George Boyle
Queen Victoria's wedding dress was a white gown of Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace, worn when she married Prince Albert in 1840. She accessorised with a wreath of orange blossoms and myrtle, Turkish diamond earrings, a sapphire brooch, and flat white satin slippers. Victoria's choice of a white wedding dress was unusual for the time, as they were not popular, and it is claimed that she began the tradition of brides wearing white. However, it is debated as to why she chose to wear white, and whether she was, in fact, the first royal to do so.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Queen Victoria's wedding | 1840 |
| Colour of Queen Victoria's wedding dress | White |
| Fabric of Queen Victoria's wedding dress | Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace |
| Style of Queen Victoria's wedding dress | Eight-piece bodice with a wide, open neckline, short puffed off-the-shoulder sleeves, a deep v-shaped pointed waistline, and a floor-length skirt with seven widths of fabric in forward-facing pleats |
| Jewellery worn by Queen Victoria | Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, Albert's sapphire brooch, and flat white satin slippers |
| Hairstyle of Queen Victoria | Middle parting with low buns on either side of her head |
| Symbolism of the white dress | Innocence, purity, and virginity |
| Popularity of white dresses before Queen Victoria | Worn by wealthy and royal brides to symbolise status and wealth |
| Impact of Queen Victoria's wedding dress | Popularised the trend of wearing white wedding dresses, which became a symbol of innocence and romance |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Victoria's wedding dress was made of Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace
The dress was made in two pieces, a skirt and a bodice. The skirt was bell-shaped and supported by layers of petticoats, with a corset of whalebone worn underneath the bodice. The neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves were trimmed with lace, and the skirt was adorned with a lace overskirt and a train of lace. The entire ensemble was white, which was an unusual choice at the time, as white dresses were difficult to keep clean and were therefore seen as a sign of wealth.
Queen Victoria wrote about her dress in her journal, describing it as "a white satin gown with a very deep flounce of Honiton lace, imitation of old". She also mentioned the jewellery she wore: "I wore my Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, and Albert’s beautiful sapphire brooch." The dress was considered relatively modest by royal standards, with Victoria reportedly not wanting to outshine her cousin and groom, Prince Albert.
The wedding dress garnered significant press attention, and white wedding dresses became popular soon after. However, it is important to note that Victoria was not the first to wear white, and the trend was also influenced by other factors, such as the perception of white as a symbol of purity and innocence. Nonetheless, Queen Victoria's choice of a white wedding dress made of Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace remains a notable moment in fashion history, influencing bridal fashion for centuries to come.
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The dress was an off-white or cream colour
Queen Victoria's wedding dress was described by the Queen herself as "a white satin gown with a very deep flounce of Honiton lace, imitation of old". She also mentioned that she wore her "Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, and Albert's beautiful sapphire brooch". However, the dress was not pure white, but rather an off-white or cream colour, made from cream satin woven in Spitalfields, London's historic centre of the silk industry.
The dress was also adorned with orange blossoms, a symbol of fertility, and featured an 18-foot-long train. The off-the-shoulder sleeves were short and puffed, and the skirt was floor-length and very full, containing seven widths of fabric in forward-facing pleats. The bright white vision of Queen Victoria on her wedding day contrasted starkly with her future wardrobe. After her husband Albert's death in 1861, Victoria grieved for the rest of her life, spending most of her reign wearing black.
Queen Victoria's choice of a white wedding dress was not entirely novel. While it was not the only acceptable colour, white had been a popular choice for wedding gowns among the wealthy nobility for centuries. It was also a symbol of wealth and status due to its fragile nature and the difficulty of keeping it clean. However, Queen Victoria's highly publicised wedding brought the tradition of wearing white to the forefront, and it was quickly adopted by wealthy and fashionable brides.
The white dress also took on a symbolic meaning. Historian Jennifer Steadman believes that Victoria chose white to be seen as Albert's wife rather than a queen, and to symbolise innocence and romance. This perception was supported by Agnes Strickland, who wrote in her 1840 biography of Queen Victoria that the Queen was dressed "not as a queen in her glittering trappings, but in spotless white, like a pure virgin, to meet her bridegroom".
Queen Victoria's wedding dress was certainly influential, and it is said that she "kicked off" the trend of brides wearing white on their wedding day. However, it is important to note that the trend did not become widespread until the 1850s and 1860s, with the high-profile marriages of other British royal brides who followed Victoria's tradition.
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White was a symbol of wealth and status
Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress when she married Prince Albert in 1840. She wrote in her journal:
> I wore a white satin gown with a very deep flounce of Honiton lace, imitation of old. I wore my Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, and Albert’s beautiful sapphire brooch.
At the time, it was common for wedding dresses to come in a variety of colours, and white gowns were not popular as they were exceedingly difficult to keep clean. White outfits were therefore seen as a sign of wealth and status. As Julia Baird writes in "Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire":
> Before bleaching techniques were mastered, white was a rare and expensive colour, more a symbol of wealth than purity.
White has long been associated with purity, clarity, and fresh beginnings, and is considered the colour of gods and goddesses in many cultures. In ancient Rome, it was used to symbolise power and authority, and white marble was highly sought-after in architecture, as it was seen as a symbol of wealth and success. This association continued long after the fall of the Roman Empire, and to this day, the pope—the leader of the Roman Catholic Church—has dressed in white as a symbol of virtue and sacrifice since 1566.
In the Renaissance period, between the 16th and 18th centuries, both men and women wore white makeup and skin-bleaching products to achieve an artificial fairness that was considered a sign of wealth, intelligence, and power. This was because only those who did not have to work in the fields could avoid sunburn and maintain their social status through their unblemished complexions.
While Queen Victoria was not the first to wear a white wedding dress, her choice of a white satin gown certainly made it popular, and white wedding dresses became a lasting tradition in Western bridal fashion.
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Victoria chose white to highlight the delicate lace
Queen Victoria's wedding dress was made of Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace. In her journal, Victoria described her dress as "a white satin gown with a very deep flounce of Honiton lace, imitation of old".
While Victoria was not the first royal to wear white, her choice of wedding dress certainly set a trend for brides to come. In the years following her wedding, white wedding dresses became popular among wealthy, fashionable brides.
There are several theories as to why Victoria chose to wear white. Historian Jennifer Steadman believes that Victoria was aware of the colour's association with innocence and wanted to be seen as Prince Albert's wife, rather than a queen. This theory is supported by Agnes Strickland's 1840 biography of Queen Victoria, which describes Victoria as dressed "not as a queen in her glittering trappings, but in spotless white, like a pure virgin, to meet her bridegroom".
Another theory, proposed by Julia Baird in her biography of Victoria, is that Victoria chose white to highlight the delicate lace on her dress. At the time, white was a rare and expensive colour, as it was difficult to keep a white dress clean. As such, white was seen as a symbol of wealth and status. Victoria was also a supporter of the English lace industry and often wore lace on her and her children's clothes. She continued to wear her wedding veil on special occasions throughout her life and was even buried in it.
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The white wedding dress became a symbol of innocence and purity
Queen Victoria's wedding dress was not the first of its kind, but it was certainly influential. At the time of her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840, wedding dresses came in a variety of colours. Victoria chose a white satin gown with a deep flounce of Honiton lace, an imitation of an old design. She also wore a Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, and Albert's sapphire brooch.
Historian Jennifer Steadman believes that Victoria chose white because she was aware of its perception of innocence in the media. Steadman writes, "She wanted to be seen as [Albert's] wife, so she didn’t wear the red ermine robe of state. She wore white. After that, all representations in...fashion magazines picked up on that. The white wedding dress became the standard symbol for innocence and romance."
Another theory, proposed by Julia Baird in her book "Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire", suggests that Victoria chose white because it was the perfect colour to highlight the delicate lace. White was also a symbol of wealth and status, as it was difficult to keep a white dress looking new and clean.
The trend of wearing white on one's wedding day was not immediate, however. It was not until the 1850s and 1860s that the trend truly took off, thanks in part to the high-profile marriages of other British royal brides, such as Victoria's daughter, who followed the traditions set by her mother. The rise of a large middle class with expendable income for the first time in modern history also contributed to the popularisation of the white wedding dress.
In conclusion, while Queen Victoria may not have been the first to wear a white wedding dress, she certainly played a significant role in popularising the tradition. The white wedding dress became a symbol of innocence and purity, as well as wealth and status, and has remained a popular choice for brides ever since.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Queen Victoria was not the first to wear a white wedding dress. However, she is credited with starting the trend.
Queen Victoria's wedding dress was made of Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace. It featured a wide, open neckline, short puffed sleeves, and a deep v-shaped pointed waistline. The skirt was floor-length with forward-facing pleats, and the satin train was over six yards long.
There are several theories as to why Queen Victoria chose to wear white. One theory suggests that she wanted to be seen as Prince Albert's wife rather than a queen, with white symbolising innocence and purity. Another theory is that she chose white to showcase the delicate lace on her dress, which was made to support English lace makers.
Queen Victoria wore her Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, along with a sapphire brooch that belonged to her husband, Prince Albert.
Yes, Queen Victoria is said to have started the tradition of wearing a wreath of orange blossoms, a symbol of fertility, which has been included in every British royal wedding since.
