One of the most iconic symbols of a wedding is undoubtedly a beautiful white wedding dress. While this style has been a tradition for centuries, many brides may be surprised to learn that it wasn’t always the norm. In fact, it wasn’t until Queen Victoria, the famous monarch of Britain, that wearing a white wedding gown became a trend. In this article, we’ll explore the fascinating history behind the white wedding dress and Queen Victoria’s role in popularizing this tradition.
The Roots of Wedding Fashion
Weddings have been celebrated in cultures around the world for thousands of years. The first recorded wedding was said to have taken place in ancient Egypt around 4,350 years ago. In ancient times, brides wore whatever was considered to be their best clothing and often included a headdress or veil. This was a time in which a variety of colors were used in dresses, including red, blue, and yellow.
Later, during the Middle Ages in Europe, blue was the most popular color for wedding dresses as it represented purity and fidelity. The idea was that the color would offer protection from demons as well as enhance the magic of the wedding.
By the 19th century, the concept of wearing a white wedding dress had largely been replaced by colored gowns, with many brides choosing hues of blue or light grey. However, Queen Victoria would have a big part to play in changing this standard.
Queen Victoria and the White Wedding Dress
Queen Victoria ascended to the British throne in 1837, at just 18 years old. Four years later, in 1841, she married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, in a lavish ceremony. Rather than wearing the traditional and formal silver gown that was associated with British royal weddings of the past, Queen Victoria opted for a white dress made of Honiton lace.
While white had been used for bridal gowns before, Queen Victoria’s choice was significant, as it marked the beginning of a new trend. Her choice for a white wedding dress was seen as symbolizing purity, chastity, and innocence, which appealed to the victorian society’s ideals of womanhood and made white the color of choice for many wealthy women.
It wasn’t long before the trend caught on, and soon, brides of all social classes were opting for white wedding gowns. As photography began to develop in the latter half of the 19th century, the spectacle of a bride draped in white became even more popular. The white wedding dress has since become a timeless tradition, inspiring designers and bridal gown clad women around the world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Queen Victoria played a pivotal role in the adoption of the white wedding dress tradition. Her dress symbolized a new promise for femininity and purity that appealed to Victorian society’s attitudes and came to represent both purity and haute couture. The trend she helped establish has endured throughout the centuries, inspiring brides around the world to feel like a princess on their special day.
FAQ
What was the original color of a wedding dress?
The idea of a white wedding dress is a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to the Victorian era, brides didn’t necessarily wear white as there was no commonly accepted color for bridal gowns. In fact, brides in all social classes wore dresses of all colors except black which was reserved for mourning attire.
The tradition of the white wedding dress started around the year 1840 when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. During her wedding, she wore a striking white satin and lace wedding dress. This was quite unusual since, at that time, rich brides typically wore gowns shimmering with metallic embroidery or trimmed with expensive and exotic furs. Queen Victoria’s beautiful and elegant dress sparked a trend across the Western world, and white wedding dresses became the rage from then on.
However, before Victoria, most brides chose from a range of colors depending on what suited them or what was in fashion. Brides in the lower classes usually wore their best church dress on their wedding day while women from more well-off families would choose a brighter or shirtier dress in materials like silk, satin and velvet with embroideries of silver and gold thread.
White wedding dresses became more popular to symbolize innocence and purity due to religious influences. White also became the perfect choice because it symbolized wealth with the expense of washing a white gown in the past. The idea was that by choosing white, brides showed that they could afford to purchase and sustain a dress that had no practical use but to demonstrate their financial capability.
It can be asserted that the original color of a wedding dress was not white as it is today. Instead, brides chose dresses in a variety of colors until the Victorian era. After Victoria’s wedding, white became the popular color for wedding dresses and has remained the most popular color choice for brides ever since.
What did Victorian brides wear?
In Victorian England, weddings were a significant event, and the bride’s attire was of utmost importance. The bride was expected to wear an outfit that would showcase her modesty, social status, and beauty. The Victorian era lasted from 1837 to 1901, and during this period, wedding dresses evolved significantly.
The archetypal early Victorian wedding dress had a fitted bodice, small waist, and a full skirt made of gauze, tulle, organdie, silk, cashmere, or linen. This was in keeping with the general shape of women’s wear at this time, which fulfilled the modest values Victorian England pedaled. The dresses were typically white, off-white or pastel shades such as soft pink or mauve. White was not necessarily an indication of purity or virginity, as many people believe, but rather a symbol of wealth and affluence. Women who could afford to buy a dress they might only wear once would choose white to show off their prosperity.
The dresses were of varying lengths, with some hemlines only skimming the ankle, while others brushed the floor. Skirts were built up with petticoats and hoops, giving the woman a full and voluminous silhouette. The bodices were often high-necked with long or short sleeves, decorated with lace, frills or embroidery. One significant trend in Victorian brideswear was the use of detachable sleeves – women could have their dress look different from ceremony to reception by simply removing the sleeves.
Another typical feature of Victorian bridal gowns was the use of accessories such as gloves, tiaras, and veils. A bride would wear gloves that covered most of her arms and were often made of lace. Tiaras would be worn in place of the typical bridal veil that we see more commonly today. Brides would use flowers to decorate their hair and the bodice as well.
Victorian bridal wear aimed to showcase the bride’s femininity, beauty, and modesty. The dresses symbolized purity, innocence, and wealth while representing the cultural values of the time. Even today, many modern bridal gowns take inspiration from the Victorian era, with features such as detailed embroidery and voluminous skirts, being used in current trends.
When did The Queen wear green dress?
According to George R.R. Martin’s book “The Princess and the Queen”, The Queen wore a green gown during a great tourney that was held in King’s Landing in 111 AC. It was the fifth anniversary of the king’s marriage to Queen Alicent and the opening feast was a grand event. The green dress worn by the queen was definitely a statement piece as it stood out from the crowd. The princess, on the other hand, chose a dramatic Targaryen red and black outfit which made a bold and striking contrast with the Queen’s green gown. the tourney was a memorable occasion and the Queen’s green dress remains a topic of interest amongst fans of Martin’s world-renowned series, “A Song of Ice and Fire”.
