Home and lifestyle Experts
Fashion consultants
Gail and Belinda's what to wear to a wedding special
Gail and Belinda advise a mother-of-the-groom how to strike the right note at a semi-formal church wedding; a mother-of-the-bride on what to wear to show off her slim, new figure to her ex-husband; and a wedding guest on how to match her accessories for a summer wedding in Florida
Mother-ofthe-groom: semi-formal church wedding
Q: I am 63, size 12, 5ft 7ins in height. My son is getting married in May this year. It’s a church wedding but fairly informal although the bride will be in a lovely white dress but without a veil or bridesmaids. I want to look good but not like mother of the bride. I usually wear trousers (formal and informal) but feel that I should make an effort to wear a skirt or dress. Please can you give me some advice?
A: By May the weather will be improving. It is a church wedding so why not opt for a pretty dress? Dresses are very fashionable again this season and you will find plenty to choose from. Of course as it is a church wedding your shoulders should be covered so you can add a lightweight jacket to tone or a pashmina style wrap. How about opting for black and white - again a very "in" combination this spring? A black and white dress with a little black jacket would look good with toning shoes and bag. Wear flesh coloured tights - black will be too dark. This is an easy but elegant look but also wearable after the wedding - very important. We suggest you look in Coast ( 01865 881986), Monsoon ( 0870 4129000) and Phase 8 (www.phase-eight.co.uk). You should find all these stores quite locally and in the next few weeks they will be gearing up for the forthcoming wedding season. Alternatively try CC (formerly Country Casuals). For something more quirky you could also look in Zara - they have some super jackets and dresses at very low prices. We hope this helps but if not, you can always book in with a Personal Shopper at Selfridges (www.selfridges.com) in London's Oxford Street.
Mother of the bride: hotel wedding
Q: My daughter is getting married next March in a hotel, but I am not sure what to wear. I am 57, 5ft 6in and have recently lost over four stone. My ex-husband will be there so I really want something special as I show off my new partner at the same time.
A: The perfect answer would be to wait for the new season fashions to arrive in the shops in late January early February next year, then you will really be up to the minute for a March wedding.
Being mother of the bride, you really will want to make a statement. There are a few alternatives to consider if you wish to make a start now.
Starting with top of the range you could really push the boat out and visit a couture designer such as Tomasz Starzewski (www.starzewski.com) or telephone for an appointment on 020 7244 6138). We have worked with him in the past and are sure you would get excellent service from him at his studio. You would certainly be a wow!
You could employ the services of a freelance Personal Shopper who will guide you from the outfit itself through to your accessories. Do let us know if we can help in this department. Stores such as Harvey Nichols and some Debenhams stores also have their own personal shopping departments but this does tie you to just one store.
If the High Street is your normal shopping place then look for label Phase Eight (www.phase-eight.co.uk). Their occasion wear is good all year round. We would suggest perhaps a long chiffon skirt - straight over the hips then floating out to say mid-calf, teamed with a short, silk fitted jacket. A toning shoe with kitten heel will be comfortable for the long day ahead) and add a hat or fascinator dependent on your hairstyle and colour. Cream is always a good colour for the mother of the bride but toning with the bride and bridesmaids is a must.
Another alternative is Monsoon where you will find again a good selection of occasion wear. We wish you a great day!
Summer wedding in Florida
Q: I am going to a summer wedding in Florida and wish to wear a lovely burgundy and pink dress with tiny silver sequin detail. When I asked the advice of the young male personal shopper to help me find shoes, bag and hat he told me that it was last year’s colour. Can you help - I can’t afford to change my clothes annually!
A: We would suggest trying to match the pink in the dress with shoes, bag and perhaps a fascinator. These are small and not heavy to wear and they travel well; normally they just attach to your hair with a comb. Failing the pink, we have seen a lot of silver and pewter shoes around. For example, Debenhams (0844 5616161) shoe department has mid-height sandals with a bag to match. Oasis (01865 881986) has flat silver shoes that tie around the ankle, perfect for a long day. Accessorize (020 7629 0038) has a huge collection of bags which are reasonably priced. It is not necessary to have the hat matching exactly, and you should find a pretty feathery fascinator at Get Ahead Hats (getaheadhats.co.uk). There should be one in your area, but if you do not succeed in a hat shop, try larger department stores such as House of Fraser (houseoffraser.co.uk) or Debenhams, where you might find a wrap too, so you will be able to wear it all again in a cooler climate.
More from Gail and Belinda
- What to wear to a Thai wedding
- Non-mumsie outfit for mother-of-the-bride
- Gail and Belinda's fashion advice archive
