George Boyle
The white wedding dress is a tradition that is commonly associated with Western cultures in the Americas and Europe. The tradition is believed to have started with Queen Victoria, who wore a white dress when she married Prince Albert in 1840. White wedding dresses were initially a symbol of wealth and status, as the color was expensive and difficult to keep clean. Over time, the color white became associated with purity, innocence, and new beginnings in Western cultures, further cementing its place as the standard color for wedding dresses. While the tradition of wearing white on one's wedding day is strong in Western cultures, it is not universal. In many Eastern cultures, white is considered unlucky, and brides often wear colorful attire, with red being a popular choice in countries like India, China, Pakistan, and Vietnam.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Regions where white wedding dresses are common | Western cultures in the Americas and Europe, including Great Britain |
| White wedding dresses are uncommon in Eastern cultures, as well as in India, China, Pakistan, Vietnam, and some African, Middle Eastern, and South American countries | |
| Reasons for wearing a white wedding dress | Symbol of purity, innocence, virginity, youth, and new beginnings |
| Showing off wealth and social status | |
| History | Popularised by Queen Victoria in the 1840s |
| Became customary in the mid-20th century | |
| Received another boost in popularity in 1981 with the wedding of Diana Spencer and Charles, Prince of Wales | |
| Statistics | 82% of U.S. brides wear white |
| 83% of brides selected white attire in a 2022 survey |
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What You'll Learn
White wedding dresses in Western cultures
The white wedding dress is a traditional formal or semi-formal wedding dress originating in Great Britain. The term originates from the white colour of the wedding dress, popularised by Queen Victoria, who wore a white lace dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. The white wedding style was further popularised in 1981 when Princess Diana wore a white dress at her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, which was watched by 750 million people.
White wedding dresses only became customary in the mid-20th century, and even then, it was only after World War II that the average woman began wearing a white dress. Before this, only wealthier brides wore white because they could afford to have their dresses professionally cleaned, as brides would continue to wear their wedding dress long after the big day. White dresses were also a way for brides to show off their wealth, as they were harder to keep clean and could be easily ruined by any sort of work or spill.
The idea that the colour white symbolises purity and virginity is a common association, with some believing that this idea originated from the Catholic church. However, this idea of the colour white as a symbol of purity and virginity is not necessarily true. In fact, white dresses were more about showing off one's wealth than one's virginity. During the Great Depression and World War II, fancy fabrics were hard to come by, so luxe white wedding dresses were replaced with simpler suits in non-white hues.
Nowadays, white is the most widely worn colour for wedding gowns, with 82% of brides in the US wearing white. White wedding dresses are also popular in other Western countries, from Norway to Argentina.
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White wedding dresses in Eastern cultures
The white wedding dress has a long history in Western culture, with white symbolising purity and grace. However, in Eastern cultures, the wedding dress is often a colourful outfit, with red being the most popular choice for brides in India, China, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Singapore. In these cultures, white is often considered an unlucky colour.
In the West, the tradition of wearing a white wedding dress is believed to have started with Queen Victoria, who wore a white gown during her wedding in 1840. The white dress was trimmed with Honiton lace, which the Queen chose to help the struggling factory that produced the fabric. As this was one of the first "celebrity weddings", with photos shared around the world, brides across the world took note and began to wear white wedding dresses.
However, in Eastern cultures, the colour red is often chosen for wedding dresses as it is believed to signify life, luck, and celebration. In Japan, for example, a bride typically wears several kimonos of different colours throughout her wedding day, including a white kimono during a traditional Shinto ceremony.
In some Eastern cultures, the choice of colour for a wedding dress may also be influenced by social status. Brides from wealthy families often wore rich colours and exclusive fabrics, such as bold colours and layers of furs, velvet, and silk. The attire of the bride was a testament to the wealth and social standing of her family.
Overall, while white wedding dresses may be popular in Western cultures, they are not the only option, and in Eastern cultures, brides often choose to wear colourful outfits that symbolise purity, innocence, life, luck, and celebration.
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The influence of Queen Victoria
The wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was a highly publicised event, and the gown garnered a great deal of press attention. The public was intrigued by the royal wedding, with even Charles Dickens writing to a friend, "Society is unhinged here by her majesty’s marriage, and I am sorry to add that I have fallen hopelessly in love with the Queen." The dress itself was described by Victoria in her journal: "I wore a white satin dress, with a deep flounce of Honiton lace, an imitation of an old design. My jewels were my Turkish diamond necklace & earrings & dear Albert's beautiful sapphire brooch."
The white dress was also chosen to boost the lace industry, with the lace pattern being destroyed after the work was completed to prevent copying. The colour white was also seen as a symbol of wealth, as it showed that the bride's family could afford to have the dress cleaned, and it was quickly adopted by wealthy, fashionable brides. In 1849, the popular American magazine Godey's Lady's Book asserted that white was the most fitting colour for a bridal gown, claiming that it was an ancient custom reflecting the bride's purity and virginity.
Queen Victoria's influence on bridal fashion has lasted nearly two centuries, with her example of wearing white still considered mandatory by many traditional brides. The tradition has been continued by royal brides, with comparisons drawn between Victoria's dress and the white wedding dress worn by Catherine Middleton at her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
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The psychology of the colour white
The colour white holds a variety of symbolic meanings and associations, which may vary across different individuals and cultures. In the context of wedding dresses, the colour white has been associated with the idea of purity and innocence, representing the bride's virginity before marriage. This notion gained popularity after Queen Victoria's wedding, when wealthier brides opted for white gowns to showcase their wealth and ability to afford professional cleaning services for the dress.
Psychologically, white is often associated with purity, freshness, sterility, and cleanliness. It can convey a sense of simplicity and highlight the other colours it is paired with. White is also described as cold, bland, and sterile, evoking feelings of emptiness, sterility, and distance. In some cultures, white symbolises the beginning of life, while in others, it is predominantly used for funerals, representing the end of a cycle and the start of a new one.
In marketing, white is often used to create a modern, clean, and simple aesthetic. It can symbolise neutrality and space, providing a sense of "breathing room" between elements. However, it may also come across as cold and sterile, potentially giving an impression of inaccessibility or a lack of relatability.
White is a versatile colour that can be used to convey a range of emotions and ideas. Its symbolic meaning can vary depending on cultural context and individual interpretation. In the context of weddings, white has become a traditional choice for bridal gowns in Western cultures, contributing to the idea of purity and new beginnings.
In summary, the colour white holds a multitude of psychological meanings. It can represent purity, innocence, simplicity, and cleanliness, while also evoking feelings of sterility, coldness, and emptiness in certain contexts. White is a versatile colour with a range of associations, and its significance can be shaped by cultural and individual factors.
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White wedding dresses in modern times
The white wedding dress is a tradition that is predominantly followed in Western cultures in the Americas and Europe. In many Eastern cultures, white is considered unlucky, and brides opt for other colours. In India, China, Pakistan, and Vietnam, red is the most popular choice.
The white wedding dress was popularised by Queen Victoria, who wore a white gown when she married Prince Albert in 1840. Wealthier brides began to follow this trend, as they could afford to have their white attire professionally cleaned. White dresses were also harder to maintain, which added to their prestige. The colour came to be associated with purity, innocence, and wealth. However, this symbolism was not universal, and in some cultures, white was already associated with these concepts before the Western tradition of white wedding dresses emerged. For example, in Ancient Greece and Rome, white robes symbolised youth, joy, and purity.
In the 1930s, during the Great Depression and World War II, lavish white wedding dresses became less common, as fancy fabrics were harder to come by. Some brides opted for simpler suits in non-white hues, and others repurposed silk parachutes into wedding dresses. After World War II, as society became more prosperous and clothing became cheaper to produce, the white wedding dress re-emerged as a symbol of luxury. The portrayal of weddings in Hollywood, as well as the widespread circulation of images of celebrity weddings, further cemented the notion that marriage demanded a white dress. For example, Grace Kelly's wedding gown in 1956, made from lace, silk, pearls, and tulle, inspired brides around the world.
Today, white remains the most widely worn colour for wedding gowns, with 82% of brides in the U.S. opting for white dresses. However, this tradition is not universal, and there are increasingly more options available for brides who want to eschew the traditional white dress in favour of a more unique look. Wedding dresses in shades of pink, blue, gold, grey, and even black have gained popularity in recent years. Ultimately, the choice of wedding dress should reflect the bride's personality and style, whether it be white or another colour.
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Frequently asked questions
White wedding dresses are commonly worn in Western countries, including the United States and many European countries.
Yes, many Eastern cultures consider white to be an unlucky colour, so brides opt for other colours. Indian, Chinese, Pakistani, Vietnamese, and Japanese brides traditionally wear red, which is considered a lucky colour. In Africa, brides often wear bright colours, and in Peru, bright colours and eye-catching geometric patterns are customary.
White wedding dresses became popular in the mid-19th century after Queen Victoria wore a white dress to marry Prince Albert in 1840.
White fabric was very expensive and difficult to keep clean, so it was a way for wealthy brides like Queen Victoria to show off their wealth. Some books at the time noted that white was chosen to represent purity and innocence.
