Flip through any wedding magazine and you will see a sea of photos of smiling women in white. The white dress has become a real synonym for weddings, a symbol of purity and chastity.
It owes its position not so much to religion and Puritan morals as to a successful marketing campaign, due to the emergence of the clothing industry and the clever use of propaganda during the Second World War and the subsequent wedding boom.
The Perrier marketing campaign that convinced Americans to pay for water
The history of the white wedding dress
Many are sure that people have always gotten married in white attire. However, this is not the case. Only 2 centuries ago it became fashionable for a bride to wear white. Previously, there were completely different options.
Thus, in Russia, the red shade was popular, representing luxury, wealth and financial well-being. Green and blue tones were popular in foreign countries. They were considered stable, reliable shades that promised the same to the bride and groom.
Recently, more and more often, designers have begun to offer completely different colors and shades. However, the white tone, which is still loved by many brides, was and remains an unsurpassed classic. The bride's dress should be white.
Wedding dress color: meaning, symbolism, associations
The color of clothing can not only decorate or, conversely, “eat” a person’s entire attractiveness. The color of things can create an impression, speaking about the character of its owner, because each color has certain symbols that evoke various associations. And often this happens unconsciously.
Thus, brides in champagne, beige or ivory colored wedding dresses are perceived by others as friendly, gentle, calm people, trustworthy.
Beige dress by Manuel Mota
The white color of a wedding dress will not tell others anything, since it is chosen by the majority. But the style will be decisive.
A bride in a light blue wedding dress is perceived as a gentle and innocent girl. Dressed in a blue wedding dress, the bride will give the impression of a calm, peaceful and contented person with life. In general, the color blue of a wedding dress signifies innocence.
Wedding dress from bellantuono
A bride in red is perceived as a passionate person and a strong personality. The red color of a wedding dress symbolizes the flame of passion, power, and aggression.
A bride in such a dress will be the center of attention even in a crowd of hundreds of brides.
Yellow is associated with the sun. The same applies to orange. Therefore, brides in yellow and orange wedding dresses are perceived as very cheerful, positive people. If it is a golden color, then another association is added - with wealth and prosperity. A bride in a golden wedding dress looks like the queen of life in the eyes of those around her.
“Golden” wedding dress from Mori Lee
Yellow wedding dress
The pink color of a wedding dress may vary. If this is a classic girlish pink color, then the bride will evoke associations with an innocent and, alas, narrow-minded child. At the same time, a complex pastel shade of pink will endow the bride with such qualities as tenderness and femininity - of course, on an associative level.
Mori Lee
Green is the color of youth, activity, and freshness. A green wedding dress will make the bride appear younger. Of course, the color should be very pleasant and delicate. Then the bride will give the impression of a balanced, stable, self-confident person, distinguished by irrepressible energy and thirst for life.
Dress by Mori Lee
Olive color dress from Mori Lee
Will a bride in a gray wedding dress be perceived as a gray mouse? Not at all! Although, of course, it all depends on the shade. If this is a pearl shade of luxurious fabric, then the bride will give the impression of a sort of Turgenev young lady - honest, kind, decent, innocent and faithful, but at the same time proud and knowing her worth. The same can be said about the bride in a silver wedding dress.
Silver wedding dress
Wedding dress by Vera Wang
Rarely will a bride choose a purple or lilac wedding dress. However, girls in such wedding dresses look majestic and royal. Depending on the shade, the bride may be associated with a wonderful flower. At the same time, the bride’s choice of a purple wedding dress may indicate her immaturity and fragility.
Think about what impression you want to make with your wedding dress?
White color meaning
Why is the wedding dress white?
The ceremony of registration and marriage implies a new union, the union of two hearts. The bride in this union is the personification of innocence, purity and purity. Accordingly, a wedding done in a similar shade means only a pure life, without quarrels and problems, and in love and harmony. This seems like a fairy tale, but somehow few people want to check whether this is true or an empty belief.
At the same time, if a girl chooses a snow-white tone, then she tries to match all the details to it. This principle is used to select underwear, shoes, hats and even jewelry. It would seem that nothing should distract the eye from the bride’s bright and snow-white outfit.
If a girl had a dream shortly before the wedding, in which she acts as a bride, then this can only mean that very soon she will have a happy life and dramatic changes in it (for the better).
Medieval traditions
In Europe in the Middle Ages, there was no tradition of sewing a separate dress for a wedding - this was not done in the circles of common people. The girl simply chose the most beautiful dress she had and walked down the aisle in it. The dress might not be new, it could just be festive, she could wear it on special occasions both before and after the wedding. Only wealthy families, starting around the 15th century, began to give their daughters away in dresses specially purchased for this purpose.
Accordingly, medieval wedding dresses could be of any color; brides could opt for bright or dark colors; no one chose white. It is worth remembering that the dust and dirt on medieval streets did not contribute to the cleanliness and safety of clothing, and sewing a dress just for one occasion was a waste, even for wealthy families.
Who suits white dresses?
The really big advantage of a white wedding dress is that it suits absolutely every girl. And this does not depend on your body type, height, weight or appearance. White and black are two universal colors that go with any person.
However, this also has its own nuances. The snowy shade is quite bright, so it needs to be matched. Therefore, most often girls come up with rich and catchy makeup. If a girl with pale skin and blond hair chooses muted makeup, she may simply get lost.
It is generally accepted that the white shade makes you look fat. But not in the case of a wedding dress. In order to hide excess fatness or, conversely, add it, you need to select an outfit based on the characteristics of your figure. And a variety of styles will help with this.
The vibrant outfit looks decent on both a very young bride and an older woman. But you still have to be careful with him. Any style will suit a young lady. But a woman should opt for calmer options, less provocative and flashy.
Two main versions - why the bride’s dress is white
Over the centuries of human existence, the white bride's dress has periodically appeared and disappeared. This phenomenon, as a rule, concerned only one country or region, but did not extend to the whole world. Nowadays one can observe the widespread use of snow-white wedding attire, even in those countries where their own wedding culture has been formed for thousands of years. For example, in China, according to custom, the bride's dress is red, but many girls began to abandon this color, preferring white, leaving only a few scarlet details.
How did it happen that the white color, which had not been particularly popular for millennia, spread throughout the whole world, affecting even its most remote corners? This happened in the 17th-19th centuries, the exact date is unknown, but there are two versions of the emergence of fashion for a snow-white dress. Both of them refer to European queens who walked down the aisle in a white wedding dress.
First version
This story is connected with Anne of Austria, a Spanish princess who married the French King Louis in 1615. At the wedding, the girl appeared in a snow-white look, which surprised and amazed those present so much that French ladies began to imitate her style. According to some sources, French women thought it looked like a “cake.” It looked so cute that in France the white dress began to be used everywhere, and then the tradition spread to other European countries - Spain, England, Portugal.
Second version
News of the wedding of the reigning Queen Victoria quickly spread throughout England, and in 1840 a marriage was concluded between her and Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The young bride wanted to look new and gorgeous, and therefore decided not to wear the heavy silver brocade, traditional for the royal family, choosing a new color for everyone - white - for her own wedding. Her clothes were made of thick satin, and to decorate the sleeves, veil, and neckline (the so-called lace “berta”), about half a meter of material was used, which the lacemakers from the village of Bir, led by Jane Bidney, made for six months.
After Queen Victoria's wedding, all samples of lace were destroyed so that no one else could repeat the exquisite pattern on her dress, and the outfit itself is stored on the territory of Kensington Palace, where exhibitions are held. Victoria's only decoration during the wedding was a sapphire brooch, given by Albert. It subsequently became a family heirloom and is inherited by members of the royal family. The young queen’s attire so impressed those present that a white dress became traditional for weddings in England, and then throughout the world.
Types of white bridesmaid dresses
White wedding dress photo.
Due to the fact that white is an unsurpassed classic, absolutely all designers work with it. This gives you a truly wide choice.
In addition, white is good because it suits any style and shape. A large assortment is presented both in wedding salons and in online stores. So the choice is extensive and sometimes it makes you wonder which option will be the best.
Shades
Surprisingly, white comes in several different shades. All of them are not classics, but they are often used by those young ladies who want to make their image more original and creative.
- champagne;
- beige;
- ivory.
All of the above tones are soft, creamy and pastel options. They are ideal for girls who are getting married for the first time or are pregnant. The colors are not too provocative, which allows them to be used for a delicate bridal look.
Styles
The variety of styles sometimes forces brides to choose this particular option. Choose several different formats for yourself, try them on and determine the one that suits you best.
- Long sleeves are a real squeak of modern fashion. Almost all designers have made options that have long sleeves. At the same time, they are all surprisingly diverse. For some it is made of guipure, for some the main one will be a satin insert, and for others it will be preferable to choose a synthetic material. In any case, the sleeve should only match the dress itself, the rest is not so important.
- Mermaid or godet is the sexiest wedding dress option. However, it is suitable only for those young ladies who have ideal shapes and body contours. The mermaid fits tightly to the silhouette, thereby emphasizing existing imperfections. If the figure is ideal, then you will get a sexy image in which you will be able to capture only the charms, showing them from an advantageous angle.
- Princess - a few years ago this style was considered the most popular. Currently, fewer and fewer brides are choosing it. However, this did not make it lose its charm. In cartoons and fairy tales you can find a wonderful princess who is dressed in a fluffy dress with a voluminous skirt. This is exactly what we are talking about in this version. The dress is best suited for petite girls. Busty beauties should avoid this type of dress.
- In short, democratic wedding fashion suggests moving away from traditional ideas about a wedding. From now on, short models that are just above the knee or vice versa just below are also in fashion. A girl in a dress always looks flirty and intriguing. Often a young lady chooses an original skirt in the shape of a bell or sun. In this case, it is possible to create a more festive image.
Color combinations
You can look stylish and fashionable at your own wedding by combining two colors. Add bright and rich tones to the basic white option. As a result, you may end up with a more original image.
- With red is a stylish combination in which the bride adds red decorative elements to the snow-white version of the wedding dress. Red is suitable for brunettes. This is the color that looks quite catchy and harmonious on them. Red has long been added to clothing, believing that this color brings financial well-being.
- You can look incredibly stylish and modest with black additional decorative elements. Such elements can be ribbons or waist bows. Black does not set off the solemnity of a white dress, so it can be safely used for wedding ceremonies.
- Girlish pink color can help emphasize the romance and tenderness of the bride herself. At the same time, a delicate pastel pink is used, which is subtly different from the snow-white shade. This combination is ideal for blue-eyed blondes.
A classic of the genre, or a traditional white dress for a wedding
Classic white dress for a wedding
So, wedding! Nowadays, a white dress and a wedding are simply inseparable concepts. As soon as we talk about the wedding ceremony, the image of an ethereal beauty in snow-white clothes .
Classic models of wedding dresses are currently considered one of the most popular. This is a universal combination of a tight corset and a luxurious full skirt. It is in this outfit that girls feel like fairy-tale princesses.
Traditional white dress for a wedding
The classic dress model looks like this:
- The lower part of the skirt is equipped with hoops , thanks to which volume is created.
- The fabric used for the dress is dense , which can fall in large folds.
- The skirt has several petticoats made of lining fabric or starched tulle.
Classic white wedding dress with a train
Classic options also include traditional wedding dresses, which have the following distinctive features:
- A-silhouette, where the skirt widens from the waist and falls in tails to the floor.
- The waist for this style is strictly defined, usually emphasized by a wide yoke or belt.
- This option can be decorated with a long train that is attached to the waist (it can be unfastened if necessary). A loop is sewn to the very tip of the train, which the girl puts on her wrist while dancing or moving along the street.
- A tight corset follows all the rules; it has a rigid frame and is laced or fastened at the back.
- The top of the dress can be either open or closed, depending on the wishes of the bride herself.
- The same goes for the sleeves. They can be long, short, 3⁄4 or completely absent.
White dress of the bride
The bride chooses shoes to match her white wedding dress depending on her own preferences. It can be:
- Traditional white shoes , ankle boots or boots with any shape of heel or no heel at all.
- Shoes can be classic style without decorations or decorated with rhinestones, beads and other accessories .
- The color of the shoes is matched to the belt, the bride’s bouquet, or traditionally white.
Traditional white wedding dress
Jewelry and shoes
The snow-white tone of the outfit is also good because there are a lot of options for jewelry and shoes that go with it. Everything will depend on how you would like your finished image to look. So, if you want to stick to the classics, then opt for the white shoe option. But the costume jewelry should be either silver or made of white gold or natural pearls.
If the fabric contains additional decorative elements in the form of other shades, then be sure to add them either to jewelry or shoes. In this case, you will get a more complete image.
What is the power of white?
White color symbolizes celebration, solemnity, elegance, and beauty. When applied to a bride, it expresses the purity, pristine, openness, lightness and tenderness of a girl - an image that all men dream of.
Psychologists explain the mass popularity of white color in wedding themes by the peculiarities of the human psyche and color perception of the world. White carries the characteristics of perfection and completeness, expresses complete freedom for possibilities, and means making an absolute and final decision. All these signs are inherent in a wedding, which means that a white wedding dress very clearly conveys the meaning of the event. In addition, white in clothing marks the beginning, which is also suitable for characterizing a wedding, which is the beginning of a new life. The color white is trusted - just remember the snow-white wig of a judge or a doctor's coat, they believe in it - it is not without reason that it is used in Christianity.
