Q. My name is Joan and my daughter is getting married in November, as I am a young Mother of the Bride I was wondering if you could advise me where to start looking for my outfit? I am 5ft 6in and size 14 aged 50. I would appreciate if you could help guide me in the right direction.

I like Holly Willoughby' s style.  Also v neck suits me as I am size 38 bust.  I like to be comfortable and practical rather than wearing what is expected.  Gold or silver would be nice and not over the top after all it's my daughter’s day. 

A. Hi Joan.  Well first of all congratulations on the big day and thank you for contacting Fashion.ie.   

Now it sounds like you do not want to appear too ‘mummsy’ on the day but classically chic with an individual and modern twist.  Going on what you have explained about your body shape I would suggest a high empire line to really cinch in that waist teamed with a V neckline to compliment your bust-line but nothing too risqué.  Avoid anything too A line and opt for creating that hourglass shape.  Remember the rule with dresses, especially for mother of the bride, is to choose something that sits directly on the top of the knee line, the center of the knee or directly below the knee.  As for comfort, focus on fabrics such as a jersey mix rather than losing out on that shape.  Also Mary metallics can be fantastic when it comes to complimenting the Irish skintone but other tones can also work fantastically so try a variety to figure out what works best for you.               

I always feel that for an occasion like mother of the bride you need to have a wide variety of options and in that case a smart decision would be to move in the direction of a department store where you have a lot of options under the one roof.  These may include for example Brown Thomas or Arnotts for brands such as Basler, Dolce and Gabanna, Issa, Erdem, Louise Kennedy, Paule Ka, Phase Eight and Fenn Wright Manson to name but a few. 

Basler 

Dolce and Gabbana

Issa

Erdem

Louise Kennedy

Paul Ka

Fenn Wright Manson

Phase eight

However, if you have the time then there are a variety of excellent boutiques in Ireland at the moment which have a stunning array of options for mother of the bride fashionistas.  Some of these brands are listed below.   

La Creme Boutique

Vanity Fair Ladies Boutique

A good idea is to Google any brands you like the look of before you set out on your shopping spree.  Have a fantastic day!