The History from the White Wedding Dress

Fashion trends appear and disappear, resurfacing and receding favor through the decades.

Wedding dresses have followed that endless circle, however, the traditional styles we all know and love have remained the same for years. A gorgeous white colour along with a long flowing cut are part and parcel of the dream wedding gown, but where made it happen all begin?

While weddings happen to be an important part of everyday life since the Middle Ages and were often restricted to wealthier families. Featuring layers of fur, silk and velvet, brides wore wedding dresses with bold, bright colours so that they can showcase their wealth. However, white wedding gowns wouldn’t be a trend until 1406, when Princess Philippa of England married the King of Denmark Eric of Pomerania wearing a tunic with squirrel and ermine borders. It’s reliable advice that dresses have managed to move on a bit since those times.

From 1406 towards the early 1800s, still, it wasn’t viewed as traditional for brides to put on white at their wedding. Most brides wore the shades that suited their preferences, with brides in Scandinavia often wearing a striking black. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert in 1840 once the trend began to shift. The Queen wore a famous white gown trimmed with Honiton lace and illustrations of her stunning dress quickly entered the general public consciousness. Who knew Queen Victoria was this type of trend-setter?

From after that time, white wedding gowns were standard for brides. At the start of the 1900s, women’s clothing featured several decorations - for example frills and lace - that have been then fused into wedding gown designs. White wedding gowns kept following these trends completely up towards the 1960s when brides started to revert to classic Victorian styles. These long, full-skirted designs are now viewed as the traditional bridal look and happen to be the standard for more than 60 years.

So - exactly what do most brides choose these days? Since the start of the 21st century, around three-quarters of brides choose sleeveless and long sleeve wedding dresses alongside cream or white colours. Embellished and lace styles will also be popular among brides keen to include some extra detail for their outfits. If you’re looking to include a contemporary twist, we recommend considering gorgeous midi cuts for all those sunny summer weddings.

White wedding dresses happen to be a traditional part of Western weddings for hundreds of years. While trends might not have changed massively previously 60 years, that doesn’t mean you can’t add your style for your white wedding gown. Take a look through our collection today and discover a special dress for that special day.

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