Dress distress: Mothers of the bride or groom needn't settle for 'make-do' outfits

After weeks of searching for the right outfit to wear on her daughter's wedding day, Maureen Tuttle finally gave up.

She resigned herself to wearing a jacket-skirt combo she didn't love. The jacket was a "make-do" item purchased in case she couldn't find something better.

"It's tough; it really is," said Tuttle, when asked why finding her dress was so difficult. "I think when you have to combine size, style and color, that must be why it's so hard."

Luckily, she found a different jacket just a few days before the wedding last month. It fit perfectly and was the right color.

But not all mothers of the bride or groom have that experience. Many actually end up wearing the "make-do" outfit.

Why?

Style experts say it's easy for mothers to make mistakes when shopping for an outfit for their child's wedding. The most common pitfall? Waiting too long to start shopping.

Other mistakes include choosing color over fit and sticking with stereotypical styles.

Kathy A. Halford, owner of The Brides' Shop in Salt Lake City, advises mothers to buy their dress right after the bride gets hers. Most of the mother-appropriate gowns in her store can be ordered in a variety of colors, but shipping can take as long as 10 weeks.

"If you're well-planned, shopping can be a fun experience," said Halford. "The greatest tip is to shop early enough you're not running around frantically two weeks before the wedding. You don't need the anxiety at that point."

Some of the top-selling "mother" styles in her store include two-piece gowns with a jacket and long skirt or a midcalf-length skirt. Also, mothers these days are looking for outfits they can wear again, said Halford.

"Mothers are individuals," Halford said. "They have their own personal tastes and dislikes and different body types. They need something that reflects their style and taste and is the most flattering on their body type."

Alicia Richmond, founder of Chic on a Shoestring, said she believes the most important thing a mother of the bride or groom can remember is to find something they feel good in. Oftentimes, that means veering away from stereotypical full-length suits or gown.

"With the weddings I help to coordinate, I really try to find an outfit the mother feels great in and that looks great on her," said Richmond. "It could still be a suit, but I typically try to get her in maybe a little bit of a shorter skirt or something with a little bit of fashion and flair to it."

From her perspective, color shouldn't be a big deal. And brides should try to be open to different ideas, such as a mom in a shorter skirt or even pants.

When Richmond got married, she made her mother wear a formal dress suit. Her mother was uncomfortable the entire night, she said.