<p>I like the Alex dress, though I think it looks much better with the jacket on than off.</p>
<p>^ Thanks, and oh yes, my intention would be to wear the jacket as if it were sewn on to the dress. Coverage is a good thing in my case.</p>
<p>All of them are pretty. I like the idea of a jacket or cap sleeves. Very few of us like our upper arms by the time we are old enough to have marrying kids. Congrats on the weight loss. I need to lose about 20 pounds, but have not yet done what it takes to get started in earnest.</p>
<p>[R</a> & M Richards Lace-Detail Jacket Dress | Dillards.com](<a href=“Access Denied”>Access Denied)</p>
<p>Okay, I just went to the Dillards website and the Marina dress is nicer up close, especially in the blue. When I saw it originally I wasn’t crazy about it, but seeing it up close and in another color helped.</p>
<p>I also thought this ^^ dress is okay if the jacket sleeves were tailored shorter to short sleeves or cap sleeves. Since the dress is so inexpensive, then tailoring could be an option. Might help with covering a scar.</p>
<p>My wedding colors a million years ago were also royal blue and silver! 
My mom wore silver and my mil wore royal blue…everyone looked great.</p>
<p>Garland: report back to what you find!!</p>
<p>I’m not inclined to do jackets because a) I run hot, and this shindig is August 3rd, b) I tend to fidget with jackets/boleros when I am wearing them and c) contra dancing involves lots of arms in the air and swirling – hard to keep a jacket in place when one is flying around the dance floor!</p>
<p>My scar is on the left side, between my collarbone and heart. (It’s my defibrillator.) It also bulges out, so I would just as soon keep it all covered.</p>
<p>JEM – I dropped fast food, quit eating junk, changed a couple of meds for the first 45 lbs. I was trying to get my glucose levels down. Then I had the heart attack. Since then it has been counting calories and sodium/fat/cholesterol/Vit K, and exercise 3-4 days/week at cardiac rehab. It has taken two years to get to this point. (Now that I think about it, it’s two years today!) My goal is a pound a week, though things have slowed down as I have gotten slimmer and I have hit plateaus along the way. I figured if I took it slow, I had a better chance of making the changes permanent – though now it’s a matter of life and death.</p>
<p>OTOH, I am still here and I plan to enjoy this wedding! :D</p>
<p>My favorite is the Nordstrom dress (#1). I’m not a fan of those jacket dresses–I think they make almost everyone look matronly. My kids were bridesmaids in their cousin’s wedding last year and she sent them to David’s Bridal to buy dresses that she picked out (they were the only bridesmaids). I was really surprised at the quality of the material as well as the construction of the dresses–they were poorly made and the fabric was flimsy. D2’s dress had a small rip in it before the end of the night (there was no dancing at this wedding–just a sit-down dinner and musicians during dinner). I don’t know if it was that particular dress, but that experience has made me wary of buying from David’s Bridal.</p>
<p>^^ CountingDown, I am thrilled for you! I have since done a search of your posts and your story really should be published IMO. Thank you for sharing the details. I am inspired. You must be very disciplined.</p>
<p>I had cancer five years ago and do have a heart condition likely a result of my heavy chemo agents and other drugs during that time. Losing more weight could only help me, of course. But I am grateful for every day I have which I had not counted on getting.</p>
<p>DO enjoy this wonderful wedding! I am so happy for you.</p>
<p>Back to dresses, I am OK with looking matronly with a jacket as long as I can look reasonably nice for the photos. I need good coverage on top because of my mastectomy (no reconstruction – use a prosthesis). Plus my D’s wedding is in late September and in Boston along the Charles River so is unlikely to be very hot.</p>
<p>[Alfred</a> Angelo Special Occasion In Stock Separates Skirts - Style MSKT-R [MSKT-R] - $99.00 : Wedding Dresses, Bridesmaid Dresses and Prom Dresses at BestBridalPrices.com](<a href=“bestbridalprices.com - bestbridalprices Resources and Information.”>bestbridalprices.com - bestbridalprices Resources and Information.)</p>
<p>Countingdown: I’m still looking for you, it’s fun! What about this one? Tell us your favorites so far…</p>
<p>[A-line</a> Queen Anne Knee-length Taffeta Mother Of The Bride Dress - USD $ 129.99](<a href=“http://www.lightinthebox.com/a-line-strapless-hem-length-satin-bridesmaid-dress_p263971.html]A-line”>http://www.lightinthebox.com/a-line-strapless-hem-length-satin-bridesmaid-dress_p263971.html)</p>
<p>And I keep looking. Stop me before I get out of hand! 
This one seems to cover up more on top without a jacket…</p>
<p>I’ve kind of lost track of who is looking for what here but it seems to me that the current trend of lace and/or illusion topped dresses might give the coverage you want on the chest and arms without going into a matronly jacket look. Here is an example:
[Alex</a> Evenings Lace Sheath Dress | Dillards.com](<a href=“Access Denied”>Access Denied)
While it is fairly fitted, if the size is right I think it would be a good look even in a larger size. And you wouldn’t need a jacket or shawl to cover up, you could dance the night away.</p>
<p>Editing to add that when I have to bare my arms, I use this stuff for a few days ahead of time and find that it really does work to make them look a bit better - a combination of the moisturizing and tanning I suppose.
<a href=“http://www.jergens.com/products/natural-glow/firming-daily-moisturizer.aspx[/url]”>http://www.jergens.com/products/natural-glow/firming-daily-moisturizer.aspx</a></p>
<p>[Sheath/</a> Column Sweetheart Tea-length Chiffon Mother of the Bride Dress With A Wrap - USD $ 129.99](<a href=“http://www.lightinthebox.com/Sheath--Column-Sweetheart-Tea-length-Chiffon-Mother-of-the-Bride-Dress-With-A-Wrap_p188879.html]Sheath/”>http://www.lightinthebox.com/Sheath--Column-Sweetheart-Tea-length-Chiffon-Mother-of-the-Bride-Dress-With-A-Wrap_p188879.html)</p>
<p>^^And one more. Countingdown: Let me know if you think any of those styles would work…</p>
<p>I added the Alex Evenings portrait collar (found a 16W, which is a better fit for me vs. a regular 16)…#6.</p>
<p>Here’s another one…#7 in graphite (navy)
[Adrianna</a> Papell Matte Jersey & Taffeta Dress | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/adrianna-papell-matte-jersey-taffeta-dress/3070916?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=adrianna_papell_matte_jersey_&_taffeta_dress:]Adrianna”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/adrianna-papell-matte-jersey-taffeta-dress/3070916?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=adrianna_papell_matte_jersey_&_taffeta_dress:)</p>
<p>So I have now ordered six MOG dresses! I warned DH that the credit card bill may look outrageous…but I will be returning most of them at the end of the day.</p>
<p>Have decided against the Marina lace dress (#2). Am keeping the CK in red, but not for the wedding. Not going to order #4 – don’t want to go full length when MOB isn’t.</p>
<h1>5 went on sale for 40% off last night!!!</h1>
<p>JEM, glad you are here and healthy! I saw your dress and it is quite nice.
Chocchipcookie, thanks for the suggestions! It is dizzying to have choices – for way too many years all I could hope for was to find something that didn’t look like a tent.</p>
<p>Just as I was getting dizzy from searching the web for the perfect MOG dress, I took a break and checked in at CC. Wouldn’t you know? An update from the MOB’s and MOG’s! The support on this thread is wonderful. I posted a few pages back that S1 will marry in St. Petersburg, Russia in August.</p>
<p>As for looking matronly, my sister (younger) would point out that I am a matron at a home for wayward boys–my sons and DH! I wear size 6 or 8, am angular and can manage to look frumpy. The sensible shoes can do it every time. </p>
<p>I really like countingdown’s Adrianna Papell suggestion, especially the blue. Regrettably, I will be in a climate that may be too cold for that dress. Future DIL has requested that I wear navy, which is fine with me.</p>
<p>chocchip’s suggestion for the sheath/column tea length dress links to a site with many dresses that can be custom made. I had been looking at the site earlier today. The reviews on the site are good and the prices excellent for custom made dresses. Almost too good to be true. I was thinking of this dress:
Sheath/ Column Straps Knee-length Chiffon Mother of the Bride Dress #00188888 </p>
<p>Does anyone have experience with similar businesses? I think many are in China.</p>
<p>merlin, congratulations! My friend who recently attended a wedding near Moscow told me that the Russians worship designer logos and tend to dress to the nines for special occasions. High heels (or at least fancy looking flats) are a must. While I do not think you should look for stilettos and designer duds with screaming logos, finding the perfect wedding outfit that makes you look good is important.</p>
<p>Countingdown:</p>
<p>Sounds like you have several great choices. Good luck picking the one that looks the best!</p>
<p>Merlin:</p>
<p>You need a navy blue dress for your S’s wedding in Russia? There are many, many stylish dresses on the Nordstrom and Dillard’s websites. If the weather is colder in Russia, there are many beautiful options with jackets to match…see what you find on those two websites. I didn’t realize my link was to a site that custom makes the dresses. For something as important as your child’s wedding, I wouldn’t be comfortable not knowing how it looks on me and with stricter return policies. I saw some nice ones today, I’ll see if I can link a few and post them here.</p>
<p>[Patra</a> Embellished Double V-Neck Mesh Dress & Sheer Bolero | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/patra-embellished-double-v-neck-mesh-dress-sheer-bolero/3351541?origin=category&BaseUrl=Dresses+%26+Separates]Patra”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/patra-embellished-double-v-neck-mesh-dress-sheer-bolero/3351541?origin=category&BaseUrl=Dresses+%26+Separates)</p>
<p>Merlin: what about this one?</p>
<p>[JS</a> Collections Ruffle Stripe Mesh Sheath Dress & Bolero | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/js-collections-ruffle-stripe-mesh-sheath-dress-bolero/3514426?origin=category&BaseUrl=Dresses+%26+Separates]JS”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/js-collections-ruffle-stripe-mesh-sheath-dress-bolero/3514426?origin=category&BaseUrl=Dresses+%26+Separates)</p>
<p>Or this one? As I said earlier: the weddings I have been to have been pretty fancy. The MOB/MOG have been in gowns. It would be weird for me to consider a knee length dress, but the two I just linked are knee length…</p>
<p>what style are you looking for? Go to Nordstrom’s and Dillard’s websites and see what appeals to you!</p>
<p>Having been a MOB within the past couple of years, I have to echo the above comment that quality of the dresses and fabrics at David’s Bridal was surprisingly poor. Neither the bride, bridesmaids nor I found anything at all, and we really took time looking. </p>
<p>Dillards came through for me handsomely, and the dress was ridiculously on sale which made it even prettier! It was a solid color, deep V-neck, empire waist with relatively full skirt. I had a seamstress friend make a watercolor print bolero jacket as a cover up in the church. It’s all so much fun and really shouldn’t be a source of stress. Of course, I say that in retrospect…</p>
<p>chocchipcookie, I think the JS dress would fit in these pictures just fine:</p>
<p>[A</a> wedding in Saint Petersburg, Russia](<a href=“http://www.artoflove.com/blog/2012/07/20/im-back-from-russia-with-love/]A”>Frtom Russia , With Love | Marie Labbancz Photography)</p>
<p>(I googled Russian wedding pictures; MOG and MOB are in knee length dresses, and it looks like my friend was right about the heel height - talk about navigating those cobblestones, yikes! ).</p>
<p>The Nordstrom dresses are quite nice. It so helps to have perspective through your eyes. I have been over the Nordstrom, Bergdorf, Macy’s, Lord and Taylor, Shabby Apple, sites and others. I regularly read alumother’s blog, and some others. I need to go shopping in a more urban area where there are stores other than the small Macy’s nearby. </p>
<p>Bunsenburner, great find! I haven’t been able to find many pics of Russain weddings where I could see anything but the bride, usually being carried by the groom. Those moms in the pic are wearing pretty simple dresses. </p>
<p>Future DIL indicated that 4PM will be the wedding time, although the date cannot be set until the paperwork, which includes some with apostille seals, that was lost in transit can be resubmitted. So much for cross-Atlantic postal tracking!
So far, no bridezilla, just an angsty time for all.</p>