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Wedding Gown History
Wedding Gown History
Wedding Gown History
 For the most part, wedding gowns as we know them today are a recent invention. In medieval times, royal marriages were of great political importance and often were arranged in order to seal alliances between countries. Accordingly, it was incumbent upon brides of royal heritage to look magnificent on her wedding day, in order to uphold the prestige of her country and impress the groom's country. Thus, medieval wedding gowns were elaborate, using as much material as possible, of the most costly fabrics such as velvet, damask silk, satin, fur and fabrics woven with gold and silver thread. The colors used in a royal wedding gown were rich in hues, as only the wealthy could afford expensive red, purple and black dyes. Skirts were full and gathered, and the sleeves would sweep the floor, with trains of several meters. Additionally, the dress would be sewn with precious gems such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and pearls, so the bride would truly sparkle in the sunlight. In some cases, a gown might be so elaborately encrusted with jewels that the fabric beneath was nearly entirely hidden. In the fifteenth century, Margaret of Flanders could not move in her heavily-laden wedding gown that she had to be carried into the church by two gentlemen attendants! Of course, few brides were princesses and most could not afford such expensive gowns. In order to look special, most brides tried to copy the dress of a woman of a higher social class. For example, a noblewoman would do use a few gems and fur trimmings, while a well-to-do middle class woman would aspire to less expensive velvet or silk fabrics. The poor bride's dress would be of linen, or fine wool, instead of the usual coarse homespun, and she would use more fabric than her everyday frocks. The lower class bride's gown often then became her Sunday best church gown immediately afterwards, and would serve for many years as part of her everyday wardrobe. During the eighteenth century, a bride of the lower social classes walked down the aisle dressed in a simple robe, which symbolized to her future husband that she brought nothing with her into the marriage and would therefore not burden him with any debt. In mid-nineteenth century, the all-white wedding dress became fashionable. Until then, a woman simply wore her best dress, either made by the bride herself or a dressmaker, regardless of its color. (Pink had been a particularly popular colour, considered most suitable for a May wedding and associated with youthfulness. Blue was also a favored color for wedding dresses, as the color was associated with the Virgin Mary and thus symbolic of the bride's purity. The color also traditionally symbolized fidelity and eternal love; accordingly, brides who wore blue believed their husbands would always be true to them.) The introduction of machine made fabrics and cheap muslins imported from India, and styles inspired by the classical world, made the white wedding gowns very accessible by 1800. In 1840, Queen Victoria's pure white gown revitalized Anne of Brittany's idea, and started the trend that many women follow today. The color white was not necessarily symbolic of the "purity" of the bride; rather, it was meant to indicate the joy of the union. The elaborateness of the dress increased with the wealth of the bride's family. Poorer brides adorned dresses with temporary decorations (as their gowns would become everyday wear). For example, they loosely attached ribbons tied into bows or "love knots". These "bride laces" would be pulled off by the guests during the post ceremony festivities, and kept as wedding favors or souvenirs. Even wealthy brides often wore their gowns more than once. For the season of her "bride visits", when newly married women visited family, friends and acquaintances, even well-to-do brides often wore their bridal gowns, with the train and any flowers removed. A higher class bride would often adapt the bodice of the outfit (often made separately) and retrim it for evening wear for another season. Queen Victoria herself removed the lace overskirt from her wedding gown and wore it several times afterward; she even wore it over a black silk gown for her Diamond Jubilee celebrations over fifty years after her wedding day. By the 1920s, a white wedding dress became the norm for brides, and men were expected to wear formal attire (men in the army wore full military dress). In that decade, however, there was a revolution in women's clothing, and hemlines for ordinary wear rose from the below the ankle to well above the knee. Wedding styles followed suit, and brides began showing their ankles in simpler, straight-line dresses. As skirts grew more abbreviated, some felt that the style was unsuitable for a church service, and by the end of the decade, many brides returned to full-length wedding gowns with trains, reminiscent of earlier eras. Tips for the Modern Bride Below are some practical suggestions for the bride-to-be in finding the perfect wedding gown: (1) Give yourself at least six months to find your perfect gown. Remember that certain gowns need several months to be created (most take a minimum of three months), and even factory-made dresses require time for multiple fittings and adjustments! You should plan for three fittings: First, when your wedding gown arrives. Second, to correct any mistakes. And third, near your wedding date to verify that everything is perfect. Finding your wedding gown should be one of the first items on your wedding to-do list! Don't worry if you don't have six months, however. You can still get everything done; it just may cost more to rush the order. (2) Clip pictures from magazines to help you define what you are looking for. Bring your clippings on your shopping trips and try to find something similar. (3) Keep your body shape, face and hairstyle in mind. Different necklines, silhouettes, sleeve styles and waistlines flatter certain figures, while others accentuate areas you may be wanting to conceal. (4) Try on several gowns, even gowns that are out of your budget. You may discover that a certain style you would not have normally considered really looks good on you. You can always try to find a similar dress within your budget, or commission a tailor to recreate the look at a fraction of the cost. (5) Bring a trusted friend or family member with you. A sister or friend can offer an honest opinion on how the gown looks on you, as well as help you through the frustrations of finding the right style. (6) Make use of bridal consultants at each salon that you visit. Take advantage of the advice you receive, and be up front with your budget and wedding theme, if any. The consultant may be able to offer you honest and objective suggestions on fit and style based on your age and body type. (7) Don't sacrifice comfort for fashion. Make sure your gown allows for sufficient movement. Try bending, sitting down, reaching, walking, even running in the dress. Your wedding day will be a long one, and you want to be comfortable. If your dress is too tight or pinches you in the wrong place, most likely your facial expressions will reflect your discontent... and you don't want wedding photos of yourself with a gorgeous dress and strained smiles! Also, remember that wedding gown sizes tend to run small; you will probably need a size that is one or two sizes larger than your normal dress size. (8) Mimic your wedding day. Consider wearing a strapless bra on your shopping trips, to help you get a better feeling of how each wedding gown would look during your wedding. And if you already have jewelry or shoes chosen, bring them with you to make sure everything matches. Do your hair the way that you'd like on your wedding day; for example, if you are set on having an elaborate updo, try to at least pin up your hair in the same general style. (9) Bring a camera and take pictures of yourself in each dress that you try on. (Make sure to ask permission before snapping pictures, of course, as certain tailors or retailers may not allow photographs.) Later, when you've had a few days to reconsider, view your photos to determine if you still love that one dress that looked so great in the store. (10) Don't purchase a wedding gown that is out of your budget. Wedding gowns can range in price from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands! Take some time to think about your selection, and if possible, sleep on the idea before making the commitment to purchase. Remember that bridal gowns come with many unforeseen expenses, so you should not spend all of your dress budget on the gown itself. Save a little for alterations and accessories. (11) Protect yourself from fraud and negligence. Purchasing a wedding gown is a major financial commitment, so don't let your heart rule your head when it comes time to make payment. Always use a credit card to pay for your wedding gown. Most cards offer some kind of buyer protection, so if something goes wrong, you may be able to recover some of your losses. Avoid cash-only brokers, as they could turn out to be scam artists. Expect to give an initial deposit of up to 50 percent of the cost of the gown. Be sure to get a written contract with specific information like wedding gown size, color, style, etc. If possible, bring your maid or matron of honor with you, as she can learn her responsibilities for the wedding day. Sometimes, small emergencies come up right before the wedding is about to begin. Your maid of honor should know your wedding gown, and she should also know how to perform small alterations in a pinch. If your mother would handle this situation better than your maid of honor, you might want her at the fittings as well. Provided by www.erasofelegance.com |
