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MOB dress try-ons!

shiny

Veteran

This is for DD#2, my youngest, who's wedding is in February. She's found her dress which is very elegant and simple, no lace, beading or sequins, classic A line. She looks like Marilyn Monroe in it and takes my breath away!

Based on her wedding colors, we agreed I should wear navy and maxi length. Here are two options I like so far, and I have been focusing the search on petite-only options, which are slim pickings.

Option #1: (sorry for crap photo, I can take another one). I like that the bottom of this mimics my daughter's dress (the alternating sheer panels, whatever you call that). I am not sure about the hip dips though. And also this is a discontinued dress I found on Amazon, and it arrived having pills on it already!. I don't know if I could remove them with a sweater shaver. But it's otherwise very comfortable, and would be warm for February. I actually ordered a second exact same dress on ebay that was NWT hoping that would work, but it, too, arrived with pills... and fit differently and longer, so I think the amazon one had been altered.

Option #2 (which came in a big box with a ton of other options from Macy's that I ordered). I am usually not one for asymmetrical necklines, but I like this one the best of all that I ordered from Macy's. It would need some minor hemming. I ordered in 4P and 6P and if the wedding was tomorrow I'd wear the 6P, but I've been working out a lot and steadily losing weight so the 4P may be the better option come February. Note I am not wearing a bra in this photo.

The other ones I ordered so far have sequins or lace and I'm not sure I want to go that route as DD's dress is so elegantly simple. Or they are A-line shapes and I just think that shape makes me look enormous, as I don't have the hips to fill them out. I did order one RM Richards off the shoulder dress that would be lovely but it was too small-- and yet the hips needed 4 inches hacked off, LOL, it was great if you were a pear shape!

So what do we think?

I have yet to venture to a shop and try on dresses but I am not seeing petite options and I fear the amount of tailoring that would be necessary would just be ridiculous....

(Haven't even begun to look for dresses for DD#1's summer wedding, as I'm so unclear what color I should go for with that one and she's yet to find her dress .. so that'll be a later post!)

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Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from Jonesy

shiny

Veteran

So you can see the dresses better...

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Sal

Veteran

From what I can see (and from my reading) dress 2 has potential.... The photos are a bit hard to see. A pilled dress does not sound appealing so I would return 1.

I like the neckline, it is elegant, and looks warm. Re sizing - I guess there are a few options including keeping both, altering the larger if needed, or choosing one option and hoping it works.

CarolS

Veteran

They're both very nice dresses, but something about the first one you modelled (second in the additional photos above - with the rounded neckline) really stands out for me. The dress with the assymetrical neck reads a bit more traditionally "Mother of the...". This other one to my eye, FWIW, is just a bit more unexpected, without even hinting at trying to upstage the bride! However, the issue of pilling isn't factored into my view of it, so that's obviously something else to consider.

And congratulations -- sounds like you have lots of celebrating ahead!

shiny

Veteran

Sal, Both are warm! Which will be great in February. And in normal (non-COVID years) DH and I have an annual formal event every February, so I am not opposed to holding on to multiple gowns as I could get wear in the future aside from weddings! I am even okay with the idea of holding on to both sizes. I really do like the first dress --- I was drawn to it as the bottom mimics my daughter's dress. But yeah, pills on TWO of the same dress? Not a good sign!

Carol, what makes the asymmetrical neck read more traditional MOB to you? I'm not necessary opposed to looking traditional, I am just curious? And thank you! I am looking forward to not just two weddings, but three, as my niece is also getting married next year -- but I think I have a dress for that one already! As she's insisting we wear black maxi gowns and I have one!

Kate

Veteran

I quite like them both, but there is something about #2’s asymmetrical neckline that really appeals to me. That neckline is so flattering on you as is the shape of the dress.

How fun that you have two family weddings to celebrate!

Cee

Veteran

Flip a coin ?

cat2

Veteran

I vote for # 2.

Irina

Veteran

I like a second one with an interesting neckline, pilling on the first one would be an issue for me. And maybe repeating your daughter’s dress detail might be too matchy?
As a fellow petite woman, I gave up on finding a perfect MOG dress off the rack. I bought what I liked and had it altered.
mine was navy, too
Good luck!

shiny

Veteran

Irina, thank you for your fellow petite experience! What style was your dress? I am reading on some of the boutique MOB sites that petite women shouldn't choose certain styles as they aren't easily alterable. And the styles they mention are the styles I like the best.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Well triple congratulations - what an exciting year for you all! I would nix the pilling dress right away. Photos will pick that up even if the guests don't. I like asymmetric anything, so I rather like the second option, but I think you need to keep looking - and I hope someone wiser than me can tell you where!

Joy

Veteran

I like both dresses, so wear your choice. I can’t see the first dress very well but like the photos you included.

Irina

Veteran

Shiny, it’s good that I didn’t know what can and cannot be altered.
I found an A-line, one shoulder dress at Nordstrom. I discussed with their tailor the alterations. The dress was shortened, taking in at the sides and at the top of the shoulder. Do you have a good tailor to advise you?

CarolS

Veteran

Oh wow, THREE weddings. That is awesome!

I do hope I didn't cause any offence with my comment, and sincerely apologize if I did. None was intended.

To be clear, I definitely don't dislike the dress that I viewed as more traditional - It's a lovely dress. But what made me perceive it as more traditional? That's an excellent question and I've really had to think about it. I THINK it was that to my eye it read a bit more conservative and mature than the other dress -- especially in the stock photo. Something about the gathers at the midsection that you don't seem to need on your small frame. (It was hard to read how that midsection looked on you in the photo, though -- may have been totally different on you).

I don't know if that's the most helpful explanation, but that's the best I can come up with to articulate it.

I hope that whatever you finally settle on makes you feel amazing on the big day!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I like the one with the high neckline...but pilling might be a deal-breaker.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

First, congratulations! So many celebrations!

And congratulations also on having found two good candidates for the dress already.

For me, the pilling would be a deal-breaker. It just feels wrong to go into a special event like this with something already bothering you about the dress. It's hard to tell from the photos, but apart from that, I'd say both dresses have potential. I like the round neckline one for the reasons you mentioned -- an echo of your daughter's dress. And I'm a sucker for asymmetrical details, so I love that about the other one.

All in all, I'd keep these in reserve and continue the search for a bit.

bella

(website)

Veteran

Both dresses look good to me in the stock pictures, but I prefer option #2. It looks very elegant to me, and you look great in it from what I can see. Can you ask someone to take new pictures in a better light?

Minaminu

Veteran

Oh wow, what a great year for the whole family!

Both dresses fit you well and the a-line shape works great on you. The pilling would be an issue for me so I would return that dress. I think I would also return the asymetrical dress based on the description you provided of the wedding dress ( I am not sure that it would work well with the dress of the bride), and I think you are right to look for a dress that has some mimics of the bride dress, it would look very harmonious in the pictures.

rachylou

Veteran

Pilling is not good… but I love the shape… but like the interest of the second… but, ack, better show me the lace too… lol

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

What an exciting time for you!

Between now and Feb, your body can certainly change, so make sure whatever you get can be altered to allow for winter weight or for the shrinkage you predict.

I’m with Irina on having a dress that’s too close to the bride’s. Dress #1 has so many issues anyway, I’d send both versions back. #2…. How long do you have to make your decision? Maybe hold onto it while you look for more. Since it’s a 1-time thing, you might want to check Rent the Runway or similar, if they have petite sizes.

lyn67

Veteran

Hah, waited for the series!:-)

Shiny, can you provide us better picties? And what is the venue?

Love them both myself- but you got me thinking deeper if would be great or not (?) picking a MOB dress with details too close to the DBride's...

Hmm...It should be fab to begin with, but only in some smaller doses, I think-at least for myself. So I wouldn't want to look like DD- the bride- but in another color. So for example here exactly, I love the sheer panels on neckline and the skirt ---but if those resemble too close with the ones on the bride's gown ---I would pass. Would keep a dress which has closely same sheer panels only on the skirt for example- OR only on the neckline-but not both (on the neckline even only if it was a different shape to the bride's neckline). This is only my 2 cents- but you have to DYOT, of course.
That been said, I just LOVE the second dress-the one with the asymmetric neckline. Trully gorgeous and different! How many times you can go with such a different neckline in your daily life?? Think is very elegant- and perhaps yess, trully MOB which you certainly are proud to be!!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Actually I prefer dress 1, it’s just really quite unusual and striking. Obviously the pilling is not a great thing.
I *can*see your hip dips, as a fellow petite who has had those since my 30s I do understand you may not like them, but I still think you look truly amazing in this dress.
You do look good in dress 2 also, just stating my preference here and I love the idea of it toning in with a feature of your daughter’s dress as well.

Preppy Pear

Veteran

You will look lovely in a navy maxi, whatever you choose! Both look great. I quite like the first one but the immediate pilling would also give me pause. Bummer! The second one is also very pretty on you. The first one is a bit more unique to my eye, but the second one is elegant and classic.

April

Veteran

I can't believe your DDs are getting married! I always think of them as teens.

I prefer #1 but can't abide pilling. Not at all helpful, I know.

RobinF

Veteran

Very exciting! Congrats!

I think I like #2 the best because I like the unusual neckline but I think #1 looks better on you than on the model so that is definitely a good option. As a fellow petite I feel your pain. It seems like there are fewer options than ever these days and very little in evening wear. Hemming is usually pretty simple but other alterations can be a bit more difficult.

Anonymous

I think I like #1 more, but would worry about the pilling.

slim cat

Veteran

Pilling is a deal breaker for me. I like both dresses with slight preference for the second one ( plus it's already in petit sizes - less alterations ).

shiny

Veteran

It's interesting how many of you prefer #1! I really love it too, which is why I spent so much time hunting it down on Amazon, ebay, Poshmark, ha ha. I wonder if I could take it to a tailor and have them re-create it in a better fabric that doesn't pill? Hmm.

More about the pilling: the first dress I ordered has pilling on one side of the chest, and the opposite hip. It's apparent the dress was worn with a cross body bag that created the pilling. The second dress has much less pilling, just a small patch on the back. It's disconcerting that both dresses including the NWT has pilling, so I think it's just really bad fabric. Such a shame.

Irina, from what I'm reading on the internet (sites that offer MOB dresses), petites should choose an A-line with empire waist for best results altering. And that mermaid styles are much more complicated to alter down to a petite.

Lyn, A bit more about DD's dress: it is an A line, not mermaid or column style. It's backless and has a plunging neckline, and a well defined waist (DD is an hourglass). It's kinda like this -- https://vowsbridal.com/product/paloma-blanca-4962/ -- except that it has the sheer panels along the bottom, similar to dress #1. As MOB I really would prefer to be more covered up, and I like the idea of sleeves since this will be a winter wedding.

Carol, no offense taken! And I think I understand what you mean, so many MOB dresses have that ruching around the waist. I don't mind it, and I'm thoroughly flattered you think I don't need the tummy disguise!

Stagiare, Rent the Runway does not have any petite sizes. I checked. It's like petite gowns have completely disappeared everywhere, including Nordstrom's. Seems Macy's is the only option for petites these days.

Jenni, I'd never have cared about my hip dips except the internet has made them something to fret over! Yet I do like the mermaid style for me (or straight column style) as I think it works best with my height (5'0) and I don't look so overwhelmed with too much fabric. I do find it interesting that dress #2 does not accentuate the hip dips, presumably because of the side ruching detail?

All - I will try to take better pics and will do a try-on of the rejects before I return them.

Helena

Veteran

Well I absolutely loved #2 even before I read about the pilling in #1 ... which is also lovely, but I agree this would be a dealbreaker for such a special event.

Congratulations; such an exciting thing for your family!!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

CONGRATS! A very special time for your tribe

I much prefer #2! Also the blue on you is GORGEOUS.

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