MOB attire

bandita0203

OK, so what are the rules for what the MOB should wear? Should she stick with the color pallette that the bridesmaids are wearing (they are wearing light purple)? My mom likes to wear black, but i was told this is a definite no-no. Is it also OK for the MOB to wear a knee-length dress? I've only seen mothers wear long gowns. Help!

trix1223

The MOB is a grown woman who has been dressing herself for decades.  You only get to choose the attire of the WP.  The moms don't have to match the color palette or the length of dresses.  Many moms now wear black as well.  It's nice if they match the formality of the wedding, but there are no "rules" that they have to.

IMO, the only answer, when the mom asks what she should wear is what my adorable DIL said to me:

ME:  What do you want me to wear to the wedding?
DIL:  Whatever you feel beautiful and comfortable in.

My best friend wore knee length to her son's wedding.  The MOB also wore knee length.  The BM dresses were floor length. 

Good luck.

sytom

Haha !  My mother is wearing a black knee-lenght dress !  I absolutely love her dress !!  It's not matronly and it's made out of really light fabric so it's not too hard.  My mom would look like she was wearing a Halloween costume if she was wearing a long dress.  It's just not her.

aerinpegadrak

The MOB can wear whatever she likes, including black.  The only color that's generally discouraged is white, but if she really wants to wear that, you simply smile and tell her how pretty she looks.  The only people whose attire colors need to coordinate your wedding are your attendants.  Everyone else, including the parents, dresses themselves.

Muffin'sMom

Those "rules" are pretty much outdated.  She should wear something that she makes her feel beautiful.  Although, I willhave to say that when I was looking, I wanted beautiful AND comfortable.  I was going to be in that bad boy for a LOT of hours!

marissa_claire

I agree these rules are outdated.  Black at one time was off limits to anyone at a wedding, not just MOB, and now it's commonplace.  I think off-shades of white are okay.  I wouldn't be pleased with a pure white dress on my mom, but she chose a champagne, beaded number that is knee-length with a bolero, so I don't think that's hurting anything.

tlbattaglia

I think if the MOB is asking what YOU want her to wear, then YOU can tell her what you prefer.  It's your day.  And while you can't control what everyone does or wears, if she wants you to help with her outfit, you totally can give your opinion. 

lalap69

Yes, it's perfectly okay for the MOB to wear a knee-length dress, to wear black, or whatever it is that she feels beautiful in.  She doesn't need to wear wedding colours or anything like that because she's not actually part of the weddng party.

SineadHickey

Do you have any reason why you wouldn't want her to wear black? If not you're just blindly following a rule book. It's time to throw all rule books out.

And as the PP's said, you don't get to tell her how to dress. She should wear what she feels pretty in.

Unless she wants to wear her wedding dress to your wedding, you have no say.

AllAboutTheBenjamin

My mom wore black to my sister's wedding last year.  She's wearing the same black dress at my wedding next month (GASP).  Clearly, she's going straight to wedding-attire-hell.

amberma

I have heard it said that MOB should wear silver, but I don't see the point in that. When my mom asked me what she should wear, I told her that she could wear whatever she would like to wear. I think she wants me to go shopping with her to get a new dress, but all I will do is tell her what looks good on her.