The wedding gown can be the most expensive piece of clothing you will ever own. It also has significant social and emotional value.
The recent case involving a Queensland woman who allegedly scammed brides out of their wedding dresses under the pretense of dry-cleaning no doubt caused distress to the owners. Given the average price for a wedding gown today ( A$2,385), the 70 cases of theft of wedding dresses could be lucrative.
The average wedding in Australia costs A$36,000. Although many Australians do not participate in a ceremony to declare their love, it is still a social ritual. The dress can be the most important factor.
Brief History
Her 1840 dress became the “a href=” https://theconversation.com/the-wedding-dress-from Queen Victoria to the heights of fashion-26128″>quintessential wedding dress/a>. Her 1840 gown became “the quintessential bridal dress.”
Victoria’s white gown featured an eight-pieced bodice with a wide open neckline, short sleeves with puffs off the shoulders, and a pointed waistline. The sleeves and neckline were decorated with lace, and the skirt had pleats in front.
The Queen Victoria gown was dubbed the “quintessential bridal dress.” Wikimedia commons
Read more: The wedding dress: from Queen Victoria to the heights of fashion.
Prior to Victoria, the wearing of white signaled the bride was poor and without a dowry. In the 16th and 17th centuries, brides would often wear pale green, symbolizing fertility.
Since the 19th century, white wedding dresses have been worn by royal and wealthy brides. However, for royal brides, these dresses are often covered with silver and gold threads. Victoria refused the embellishment, and she did not wear the red robes of state. She wanted to be seen more as a wife than a queen.
The majority of 19th-century brides chose a dress that they could reuse. Popular colors included russet, brown, or grey.
Brides would often wear their Sunday best for their weddings, like this bride c1925-30. State Library Victoria
White gowns, because of their religious associations, became more popular and were seen as a symbol of innocence and purity.
Women who weren’t getting married for the first time were influenced by the association between white and innocence. Widows who remarried in Victorian times did not wear white or a veil. The dresses could be trimmed with ostrich feathers or pearls.
In the 20th century, white dresses became more popular, as seen in this bride in 1955. State Library of South Australia
White wedding dresses have become increasingly popular over the last century. The brides no longer wore their Sunday best, and the tradition of buying a unique wedding gown was established. The bride was responsible for wedding planning by the turn of the 21st century. A white gown became the main artifact.
Australian brides are often very emotional about their wedding dresses. In a study of discussions in online wedding forums, brides-to-be used phrases like “my love for the dress grew” and “in love” with their gowns. Even if it is only a temporary event, the gown represents the idealized self of the bride.
The designers behind Kate Middleton’s wedding gown were kept a secret. AP Photo/Adrian Dennis, POOL
This tradition dates back to 18th-century arranged marriages. It was thought that it would be unlucky for the groom to look at the bride lest he cancel the wedding. This tradition is reflected in the anticipation of the unveiling of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. Even the names of the designers were kept secret.
It’s old
Wedding gowns are more familiar than historical or couture garments. Wedding gowns are both common and unique.
It is increasingly common to wear your grandmother’s or mother’s wedding dress. Princess Beatrice married in a gown that Norman Hartnell designed for Queen Elizabeth II in the 1960s.
Vintage gowns can be updated with a few simple adjustments to make them more modern.
Princess Beatrice wore a gown that Norman Hartnell designed for Queen Elizabeth II. Benjamin Wheeler/Royal Communications of Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mozzi and Benjamin Wheeler/Royal Communications via AP
The majority of Australian brides save their dresses in hopes that their daughters or grandchildren will wear them. The results suggest that despite an increasing number of people opting not to get married, marriages are still a culturally important ritual.
Some women save their dress for burial. Some women donate their wedding gowns to be turned into Angel dresses for burying stillborn babies. The dress takes on a new meaning to grieving families.
The big wedding is over.
The age at first marriage has increased from 20 years for women and 23 for men in 1970 to 30 for both.
Wedding dress businesses are particularly affected by the current housing and cost of living crises.
Marriage is still seen as a unique life event despite the rising divorce rate and a generational shift.
Weddings are increasingly viewed as outdated institutions. State Library of South Australia
The wedding gown is a luxury driven by emotions and social norms, where the bride often balances tradition with individuality.
The wedding dress is a part of everyday life, whether it’s through films, magazines, or celebrity weddings.
The wedding dress is one of the most precious clothes that we own. It represents our hopes, dreams, and family heirlooms, making its loss all the more painful.
