Snazzy clothes for my mom?

My mom wants to go shopping with me for something to wear to my wedding. Where should I take her?

Ideally, I'd like to keep it to a just a few areas rather than all over the universe, so I especially welcome ideas in The Slope, Boerum Hill/Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill, SoHo/West Village. But if you know someplace awesome elsewhere, say so.

Very generally, my mom is short, curvy, mid-fifties, and more Eileen Fisher than Ann Taylor. And clothing-wise, my wedding is probably "cocktail attire" (or whatever is like 1 1/2 steps below black tie).

THANK YOU.

Great question - my mom and I are having a very similar problem... my wedding is the same sort of "dressy" but she can't find something to wear. My future mother-in-law found a nice dress at Macy's, so you might want to check out the department stores.

Great question - my mom and I are having a very similar problem... my wedding is the same sort of "dressy" but she can't find something to wear. My future mother-in-law found a nice dress at Macy's, so you might want to check out the department stores.

Have you tried Serene Rose on 5th Ave?

Have you tried Serene Rose on 5th Ave?

Serene Rose has beautiful things, but my mom is not a dress person, really. Think drapier, or like dress pants and fancy top. Nothing tailored. She's the kind of person who literally would not take a job that required her to wear a suit. Also, she's probably a size 14ish, which they might technically have at Serene Rose, but not so much for size-14s who are 5'3" (which she is).

Oh my god, she would kill me for discussing her size with strangers! Fortunately, she's computer-illiterate, and in CT, and you don't know who she is anyway and never will. Maybe strangers are the best people to whom to pose this question.

Serene Rose has beautiful things, but my mom is not a dress person, really. Think drapier, or like dress pants and fancy top. Nothing tailored. She's the kind of person who literally would not take a job that required her to wear a suit. Also, she's probably a size 14ish, which they might technically have at Serene Rose, but not so much for size-14s who are 5'3" (which she is).

Oh my god, she would kill me for discussing her size with strangers! Fortunately, she's computer-illiterate, and in CT, and you don't know who she is anyway and never will. Maybe strangers are the best people to whom to pose this question.

You can try Century 21 (Brooklyn and Manhattan)
Lee Lee Valise (Court Street - but it is size 12 and up)
Burlington Coat in the Atlantic Terminal has some really nice dressy suits (they also have a store in Manhattan on 23rd and 7th?)
Filene's Basement (I have had a lot of luck there when shopping for wedding/dressy functions). I go to the Filene's on 6th and 18th.
Rose Salkin Bridal (2274 E 16th St, Brooklyn) While this place specializes in wedding dresses they have a nice selection of mother of bride dresses and suits.

Good luck and hope she finds what she wants!

You can try Century 21 (Brooklyn and Manhattan)
Lee Lee Valise (Court Street - but it is size 12 and up)
Burlington Coat in the Atlantic Terminal has some really nice dressy suits (they also have a store in Manhattan on 23rd and 7th?)
Filene's Basement (I have had a lot of luck there when shopping for wedding/dressy functions). I go to the Filene's on 6th and 18th.
Rose Salkin Bridal (2274 E 16th St, Brooklyn) While this place specializes in wedding dresses they have a nice selection of mother of bride dresses and suits.

Good luck and hope she finds what she wants!

i know exactly what you're looking for, took my mom months to get something like that for my brother's wedding. she ended up in piermont at abigail rose. great stuff if you feel like taking a small day-trip

i know exactly what you're looking for, took my mom months to get something like that for my brother's wedding. she ended up in piermont at abigail rose. great stuff if you feel like taking a small day-trip

We had the same problem. My mom is petite and finding something dressy enough but not too crazy was very challenging. Things we were finding were either too “teenagere” or when we found something more elegant and mature it would be too big. Finally we got what she liked and had it altered.

From what you said about your mom’s style, I think you may have some luck with Cold Water Creek. Check online to see if there is something in her style http://www.coldwatercreek.com

They also opened a store around 3rd ave and 50s-60s? in Manhattan.
Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!

We had the same problem. My mom is petite and finding something dressy enough but not too crazy was very challenging. Things we were finding were either too “teenagere” or when we found something more elegant and mature it would be too big. Finally we got what she liked and had it altered.

From what you said about your mom’s style, I think you may have some luck with Cold Water Creek. Check online to see if there is something in her style http://www.coldwatercreek.com

They also opened a store around 3rd ave and 50s-60s? in Manhattan.
Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!

or j.jill (jjill.com)... they have sizes from 0-3X, drapey, lot of casual stuff but also some dressier things.

or j.jill (jjill.com)... they have sizes from 0-3X, drapey, lot of casual stuff but also some dressier things.

City Casuals on 7th Ave is worth checking out. I bought a beautiful dress for my son's wedding that my daughter-in-law wore to her brother's wedding 2 years later. The dress was beautiful and classic but had details that made it very special.

City Casuals on 7th Ave is worth checking out. I bought a beautiful dress for my son's wedding that my daughter-in-law wore to her brother's wedding 2 years later. The dress was beautiful and classic but had details that made it very special.

brooklynpotter, have you secretly been talking with my mom? offhand, i'd say about 87% of her clothing is from j.jill. she's definitely going to look there.

but she wants a Shopping Adventure In The Big City.

(damn people visiting NYC-dwellers and insisting on being shown a good time! i think many of the people who visit me here secretly hope to have some version of the NYC-for-the-first time montage featured in every single movie made in the 1930s-1950s, where they twirl around, arms held out by the centripetal force generated by the chanel bags in each hand, then i take them for a night on the town - cocktails while we watch fred and ginger, a broadway show with lots of jazz hands, then dancing at some kind of club filled with WWII-uniformed sailors vying for our attention while someone very sparkly sings peggy lee's greatest hits, and of course indoor cigarette smoking, smart-talking cabbies, and doormen at every building.)

brooklynpotter, have you secretly been talking with my mom? offhand, i'd say about 87% of her clothing is from j.jill. she's definitely going to look there.

but she wants a Shopping Adventure In The Big City.

(damn people visiting NYC-dwellers and insisting on being shown a good time! i think many of the people who visit me here secretly hope to have some version of the NYC-for-the-first time montage featured in every single movie made in the 1930s-1950s, where they twirl around, arms held out by the centripetal force generated by the chanel bags in each hand, then i take them for a night on the town - cocktails while we watch fred and ginger, a broadway show with lots of jazz hands, then dancing at some kind of club filled with WWII-uniformed sailors vying for our attention while someone very sparkly sings peggy lee's greatest hits, and of course indoor cigarette smoking, smart-talking cabbies, and doormen at every building.)

Go to Century 21. Most out of towners LOVE it. There is one in lower Manhattan and one in Bay Ridge.

She'll most likely have better luck at the one in Manhattan. You could also go to Macy's 34th St., Bloomies, Saks...

That's a fun shopping day! Now I'm jealous. Can I come?

Go to Century 21. Most out of towners LOVE it. There is one in lower Manhattan and one in Bay Ridge.

She'll most likely have better luck at the one in Manhattan. You could also go to Macy's 34th St., Bloomies, Saks...

That's a fun shopping day! Now I'm jealous. Can I come?