Junior Rasmussen
The white wedding dress is a matrimonial classic that gained popularity in the 19th century, particularly after Queen Victoria wore a white gown when she married Prince Albert in 1840. Before this, brides wore a variety of colours, with red being a popular choice in Western Europe. White dresses were already reserved for women being presented at court, and Queen Victoria's choice of a white wedding dress set a new standard for bridal fashion. The trend was further boosted by Princess Diana's wedding dress in 1981, which was watched by 750 million people.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1840 |
| Started by | Queen Victoria |
| Colour | Ivory or light pink |
| Fabric | Spitalfields cream silk-satin |
| Details | Flounce of Honiton lace at the neck and sleeves, slim waist, full crinoline petticoat, and lace embellishments |
| Bridegroom | Prince Albert |
| Date | 10 February 1840 |
| Symbolism | Wealth, status, purity, and innocence |
| Popularised by | Vogue, Hollywood, and celebrity weddings |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Victoria popularised the white wedding dress in 1840
Queen Victoria is credited with popularising the white wedding dress when she married Prince Albert in 1840. She wore a white court dress made from Spitalfields silk and Honiton lace, with a flounce of lace at the neck and sleeves. The dress was considered unusual at the time, as wedding dresses were typically colourful, with red being a particularly popular choice in Western Europe.
There are several theories as to why Victoria chose to wear white. One theory suggests that she wanted to highlight the delicate lace of the dress, which was made in England. Lace was expensive and difficult to make, so wearing it was a way to showcase wealth and status. Victoria was also known for her sense of fashion and may have wanted to set a new trend. Another theory speculates that she chose white because it symbolised innocence and purity, a notion that was later reinforced by etiquette books and fashion magazines.
The white wedding dress quickly gained popularity among the elite in Europe and America, with other royal brides and high society women following her lead. However, it took several decades for the trend to become more widespread among middle-class brides. The white dress was challenging to keep clean, so it remained a symbol of wealth and privilege for some time. The development of photography may have also contributed to the popularity of white wedding dresses, as they photographed well in black-and-white or sepia-toned images.
Queen Victoria's wedding dress and her choice of colour have had a lasting impact on bridal fashion. Today, the white wedding dress is often seen as a traditional and classic choice, and it continues to be a popular option for brides worldwide.
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White wedding dresses were a symbol of wealth and status
The white wedding dress became popular in the mid-19th century, specifically in 1840, when Queen Victoria wore a white gown to marry Prince Albert. Before this, wedding dresses came in a variety of colours, with red being a particularly popular choice in Western Europe. Royal brides, for instance, wore "heavy brocaded gowns embroidered with white and silver thread".
The white wedding dress was popularized by Queen Victoria and soon became a symbol of wealth and status. The colour white was difficult to maintain, and laundering clothing in the 19th century was challenging. Therefore, only wealthy brides could afford to wear a white silk gown, as they were married in clean, elegant places away from the grime of mid-19th-century life during the Industrial Age. These dresses were actually cream or ivory, a more flattering shade for the complexion. White dresses also provided an opportunity for conspicuous consumption, allowing the bride's family to display their wealth and social status.
The white wedding dress trend was further boosted by Hollywood portrayals of weddings, particularly after World War II, which helped to crystallize and homogenize the white wedding as a standard. In 1956, Grace Kelly's wedding gown was captured on film and photographs, quickly spreading across the globe. Similarly, in 1981, 750 million people watched Lady Diana Spencer marry Charles, Prince of Wales, with Diana wearing an ivory silk taffeta gown.
While the white wedding dress has become a symbol of purity and innocence, this symbolism was projected onto the dress retrospectively. In the Victorian era, the colour white was associated with purity and innocence, and these ideals were applied to the wedding dress to create a connotation of virginal purity. However, the original symbolism of the white wedding dress was rooted in wealth and status, with only wealthy brides being able to afford the luxury of a dress that could be ruined by any sort of work or spill.
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White wedding dresses were popularised by Hollywood and celebrity weddings
The white wedding dress became popular in the mid-19th century when Queen Victoria wore a white lace dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. The white wedding style was given another significant boost in 1981, when 750 million people watched the wedding of Diana Spencer to Charles, Prince of Wales, with the bride wearing an ivory taffeta dress with an 8-metre train.
The portrayal of weddings in Hollywood, as well as the speed and ease with which people could see images of celebrity weddings, helped cement the notion that marriage demanded a white dress. In 1956, film footage and photographs of Grace Kelly in her wedding gown, made from lace, silk, pearls, and tulle, quickly made their way across the globe.
In more recent times, Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen dress by Sarah Burton and Meghan Markle's dress by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy inspired copies overnight.
The white wedding tradition was also influenced by the fact that white dresses were hard to maintain due to the limitations of laundering techniques before the later part of the 20th century. They were favoured primarily as a way to show that the bride's family was wealthy and firmly part of the leisure class.
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The tradition of wearing white is thousands of years old
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses is often traced back to Queen Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. However, the tradition of wearing white is thousands of years old, with several ancient cultures incorporating white into wedding attire.
In Imperial Korea, men and women wore white or other neutral colours after marriage, and only the very elderly wore white in mourning. In ancient Greece, white robes symbolised youth, joy, and purity. In Zhou- and Han-ruled China, brides wore white undergarments beneath black wedding robes.
In the Victorian era, white was associated with virginal purity, and debutantes were required to wear white court dresses for their first presentation at court. As a result, Queen Victoria's choice of a white wedding dress was considered shocking and set a new standard for bridal fashion. The publication of her wedding portrait popularised the white wedding dress, and the image of a bride in white became deeply ingrained in popular culture.
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses was further reinforced by Hollywood films and the portrayal of weddings in mass media. However, it was not until after World War II that white became the standard choice for brides, as increased prosperity made single-use wedding dresses more accessible.
Today, the white wedding dress is a global phenomenon, with brides from various cultures adopting this tradition. While the colour white continues to be associated with purity and innocence, modern brides are increasingly encouraged to choose a wedding dress that reflects their personal style and makes them feel their best, regardless of colour.
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White wedding dresses were not always the norm
It is a common misconception that white wedding dresses have always been the norm. In reality, brides throughout history have worn a variety of colours, ranging from vibrant hues to muted tones. The tradition of wearing white at weddings can be traced back to the 19th century and the wedding of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert in 1840.
Before Queen Victoria, royal brides wore a variety of colours, with red being a particularly popular choice in Western Europe. Brides in Europe and America wore a variety of colours, including blue, yellow, and practical colours like black, brown, and grey. White dresses were reserved for debutantes being presented at court for the first time.
Queen Victoria's choice of a white wedding gown was a shocking departure from the traditional royal wedding dress. Her dress captured the public's imagination and set a new standard for bridal fashion. The widespread publication of Queen Victoria's wedding portrait further popularized the white wedding dress, as women sought to imitate her style and elegance. The image of a radiant bride in a white gown became deeply ingrained in popular culture and continues to influence bridal fashion to this day.
The white wedding dress became a symbol of wealth and status, as only wealthy brides could afford a lavish white silk gown, which was difficult to keep clean during the mid-19th century Industrial Age. The colour white also gained new symbolism, signifying purity and innocence, in addition to wealth. The portrayal of weddings in Hollywood movies, particularly after World War II, further contributed to the crystallization and homogenization of the white wedding as a normative form.
It is important to note that the white wedding dress was not universally adopted by all social classes until the beginning of the 20th century. Middle-class British and American brides did not fully adopt the trend until after World War II, as increased prosperity made it more feasible to wear a single-use wedding dress. Today, a white wedding dress is the default choice for a first marriage in Europe and European-dominant countries, with brides choosing to wear another colour considered a deviation from the norm.
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Frequently asked questions
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses can be traced back to the Roman Republic (509 B.C. - 27 B.C.), when brides wore white tunics to symbolise purity and a transition to being married. However, after the fall of the Roman Empire, white wedding attire fell out of fashion. White wedding dresses re-emerged in the 19th century, popularised by Queen Victoria, who wore a white court dress to her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.
Queen Victoria chose to wear a white wedding dress as a fashion statement. She was known for her love of fashion and opted for a non-traditional dress and flower crown. The colour white also symbolised wealth and status, as only wealthy brides could afford to wear a dress that would be ruined by any kind of work or spill.
Accounts and images of Queen Victoria's wedding spread across Europe and North America, and fashionable people followed her lead. The white dress also gained new symbolism, coming to represent purity and innocence. The colour white also photographed well in black-and-white and sepia-toned photography.
