Wedding fashion history
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The garments and accessories sported by brides, grooms and their attendants reflect personal style preferences, as well as popular trends and age-old traditions. While the symbolic or spiritual significance of many elements of wedding fashion changed or disappeared over time, modern brides and grooms continue to wear garments rooted in ancient superstitions and beliefs.
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Bridal Gowns
Prior to the 19th century, brides did not often choose white for the color of their wedding dress. When Queen Victoria wore white to marry Albert of Saxe-Coburg in 1840, the widely circulated wedding portraits inspired other brides to follow suit. Depression and World War Two era brides, faced with fabric shortages and rushed weddings, often simply wore their best suits or dresses. Brides enjoying the post-war boom of the 1950s mimicked the lacy white gown worn by Grace Kelly and cemented the "wedding white" tradition that continues today.
Grooms' Wear
While etiquette dictated that grooms appear clean and well-dressed, few traditions surrounded men's wedding fashion until the Victorian era. Middle and upper class 19th century grooms wore white waistcoats, cravats, black trousers and dress coats. Military officers usually married in uniform, a tradition that continues in the modern era. As more men enlisted during World Wars I and II, the number of grooms married in military uniforms increased. Tuxedos, which were first worn in England in 1886, became the garment of choice for civilian 20th and 21st century grooms.
Bridesmaids' Dresses
Ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the garments worn by a bride's attendants could protect a bride from evil spirits. Bridesmaids stood near the bride before and throughout the wedding ceremony, clothed in a dress identical or very similar to the bride's to confuse any spirit or demon wishing to bring harm to the bride. In the 19th and 20th centuries, bridesmaids began wearing dresses that complemented rather than replicated the bride's. Modern bridesmaids tend to wear matching gowns, though some brides allow their attendants to choose their own dresses in a pre-selected color.
Rings
A medieval groom usually paid for his bride's hand in marriage with gifts of precious stones that symbolized the bride's and groom's intent to marry. The giving of a diamond as a symbol of intent continues today in the tradition of a groom offering his prospective bride an engagement ring. Wedding rings evolved from the ancient superstition that binding a bride's wrists with ropes could tether her spirit to her body and prolong her life. Eventually, rings replaced the ropes and came to symbolize a couple's eternal love and commitment.
Bridal Veils
In the Roman empire, brides wore veils covering their entire bodies as symbols of modesty and virginity. Over time, brides began wearing shorter, less obstructive veils. In some Eastern societies where arranged marriages were customary, the veil hid the bride's face from the groom until the completion of the marriage ceremony. Many 21st century brides continue the tradition of wearing a veil, while others eschew the tradition altogether, opting instead for tiaras, flowers or other hair accessories.
Garters
In ancient and medieval times, grooms tossed the bride's garter from their private chambers to a crowd of waiting friends to prove the consummation of the marriage. In later centuries, brides moved the garter toss from the bedroom to the reception hall, where the accessory was thought to bring good luck to the man who caught it. The wedding garter remains a popular addition to a bride's wedding wear. Some garters become family keepsakes passed from mother to daughter through many generations.
Tags: 19th century, 21st century, began wearing, brides grooms, century brides, century groomsSource: www.ehow.com
