Grandmother of the bride – and other special occasions

Weddings are lovely family occasions and if you are the grandmother of the bride or groom you will want to look your very best. I have some lovely clients in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, and I know that as a woman ages there are some adjustments that must be made but that shouldn’t preclude you from looking fabulous.

Patricia meets Elizabeth at The National Wedding Show

I met Patricia when three generations of her family visited my stand at the National Wedding Show – bride, mother of bride and herself, grandmother of the bride.

Patricia was looking for an outfit for her granddaughter’s wedding and I started by finding out what was important to her: sleeves, length, comfort and ease of movement. But top of her list was looking her very best…

On display at the show was a pink crepe dress with purple lace overlay that she loved.

Everything about the dress fitted the bill.

And Patricia believed it was fate because I had only finished the dress the day before so it very nearly didn’t make the show.

Age no longer puts you on the fashion sideline at a wedding or special event. But I have noticed that often women over 70 years of age tend to dress in separates and when I talk to my clients it is clear that this is for practical reasons, not choice. It is hard at any age to find a dress that fits on the bust and hips but as we get older and curves start to appear in all the wrong places it gets even harder.

70’s – Jan Meek, Polar explorer wearing Elizabeth Bessant couture
80’s – Rosemary wearing Elizabeth Bessant Couture
Jean’s Elizabeth Bessant couture trouser suit

Recently I was invited by Jean, a stylish 87-year-old client of mine, to speak at The Green Ribbon lunch club in St. Albans. Jean started this club 25 years ago for ladies who had arrived at a stage in their life when they had more time for themselves with children grown up, or retirement just starting.

Jean is a successful businesswoman and still gets involved in decision making when required. She also runs two ladies’ clubs that meet every month and gets involved in charity and local affairs, so dressing well is still very important to her.

I met Jean last Autumn when she commissioned me to make her a couture trouser suit.

We hit it off at the first meeting and she loved my ideas for her suit. Jean wanted a trouser suit made especially for her because she was no longer happy to compromise with ill-fitting, uncomfortable clothes.

At the event at The Noke Hotel in St Alban’s, Jean was wearing her Elizabeth Bessant couture trouser suit that is a beautiful mix of colours –burnt orange, purple, teal, a little yellow and a slight sparkle. It is finished with pearl buttons – a nod to Coco Chanel. For the trousers, I picked out the purple choosing a fabric with a little stretch that does not crease. Her jacket can be paired with other coloured separates for different looks.

Having had her first couture suit made Jean now realises there are so many benefits to couture – no sales people telling her she looks wonderful in everything just to get a sale; no communal changing rooms; and no disappointment of nothing fitting. Jean also took advantage of my visiting couture service which meant that I travelled to her for fittings and made the whole experience so much easier and pleasurable.

Detail of Joy’s Elizabeth Bessant couture outfit

A few years ago I made an outfit for a lovely lady called Joy, a very stylish lady. She was having her 90th birthday at the Ritz and wanted to dress for the occasion. I made her a royal blue lace dress with sleeves and a matching silk jacket. Joy was very pleased and also wore it that Christmas and then at her granddaughter’s 21st celebration.

The following year her daughter asked what she would like for her 91st birthday. She said: ‘Another dress by Elizabeth please’. This time I made her a green wool crepe long sleeved dress with rectangular feature buttons on the cuffs. Generally, we all look better in colour as we get older.

There is no age limit for wanting to look your best and enjoy fashion. In fact, Jean has already ordered her next trouser suit – a country tweed look.