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Chapter 1: What is the origin of the white wedding dress?
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There's a certain magic about the finery of a wedding day. Wedding culture has become a phenomenon all its own. Perhaps the greatest moment of suspense is when the wedding dress appears. And for many brides, choosing the right dress is one of the highlights of the whole event. But why do so many brides around the world prefer a shade of white for their special dress?
even as others go with red or black. What are the roots of this iconic garment? And how has the ideal of it evolved over time? We'll take a romantic journey through wedding history to answer these questions and more. So just relax and let your mind drift as we explore the sleepy history of the white wedding dress.
On February 10th, 1840, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were married, becoming one of the most famous royal couples in modern history. Although the young queen was rumored to have wished for a simple wedding, her advisors convinced her to make it a large and public celebration.
Showing early signs of the celebrated monarch she would prove to be, Victoria put great thought into the details of the event. It was not a widespread practice back then to splurge on a gown just for a wedding. But royals had a reputation to maintain. Victoria would, of course, order a special dress for the nuptials.
In order to show support for a struggling industry in England, she decided that her dress should prominently feature the work of English lace makers. And in order for the lace to be easily visible, she needed to choose a light color for the gown. The fabric she selected was an ivory shade of white.
Her 12 bridesmaids were also attired in white, but they were the only ones to mimic her fashion on the day. In fact, Victoria decreed that no other guest would wear white to the wedding. And in order to keep her gown completely unique, she had the dress pattern destroyed. Giving herself a touch of everyday rural appeal, she also had her train embroidered with myrtle orange blossoms.
and she wore a matching wreath of the blooms on her head. Even though there are no photos of Victoria from that day, an illustration was made and it was widely distributed throughout the country. Women of all classes delighted in her bridal style. and began to take their cue from her, wearing white dresses of their own.
As the Victorian era continued, ideals about purity and romantic love caused the public to quickly project unintended new meaning onto Victoria's white gown. In fact, by 1949, the popular magazine called Godey's Lady's Book is quoted as saying that for brides, custom has decided from the earliest ages that white is the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material.
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Chapter 2: How did Queen Victoria influence wedding dress fashion?
The 1930s ushered in a fascinating era in bridal fashion. The popularity of films meant that brides could begin to emulate their favorite movie stars, and the availability of ready-to-wear clothing made that possible, even on a small budget. As a result, wedding dresses took their cue from the silver screen, much like the rest of the fashion world did.
The appearance of the first dedicated bridal magazine in 1936 heightened the pop culture mania for following the cues of the rich and famous. Dresses that had been worn by actresses like Joan Crawford and Carol Lombard, both on and off screen, set the trend. In general, it was popular to have a full-length satin dress, with a bias cut, accessorized with a floating veil.
Necklines were usually high, and there were often sleeves, and many of the sleeves were ruffled and full. White was still a popular color, although Wallis Simpson was a hit in her dignified pale blue silk crepe dress when she wed Edward, the Duke of Windsor in 1937.
In fact, the shade came to be called Wallace blue as the depression era gripped the United States thrift once again became front and center. it was much more common for women to wear the nicest dress they already owned or to choose something that could be repurposed after the wedding, such as a silk or chiffon tea dress.
Brides who were marrying for a second time might even wear a suit, which was something Carol Lombard did at her second wedding in 1939 to actor Clark Gable. With the onset of the Second World War, frugality became an even greater virtue. Not only did brides have to make do with whatever they had on hand in many cases, but they often had little time to prepare for their ceremony.
With nearly two-thirds of marrying men in military service, weddings took on an urgency and spontaneity unique to the time. In 1942, Vogue magazine is quoted as saying, The 1942 schedule may run something like this. engagement announcement on Monday, invitation sent out by telegraph on Wednesday, the last handful of rice and rose petals flung on Saturday.
Ava Gardner was a perfect example of the practices of the era when she chose her outfit to marry Mickey Rooney in 1942. She wore an elegant gray suit, a short black veil, and a white ribbon corsage pinned to her lapel. Other women chose white suits that complemented the military dress uniforms worn by so many grooms.
Looking back, when then-Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten in 1947, it was as if bridal fashion paused, with one foot still in the war years and another stepping boldly into the future. At the time, fabric was still rationed.
Although royals were certainly expected to live up to a greater standard of fashion in wedding wear, Elizabeth was extremely conscientious about doing what was right. As such, she saved up coupons to pay for the dress that was designed for her by Norman Hartnell.
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