Lyla Dejesus
The white wedding dress is a tradition that is believed to have originated with Queen Victoria, who wore a white gown when she married Prince Albert in 1840. The fashion-conscious queen chose a non-traditional dress, reportedly to showcase the detailed British lace, and her choice was widely reported and emulated. White wedding dresses became a symbol of status and wealth, as they were hard to keep clean and could be ruined by any sort of work. Over time, they also came to be associated with purity, innocence, and new beginnings. While some brides today opt for more unconventional styles, the white wedding dress remains a classic choice, often chosen to honour tradition and create a timeless moment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Started by | Queen Victoria |
| Symbolises | Purity, innocence, wealth, status, youth, joy |
| Popularised by | Hollywood |
| Maintained by | Tradition |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Queen Victoria's influence
Queen Victoria is often credited with starting the tradition of brides wearing white on their wedding day. On her wedding day in 1840, the 21-year-old queen wore a white satin gown with a deep flounce of Honiton lace. She described her dress 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."
Queen Victoria was not the first to wear a white dress on her wedding day. Royalty and women from wealthy backgrounds had been wearing white wedding dresses for many years. White was seen as a sign of extravagance and status due to its fragile nature. However, Queen Victoria's influence on bridal fashion is undeniable. Her wedding was highly publicised, and her choice of a white wedding dress made world news courtesy of newspaper reports, paintings of the ceremony, and souvenir artwork. As a result, fashionable people followed her lead, and the white wedding dress became a popular symbol of status and a connotation of innocence and virginal purity.
In Agnes Strickland's 1840 biography of Queen Victoria, she wrote that Victoria was dressed:
> "not as a queen in her glittering trappings, but in spotless white, like a pure virgin, to meet her bridegroom."
Historian Jennifer Steadman supports this theory, believing that Victoria chose white because she was aware of its perception of innocence in the media. Steadman explains:
> "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."
Beach Formal Wedding Attire: What to Wear?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Symbolism of purity and innocence
The tradition of wearing a white wedding dress was started by Queen Victoria when she married Prince Albert in 1840. Before her, royal brides wore wedding dresses in a variety of colours, with red being one of the most popular choices. As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, other European leaders followed suit. The new dresses were conspicuously luxurious, and white dresses were hard to maintain. As white dresses gained popularity, they took on new symbolism—the colour began to be associated with purity, innocence, and wealth.
In many societies, the colour white has long been associated with purity and virtue, which is one reason why some brides, especially in the West, choose to wear white. This symbolism dates back to biblical times, when blue represented purity, and the Greeks used white robes to symbolise youth, joy, and purity. In the 1960s, the Bridal Apparel Association even commissioned studies that attempted to prove that a white wedding dress made for a more stable marriage.
The portrayal of weddings in Hollywood, as well as the widespread dissemination of celebrity wedding photos, also helped to cement the notion that marriage demanded a white dress. For example, in 1956, images of Grace Kelly's wedding gown quickly spread around the globe. Similarly, in 1981, 750 million people watched Lady Diana Spencer marry the Prince of Wales in a lavish ivory silk taffeta gown.
Today, many brides continue to wear white wedding dresses, often citing tradition as the main reason. Some brides also view wearing a white dress as a classic choice and a special opportunity to wear a dress that they might not otherwise have the chance to wear.
Writing a Wedding Card: Addressing Etiquette and Tips
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Hollywood and celebrity influence
The white wedding dress has been popularised by several celebrities and royal figures. The trend of wearing white on one's wedding day is believed to have been started by Queen Victoria, who wore a white court dress when she married Prince Albert in 1840. She is also credited with popularising black as a colour for mourning.
Royal brides before Queen Victoria did not typically wear white, instead choosing "heavy brocaded gowns embroidered with white and silver thread", with red being a particularly popular colour in Western Europe. However, white dresses were reserved for women being presented at court. Debutantes had long been required to wear white court dresses and long white gloves for their first presentation at court. Queen Victoria's wedding sparked a trend in white bridal wear, with women across continents copying the style and colour of her gown, aspiring to look like the young, attractive queen.
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 Diana wearing an elaborate white taffeta dress with an 8-metre train. Similarly, 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.
Today, white is the overwhelming choice for most American brides, with 4 out of 5 choosing to walk down the aisle in a white gown, a bridal uniform of sorts.
Keep or Toss: Your Wedding Dress Dilemma
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Practicality and availability
The tradition of wearing white wedding dresses can be traced back to Queen Victoria, who wore a cream silk-satin gown with lace embellishments on her wedding day in 1840. As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, white wedding dresses gained popularity among European royalty and elites. However, it is important to note that this trend was not solely due to practicality and availability. While these factors played a role, the choice to wear white was also influenced by the desire to follow a fashion set by Queen Victoria and the symbolism associated with the colour.
Before Queen Victoria, wedding dresses came in a variety of colours, and brides often chose a dress they could wear again or simply wore the nicest dress they owned. The choice was driven by practicality, and white was not a common choice due to the difficulty of keeping it clean. However, as society became more prosperous after World War II, the notion of a single-use wedding dress became more feasible, and the white dress, with its new symbolism of purity, innocence, and wealth, became increasingly popular.
The portrayal of weddings in Hollywood, particularly after World War II, also played a significant role in cementing the idea of a white wedding dress. Iconic wedding gowns, such as Grace Kelly's in 1956 and Lady Diana Spencer's in 1981, further solidified the association between marriage and white dresses. The white dress was also favoured as it photographed well in black-and-white or sepia-toned images.
In modern times, the choice to wear a white wedding dress is often influenced by a combination of factors, including personal preference, family expectations, and the desire to follow traditions. Some brides choose white because it is considered a classic colour for weddings, and it symbolically represents a bridal look. Additionally, the availability of white dresses in the market and the ease of styling them to fit various wedding themes contribute to their continued popularity.
While white wedding dresses have become a staple in Western weddings, it is worth noting that other colours and styles are also gaining popularity. Some brides opt for coloured dresses, jumpsuits, or non-traditional gowns to reflect their unique style and personality. Ultimately, the choice of wedding attire is a personal decision, influenced by a blend of practical considerations, cultural norms, and individual preferences.
Addressing Families on Wedding Invites: A Guide to Etiquette
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Tradition and family expectations
The tradition of wearing a white wedding dress began with Queen Victoria, who wore a cream silk-satin gown with a lace flounce at the neck and sleeves when she married Prince Albert in 1840. As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, other European leaders followed suit, and the white dress became a symbol of status and wealth—laundering clothing was taxing in the 19th century, and white dresses were hard to maintain.
As society became more prosperous after World War II, the white, single-use wedding dress became more accessible and further cemented by Hollywood's portrayal of weddings. The white dress also took on new symbolism, with the colour signifying purity, innocence, and virtue, especially in Western cultures.
Family expectations around wedding dress colour choices are influenced by tradition and cultural norms. Some brides choose to wear white to honour their families' expectations and the special occasion. For some, the white dress is a way to stand out as the bride and be treated as such, especially in the case of non-heterosexual couples. The white dress is also seen as a classic choice, with some brides wanting to wear a traditional gown, even if they personally prefer a different colour.
However, it is important to note that the tradition of wearing white is not universal and has been challenged over time. In ancient Rome and during the Middle Ages in Europe, brides wore various colours, including black, brown, and grey. In Western societies, brides often wore the nicest dress they owned, regardless of colour, as it was more practical and could be worn again.
The Bustle Wedding Dress: A Bride's Guide
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The tradition of white wedding dresses is commonly credited to Queen Victoria, who wore a white dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, white dresses became a popular symbol of status and purity.
Today, white wedding dresses are often seen as a symbol of tradition, purity, innocence, youth, and new beginnings.
Before the trend of white wedding dresses was popularised by Queen Victoria, royal brides wore a variety of colours, with red being one of the most popular choices. Other colours that have been used for wedding dresses include blue, yellow, black, brown, and grey.
While the majority of brides still opt for white wedding dresses, some brides choose to wear colourful dresses in shades of blue, pink, or black.
