The designers of a good portion of today’s MOB/MOG wear would have you believe that every proud momma is trim, toned, and ready to show off her dangerous curves. It’s a nice thought, but you guys have always been quick to tell me that your moms don’t quite fit that ambitious mold. I know from personal experience that my own MOG was rather nonplussed at the dresses my MOB was eying, as their body types couldn’t possibly be more different than they already are.
I’m not saying that moms of all shapes and sizes shouldn’t consider wearing something that’s a little more slinky than it is boxy, but there is definitely a contingent of moms out there who’d rather keep their assets to themselves, thankyouverymuch.
Sydney’s Closet is a pretty reliable dress source if you’re looking to “size up glamour,” though their selection definitely features a staggering number of what I like to call MILF dresses. If mom doesn’t see anything she likes in the MOB section, point her toward the straight up formal wear area.
Get the jackets off, and these Fiorisimo numbers are pretty darned racy — bustieres, anyone? But that can be a post-wedding treat for the FOB or the FOG!
Then there’s the plain suit, which is all Beautifully Modest seems to sell when it comes to MOB/MOG wear. Of course, for something like this, you may as well head over to your nearest department store.
And in case you were wondering what some of my many moms chose to wear at my wedding, here are the MOBs and the MOG presented for a side-by-side comparison.
Now here’s a question for you, gentle reader: Did you care what the MOBs and MOGs were going to wear? Did you suggest particular outfits? Or did you leave it up to them only to discover that they desperately wanted your input?
Between us, we had one mother left when we got married. The one thing I cared about concerning what she wore was that she didn’t wear black. I knew it meant the same thing to her that it did to me…because when Mr. Twistie married his first wife, his mother wore black in protest. And yes, she’s the one who told me about it and why she did it. She meant it as a protest.
She wore blue to our wedding and brought homemade sushi for the reception. I knew that meant she was pleased by our marriage, and that makes me happy to this day. Beyond thinking she should wear clothes, though, I didn’t worry about what she was going to choose. I’m not sure if the dress she wore was something she already had or something she went out and got for the occassion.
I did ask my father to wear his kilt, though…but he was walking me down the aisle. Since he was in the wedding party, I felt justified in asking.
Homemade sushi! That’s one hell of a MIL!
I felt the same way when I tied the knot — beyond wanting everyone’s naughty bits covered fairly demurely, I didn’t much care what sort of duds people were wearing. I did suggests browns and tans and other neutrals because I wanted the posed shots to look good, but I wasn’t really set on that, either.
And of course what happened? I had to watch my mother try on oodles of outfits so she could get my approval. I had to pass along pics of those outfits to my FMIL because she was afraid of standing out. I had to answer my stepmom’s questions regarding everyone else’s outfits. I had to say, “That’s fine, that’s fine, that’s fine, too!”
Honestly, I think all the moms involved would have been happier if I had simply picked out their outfits for them, judging by the way they carried on! Darndest thing I’ve ever experienced…
I didn’t care what they wore, and I didn’t know that the MOG and MOB were typically supposed to coordinate their outfits somehow, so I was baffled that my husband’s mother kept asking me what my mom was wearing. I was all, “I dunno, a skirt? Probably something linen, maybe taupe? Or brown? Wear whatever you like.” My then-FMIL was less than pleased with me.
We had our moms wear different shades of blue but they each picked out their own gowns. They both looked lovely and the blues added a nice punch to the chocolate brown our wedding party wore.
Second marriage for both of us, so we wanted things as informal, easy and lowkey as possible. I told Mom and MIL that I was wearing blue, but you wear whatever you want. They both ended up wearing shades of blue (royal and teal), but only because it looked good on them. MIL wore pants and a dressy jacket, Mom wore a dress. Sis stood up with me and wore a fabulous little tropical print dress – everyone looked great and was comfortable! Our reception was a family-style picnic. We gave guests a heads-up and most everyone changed clothes to play volleyball, soccer, dance, etc.
I didn’t give my mother or FMIL any guidelines other than “wear something that makes you happy and that you feel comfortable in”. I didn’t want to force either of them to wear a style or color that they didn’t like just for the sake of “coordinating” with each other or my wedding party. My mother was happy with these anti-guidelines and has picked out a lovely dress that she looks great in. My FMIL complained that I left things too open for her, and has not bought a dress yet. Luckily she still has 3 months to find one.
We had only the one Mom to dress (mine), and as I made the gown – and she would have worn anything I wanted, anyway! – there was no problem at all. I did wish my sister, who was a bridesmaid, and had been wearing her hair long and straight for years and years – perfect! – hadn’t decided three weeks before the wedding to hack it all off, but c’est la guerre; I love her anyway.