My daughter texted me from Rome yesterday to say “Gosh, what a nice postbut particularly nice are the comments!!!! I love your readers!” A great big Thank You from both Rhiannon and me for your response to that post and for helping us celebrate her wedding day.
And since she shared her wedding dress photos with you (or at least allowed me to do that), I’ll follow through with a peek at my Mother-of-the-Bride dress. I took these in my little Selfie Mirror before we headed out, knowing that without an official photographer there, no one was likely going to be aiming a camera my way.
I found this dress in a ten-minute foray through a section of Nordstrom on my way to meet a friend for lunch in the Nordstrom bistro. Tried it on quickly over my pants and loved it, asked the SA to hold it for me, ran to lunch — barely late — and went back for a better try-on after. Easiest MOTB dress find of my four, and I love it, suspect I’ll wear it often (although, yes, I’d probably like another inch closer to my knees). 100% silk, by Equipment — and did you spot the pockets?! Also, three cheers for that sleeve length!
Accessorised with black fishnet tights as opaque black would have tended funereal. Yes, the dress itself has a black base, but I think the flowers sing spring enough for a wedding — still, I wasn’t ready to go bare-legged (oh, the white post-winter flesh! nuh-uh!). And when I went to grab a pair of sheer hose from my drawer, I realised that none of the feet would stand up to the no-shoes test: although they were clean, they bore the stains from previous wearings. So fishnets to the rescue, and I slipped into these low-heeled Repettos.
Grabbed a little Michael Kors bag I bought for another daughter’s wedding, some 7 or so years ago and scarcely wear. . .
Popped on my trusty old Smythe blazer (six years old), and then remembered to tuck Kleenex in my pockets and bag and we’re out the door. . . .
Drawing up to the curb, a sleeping granddaughter in the back seat, whom should we see but these lovelies
I have a few more snaps I’ll share next week, including a favourite of my three daughters taking a selfie, but for now, I’m running out with Pater to our shared session with our Personal Trainer. While I’m gone, feel free to leave a comment. You could tell me what you’re up to this weekend, for example. . . .
I loved how your daughter looked in her beautiful wedding dress and you look terrific in your MOTB dress. I think you are going to get a lot of wear out of it in the future, too. Fishnet stockings were the perfect choice. Don't you just love it when you don't have to agonize over a dress choice? My youngest daughter took forever to decide on her wedding dress and I was a wreck waiting for her to make up her mind! Mine was a dress that I already had in my closet. I was embarrassed to admit that when asked what I was going to wear, but I had looked all over, including Nordstrom's, and did not find anything that I liked better. What fun to look back on the wedding in these photos!
That was me – slf. I'm currently in Paris and commented from my hubby's laptop so apparently I'm anonymous.
P.S. I meant to say also that I really loved what I already had in my closet and felt no need to buy a new dress for the wedding. Besides, I also had the shoes and clutch to go with it. It was the perfect color to go with the rest of the wedding party, too.
Wonderful testimony to your wardrobe when you have a dress you love that suits a special occasion better than anything you could buy new. And honestly, I think more of us could do that more often if we shifted our attitudes a bit — we get manipulated into believing that special occasions demand new, and not only can that be very wasteful but it's also anxiety-producing. Good for you for resisting that pressure.
What a great dress, it looks perfect all over including the length. For a more playful occasion you could even try tights to match some of the flowers!
ceci
I've done the colourful tights in the past, but I suspect those days are over for me (never say never, though, right?) . . . I'm thinking of a pair of flats, though, in one of those colours….
I hated mother of the groom shopping! In our area the bride's mother is supposed to choose first, but we went shopping together and after racks of pastel chiffon and beads I Found a dress that was an online purchase return. We later found hers during a brief shopping trip in another city. Why is it that stores think that mothers of persons getting married need to be swathed in layers of fabric and sequins or, at the least, pastels? We have one son to go, but his engagement was ended so need to face this again soon.
Oh dear. That pastel chiffon with beads. My sister-in-law wore a jewel-toned chiffon creation with beads and with some kind of cape-ish organza outer layer for one of her daughter's golf-club weddings. I can't imagine what she'll do with it now, but to me it only screamed Expensive Waste. . . Amusing, those protocols that still hold sway about which mother chooses first, who hosts what, etc., So much different for us with this wedding, given that daughter is late 30s, has been happily living with groom long enough to have a Two and to have removed herself to a whole 'nother continent and language đ Our role this time 'round was so much different, very easy. Good luck to you doing it once more.
The wedding itself was very simple and fun. Our oldest and his wife have been together since they were 13 — we had her 16th birthday party at our house so it seemed much as yours did — simply formally adding an already member of the family.
Lovely! Our oldest met her husband when she was 14 and he was 16. They've lived together since she was 19, got married when she was in her mid-twenties, and now we've known him for over 25 years. (honestly, I think that makes me feel older than having a daughter who's 40!! đ
Love the dress – absolutely perfect and supremely cheerful for such a joyous occasion. You looked just marvelous!
Thanks so much, Marsha
Lovely dress and you look great wearing it
I love Equipment and this is a dress for a lot of occasions,you'll always could be very elegant (or casual,je ne sais quoi-like elegant :-))
Fishnet tights were my favourite for summer all the time (in natural colour), no matter were they in fashion (like now)or not
I attended Ekaterina Siurina and C. Castronovo concert this week and have spotted a couple of very well dressed ladies in print dresses with colour matching tights (like Ceci's suggestion)
Dottoressa
I think I might have to get a couple of pairs of natural-coloured fishnets. They add a bit of polish, distract from the paleness of my legs while still being cool — a step up for days when bare legs just don't feel right.
You get to so many concerts! I need to look at the schedule for when we're there. Can't wait!
I already had- the Beethoven 9th symphony on June 02! Are you interested? Or is it too serious?
Let me know!
D
Oh my goodness! That would be fabulous!
That's a great dress that you wear very well. I like the fishnets as they finish off the look without being too heavy. I'm going to spend this week-end wandering as I have only two weeks left in Oaxaca. I'm also reading Andrea Camillieri mysteries.
This has been such a long trip for you — I imagine your Spanish is getting quite strong.
Haven't read many Camilleri mysteries, but I've liked the ones I have read. Enjoy!
I love your dress, and your daughter 's bridal dress is gorgeous. What pretty women you and your girls are!
Thanks you, Murphy — what a nice thing to say! I do think my daughters are lovely, but I know I'm biased. . . .
Hi Frances, I'm so glad that you linked back to Wednesday's post because for some reason I completely missed it first time round.
Your daughter looked absolutely lovely, not to mention so full of joy. Your dress is perfect for the occasion, you look elegant and modern. And is that your daughter who is the RMT in the last photo? What a lovely little family she has!
This weekend? Raking the lawn, we think it's dry enough now, and resting up from all the boot camps! :0)
So, fun fact: Friday nights my husband and I watch some tv shows that we have DVR'd. We watched 'Life in Pieces' a super comedy with Dianne Wiest as the matriarch. She was wearing your dress!!
Yes, the daughter with the sweet little family is the RMT daughter.
And thanks for coming back to tell me that about Life in Pieces which I'm going to have to start watching. I love Dianne Wiest and am tickled to know her character's got the same dress as I do. đ
Love that dress. And it has pockets…bonus! So glad you didn't have to schelp all over town for an outfit. Now let's see it with shoes:)
If you squint, you can see that I'm wearing it with black, low-heeled Repettos in the second photo above, but I do think I need a pair of flats in one of the floral colours, don't you?
Oops. Missed that. Think I like the black just fine. Although considering your earlier comment about nude fishnets…maybe nude f-nets and nude shoes. Anyhoo. You always know which way to jump when it comes to fashion.
Just the most wonderful dress, charming, happy and relaxed-elegant. I actually love the fishnets!
Thanks, K. I felt really comfortable in it, and happy as well.
Lovely dress, great stockings, and a very happy-looking you! Congrats to all.
Thank you!
Lovely dress and beautiful bride in the previous post. Congratulations to you all.
Thanks so much, Givi.
Your dress is lovely. Florals can easily look a bit girlish, but this is perfect – both festive and spring-like. I also like the pockets. I am sure, they will be useful on other occasions as well. The fishnets are the perfect answer to the socks challenge.
Does the marriage make a great difference to you, in spite of only putting a stamp on existing realtions? Does the nest feel emptier in any way?
I think the same thing about florals, Eleonore, and like you, find this avoids being girlish — the black background, I think, and the size and separation of the blooms. And pockets I always love–partly just because they're fun, but also as a feminist (the history of pockets and women was not always happy, often had to be clandestine).
Those are good questions. I don't think it makes a big difference, but given the international borders the family moves across, the legality might comfort me a smidgen. No difference to the sense of the nest being emptier, but whether the strings that bind have loosened at all. . . hmmmm, I'll be pondering this. Yes, good question….
What impresses me most is how at ease and happy you all look. None of the frazzled-"this day better be perfect because we've mortgaged the future to pay for it and been planning for 12 months." You look lovely, the children are adorable and your daughter looked like something out of a lovely painting. How kind of you to share your happiness with us.
Thanks, BG, I was also really impressed with how casual, yet happy, beautiful in its own smaller way, the day was, impressed with her wisdom in knowing how well that would suit her.
Fab MOTB dress and the length is lovely on you as you have great legs to show off…and you will be able to wear it after the event…your grand daughter looks so much like our sweet Isla…I just showed the picture of her to our son and he said Oh Wow! Fishnets are my go to for dressier dresses…they cover a multitude of "sins" and finish off the look with a bit of polish. Well done you!
thanks L. I would have liked another inch or two of length, honestly, but it's workable.
I've thought the same thing about your Isla and my granddaughter — they could be sisters!
Love your dress. The proportions are great on you and as others have said it could be dressed up or down so great addition to your wardrobe. Your daughter looked beautiful. What a lovely relaxed celebration. Mary
Thanks so much, Mary. I do think I'm going to find the dress really earns its keep.
This dress is awesome (and matches your daughter's)!