What to Wear as Mother of the Bride (or Groom): Pants

Can the mother of the bride (or groom) wear pants to their child’s wedding?

While tradition suggests wearing a dress, the most important piece of advice I can offer is to wear what makes YOU feel most comfortable and beautiful.

The key is to make sure the look best fits the formality of the occasion. From flowy pants sets to draped luxe jumpsuits, in today’s article I show you how to best wear pants as mother of the bride or groom.

It is important to remember that the same rules when choosing the perfect dress still apply:

• Take your style cues from the bride’s dress and the style of the wedding party in general, e.g., lace as a running motif, or a 40’s theme.
• Match the outfit appropriately to the venue, i.e., covered arms for a church wedding, but more flesh-baring outfits for a beach wedding.
• Wait until the bride has chosen her dress before you start shopping so that you can plan for any last minute changes to the overall look of the wedding party

Preston and York silver jacket – Preston and York v-neck blouse – Nina Parcy silver clutch – Sandro blue trousers – Badgley Mischka heels

Look 2: Emporio Armani Crinkle silk pants – Awake sheer draped top – Tory Burch silver sandals – Diane von Furstenberg leather clutch – Canvass knot earrings

Look 3:Armani wide leg pants – St. John crinkle shirt – Karl Lagerfeld jacket – Karl Lagerfeld box clutch – Linea pump

Jumpsuits

A number of jumpsuit options are available that provide a dressy look, while still maintaining the cut and styling pants. Consider wearing a sleeveless pair with a cropped jacket (as shown above) or with a blazer to both (a) keep you warm if you happen to be indoors in a cold space and (b) add another chic dimension to your look.

Ted Baker London off shoulder jumpsuit – Tahari metallic faux wrap jumpsuit – Chelsea28 bow shoulder jumpsuit – Eliza J sleeve jumpsuit

Pant sets

Pant sets are another fashionable approach to take when deciding how to wear pants for your mother of the bride/groom look. They come as a set and are often made of chiffon and silk material. The pants are generally flowy, which creates a more dressed up look. Certain pant sets are also quite formal (a number of less formal options are also available). Make sure you get this properly tailored, as fit is absolutely essential to making sure you look your best in these sets.

Le Bos 3 piece pant set – Emma Street lace pants – R and M 2 piece poncho pant set – R and M 3 piece beaded pant set

Separates

For less formal weddings, putting together a jacket and trouser combination is a great option. The key here is to opt for tailored  pieces with some contrasts in color to make it look less like office attire and more appropriate for a social occasion. Consider wide leg trousers, as well, as these can create bit more of a dramatic look that pairs well with the event.

Look 1:
Max Mara chiffon jumpsuit – Nine West black pumps – Badgley Mischka black clutch – Simone Rocha pearl drop earrings – Alex Evenings lace jacket –

Look 2: Ted Baker London tweed jacket – Majestic Filatures silk tank – Milly Hayden wide legged trousers – Klub Nico black sandal – Eric Javits clutch bag

Look 3: Dilliards white jacket – St. John ankle pants – Badgley Mischka clutch – St. John lace tank – Bella Belle gold sandals

What are your thoughts on wearing pants as the mother of the bride/groom to the wedding?

For more of our tips see our article on how to dress as at the mother of the bride (or groom)

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