Top 5 Tips for Choosing a Mother of the Bride Dress that Hides the Belly

Jul 1, 2025

If you’re like most women, you want to look good on this important day. You want to feel confident and beautiful in front of your friends and family, and even more importantly, before the eyes of your daughter.

However, one very big obstacle might be in the way: your belly.

While it is always important to be comfortable in your own skin, mother of the bride dresses are all about making you look effortlessly beautiful, and there are plenty of tips and tricks for hiding belly fat while still dressing up. Choosing the right formal dresses and silhouettes can make a noticeable difference.

1. Choosing the right clothes and colors

If you’re an apple-shaped woman, you’ll want to wear a dress that accentuates your upper body. We recommend wearing a dress with long sleeves and an A-line skirt, which will make the chest and hips look larger. This makes the midsection look smaller. Avoid wearing tight clothes, as this will make the belly look even bigger. If you want to wear a skin-tight dress, vertical lines on your body will help to balance out your shape. For example, a tunic dress with long sleeves is great for hiding the midsection. In addition to choosing the right clothes to help you look slim and toned, you should also consider the color of your dress.

Dark colors like navy, burgundy, and indigo, as well as polka dots and other tiny dress patterns, are encouraged. These colors elongate the appearance of the wearer and can help them appear slimmer. Brighter shades will also tend to have an elongated effect on the person's appearance. Many evening gowns and wedding guest dresses use these tones for this exact reason.

2. Direct attention to shoulders and arms

Check out our long mother of the bride dresses collection today.

Mother of the bride dresses should show off shoulders to highlight them and make the wearer seem slimmer. If you are feeling insecure about your arms, opt for a strapless dress or a one-shoulder cut dress. You can also accentuate your arms with clothes that have horizontal or vertical stripes on them. Dresses with shoulder pads are also very flattering, especially ones that nip in at the waist.

One way to accentuate your arms and make them look toned is by wearing a dress with horizontal or vertical stripes. Strapless dresses and halter necklines work well for this type of body. Choose a dress with prints, such as flowers or other small patterns. These kinds of dresses help to divide the body and make it look slimmer.

In addition, you could wear a waist cincher under your dress to slim down the middle and enhance your curves. This will also help to improve posture and give an overall more elegant look, especially when paired with structured evening gowns.

If you’re going to a wedding, try to wear a dress that has lace in the design, which tends to slim down women and highlight their figures. If you want to accentuate your chest area, you could also wear a V-neck or scoop neckline style dress; however, make sure not to wear V necks that go too low, as they can make you look like you’re showing off more than necessary.

3. Dress up with details and draping styles

For a beautiful and flattering look, choose dresses with feminine details. Flowing cap sleeves that accentuate slim arms are perfect for making your shape stand out in the right dress. The use of panels or pleats to elongate the torso may help, but avoid waistlines that are bulky. The perfect look will be found if you experiment with different styles until it's just right for your body type.

A dress with details such as embellishments or contrasting colors around the neckline is another great option to distract wandering eyes from your midsection.

If you are wearing a knee-length dress, make sure it has an A-line hem. The A-line cut will make the legs seem longer, and your body look slimmer. If you want to wear a dress that hits just above or below the knee, go for one with side pleats or vertical panels. Again, these details have the effect of lengthening the torso and minimizing any unwanted attention on your midsection. Ladies with larger abdomens should avoid dresses with embellishments around the waist area, as they can draw more attention to this area. Instead, opt for dresses with cap sleeves or contrasting color panels around the chest area to distract from the middle.

Dresses with soft draping or ruching can help you out, too. An empire waist dress that cuts right underneath the bust, but slightly above where it starts to flare around your midsection, will accentuate all of its most flattering features while also helping to camouflage any problem areas on your stomach. Many plus size mother of the bride dresses are designed with these details in mind.

4. Tea lengths and pant suits

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It's time to get decked out for this year’s mother-daughter event. You can either go traditional in a dress or opt for something more modern, like pants. If you're looking at the latter option, then make sure it has soft fabric that drapes beautifully around your body and flows well when walking.

For any mother of the bride out there who wants to wear pants instead of a dress but still show her pretty side, make sure they are fitted well at the waistline with no wrinkles around the stomach area.

Tea-length dresses are a great option for the mom who wants to wear something fabulous but still feels comfortable. If you have long legs or want to show off some skin, then this is perfect. There's no need to worry about wardrobe malfunctions either. Tea lengths will cover just enough so there aren't any issues with exposure at your special occasion event.

5. Florals, jackets, cocktails, and sleeves

On the other hand, if you're looking for an easier way to camouflage the arm,s make sure your dress has a jacket. This gives off more of that tailored yet still feminine vibe. Try wearing an evening or zip-up jacket with any dress. The more tailored the look of the garment is made the better because it will hide those areas where skin might show through.

A floral pattern is a great way to personalize and customize the mother of the bride dress. Floral patterns can be really pretty for those celebrating an outdoor event like weddings. Floral patterns are always a good choice for the mother of the bride because they can be pretty and natural. If you want to stay away from too many patterns, just make sure that your print isn’t oversized or tiny; it should be mid-sized in scale. A medium-scale print in soft flowers will give you the best results.

Check out our long-sleeve dresses collection today.

The best plus-size mother of the bride dresses with sleeves are elbow length, three-quarter length, or full length. Short and cap sleeve ends make you look twice as wide, which is never a good thing. Choose from chiffon lace sequins to go for that summery feel in September. A perfect fit is the key to a great look.

Prom Dresses Long Metallic Ball Gown Pleated Prom Dress Gold

FAQs

Q1. What dress style best hides the belly for mothers of the bride?

Ans. A line, empire waist, and softly draped styles are the most flattering options.

Q2. Are dark colors better for hiding the midsection?

Ans. Yes, darker shades and small prints help create a slimming visual effect.

Q3. Can plus-size mothers wear tea-length dresses?

Ans. Absolutely, tea-length dresses elongate the legs and balance proportions.

Q4. Are jackets acceptable for the mother of the bride outfits?

Ans. Yes, tailored jackets add elegance while helping conceal the arms and midsection.

Final thoughts

Choosing the right mother of the bride dress that hides the belly is all about smart silhouettes, flattering fabrics, and thoughtful details. With the right styling choices and a confident mindset, you can look elegant, feel comfortable, and enjoy every moment of your daughter’s special day. Explore timeless, flattering options at The Dress Outlet to find a dress that truly makes you shine.

Styling summary for hiding the belly

Dress feature	Why it works	Best fabric choice
A line silhouette	Skims over the stomach area	Chiffon, crepe
Empire waist	Draws focus upward	Lace, soft polyester
Draping and ruching	Camouflages the midsection	Silk blends
Jackets and sleeves	Adds structure and coverage	Chiffon lace

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