Until the mid-1800s, wedding dresses were just formal gowns, but Queen Victoria’s white wedding dress sparked a trend. White dresses were a symbol of wealth, but in the 1950s, they became mainstream. The white dress is now associated with a new bride, rather than virginity.
In Western society, it is traditional for a new bride to wear a white wedding dress to the ceremony, often with a matching veil. However, this tradition is a fairly recent development: until the mid-1800s, and even for much of the 20th century, wedding dresses were simply formal gowns that could be repurposed for any special occasion. The bride could wear any color except red or black, which were associated with prostitutes and mourning, respectively.
The first famous woman to wear a white wedding dress was Mary Queen of Scots, at the time, it was seen as a poor choice as white was the official color of mourning for the French. However, in 1840, another royal figure wore white at her wedding: Queen Victoria, at her marriage to Albert of Saxe-Colburg. Queen Victoria’s wedding photographs were widely publicized, sparking interest in the white wedding dress across England and beyond.
White wedding dresses were a symbol of wealth. Because the dresses could not be washed or reused for another occasion, it was evidence that the bride’s family could afford to spend money on an extravagant gown. For much of the early 20th century, only a wealthy woman could afford to wear a white wedding dress; Most of the women still wore dresses of various colors. Others wore white dresses that they would dye another color after the ceremony, so they could be worn on other occasions.
However, in the 1950s, the white wedding dress became a mainstream trend throughout Western society. With the advent of television, society was bombarded with images of celebrities like Grace Kelly in white dresses at her wedding. The average American woman finally decided it was time to splurge on an expensive white wedding dress for her own ceremony.
The white wedding dress is typically worn as a symbol of virginity. However, the color white is also associated with innocence and happiness. Over time, as women of all stages of life wear white for their wedding, the white dress has lost its connotations of virginity and is simply associated with a new bride.
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