I just had the opportunity to experience the grand adventure of trying on wedding gowns.
It sparked my curiosity on “when did the wedding dress fad even start?” “Have brides always wanted to wear white, or was that even an option for most?”
So I brewed some coffee and sat down to read any information I could find on the subject.
I wasn’t surprised to read that there is little to no information on the subject. What you can find out is wedding dress colors and styles pertaining to what culture you were raised in. Like how most Eastern cultures wore red- a symbol of favored fortune.
Wedding dresses have changed drastically throughout history, but the earliest information on Western culture, dates back to the Middle ages. Brides were expected to dress in the manner that befitted their social status.
Wealthy families wore rich colors, exclusive fabrics, furs, velvet and silks. The poorest brides wore their best church dress they had. But when did the white wedding dress become the fashion?
The first documented white wedding gown was worn by Philippa of England, in 1406. She sported a white silk tunic with a cloak trimmed in grey squirrel fur. Defiantly not PETA approved.
The next white-cloaked bride we find out about is Mary Queen of Scots. She wore white in 1559, at the time the French style was to wear white if you were in mourning. It just so happened that Mary Queen of Scots was marrying Francis II of France. Kinda makes you think is was a subtle way of stating how she felt about the union.
The white wedding gown didn’t come into fashion till the Victorian era when Queen Victoria wore white in 1840. Wearing white had a rough start. White was a very hard color to come by and to keep clean. White was a sign of social status and still only used
by the wealthy from 1840’s through the 1920’s. Due to the depression, WWI and WWII, wedding dresses again became what the bride had on hand, such as church clothes or borrowed dresses from a family member or friend. After WWII the white wedding gown’s, like we see today, made its smashing hit and come back with Grace Kelly in 1956.
Wedding dresses truly reflect a bride’s personality, as well as the theme of the wedding. More and more you will see brides are incorporating color back into the wedding dress. However, I feel that the white/ivory gown will stand the test of time and remain the most sought after gown color for years to come.