George Boyle
The colour and style of wedding dresses have evolved over the years, following fashion trends, cultural influences, and economic factors. Before Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, wedding dresses came in a variety of colours, with red being a popular choice among royal brides. Brides wore their best dress on their wedding day, which could be white, but also other colours such as gold, blue, or any other colour their best dress happened to be. In the 17th century, American colonies considered black and white as formal wear, while bright colours were for everyday wear. In China, brides traditionally wear red phoenix dresses, and in India, red wedding saris are believed to signal future success and prosperity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time period | Before the mid-1800s |
| Typical colours | Gold, Blue, Red, Green, Purple, Orange, Yellow, Black |
| Fabrics | Velvet, Silk, Fur |
| Cultural significance | Royalty, wealth, virginity, purity, prosperity, youth |
| Wearer demographics | Royalty, wealthy, average women |
| Geographical areas | Europe, US, India, China, Japan, Korea |
| Modern trends | Pink, sleeveless, strapless |
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What You'll Learn
White wedding dresses were popular before Queen Victoria
The colour and style of wedding gowns have always followed fashion trends. Before Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, bridal attire was not limited to the traditional white dress that is common today. In fact, a variety of colours and fabrics were worn, depending on the customs and beliefs of the time and place.
In the 17th century, American colonists considered black and white to be formal wear, while bright colours were reserved for everyday use. In China, brides wore red, which is considered a symbol of future success and prosperity. This tradition continues today, with modern Chinese brides donning red phoenix dresses with mythical roots. In India too, red is a popular choice for wedding attire, carrying similar connotations of prosperity and success.
In the Western world, royal brides before Queen Victoria wore a variety of colours, with red being one of the most popular choices. White dresses, on the other hand, were reserved for women being presented at court. Wealthy brides often opted for expensive fabrics like velvet and silk, sometimes even incorporating fur into their gowns. The colour and opulence of the dress were a way to showcase the family's wealth and social status.
During the Regency era, white was a fashionable colour for dresses in general, and it was not uncommon for brides to wear white. However, it was just one of many colours that were acceptable, with gold, damask patterns, and other light colours also being worn. For many average women, their wedding attire was simply their best dress, regardless of the colour.
It was Queen Victoria who set the trend for white wedding dresses when she married Prince Albert in 1840. The fashion-loving Queen chose a non-traditional dress made from Spitalfields cream silk-satin with a flounce of Honiton lace. As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, other European leaders followed suit, and the white wedding dress became increasingly popular.
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Royals wore a variety of colours
The colour and style of wedding gowns have always followed fashion trends, and the choice of colour often symbolises different cultural meanings. Before the mid-1800s, wedding dresses were usually made from rich colours and elegant and/or rare fabrics. Royals and the wealthy wore a variety of colours, with red being one of the most popular choices.
In India, red is a popular wedding dress colour, as it is believed to signal future success and prosperity. In China, brides wear sleek red phoenix dresses with mythical roots, while Japanese Shinto brides wear white. In the seventh century, during the reign of the Tang Dynasty, it became fashionable for brides to wear green, perhaps as a nod to the springtime clothing of the previous Han period.
In the 17th century, American colonies considered black and white as formal wear, with bright colours being reserved for everyday wear. White was also a youthful colour, especially during the Regency era, worn for presentations at court, balls, etc. Before Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840, white dresses were reserved for women being presented at court.
The white wedding dress became expected for most brides by the late 1800s, due to economic progress and the rise of the middle classes. However, some brides still opted for colourful dresses, such as lady's maid Harriett Joyce, who wore a purple dress for her 1889 wedding, and Monica Maurice, who wore a red silk gauze dress in 1938. Even today, celebrities often popularise alternatives to the traditional white gown, with Gwen Stefani, Reese Witherspoon, and Anne Hathaway choosing variations of pink for their wedding dresses.
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Brides wore their best dress
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses became popular in the 19th century, when Queen Victoria wore a white gown when she married in 1840. However, before this, brides simply wore their best dress, or a dress in their favourite colour. This was often a colourful dress, with red being one of the most popular choices.
In the 7th century, during the Tang Dynasty, it became fashionable for brides to wear green. Their grooms usually wore red. The fashion influences from this period can still be seen in traditional Japanese and Korean bridal fashions today. For example, in Japan, it is customary for a bride to wear several kimonos of different colours throughout her wedding day.
In the 19th century, laundering clothing was a laborious task, and white dresses were particularly difficult to maintain. As such, wedding gowns were often worn several times throughout a bride's life. Even Queen Victoria wore her wedding dress to other events. It was only after the Second World War, when clothing became cheaper to produce, that the white, single-use wedding dress became the expected choice for most brides.
Even today, some brides still choose to wear their best dress or a dress in their favourite colour, rather than a traditional white wedding dress. For instance, in 1889, a 35-year-old lady's maid named Harriett Joyce wore a purple dress for her wedding, as she considered herself too old for a traditional white gown. In 1938, Monica Maurice chose to wear a red silk gauze wedding dress. In 1971, Sara Donaldson-Hudson wore an orange shift dress and orange satin knee boots for her wedding to a divorcé, as her mother did not want her to wear white.
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White symbolised wealth
Before the mid-19th century, wedding dresses were often made from rich colours and luxurious fabrics such as velvet and silk. The extravagance of the gown was a way to display the wealth of the bride's family. White dresses were worn by brides before 1840, but they were mostly restricted to royal and wealthy brides.
In 1840, Queen Victoria married Prince Albert wearing a white dress, which was considered a non-traditional choice at the time. The dress was made from Spitalfields cream silk-satin with a flounce of Honiton lace at the neck and sleeves. It featured a slim waist, a full crinoline petticoat, and lace embellishments. This style is still considered the 'classic' wedding dress silhouette in the West today.
As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, other European leaders followed suit. The white dresses were conspicuously luxurious and difficult to maintain, as laundering clothing was challenging in the 19th century. White dresses gradually gained new symbolism, coming to represent not only wealth but also purity and innocence. They also photographed well in early black-and-white or sepia-toned photography.
By the late 1800s, the white wedding gown became the expected choice for most brides due to economic progress and the rise of the middle classes. However, it took a few more decades for white wedding dresses to become fully democratised among middle-class married couples in Europe and the US.
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Other colours and cultures
The colour and style of wedding gowns have always followed fashion trends, and while pristine white is a lovely tradition, it has never been an obligation. In fact, before Queen Victoria initiated the trend of white wedding gowns in 1840, a lot of colours were acceptable, including gold, blue, red, and damask patterns.
During the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century, it became fashionable for brides to wear green, perhaps as a nod to the springtime clothing of the previous Han period, while their bridegrooms typically wore red. In Japan, a bride often wears several kimonos of different colours throughout her wedding day. In India, red is a popular choice, as it is thought to signal future success and prosperity. Similarly, in China, brides wear sleek red phoenix dresses with mythical roots.
Even after Queen Victoria's wedding, some brides chose to wear other colours. In 1889, a 35-year-old lady's maid named Harriett Joyce wore a purple dress for her wedding, considering herself too old for a traditional white gown. In 1938, Monica Maurice chose a striking red silk gauze wedding dress. In 1971, Sara Donaldson-Hudson wore an orange shift dress and orange satin knee boots for her registry office wedding. More recently, celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Reese Witherspoon, and Anne Hathaway have chosen variations of pink for their wedding dresses.
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Frequently asked questions
Wedding dresses in the past were colourful, with red being one of the most popular colours. Brides also wore gold, blue, purple, orange, green, and silver.
White wedding dresses became popular in the 19th century, after Queen Victoria wore a white dress when she married Prince Albert in 1840.
Queen Victoria wore white because she wanted her dress made with the finest lace, which at the time was only available in white.
Regular brides wore their best dress, which may have been white, but could also have been any other colour.
