Wedding Dresses Through the Years

Wedding Dresses Through the Years

The yards of exquisite lace, the pristine whiteness, the stunning trains, and a million other things; there is simply no resisting the charm and magic of wedding dresses. While bridal fashion trends have changed significantly over the years, our obsession with them remains. Here are some of the wedding dress styles that have captured our heart since before the 1800s.

Before the 1800s

Did you know that before Queen Victoria got married in 1840 in a white silk-spun gown accented with Honiton lace, coloured dresses were the go-to for brides? You may swoon from the horror of it all but for most of history, there were no dresses made specifically for weddings — unless you were lucky enough to be an aristocrat. Then, you would be decked out in a bustle-style dress adorned with heirloom jewels.

As for the masses, the brides wore their best dress for the big day. Many opted for blue (because it represented piety) or any colour dark enough to hide stains and could endure multiple wears.

The 1920s

It is only fitting that the Roaring Twenties was one of the most fashionable eras for wedding dresses. The 1920s was all about flapper-style dresses — straight silhouettes with swing hemlines. Think Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby. Spicing things up, here we also see shorter dresses with hems that hit below the knee.

The 1940s

Unfortunately, weddings took a back seat in the 1940s due to the war. That is not to say that fashion died, of course. Instead, wedding dress styles adapted to reflect the restriction of wartime. Dresses in this era focused on comfort and affordability. For example, dresses were shorter to allow the riding of bikes and furnishing fabrics were frequently used as materials for dresses and veil.

4. The 1950s

With the war over, wedding dress styles made a huge comeback in the 1950s, literally so. The dresses featured fuller skirts cinched in the waist with fitted bodices. Brides also scrambled for sweetheart necklines, popularised by Elizabeth Taylor.

The 1980s

You know how I hinted that wedding dresses were big in the 1950s? Well, they had nothing on the dresses in the 1980s. 1980s’ dresses screamed “BIG”. Cathedral trains, dramatically long veils, and tons of divine lace were a common sight at weddings in the 1980s. Princess Diana’s wedding dress with its 25-foot long train epitomised this era’s wedding dress style.

The 1990s

Running from yards of tulle and lace, the 1990s was the definition of minimalism. Lace and beading were used sparingly and brides preferred tight-fitting wedding dresses. A stark change from the style of the 1980s, indeed.

The 2010s

Ah, the 2010s! What is fashionable and on-trend for today? Curve-hugging dresses are right on top of the list with mermaid-silhouettes taking the crown. Long sleeves dresses à la Kate Middleton’s wedding dress are high in demand, too. Also, barely-there dresses with sheer gossamer and detailing have proven to be a smashing hit.