Slimming, Elegant Plus-Size Mother Of The Bride Dresses

Dear Deborah,

My daughter is getting married in the summer, and I’d like to lose a few pounds before the big day, but I will never be skinny. Can you suggest slimming, elegant plus-size Mother of the Bride dresses that will make me look fabulous? Thanks, June

Hi June

I’m so glad you aren’t setting unrealistic goals that you must achieve before the big day because you’ll just get stressed out. Who needs that?  Too many women wait until the last minute to get their mother-of-the-bride or mother-of-the-groom dress, thinking they will lose a lot of weight first, but they never do.  As a result, they have to scramble and are lucky enough to find any dress that fits, let alone one they like!

The best thing to do is accept your weight and order your dress ahead of time. If you drop a few pounds, just have your dress taken in. Truthfully, it doesn’t matter what you weigh. Whether you go with a long gown or a short dress, it’s more important to choose a style that works with your body type so you end up with a dress that accentuates your best bits and downplays other areas.

Here are some of the newest styles that are elegant and slimming.

Slimming, Elegant Plus-Size Mother Of The Bride Dresses

Sequin Bodice A-Line Gown

1. Two-Tone Plus Size Mother of the Bride Gown

Yes, it’s the bride’s day, but the Mothers of the Bride and Groom hold important positions, too, and many moms want to honor that by going all out and wearing a long, formal gown.

Plus, size moms, you will look fabulous in soft, stretchy gowns that gently drape and flow over your curves. One particularly flattering and popular style is a gown that is lighter on the top and darker on the bottom.

For example, the light, sparkly, silver sequin top half of this dress draws attention upward to this beautiful V-neckline and your face.   The dark, flowy satin skirt is excellent for camouflaging a heavy bottom half.

Sequin Wrap Front Cocktail Dress

2. Plus Size Short Cocktail Dresses

Short cocktail dresses are also a lovely choice for the Mother of the Bride or Groom, especially if the wedding is not ultra-formal. Many plus-size gals ( especially Apple shapes) have great legs, and a short cocktail dress is a great way to highlight them. 

The bonus of a cocktail dress is you can easily wear it again for a special occasion or a dressy business event.  This airy, green Mother of the Bride cocktail dress is very flattering because of the vertical row of sequins, which elongate and slim your body and also make you look taller!  

Puff Sleeve Embellished V-Neck Gown

3. Plus Size Mother of the Bride Dresses with Sleeves

If you are a plus-size woman and you are self-conscious about your less-than-firm arms, you probably find that short and cap sleeves end too high up on the arm and can exaggerate flabbiness or loose skin. The obvious answer to this problem is to find a dress with sleeves, long or 3/4 length, on the lighter side.

To look elegant and slim, look for  Mother of the Birde/Groom dresses with sleeves that are light and airy, not solid and heavy. Choose from semi-sheer chiffon sleeves, pretty lace sleeves, or lightly sequinned sleeves.  Slit sleeves also look lovely because they are cut open just enough to show some skin but also give you a little coverage too.

Embroidered Floral Gown and also linked here

4. Floral Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Dresses

Florals are natural for a wedding and can be a really pretty choice for the mother of the bride or groom, especially since the rest of the wedding party is wearing solid colors.

Prints or patterns are also a fantastic way to camouflage trouble spots because they are busy and keep the eye moving rather than drawing attention to one specific area. A medium-size print is most flattering and slimming on plus-size gals. 

This gorgeous embroidered maxi would look stunning at a spring or summer wedding. The embroidered detail is very feminine and luxurious, while the empire style of the dress creates a higher waist that creates a long, slender look.

Drape Back Cocktail Dress also linked here

5. Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Dress with Capelet

We talked about slit sleeves as one type of slimming mother-of-the-bride dress to cover wobbly arms. Here’s another. This chic capelet dress is elegant and dramatic- perfect for my plus-size gals who love to make an entrance!

I love this pretty ballet pink color, which is super trendy this summer, and the beautiful, relaxed drape of this dress. This is a dress to be remembered!

Beaded Halter Tea Length Dress

6. Tea Length Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Dresses

If you can’t decide whether to go long or short, how about a three-quarter length?  Plus, size tea lengths that fall below the knee are ladylike and a lovely compromise. For a more modern take on this classic length, try a high-low style, which gives the illusion of more length.

A solid-colored tea-length mother-of-the-bride dress like this with beading at the neckline is lovely. Print tea-length mother-of-the-bride/groom dresses are also popular. Tea-length mother-of-the-bride dresses work well for morning and early afternoon weddings or for weddings held in less formal settings.

Glitter Two-Piece Dress with Jacket

7. Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Dresses with Jackets

A Mother of the Bride dress that comes with a jacket is another good way to camouflage jiggly arms. A coat will give you a more tailored look but still look very pretty. For example, this beautiful lace dress comes with a matching lace jacket. 

8. Black Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Dresses

Can you wear black as MOB or MOG? Yes! Just make sure the bride is o.k. with it.  Black is chic, and I think we all know it can make us look ten pounds thinner!  Some brides have no problem with their mom or future mother-in-law wearing black, while others feel black is a negative or sad statement. Honor the bride by asking her what she thinks.

Beaded Sleeve Two-Piece Pantsuit

9. Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Pantsuits

If you never wear dresses and prefer pants, that’s fine, too. You’ll look classy and slim in an all-one-color monochromatic outfit, such as this blue asymmetrical top and pants.

The texture is important with a monochromatic look, and the sheer sequin sleeves with sparkle add that element and also make the outfit look dressier.

shop more mother of the bride/groom dresses

Shop more Mother of the Bride and Groom looks here at these bridal shops:

Alex Evenings

Adrianna Papell

Anthropologie

Nordstrom

Macy’s

Saks 5th Avenue

Need More Ideas?

Need more ideas about what to wear as Mother of the Bride or Groom? Pick up a copy of my bestselling book, Tweak Your Chic – Mother of the Bride. It will tell you everything you need to know on one of your life’s most important and cherished days.

What will you wear as the Mother of the Bride or Groom? Send me a professional photograph of you at the wedding, and I will post it—photos to info@fabulousafter40.com. Here are some real-life Mother of the Bride gowns from my readers.

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Meet the author

Deborah Boland

Deborah, a former Fashion & Lifestyle TV host and Image Consultant, understands the style challenges women face in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. As the founder of Fabulous After 40, she helps women tweak their chic and embrace fashion with confidence—so they always look and feel amazing.

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