As the mother of the bride you deserve to look your best at your daughter’s wedding. You stand out among the guests due to an important role you played in your daughter’s life. It was not easy to raise such a beautiful and intelligent daughter, and you have every reason to be proud of yourself. This is a day when emotions run high.  And, no doubt, the eyes of the party will be on you many times during this event. Understandably,  you want to look and feel great.

In my 20 years in dressmaking and wedding business, I have worked with many brides’ mothers. Some were petite, some had substantial curves. All of them wanted to look their best. All of them came out of my shop elated and excited, many hugged me, and confessed that they had never felt better in their clothes.

Do I have secrets that help them feel that way? In fact, I do. And I am happy to share them with you. These ten guidelines summarize my decades of experience of working with women to create that special look and feel.

1. All women are unique, and they need a personalized approach. Dresses they put on should highlight their best features, and distract the attention from imperfections that they may have.

2. All women have  one or two favorite dresses in their closet that fit them so well, and that they love so much. As a dressmaker, I want you to show them to me in order to get an idea of the clothes you feel comfortable in, and the styles you love.

3. To help you pick the style, I determine your body type. I never break the rules. If you want something that is not recommended for your body type, I turn on my imagination and find substitutions that would fit. Based on the body type, I can advise the best approach to your mother of the bride outfit.

4. Some mothers of brides like to focus on their back, such as a royal train, or a low open back. They forget that it is the front of the dress that will show up on the picture, and  it is their neckline that will define the whole look. If you can afford a low neckline, a V- or oval shape, it will look the best and make your neck look longer. If you think you cannot, don’t worry – there are dozens of other designs that a professional dressmaker will use to cover imperfections.

5. You don’t have to BE perfect, but you can create that visual illusion. Wear shapes that complement each other. For example, ladies in plus size generally are not recommended to wear two-piece outfits, especially a skirt and a top made of different colors. Yet this is the most common mistake I see women make.