Nowadays, it is considered rare, even inappropriate, to wear wedding dresses that are not white, especially by men. The curious thing about the subject is that, in the past, the dresses were not white, the story of how it came about being quite interesting.
Before the 19th century, it was customary for a bride to wear her best dress on her wedding day. No matter what color dress you chose, he was allowed to wear whatever he saw fit. By then, several brides used different colors, according to their preferences, with red, brown and russet being the most popular colors.
Since it was considered unwise to buy a dress that would be worn only once, many women simply they got what they could afford to use again on other special occasions. However, only a few wore dresses that visually stood out from the rest, because the richer the bride, the more fanciful the dress.
When did white start to be used in wedding dresses?
Having become popular in the mid-19th century, the white dress trend became more common in the mid-20th century.
In most Western societies, the color white has always been associated with purity. This is why many brides choose to wear white dresses.
However, contrary to public opinion that white means purity, this was not always the case because blue was more connected to fidelity, purity and piety.
It is also believed that linking white to purity was merely sentimental and traditional because the color white only became associated with purity as it gained more popularity.
Aside from purity and traditional values, white was the least preferred color for many brides because it was not easy to maintain or clean and was not ideal for repeating.
The beginning of the white wedding dress trend
In history, the first white wedding dress was worn by Philippa of England, specifically in the year 1406, when she married Eric of Pomerania.
The tradition of the white wedding dress did not become so fashionable or famous until 1840, when Queen Victoria of England married Prince Albert. It was a highly publicized wedding that attracted a lot of press attention.
She wore an eight-piece bustier with an open neckline. The sleeves and neckline were well trimmed, she had a visible off-the-shoulder dress with short, puffed sleeves. He also had a deep V-shaped waist. Likewise a floor-length skirt over 5 meters long.
The dress was so heavy, large and delicate, that it was carried by about 12 attendees as she walked down the aisle.
The queen treasured her veil and lace ruffle so much that she wore them continually at special events throughout her life. Likewise, she reused her wedding dress so much that, 56 years later, she wore it to the diamond jubilee.
Queen Victoria’s white wedding dress contributed greatly to the transition and mass fame of white wedding dresses. She broke the status quo by sticking with a white lace dress.
Imitating Queen Victoria’s white dress
Queen Victoria’s style and choice were massively copied on several continents by women who liked her appearance and aspired to be like her.
At that time, in England there was a growing middle class that was eager to show off its wealth and followed trends, especially its queen, as seen in her photos splashed all over the magazines.
Since the royal family was widely photographed, more people saw them and were heavily influenced by their fashion choices.
It is believed that Queen Victoria’s choice of a white wedding dress was based on two reasons, as she wanted to use only British-made materials, and she also sought to support the lace industry in Bevon, which was at a point of decline at the time. moment.
There are reasons to show that she chose to wear a white wedding dress because it reflected innocence, purity and common sense. For her, white was the most preferable to show off the art of a lace maker.
After Queen Victoria made the wearing of the white wedding dress known, her daughters and daughter-in-law, Alexandra, also did the same at their weddings, as the white wedding dress was a status symbol.
In the early 20th century, a white wedding dress was perceived as a status symbol because it spoke volumes about the bride’s wealth.
White in dresses adapted to trends
While several wealthy Americans and Europeans adopted the white wedding dress trend as quickly as it appeared, it only became popular among the middle class after World War II.
During this period, there was a slight increase in the production of synthetic materials. The economic prosperity that came after World War II also facilitated the production of enough nylon and rayon to make abundant wedding dresses for more brides.
Although various wedding trends and styles have continued to evolve, the white wedding dress has remained constant.
It remains prevalent among contemporary brides, so much so that it is estimated that around 85% of brides still choose to wear a white wedding dress because, in its typical form, it has remained stable over the years.
The reality is that white wedding dresses have remained in fashion and have survived different seasons due to the constant reinvention and change of new trends.