Rhiannon Hendricks
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses is often associated with purity and virginity. However, this notion is a myth, as historically, European and American brides wore a variety of colours, including blue, yellow, and practical colours like black, brown, or grey. The white wedding dress tradition began with Queen Victoria, who wore a white court dress to her wedding in 1840. White fabric was expensive and difficult to maintain, so it became a status symbol for the wealthy, and over time, it evolved to symbolize purity and innocence. Today, wearing white is a choice for tradition or aesthetic reasons, and brides have more freedom to tailor their attire to their individual tastes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colour Symbolism | Purity, Virginity, Innocence, Youth, New Beginnings |
| Tradition | Status Symbol, Family Expectations, Timelessness, Classicism |
| Affordability | White Fabric was Expensive, Only the Wealthy could Afford it |
| Photography | White Showed up Better in Grayscale and Sepia Photos |
| Conspicuous Consumption | Showcasing Wealth and Leisure Class Status |
| Fashion | Queen Victoria Wore a White Dress in 1840 |
| Commercialisation | Wedding Dress Magazines, Businesses Profited from Single-Use Dresses |
| Media Influence | Princess Diana's White Wedding, Movies and TV Shows |
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What You'll Learn
White wedding dresses were originally a status symbol
White wedding dresses have long been associated with the concepts of purity and virginity. However, the colour white on wedding dresses did not originally hold this meaning. Instead, white wedding dresses were originally a status symbol.
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses is commonly credited to Queen Victoria, who wore a white court dress to her wedding in 1840. Before Queen Victoria, royal brides did not typically wear white, instead choosing heavy brocaded gowns embroidered with white and silver thread. Red was a particularly popular colour in Western Europe.
White fabric was expensive and difficult to maintain in the Victorian era. It was hard to keep white clothing bright, as it would have required constant hand-washing. Therefore, only the wealthy could afford to wear and showcase a white dress. White dresses were also only worn once, as they could be easily ruined by any sort of work or spill. This further demonstrates how white dresses were a status symbol, as only the rich could afford to wear a dress only once.
As mass production later made more white fabric and gowns available, more women could afford white dresses for their weddings. By the 1920s, white became the standard colour for weddings.
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White dresses were difficult to maintain
White wedding dresses became popular after Queen Victoria wore a white dress at her wedding in 1840. However, white dresses were difficult to maintain for several reasons. Firstly, white fabric was expensive and hard to keep clean. Constant hand-washing was required to maintain the bright shade of the fabric, which was a tedious task. Secondly, due to the limitations of laundering techniques before the 20th century, white dresses could be easily ruined by any sort of work or spill, making them impractical for everyday wear. As a result, only the wealthy could afford to wear and maintain white dresses, making them a status symbol.
The association of white dresses with wealth and status was further reinforced by the practice of wearing the dress only once, which became more common in the 20th century. This idea of conspicuous consumption, where a bride would choose an elaborate dress that would be worn only once, demonstrated the financial means and leisure status of the bride's family. Additionally, the difficulty of maintaining the bright shade of white fabric contributed to the perception that white dresses were not suitable for everyday wear.
The exclusivity of white dresses among the wealthy led to their association with purity and innocence. In the 19th century, an article in Godey's Lady's Book described white as a symbol of "the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one". This idea of white representing purity and virginity became more widely accepted, and it was believed that only a "pure" bride should wear white. However, this misconception has been challenged in recent times, as wedding dresses are now chosen based on tradition, aesthetics, and personal preference rather than symbolism.
In conclusion, white wedding dresses became popular due to Queen Victoria, but their initial appeal was rooted in the difficulty of maintaining the bright shade of the fabric, which made them expensive and exclusive to the wealthy. Over time, the association of white dresses with wealth and status led to their interpretation as symbols of purity and innocence, creating the misconception that only "pure" brides should wear white. Today, the choice of a white wedding dress is influenced by a combination of tradition, personal taste, and cultural expectations.
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White dresses were popular in photos
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses is often attributed to Queen Victoria, who wore a white gown to her wedding in 1840. This was considered unusual at the time, as royal brides typically wore "heavy brocaded gowns embroidered with white and silver thread," and other brides wore a variety of colours, including blue, yellow, and practical colours like black, brown, or grey. However, as photography became more common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, white dresses became increasingly popular due to their visibility in photographs.
White fabric was expensive and difficult to maintain during the Victorian era, so only the wealthy could afford to wear it. As such, white dresses became a status symbol, showcasing the bride's family wealth and social standing. This symbolism was further emphasised by the fact that white dresses were often only worn once, as they could be easily ruined by work or spills. Thus, wearing a white dress became a way to showcase not only wealth but also the leisure class status of the bride's family.
The association of white with purity and virginity emerged during the Victorian era as well. An 1849 article in Godey's Lady's Book described white as "an emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one." This idea was further reinforced by societal expectations of women's modesty and well-behaved behaviour during this time. However, it is important to note that the colour blue was associated with purity before the 19th century, as it was the colour worn by the Virgin Mary.
The popularity of white wedding dresses was further boosted by the highly publicised wedding of Diana Spencer to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981, which was watched by 750 million people. This event solidified the image of a bride in a white dress as a ubiquitous symbol of Western weddings. Today, while brides have more freedom to choose different colours, white remains the traditional and classic choice, often selected to honour family traditions and create a timeless moment that ties generations together.
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White dresses are now traditional
White wedding dresses have become traditional in Western weddings. The tradition began with Queen Victoria, who wore a white dress to her wedding in 1840. This was an unusual choice at the time, as white clothing was expensive and difficult to maintain, and so it was primarily worn by young and wealthy brides. However, as mass production later made white fabric more accessible, more women could afford white dresses for their weddings.
White wedding dresses were given another boost in popularity in 1981, when Lady Diana Spencer wore a white dress for her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, which was watched by 750 million people. Today, white is seen as the traditional, go-to colour for bridal gowns in the Western world, with most brides in the UK wearing white or off-white.
White dresses have long been associated with concepts such as purity, virginity, innocence, youth, and new beginnings. However, the idea that brides must be virgins to wear white is now considered outdated, and many brides choose to wear white even if they are not virgins or if they have children. In the 21st century, the choice to wear a white wedding dress is often more about tradition and aesthetics than any symbolic meaning.
While white is still the most common colour for wedding dresses, brides today have more freedom to break with tradition and choose a different colour if they wish.
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White dresses are chosen for individual tastes
White wedding dresses have been traditionally associated with purity, virginity, innocence, youth, and new beginnings. However, this symbolism is no longer as significant as it once was, and today, white is often chosen simply for its traditional appeal or aesthetic value.
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses is commonly attributed to Queen Victoria, who wore a white court dress to her wedding with Prince Albert in 1840. At the time, this was considered an unusual choice, as white dresses were challenging to keep clean due to the limitations of laundering techniques. Despite this, the trend caught on, and white became the go-to colour for wedding dresses, especially among the wealthy.
In the past, wearing a white wedding dress was often a status symbol, as only the wealthy could afford to wear and maintain a dress that would likely be ruined by any sort of work or spill. Additionally, white dresses showed up well in the era's grayscale and sepia photos. However, as mass production made white fabric more accessible, the tradition evolved to symbolise purity and innocence, with virginity being a more recent connotation.
Today, brides have much more freedom to choose a wedding dress that aligns with their individual tastes and preferences. While white remains a popular choice, it is not the only acceptable colour. Brides who wish to break with tradition can opt for a variety of other colours or even incorporate unique details such as floral prints or black accents. Ultimately, the choice of wedding dress colour, including white, is a personal decision that reflects the bride's style, values, and family traditions.
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Frequently asked questions
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses is commonly credited to Queen Victoria, who wore a white court dress to her wedding in 1840. White fabric was expensive and difficult to maintain at the time, so it became a status symbol. The colour white has since been associated with purity and virginity, but today, it is more about tradition and aesthetics.
Before white wedding dresses became popular in the 19th century, brides wore a variety of colours, including blue, yellow, black, brown, grey, red, violet, and gold or silver embroidered gowns.
No, brides today have the freedom to break tradition and choose a dress colour that suits their individual tastes.
