<p>JEM - That dress is also available in larger women’s sizes, but I did wonder if the top is a little low-cut. You may want to check out Eileen Fisher - she makes clothes that are flattering, comfortable, and stylish for all body types. They tend to look more creative and artsy than the typical dowdy duds designed for plus sized ladies.</p>
<p>I don’t care for the MOB styles available at department stores - I’d go less “fancy” and more classic…keeping it simple and adding personality with accessories.</p>
<p>Just to add my humble opinion. I like the Dillard’s dress and think it seems appropriate but it is the kind of dress you really need to try on because hard to tell from the photo. It does seem a bit matronly but maybe not in real life. I also like Komarov dress …was that from Nordstrom? It seems like a good combination between simple and dressy, but not too matronly and not too overdone.</p>
<p>I like the styles you found Gourmetmom. I think the sleeve suggestions are totally appropriate for the “mom” part of MOB or MOG. Love the Armani Taffeta. I like how the Lily tells the height of the model. I’m 5’10 and often online ordering yields a dress more appropriate for someone short. I bought a dress I loved last year and it stopped at the bottom of my bottom. Great dress, but as my H said “You aren’t keeping that…right?” Needless to say it went right back.</p>
<p>I’m baaack! I stayed away for a whole hour! JEM: What about this one? If the other mother is wearing a green color, is that why you picked the original dress in sage? This one could also work for the end of September…have you looked at the Nordstrom website under plus size? I found several options that way!</p>
<p>Last one for now, JEM. I like it but would hem the bottom evenly. Don’t like the lace without the lining. Possibility? Okay, that’s really it for now!!</p>
<p>Re green color, I am not sure mother of groom has decided among her options. I have not met her yet and we have only had some written correspondence, none of it about dresses. What I know of her dress thinking is what my D has told me. MOG was born in Greece and apparently green is a good fortune color in that culture. She is older and not computer savvy so I can’t share pics online with her. I have hazel eyes so green is sometimes recommended for me. But I am open re colors as long as they are appropriate (would not do black, even though I know some do these days, and I would like something not too spring-like). Wedding is right after the fall solstice.</p>
<p>Thanks SO much! I am very grateful. All I need is one! </p>
<p>Thanks, others, including deb922 and bookmama22, for the feedback – much appreciated. And yes, the Komarov dress is at Nordstrom.</p>
<p>Here’s another one, JEM. I would suggest that you go to Nordstrom’s website and go to Wedding shop, Mother’s dresses & accessories. Then where it says size, put in three sizes. 1st = Regular XL-XXL (16-18)
2nd = Petite XL (16-18)
3rd = plus 1X (14-16W)</p>
<p>You should then have a selection of 188 dresses to choose from for those sizes. I’ll now go to the Dillards website to see if there’s anything there.</p>
<p>JEM: TRY the bolero dress anyway! You have no idea what it looks like ON you until you try it!!! If you like it, maybe your tailor can provide a solution…</p>
<p>Countingdown: which two dresses did you receive? How do they fit?</p>
<p>None of the dresses on the Dillards website look very appealing. They all look a bit matronly and inexpensive. This one here seems to be similar to the sage one but maybe a bit less matronly? If you like it, you could always hem it to a tea length…</p>
<p>OK, thanks so much for explaining the system, chocchipcookie!
I am in the process of ordering the following from Nordstrom. WONDERFUL that shipping is free, and that I can return to the store those that do work! Nothing to lose and I can try on at home!</p>
<p>Soulmates Crochet Dress with Jacket (Plus) Item: #180452</p>
<p>Alex Evenings Embellished Dress & Jacket (Plus) Item: #650762
(perhaps for the rehearsal)</p>
<p>Alex Evenings Embellished Jersey Dress & Bolero (Plus) Item: #650088</p>
<p>Komarov Textured Satin Dress & Jacket </p>
<p>I will let you know what works out!</p>
<p>Now on to checking the others suggested. With the help of CC I may get through this! :)</p>
<p>UPDATE: ARGH! Two items were no longer available in my size – disappeared AS I was preparing my order! Glad I got something in before the others went! Are too many people reading, and ordering from, the suggestions on this thread??? ;)</p>
<p>What a great thread. My husband’s step mother used to say the the MOG should wear beige and blend. I thought that was funny. She was not yet married to my FIL when we got married.</p>
<p>^^Beige and blend in?? Funny. With two boys I will (eventually) coordinate with MOB’s colors and whatever the bride wants, but will not wear beige, yucch.</p>
<p>JEM: suggestion…call Nordstrom and tell them two of the dresses on-line disappeared as you were getting ready to order them and maybe they can find a store that carries the dresses that can ship to you. OR order one size larger and tailor it.</p>
<p>Did you like the very last soulmates one I suggested? 3 piece dress in teal green/spruce color? Very similar to navy blue dress but in the softer color.</p>
<p>Waiting for H to get ready to go out again just like last night. :D</p>
<p>Hope one of these dresses you are ordering works out. The last thing you want to do is feel as if you are “settling” for your child’s wedding, no matter what size or shape you are!</p>
<p>I guess this thread interests me a lot…I don’t think I have contributed to any one thread more in the caf</p>
<p>Merlin has been MIA…at Macy’s with S1/AKA Groom, looking at wedding suits, which are on sale. That is another thread waiting to happen!</p>
<p>I love the soulmates dresses. The drape or hand of the fabric looks nice. Long dresses are not in my quest, although I would like to wear either of those.
The russian bride prefers navy, knee length or tea length. Didn’t tea length formerly refer to mid-calf length??</p>
<p>It contrast to other husbands, mine suggested that I should consider at least knee length. I refrained from throwing stuff at him. At 60 years old, size 6-8, mostly thin, with saddlebaggy hips, I mostly defer to his judgement about angles I cannot see. I really need to work on my skinny, flabby arms. Health issues have made me less active than I used to be. Hate that!</p>
<p>note to JEM: All the particular corporeal results of aging make this dress buying such a challenge. I am deferring my heart surgery until after this wedding, so won’t have the look of a freshly cut cleavage until fall or next winter. lol Hoping any future surgical scars will not ruin the look of the dress I choose. </p>
<p>Some sheath dresses work, especially those with shirring across the front. At Macy’s I saw dresses not on the website. A teal Adriana Papell seemed to get the best reviews from the other shoppers in the dressing room. Shorter than I prefer, and sold out at bluefly, but maybe the bluefly waiting list actually works? Bluefly had it for 50% less than Macy’s. I may buy it at Macy’s next week when my coupons take effect.
Although it is not navy!</p>
<p>Merlin: I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier…a poster on the “Dressing Young” thread just bought this dress in both colors. One is navy!! Could this work for you???</p>
<p>Hi Countingdown! I think I like the 1st Patra dress better too…hope you like some of the other choices as they arrive.</p>
<p>Garland, you are the OP…we’re kicking you in the butt to get the party started! You have a whole group of women here helping to cheer you on!</p>
<p>Merlin and everyone else: I use an undergarment similar to Spanx but I like it much better. It’s called The Body Wrap, made by Christina America. It comes in Nude or Black and it also comes in Regular or Plus sizes.</p>
<p>I buy it on-line but you can get it at some lingerie type stores. Buy one size larger than you normally would because they are pretty tight fitting but as you wear them they will loosen up.</p>
I like the teal/spruce color much more than the navy, but the dress (my size, anyway) is on backorder until August, and I am hoping not to be struggling with this challenge at that point.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your help! I will let you know how things go once the dresses are all in – they are arriving at different times.</p>
<p>Fun thread. I confess I fell in love with a dress and bought it and it sits in the back of my closet. My boys are no where near marriage. But. A girl can dream. And enjoy extraordinary beauty.</p>
<p>May I just say that Eileen Fisher Luster dress has me enchanted. It is so different and so elegant IMHO.</p>
<p>The Eileen Fisher dress is really very casual and wearable. I would wear it out to dinner in Newport or on vacation with low heeled sandals. I don’t usually gravitate to EF because it tends to be loose and flow-y and I like more fitted styles, but I bought that same dress two years ago when it was done in a darker metallic gray with tonal beading at the hem and bodice (I don’t recall that a similar matching cardigan was available). It’s an incredibly cute dress that I wear all the time - definitely in the realm of resort wear. I may invest in in this new version too!</p>
<p>Mathmom, that is the dress. Not sure why I couldn’t get the link to post properly–thanks.
The color is very saturated, while not at all shiny. Almost too intense for me, but I do like it. It seems to be selling out quickly. I’d better jump on it. It is pretty versatile.</p>
<p>Chocchip, thanks for the tip on the TheBobyWrap. I’ve been wearing the Target version of spanx, which I like ok, especially on days when I am tired because I know they will hold me upright.</p>
<p>The navy Pure Collection dress is lovely, too. Here I go getting overwhelmed again. Hah! It’s fun!</p>
<p>BTW, if any or all of you happen to be in Russia in August, please let me know so we can meet up in our dresses.</p>
I stayed away for a whole hour! JEM: What about this one? If the other mother is wearing a green color, is that why you picked the original dress in sage? This one could also work for the end of September…have you looked at the Nordstrom website under plus size? I found several options that way!</p>