It's Time To Reclaim The Name "Mother Of The Bride"

Mother Of The Bride.

A phrase that’s perfectly positive as a noun, but stings of negativity as an adjective - certainly when the context is style.

An outfit described as being “Mother Of The Bride” is rarely a compliment. As soon as you hear the phrase, pictures of an old-fashioned, matronly outfit comes to mind.

Now once upon a time, this sort of outfit was very common for the MotB. But today women are proving that age should never be a limit to style. Yet the phrase has stuck, and as a result has become short hand for describing an outfit as dowdy and dated – and essentially something only a mother (read ‘older’ woman) would wear.

Making matters worse, there are still plenty of brands clinging onto this ageist stereotype. Type the words ‘Mother Of The Bride outfit’ into google and you’ll see exactly what I mean. The majority of outfits that come up wouldn’t have been out of place at a wedding 30 years ago.

That’s not to say there isn’t still a consumer for this aesthetic. There will be people who like this type of look, which is absolutely fine. But we know the majority of today’s MoB’s don’t want to dress like this. They want to look stylish, modern and cool.

Which is why it’s time to reclaim the descriptive phrase. Sure, we could just reject the label all together, but why should we let a joyful title typically bestowed upon an old-er woman remain weighed down by ageist, outdated undertones?

Instead, let’s redefine what a “Mother Of The Bride” outfit means. Let’s turn it into a compliment. Being the MotB is special, so it should only be used to describe an outfit that is special. And in doing so, we can finally release it of those ugly, ageist connotations that are just as outdated as the outfits it's associated with.

And with that in mind, here are 4 of our favourite celebrity Mother Of The Bride outfits - each completely different, yet equally thoroughly modern and stylish:

Lisa Bonet 

Is Lisa Bonet ever not cool?! For daughter Zoe Kravitz's wedding, she rocked a statement kimono over a simple black dress.

Mary Steenburgen  

For her daughter Lily's wedding, actress Mary Steenburgen looked radiant in a teal blue dress, with super flattering wrap effect.

Tish Cyrus

At Miley Cyrus' wedding, her mother Tish looked slick and sophisticated in a long sleeved black jumpsuit 

Katie Couric

For her daughter's wedding, journalist Katie Couric looked sensational in a floral pink dress, featuring an asymmetric hemline to flash a little bit of leg.