White was not a popular wedding dress colour until 1840. White was considered the traditional colour of mourning for many decades and thus not suitable for a wedding. Before 1840, brides wore bright coloured wedding dresses which symbolised their happiness. Medieval brides of a higher social standing also used expensive fabrics like fur, velvet or silk.
The Introduction of White Wedding Dresses
The main reason why wedding dresses are white nowadays is one particular marriage from the 19th century. In 1840 Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Coburg wearing a beautiful white gown, complemented with orange blossoms and an eighteen foot long train. Their wedding photo was published and influenced many brides. Even though a lot of women still got married in bright colours, the tone was now set for white.
During Victorian times, a white wedding dress was seen as a status symbol. Not because Queen Victoria had worn this colour for her wedding, but because white garments were almost impossible to clean. So if you wore this colour on your wedding day it meant that you had a lot of money to afford this dress that could only be worn once.
During Edwardian times, the wedding dress fashions became more and more extravagant. When the First World War broke out, things changed because of the poor living conditions. Wedding dresses were now simpler and they shorter. During the Depression and the Second World War, lots of women opted for a simple white wedding dress that they dyed afterwards, for instance in blue or green, so that they could still use the dress after they got married.
Coco Chanel’s Short White Wedding Dress
Although Queen Victoria started the white wedding dress colour trend, it really became a tradition when Coco Chanel introduced the short white wedding dress in the 1920s. The dress was a knee -ength one and was accompanied by a very long train and a full veil.
Wedding Dress Prosperity in the 50s
The post-war era was a time of prosperity. The wedding dresses became more elaborate than ever and brides used a lot of lace, silk and satin for their dresses. The wedding gowns were still sleeved for Church ceremonies, but it was now okay to remove your jacket after the ceremony and show off a little skin. The strapless dress and knee length dress both won in popularity during the 50s.
A Variety of Wedding Dress Colours and Style
Brides from the 21st century do not always get married in the colour white. They often choose cream, ivory or off-white as well. As far as form and style go, there are no limits. You can opt for short, long, calf length, heavily embroidered or very simple. Whatever colour or style you choose for your wedding dress, it will surely be a fairytale dress expressing your individuality!
