The Bridal Dress Evolution
March 7th, 2009 Posted in Wedding Planning and IdeasA beautiful, white wedding gown makes the bride sparkle on her wedding day. After all, it is the most important compliment for the bride on her big day, the most important day on her life. However, how did we end up using a white dress as opposed to a colored dress?
Throughout history, the bridal dress has been specially design to suit the occasion, to enhance the bride’s 
beauty and to make her stand out from the rest of the crowd. In the medieval times, bridal gowns were made out of most colors. Royal brides who could afford expensive red, purple and black fabrics tinted with natural dyes, had them decorated with precious gems such as diamonds, sapphires, rubies, pearls and emeralds. These were sewn to the fabrics and this touch offered a glamorous look to the royal bride, as she would sparkle with sunlight. After the wedding had passed, the bodice of the dress will be later worn by the bride as on of the most important outfits a woman could have.
A white dress, or a variation of white, was not a very popular option at the time. Even though it represented the girl’s virginity and innocence which were valued traits, it was an impractical color to wear as an everyday garment. Blue and yellow gowns became a hit; blue gowns suggested that the bride’s husband will always be true to her, and it is still the reason why we carry our “something blue” nowadays, while yellow meant popularity.
The white, traditional bridal dress appeared in the eighteen century. The introduction of fabrics made commercially for sale at more accessible pricing, as well as the styles inspired by the classical world, made the white dress with a veil the popular thing to wear. By 1840 Queen Victoria chose a white silk with lace gown with pink flowers sewn in to wear for her wedding, and established the bridal fashion which inspired brides all over the world until recently.
Nowadays bridal gowns can be found in different styles and in different pale colors, even though white is the most popular choice. The dress is no longer used after the wedding, but it is kept as a nice remembrance of a woman’s most important day.