Slimming, Elegant Plus-Size Mother Of The Bride Dresses

Dear Deborah,

My daughter is getting married in the fall, 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.  Many women wait until the last minute to get a mother-of-the-bride or mother-of-the-groom dress, thinking they will lose a lot of weight, but they never do.  As a result, they’re lucky to find any dress that fits, let alone one they like. The best thing to do is accept your weight and order your clothing ahead of time. If you drop a few pounds, have your dress taken in. It doesn’t matter what you weigh. So long as you choose a style that works with your body, you will look gorgeous in your dress.

Here are some beautiful options.

Ruffled Off-the-Shoulder Ruched Gown

1. Plus Size Mother of the Bride/Groom Gowns

The Mother of the Bride and Groom are important positions, and many moms want to honor that by going all out and wearing a long, formal gown. Plus, size moms will look fabulous in soft and flowing gowns that gently drape and flow over their curves. Try a dress with a beautiful neckline that frames your face to draw attention upward. 

Chiffon Asymmetric Overlay Beaded Shoulder Sheath Dress

2. Short Cocktail Dresses

A short cocktail dress is also popular for the Mother of the Bride or Groom, especially if the wedding is not ultra-formal or you have great legs and want to show them off! The bonus is you can wear a cocktail dress again for any personal or business event that calls for dressy.

Floral Applique Scuba Crepe Off-the-Shoulder Short Puffed Sleeve Mermaid Gown

3. Plus Size Mother of the Bride Dresses with Sleeves

Many women are self-conscious about their less-than-firm arms. Dresses with sleeves are the obvious choice when you want to cover up. The best sleeves are elbow-length, 3/4-length sleeves, or full-length.

Short and cap sleeves end too high up on the arm and exaggerate flabby arms. Please ensure your sleeves look light and airy, not solid and heavy. Choose chiffon sleeves or lace sleeves, slit sleeves, or sequinned sleeves. These are better than long, solid cloth sleeves, which look and feel hot and heavy. The best plus-size mother-of-the-bride dresses with sleeves have a light, airy look and feel.

V-Neck Chiffon Maxi Dress

4. Floral Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Dresses

Floral Patterns can be pretty for the bride’s mother, especially when everyone else in the wedding party is wearing a solid color. Prints are also a great way to camouflage trouble spots as they keep the eye moving. Florals are natural for a wedding. Just be sure your print is just a little small. A medium-size scale print is most flattering on plus-size gals. 

Bead-Embellished Sheer Cape Gown

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

A capelet is both a chic and a practical way to cover your arms, whether you choose to do so for fashion or function. A capelet is smaller than a traditional cape, making it a stylish accessory to a formal dress or gown. A capelet adds a beautiful touch to any outfit, whether for a casual or a dressy occasion.

A-Line Dress with Cap Sleeves

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

Three-quarter or tea length plus size mother-of-the-bride dresses are conservative and ladylike. They’re a nice compromise between a formal full-length gown and a short cocktail dress. This style is lovely if you want to show a hint of leg.

A solid-colored tea-length mother-of-the-bride dress with beading or lace is lovely. Print tea-length mother-of-bride/groom dresses are also popular. Prints can be a nice change when everyone else is in a solid color. They also work well for morning and early afternoon weddings or weddings in less formal settings.

Sequin Mock Two-Piece Dress with Jacket

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

Another way to camouflage jiggly arms is to wear a dress with a jacket. This gives you a more tailored look but can still be very pretty. For example, this dress features a removable matching lace jacket. You’ll find that some plus-size mother-of-the-bride dresses also have an attached jacket. Either way, this look is beautiful for a wedding.

8. Black Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Dresses

Yes, you can wear black as MOB or MOG. Just make sure the bride is o.k. with it.  Black is quite elegant, and we all know it can make you look ten pounds thinner, which is a bonus. 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!

Top, Pants, and Sequined Jacket 3-Piece Set

9. Plus-Size Mother of the Bride Pantsuits

If you never wear dresses and prefer pants, go for an all-one color, dressy pantsuit that is soft and drapey.

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.