White Wedding Dress
White wedding dress today is a deep tradition, and for many worn to signify virtue and uphold the tradition. Millions – in fact billions – of women around the world started thinking about the perfect white wedding dress before they even found the perfect partner.
Britain is a place full of tradition and legend, so it is not surprising that the tradition of white wedding dress was started by the British Monarchy. It is the marriage of Queen Victoria that spawned the interest and popularity of white wedding dresses as we know them today.
Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe in 1840, and wore what would then be considered flamboyant white gown. Of course, this tradition did not start immediately, however, many women see this as a statement of class and style, and copied the Queen by also getting married in white.
White wedding dress in those days had nothing to do with being virtuous – it’s all about wealth. Married in white fancy dress is a sign that you are able to buy a dress that you will not be used again because of the style and color (white is not easy to clean in those days as now!).
Of course, women still continue to be married in a variety of colors and styles of clothing – it’s just pointless and wealthy whites who insisted to follow in the footsteps of the wealthy Monarch. However, during the Edwardian period, white wedding dress once more soared to new heights of popularity, as Coco Chanel launched a new knee-length white wedding dress, complete with a luxury train.
Even so, with the depression that followed World War I and World War II approaches, many women continue to make do with what kind of clothes they can afford, and this lasted for several decades. Some women will get married in a short white informal wedding dress, which could then be dyed and used as everyday wear. Once again, it’s just very rich really afford to splurge on an elaborate gown.
However, from 1950 onwards, as the world watched Hollywood stars, royalty and high society members can be married in a stunning white dress, white tradition be signed and sealed.
