The wedding gown of the bride-to-be is one of the most striking examples of reflecting fashion history since ancient times. The bride’s wedding dress took on many features of tradition and time and kept the best. Let’s try to travel through time and reveal the secrets of the history of the wedding dress, – because the dress is always important, and especially the wedding one. It has almost the first place in a woman’s life. You can even find the word “dress” in our list of nice words that start with D. Agree, this makes sense.
1. Antique wedding dress
The traditions of ancient Greece have preserved for posterity two cuts of a wedding dress, which are still relevant today and give rise to trends in wedding fashion.
– Peplos dress is a large piece of white fabric held at the waist by a special belt or bronze pins.
– Chilton dress is a light and elastic dress that has a free cut and today would look like a silk nightgown of a refined woman.
You may have noticed here that the modern workshop prefers free-cut dresses, which emphasize the naturalness of a woman and do not require anything extra. It is as if a modern woman regains her ancestral heritage.
The Roman Empire added to the Greek air cut its limitations in the form of a herculean knot – the so-called “belt of virtue” at the waist of a white tunic. A long wedding coat and, of course, yellow sandals were added to the demanding list by protocol. The bride’s hair was to be adorned with orange flowers.
Before the Middle Ages, the variability of requirements and style for the bride’s wedding dress stopped somewhat. Most likely, it was due to the high price. Ordinary women of that time could not afford to spend a lot of money on a dress for one-day use. The choice fell on the most beautiful attire that a woman has, for example, when she attends church on Sunday. At that time, the wedding protocol did not provide for requirements for the wedding dress color.
A modern woman also allows herself to choose any color, cut of the dress, add handmade lace, or some unique accessories – it all depends on the skill of tailors and the preferences of the future bride. Wedding lace dresses from Ukrainian masters of the Cathy Telle workshop have exceptional taste. So, returning to the colorful wedding dresses. There were added luxurious fur and a pointed headdress with a light train of veils or a crown in the form of a tiara with precious stones.
2. Medieval wedding dress
In the Middle Ages, the fashion for wedding dresses resumed. This outfit began to occupy a special place in a woman’s dreams. On the occasion of a meaningful ceremony, the wedding dress reflected the future couple’s social status and material resources. The most popular at this time is the red wedding dress, which was supposed to symbolize joy and pleasure. Later, other color combinations will replace: from blue and yellow to even black wedding dresses. At the beginning of the Renaissance, different colors symbolized fertility and maturity. At the same time, the white dress was worn by girls of very modest origin with no dowry.
3. Renaissance: wedding dress made of lace and fur
The revival brought a sea of beauty to the wedding. The sacrament of the wedding dress was decorated on all sides with luxurious fabrics and embroidery, gold buttons on a background of snow-white fur. A lush wedding dress is gaining popularity. The bride’s hair is held by a net decorated with pearls, which marks an extraordinary nobility. In monarchical times, it isn’t easy to trace the evolution of fashion trends because the main difference between wedding dresses was the origin of the bride: a simple woman or a noble lady. The noble greatness was emphasized in all possible ways and bordered on assessing “too much.” A simple woman had to wear as simple an outfit as possible. Pretty cruel.
4. Empire in a wedding dress
Imperial ambitions were also reflected in the cut of the wedding dress. A long smooth cut to the floor with an incredibly long train (the longer, the better) was to reflect the ambitions and height of the exclusivity of the privileged class. Today, this wedding dress in the Empire style is trendy: a belt under the bust and a free-cut fit for women with any figure. Plus, gloves with embroidered patterns and long plumes emphasize the status of the bride.
5. The bride-princess of the Great Restoration
The crinoline dress replaced the free imperial style, tightening the “wedding bird” in the corset. These dresses have one characteristic and very inconvenient difference – the lower skirt in the form of a framework from metal rings. Comfort is the same, but brides with the dreams of princesses still choose this silhouette.
6. Queen Victoria’s wedding dress
Queen Victoria’s wedding is a separate round in the history of the wedding dress. The Victorian dress dates back to the wedding of Queen Victoria of England in 1840. It is probably the only exact date that the history of the wedding dress has.
Queen Victoria wears a lush snow-white dress with rich decoration to emphasize the royal scope of the ceremony. Bare shoulders hid from the back by a super long train carried by several pairs of bridesmaids. In her floral crown, she sets the pace for wedding fashion for a long time, and brides from all over Europe now choose only a snow-white dress with a silhouette of a princess.
7. Wedding dress of the XIX century
Over time, the Victorian wedding dress becomes more practical. And already in the next half of the XIX century, the lower skirt is not so magnificent. During this period, brides simplify Victoria’s idea and choose a slightly simpler dress with fewer accessories. The main elements are flowers and lace, and the crinoline disappears to the delight of the tailor.
Interestingly, it is at this point that a men’s jacket appears on the catwalk. The dress itself remains long and white. Maybe, this happened due to the division of state and church in society.
8. Wedding dress of the XX century
The industrial revolution of that time also affected wedding fashion. The emergence of new factory production opportunities and new fabrics was reflected in the bride’s dress – leaving corset, shorter skirt.
For the first twenty years of the last century, women wore long wedding dresses with lace and hand embroidery. The lightness of the materials allows you to recreate luxury in loose-fitting clothing. The silhouette waist was not clearly defined then, and the neckline often went “threateningly low.”
Jewelry in the form of sequins and pearls competed with handmade lace and decorative patterns. The richness of the choice of accessories does not bypass the headdress: headbands, tiaras, combs, and veils with feathers. These retro models still inspire modern designers.
In the postwar ’30s, the wedding dress becomes shorter due to lack of fabric – just below the knee. But the main feature is modesty, which again reflects public sentiment. In 1947, Christian Dior returned the length of the wedding dress. After Grace Kelly’s wedding in 1956, fashion trends changed for dresses made of white silk, lace, tulle, and pearls, of course. In the ’70s, we can trace two fashion trends: some choose the image of a princess, others – free and female hippies, in free-cut dresses with soft lines. Remarkable brides felt so at ease that they chose trouser suits as their wedding attire.
In recent years, the replacement of bohemian chic, country, and hippie chic with simplicity, naturalness, and freedom is gaining momentum. These are the main trends of a new wedding dress, which reflect the character and priorities of a modern happy bride.
