Vintage Wedding Dresses |
Vintage Wedding Dresses
In many ways the wedding of Queen Victoria was the beginning of the modern style of wedding dress which begins today. It was after this ceremony that custom of wearing a white veil and white gown became the standard attire for many brides in the Western world. It was also the lavishness of this world changing event which inspired the expensive and luxurious weddings of today. In the early 20th century though there were many other ways of dressing for a wedding which still remained popular for several decades. In the early years of the century, the wealthy still wore the formal white gowns of the Victorian era complete with veils and long trains trailing behind the. Some wedding dresses became even more intricately decade with and most featured corsets and bustles. The World War I era would change things a bit however. When the war broke out and supplies became more costly, wedding dresses were tone down and featured simpler designs. Corsets fell out of fashion and dresses became slimmer fitting and featured drop waists. One iconic wedding dress from the 1920's was the invention of Coco Chanel who introduced a basic white dress which fell to knee length. This style was widely copied for a time. With the onset of World War II, weddings became rushed affairs in which the couple hurried to get married before the groom was shipped over seas to the battle front. The luxurious drawn out ceremonies of old were no longer practical. Many women shunned the idea of the traditional white dress in favor a more utilitarian 2 piece kirt suit. Cloth supplies were limited due to rationing, so many brides were forced to borrow a used suit or dress from a relative or friend. Some brides went so far to the side of practicality that they fashioned their husbands used parachutes into skirts when the men returned home! The mid-century era of the 1950-70's saw a return to the formal yet understated wedding fashions which had been in vogue before the World wars. Brides of these decades often wore modest gowns with lengthy sleeves and high necks. It was a time of homespun tradition with a touch of elegance but not too far over the top. The Marriage of Princess Di to Prince Charles would be what ultimately turned the tide back to the more grand and elegant styles of the 19th century. The story book royal wedding was a global event and it inspired brides every where to consider a return to the time honored custom of planning a huge lavish affair complete with a wedding gown fit for a monarch. The wedding dresses of the 1980's featured full sized skirts replete with thick sleeves and long flowing trains. The weddings of today are eclectic and brides-to-be have a wide choice of options for the style of their dress. They are free to choose a gown from any era and set any sort of romantic tone they desire. For this reason, many women are choosing vintage gowns from the eras of their grandparents or great-grandparents as a way to relive those historic moments in time, and add old world glamour to their modern wedding ceremony.