Ever wonder why brides mostly wear white on their wedding day?
It was the wedding of Queen Victoria that sparked the interest and fame of white wedding dresses as we know them today.
Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe in 1840, and wore what would then have been considered an ostentatious white gown. Of course, this did not start the tradition right away; however, many women saw this as a statement of class and style, and copied the Queen by also getting married in white.
The white wedding dress in those days had nothing to do with being virtuous — it was all about wealth. Getting married in a white, extravagant gown was a sign that you could afford to buy a dress that you would never be able to wear again because of its style and color (whites were not easy to clean in those days as they are today).
Most women still continued to be married in a variety of colors and styles of dress — it was only those who felt the need to follow in the footsteps of the wealthy Monarch that chose a white dress to be married in. However, during Edwardian times, the white wedding dress soared to new heights of fame, as Coco Chanel unveiled her new knee-length white wedding dress, complete with extravagant train.
With the depression that followed World War I and the approach of World War II, many women continued to make do with whatever type of dress they could afford, and this went on for decades. Some women would marry in a short white informal wedding dress, which could then be dyed and used as an everyday dress. Again, it was only the staggeringly wealthy that could really afford to indulge and marry in an elaborate gown.
However, from the 1950s onwards, as the world watched Hollywood stars, royalty and members of high society wed in stunning white gowns, the tradition of the bride wearing white became the standard.
Attending a wedding? Check out our gorgeous dress selections by clicking here.
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