Say goodbye to frumpy & hello to wow

By Teresa Forbes

She looks fresh, youthful and fashionable — just like she stepped out of Modern Bride magazine.

Except she’s not the bride, but the mother of the bride and her classy, polished look replaces the frumpy, matronly attire that has been associated with her age group for years.

Women today, especially the mother of the bride and mother of the groom, are more fashion-forward,” said Margie Guy, co-owner of Bridal Details in Omaha. “They’re going along the lines of the bridesmaid dress but with a little bit more class.”

Sophisticated styling replaces the sacklike look of the past, a trend that appears to reflect a more youth- and fashion-conscious society.

“Women are working out and they’re looking younger, so they want something that is going to complement the way they look,” said Scott Guy, co-owner of Bridal Details and Margie’s husband. “We get a lot of ladies coming in, looking for mother-of-the-bride items, and you’re wondering if they’re old enough to be the mother of the bride.”

Lynne Rustad of Ellynne Bridal in Lincoln sees many mothers in their late 40s or early 50s. Rustad said these moms want a classy yet youthful outfit.

“They want to look young but they want to look stylish, and we try to bring that look to them,” Rustad said.
Silk suits embellished with rhinestones are popular. “Lots of bling is in, not only in bridal but for mom, too,” Rustad said.

Another new style is the dress with a long jacket. “It’s very pretty in the church. When you go to the reception, you take off the jacket and it’s still very nice,” she said.

Margie Guy noted today’s mother-of-the-bride styles are more form-fitting and body-baring than in years past.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a size 2 or size 30. There are great things out there. You don’t have to look like you’re wearing a sack of potatoes at any size,” Guy said.

Lisa Haeffner, manager of Suburban Bridal in Omaha, agreed. “There are some new lines that have a fresh look. Very updated. It’s not quite a bridesmaid look but it’s that youthful.”

Haeffner said mothers want a dress that fits well and flatters their shape. “They don’t want to look matronly. That’s probably the first thing I hear.”

However, there still are mature moms who want the traditional mother-of-the-bride dress, Haeffner said.

Fashion’s love of 1960s-inspired ensembles finds its way into bridal for 2008.

“We’re going back to the Jackie O. look where you have the matching shoes and purse,” Rustad said.

The most popular color, she said, is black because it doesn’t intrude on the bridal colors or stand out in photographs, unlike red.

Darker colors are the trend, especially chocolate and earth tones, Margie Guy said.

“People are gravitating more toward the natural colors,” Scott Guy added.

For spring, though, Margie Guy is seeing a trend toward pinks, blues and lighter greens.

Surprisingly, fashion also is embracing polyester, but with a twist.

“The new polyester blended with silk is a durable, long-lasting day fabric,” Rustad said. “The old polyester was terrible, but the new polyester is quite pretty.”

For best selection and prices, Haeffner recommends that mothers start shopping for a dress as soon as possible.

“So much more is open to them as far as color, choice and price,” she said.