Mother of the Groom Dresses

If you've recently found out your son is getting married, you may be wondering what style of dress you will get.  There are many different styles, colors and designers to choose from in many price ranges to suit your needs and your budget.  If your son and daughter in law are traditionalists, it's important to point out that mothers of the grooms usually wait till the mother of the bride has chosen her dress so that the two don't end up in similar dresses or that the mother of the groom doesn't look too casual.  This is old fashioned etiquette, but it's always polite to ask if they are going to be following it.

Your next step will be to determine what color you will want to look for. White is not usually advised, as that normally is the color of the bride.  It's also usually not custom to pick the same color dress as the bridesmaids.   You will want to find out the colors of the wedding party, and pick a dress that compliments it in both color and style.  Although for a long time black was not something you should wear for a wedding, during the past ten years or so, it become a popular choice.  Before you choose to go with a black dress though, you should ask your son and his soon to be bride that it's okay with them. 

Here is a look at different styles of mother of the groom dresses. You will want to find out how formal the wedding is going to be.   If the wedding is planned during summer, off the shoulders, or a dress with thin spaghetti straps in fine.  If you want, you can always add a lacy shawl that goes well with your dress.  If you are getting married in the fall or winter there are many dresses that come with matching jackets that are often made of satin.  As far as popular materials used, satin and chiffon are used quite a bit as they look very classy and elegant.

As far as length goes, it's really a matter of how formal the wedding is going to be.  The longer the dress, the more formal it will appear.  There are some lovely shorter mother of the groom dresses available, but it is always advised to ask the bride to be and groom if it's okay.  If you do decide to go with a shorter dress, don't' choose one too far above the knee as it takes the attention away from the bride. (yes there are some very hot mothers out there that can pull off a short dress, but you wouldn't want to detract from your son's future wife and love). Stick with traditional, or you could go a little above the knee, without appearing improper.

Tea length - Just past the knee and anywhere from there to the ankles

Short - above the knee (mini is too much). Don't go any further than an inch above the knee. Try and complement the mother of the bride (the same length). Perhaps you can convince her to get a shorter lenght =0).

Full length - This is only proper at a very formal, white tie wedding, and only if the mother of the bride will be wearing an equal length.

After you have determined what it is you are going to look for in a dress, you should shop around a bit to compare some different dresses. A lot of big named stores such as Sears and JC Penney's have a nice formal apparel section in their stores you can look at.

Sears offers dresses by designers such as Michelle Michelle, Sally Lou, and D'Albert. JC Penney's has some great dresses by designers such as St. Johns' Bay and SEPHORA. Prices for these dresses here are great for someone on a budget.

It is etiquette that the mother of the groom pay for her own dress, so if you are having watch how much you spend, shopping at one of these stores may be just right for you. You can find lovely dresses sometimes on sale for as low as $25 up to the mid hundreds.

An easy choice for where to shop from is a bridal store as they normally carry a nice selection of dresses geared just for the mothers of the bride or groom.

David's Bridal offers a huge variety of dresses and the prices are reasonable too. The great thing about going to a bridal store for your dress is that, usually if you find a style you like, they can customize it specifically for you. They also offer plus size dresses. David's Bridal has designed their own exclusive selection of gowns for the mothers of the brides and grooms. A few popular choices are a sleeveless dress with a beaded brocade top and chiffon skirt. This is a perfect choice for summer and spring. You could also wear it in early fall if the weather still permits. This dress comes in sizes 4 to 16 and is available in a few different colors. Another perk about shopping for your dress at the bridal store is that you can also find beautiful accessories to accent your dress. Even if your dress is very simple looking, you can always add some earrings, a necklace and great shoes to dress up the look a bit.

A good piece of advice when you do choose to go shopping for your dress is to invite your soon to be daughter in law along for the ride. She will be able to give you her opinion, and it will be a great time for you two to bond over the man you both love