that respect]. I did it all by myself - the dress, fascinator, shoes, lacey mittens [!] I bought on line in sales and ebay and felt very comfortable - didn't look too bad judging by the lovely comments.

The best opinion I think for an event like this is your own!!! - once you know whether it's an informal or formal occasion. I would never, ever rely on a shop assistant - they've got invested interests

When DD3 got married 3 years ago, I bought my outfit on lone from Bonmarche. It fitted a treat and cost me £50.00 for the dress and light edge to edge jacket and with shoes , hat and bag, £125.00 altogether. I felt good and plenty of compliments.

For DD1's wedding I decided I wanted to buy something I could wear afterwards so I bought a navy suit and dressed it up with a hat, gloves and a shawl in bright teal. But I only ever wore the suit once afterwards as it felt so frumpy! So for DD2's wedding I chose a lacy dress in a very unusual colour, bought online, matching fascinator and metallic shoes and clutch. I haven't worn that again either but I felt so much prettier on the day so what the hell!
I also had my makeup done professionally for the first wedding- big mistake! Made me look so old that even my mother-in-law who was sat next to me in church didn't realise it was me. Did my own the second time.

The worst I’ve seen was a somewhat possessive Mother of the Groom who wore a full length cream lace and satin dress and a little hat with a veil......

Anything advertised for a wedding cost twice or three times what it would in any other shop.

Don't shop there, look for ideas there then go somewhere cheaper, is my way of dealing with the problem.

It's 27 years ago since my eldest son got married and my mum and I went to a little boutique in small town near us just on the off chance. My outfit (navy blue satin type with a peplum jacket and straight skirt) was in the sale - when I look at the photos now I still think it looked lovely with a big white hat. I never wore it again though. Move on 16 years (and several dress sizes ) I went to another little bridal shop near us and bought a beautiful long pale green and lilac dress and rather expensive fascinator - I've worn the dress to several functions since then. In both cases I never considered what I should have been wearing other than it looked nice and they were the first outfits I tried on. My friend on the other hand spent months looking for something for her son's wedding a couple of years ago - thankfully she didn't ask me to go with her or my opinion!

I found it almost impossible to find anything for dd's wedding - and I had help from a personal shopper at John Lewis, as well as help every other shop I tried.
The big do was going to be largely out of doors, in a place where it was likely to be warm/very warm, and it was not going to be very formal.

I looked and asked in vain for something unfussy, not too short, not sleeveless, not frumpy, not too hot, and def not the typical, over-flowery or salmon pink MOB 2 piece. And preferably something flattering!

Nobody could find me anything remotely suitable. There were however plenty of dresses I'd have loved if I were still under 45, still a size 10, and still happy with bare arms and above-knee skirts! And not 66, a 12-14, and thinking that elegance at a certain age means keeping your less lovely bits covered.
In the end I found a dress online - a lovely, simple, mid calf, blue and white sort of abstract-floral print in pure linen, with long 'short' sleeves, IYSWIM.
But boy, it took an awful lot of hunting.

When I was a MOG (no chance of ever being a MOB), I wore a silk suit I had bought for a special event 4 years previously and only worn twice, no hat and just bought new shoes and a top to go under the jacket. Both from chain stores.

My niece gets married in a fortnight. I will be wearing an outfit bought in charity shops; a vintage 1960s Jaeger linen dress from Oxfam and a navy M&Co jacket from Sue Ryder. Shoes and handbag from my existing stock.

It took me ages to find an outfit for my daughter's wedding and after I saw the photos I hated it! Gave the whole lot to a charity shop.
However, my daughter looked beautiful in her wedding dress and that was the most important thing, I feel. (Mind you she's divorced now!)
My son has just got engaged - wedding, probably, abroad next year. Here we go again!

Eglantine That's incredible!

I really wish we could stop all this nonsense about feeling you have to spend a fortune on wedding outfits. (Although clearly a lot of us on gransnet already feel this way).

My son recently got married in Malaysia. I did buy a Phase Eight dress, but recycled handbags and shoes to accompany it. Everyone just wore their "Sunday best", and a wonderful time was had by all. If my other sons get married I shall recycle it all again.

I think we need to remember that even if we are the MOB or MOG, we are not the stars at this party. I doubt anyone will be able to remember the following day exactly what we are wearing unless it was truly dreadful or outrageous (as described by Eloethan) and then the comments will not be kind.

Wear something nice, old or new, that you feel comfortable in and can stand for long periods in and then forget it.

I didnt have a weddingy wedding dress myself there was no way I was going to wear a MOB outfit at any of the daughter's weddings. A silky aubergine & turquoise dress for the Oz one, whacky brown taffeta skirt & jacket with dangly bits for 2nd and silvery grey trousers with a lovely matching wrap around shawl collared jacket. I've worn them all again a number of times so no wastage there! I loathe the matching 'set' but if the wearer is comfortable

.. then thats all that matters.