The Evolution of Bridal Style Through the Years
Take a trip down the aisle...err...memory lane with us.
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From formal petticoats to strapless princess dresses, bridal wear has come a long way over the centuries. Here's a look back at how trends have evolved and how the good and the bad have seeped into bridal style since the 17th century.
1640
At a 17th century wedding ball, the bride (center) wears an ornately decorated blue dress. At this time, it was popular for a bride to wear her best dress, no matter the color.
1840
Queen Victoria is credited for popularizing the white wedding dress after she wore an ivory silk gown to marry Prince Albert in 1840. Soon after their nuptials, the Queen's bridal style was copied by major dressmakers and the rest is history.
1850
White wedding dresses really took off in the middle of the 19th century. Embroidered silk, lace, and floral detailing were also popular.
1850
Wedding day customs played a huge part in dressing for nuptials a couple hundred years ago. Here, a bride from Muscovy, Russia dons a ceremonial pointed headdress.
1860
While it looks like four women are about to marry the same man in this photo, that's not the case. In the 19th century, it was typical for bridesmaids to wear white dresses and veils.
1880
High neck, full skirt, dainty white gloves. Yep, that's a Victorian wedding dress if we've ever seen one.
1900
With the relaxed style of the Edwardian era approaching, wedding gowns mimicked the transition. Suddenly, loose fits and delicate fabrics like lace were en vogue.
1910
Brides were typically covered from the neck down in the 1910s, which is why high necks, long sleeves, and ruffles were king.
1915
A bride in 1915 opts for a simple gown without any extra ruffles or frills, but layers are still strongly in fashion.
1920
There was a big shift in 1920s bridal fashion, as women started wearing sleeker, drop waist gowns. Long cathedral length veils were popular and balanced out the simple silhouettes.
1922
Elaborate headpieces began popping up on brides throughout the 1920s, from diamond tiaras and floral pieces to delicate hairpins and crowns. These pieces were often worn with a veil.
1925
As hemlines started to climb throughout the roaring '20s, brides became more adventurous with their wedding day fashions, even opting for dresses that cut just below the knee.
1930
In 1930, most brides were wearing silk or satin dresses, typically opting for long-sleeve styles with a small train and minimal ornamental designs, like appliqué or embroidery.
1935
Getaway outfits were huge for brides in the '30s, because couples usually went straight from their reception to their honeymoon.
1936
The bouquet was also important to one's wedding day look. In the 1930s, shower bouquets, a.k.a. long flowing arrangements, were hugely popular.
1937
Ingrid Bergman is the picture of a 1930s bride at her wedding to her first husband, Aron Lindström. The actress accessorized her long-sleeve silk gown with a beaded Juliet cap and a shower bouquet of lilies.
1942
Brides in the early 1940s were married during the war effort, so their outfits reflected the time's austerity. Women typically donned formal pieces that they already owned. When Ava Gardner married her first husband, Mickey Rooney, she wore a grey suit, black veil, and a white ribbon corsage pinned to her lapel.
1947
Queen Elizabeth married Prince Philip after the war was over, however England was still on rations at the time. Her dress, an ivory silk and pearl embroidered scoop neck, was appropriately glamorous for the future monarch, while remaining considerate for the times.
1950
Elizabeth Taylor's wedding dress in the film Father of the Bride had a huge influence on the decade's bridal trends. Sleek and simple were out, while full skirts, fitted bodices, and sweetheart necklines were in.
1953
The 1950s saw a push to more romantic and feminine wedding dresses, like Jacqueline Kennedy's gown for her 1953 nuptials to John F. Kennedy.
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