help please...advice on what to wear!

May be an idea to hire an outfit- enjoy the wedding

Thanks again all! I don't think there will be any church ceremony...will get more deets when we meet the bride's parents tonight! Will keep all your lively suggestions in mind.

I'm about to throw a spanner in the works ,my daughter has been married twice In January both times it was a beautiful sunny day ...all photographs were taken outside...lolScotland is unpredictable and as someone else says its NOT the frozen north.A nice trouser suit and a wrap for over it if its a cool day should be fine .mcem We got married in July...it rained all day.At both my daughters weddings I wore a suit ,dress and jacket and I wasn't cold at all

Yes, Scotland is usually cold in January, but could be sunny and cold, with a bit of luck. I'd go for warm colours, no pastels. Boiled wool jackets can be very smart. East often have those to match the seasonal colours of their dresses. They are light, but warm, and smarter than ponchos. Jackets are possibly easier to wear than ponchos or capes.

I've used a personal shopper in several stores and found them absolutely wonderful. It's free, they look at your figure and know what will suit you and they know the stock so well. I've never had any pressure to buy either and they do all the running back and forth for different sizes and accessories. I've always been delighted with my purchases. Whatever you buy I hope you have a wonderful time at the wedding. If it's in Scotland be prepared for a wonderful dinner and loads of dancing as well as a bitter wind and lashing rain or snow. Stick to your guns about the shoes. Comfort is everything. At a recent wedding I only lasted till the end of the ceremony in heels 1.5 inches high. I got my husband to go for my flat Skechers sandals which were in the car and by 20 mins later all the other ladies had done the same! A good time was had by all.

I still feel the most important thing is that you feel like you, rather than someone dressed up for a wedding - that someone not being anything like the real you.
Comfort and warmth can sit nicely with elegance if that's the look you want. Hope your meeting with the MOB goes well x

Not too sure about rain being the worst OP might expect, grandtante , in my experience (born and brought up,in Scotland, ) if there is going to be snow it often starts just after New Year! And I was brought up in the Borders.
It so depends on where the wedding is to be, doesn't it?

I would steer clear from any chain store outfit, however high end - you don't want to meet someone else in the same outfit do you? My friend went to a wedding recently with just 40 guests and wore a gorgeous dress from Hobbs....as did two others!!

Exactly what hulahoop suggests is what I was going to say.

As others suggest, I think that the bride's mother is your best bet, she can give you a better idea of what her friends and family are likely to be wearing, whether or not you need a hat, whether they will wear something long - and whether there is any sort of colour co-ordination going on.

From my experience of DH's Scottish relatives' weddings they usually go on all night and your hippyish style, (perhaps long, layered and floaty) could take you comfortably through the whole thing. You're not likely to be outside for long at that time of year, even for photos. There will probably be dancing so high heeled shoes wouldn't work anyway.

Why don't you also look at East womens' clothing? They do clothes (including lighter jackets and coats) that can be mixed and matched and may well suit your style. I've often worn their clothes for weddings.

Absolutely no to any type of tartan outfit! It's a stereotype that all Scots wear tartan and I'm sure you'd rather look elegant than comical! If you don't fancy a dress a smart trouser suit or jumpsuit might be a good option, or a smart tunic style dress with matching slim fit cropped trousers is also a smart option which can be accessorised with a floaty scarf and toning bag and shoes. Jacques Vert is a good website to browse for ideas as they sell all the accessories to match their outfits and usually have a choice of a dress, or skirt or trousers with co ordinating top and jacket. They also have lovely wide legged palazzo pants with floaty tunic style tops too and their website changes styles with the seasons so you will find some good ideas on there. I agree that East might be a good option for you too as their style is quite relaxed but smart with a definite boho style. They have beautiful prints and lovely accessories to compliment their clothing. If you are concerned about being cold I suggest you invest in some Heat Tech underwear, available in M and S, it's very thin and comes in many different styles and colours including camisole tops which you could easily wear underneath your chosen outfit and no one would know. If the evening reception was inside and you became too warm it would be easy to remove this layer in the ladies and put it in your handbag! Finally, have a look on Pinterest for styling ideas for Wedding outfits which suit your personal style. It's great for ideas you may not have been able to dream up yourself as you can put in lots of different things in the search bar and it comes up with lots of pictures which meet your criteria. Good luck, and enjoy the wedding! Ps...take a cashmere mix throw over pashmina as an extra layer in case it's really cold.

Warm underwear and masses of it! Choose the rest of the outfit to accommodate layers and layers of undies!

Frost is unlikely in January - rain much more probable unless it is a Highland wedding.

Church will probably be moderately warm in a city, and extremely cold elsewhere.

I would suggest a smart pair of warm boots and take shoes with you to change into if the reception turns out to be in a well-heated hotel or house.

Definitely not tartan, as traditionally only Scots wear the tartan of the clan they belong to and kilts are only worn by men and boys on formal occasions, although women have worn them as skirts since I was a child. On formal occasions a Scotswoman wears a sash of her father or husband's clan tartan, but again if you are not Scottish, best not to.

For anyone used to the tropics the North Pole would feel warmer due to the severe dry frost than bonny Scotland in January.

Take a folding bag with you, so you can discard a layer of underwear in the Ladies' if the reception is warm.

Absolutely with Largolass! And if you wear thermals you can always take them off for the evening do!

I wore a red dress with a matching Shalwar Kameez type top for my son's wedding. I did wear very high heels but flats would work well. I felt amazing- it was so flattering. I got it from Jacques Vert but it is a few years ago now. I'm sure you can get this style in loads of places.

I have no advice but quite excited at the thought of someone posting from Ghana!

I think that the main decision is what kind of coat / wrap? Apashmina probably wouldn't be warm enough, and a poncho/ serape would have to be relatively heavy and warm.

I have a pair of 4 ply silk trousers, so they are quite cool for summer, but actually hang well enough to look smart in winter under a good coat (and do work well with thermals or hold-ups).

I would go with a pair of trousers like that, a silk tunic underneath, a good winter coat and a pashmina worn as a scarf with the coat, but could then keep out draughts a bit when you are inside.

Could you wear a hat? Also something close round your neck and gloves (muff?) and there are some smart ankle boots. It's marvellous how warm you feel if your head, neck, hands and feet ( pulse spots ) are warm. Then go for layers.
Warm thick tights, vest but then glamour on top. If its west side of Scotland they do get warmer days.

"Meeting the bride's parents for the first time in a couple of days! "
Perfect timing for finding out what the other mother plans to wear, and working our the colour scheme etc. Do go for flat/comfortable shoes; you can get such a great choice now!

Have a look at Beatrice von Treskcow's website - unique, absolutely beautiful special occasion outfits in glorious colours. I wouldn't worry too much about bundling yourself up like Nanook of the north, unless for some bizarre reason the ceremony is going to be outside! It may be under the same roof as the reception- you haven't said. Sounds like a wonderful occasion, have fun!

My daughter got married this New Years Eve in the middle of Central Park, New York and omg it was freezing. I chose a lovely, warm, double breasted, navy blue coat that I could wear again. I dressed it up with a pretty pill box hat with a small veil, as am short I can't carry off a big hat. Then, my " piece de resistance " was a white, fluffy, 1040's style muff that I made. I bought a pretty navy blue brooch to pin on the muff too, it looked lovely and I had many comments. My daughter had thermal leggings underneath her extremely glamorous " backless dress" ! Think of a style you are happy with and Jazz it up from there.

A lot depends on where the wedding is (Edinburgh weather will be quite different from Skye) and the type of wedding. I live in Edinburgh, the weather here is usually wet and cold at that time of year, but we do have heating!

Last year we had a family wedding in Minnesota in January (-15C) and were advised to have thermals for under our dresses for outside photos.

If you will be somewhere with big stores I definitely recommend going to somewhere like John Lewis and using their (free) personal shopping service. I did this a couple of years ago when I had 3 very different family weddings in a few months and the lady I had in John Lewis in Glasgow was superb. I would definitely use their service again.

Thermals can be so comfortable under glamarous clothes, and if you get too hot, a silk vest can be removed and kept in your bag...........but will allow you to be cosy in a draughty church or if kept waiting around for photos. Princess Di said she wore them and she did a lot of standing about outside.

Make sure you have non slip shoes it can be pretty icy up there in Jan and I don't suppose you get much practice walking on ice where you are.

Fabulous faux fur wraps are in this year..................

You can find beautifully elegant flat shoes. Have a look at LK Bennett.

I think OP said she had trouble with shoes /no heels because of bunions? On that basis, (smart)trousers would cover a multitude of sins comfy flats
Also bearing in mind what OP says is her "natural style" it is such an expensive mistake to choose something you simply do not feel comfortable or "right" in and we are all different.
I for instance could not contemplate any of the Jacques Vert/MOB type outfits which others can look lovely in.
paola you do not say if it is a church wedding, in a stately home or castle wedding venue, whether you will be outside at all or whether it will all be indoors. All makes a difference.

I like Hobbs and LK Bennett for both clothes and shoes. I would go for a shift dress and jacket in a gorgeous heavy silky fabric with shoes to match.

I know it might be cold but I wouldn't wear boots.