The Wedding Attire

The white wedding gown is an icon. A long flowing is one of the first things that comes to mind. And yet, does have certain connotations of purity and innocence in our society, which may lead one to wonder if is is acceptable for all brides.

In case you do not know the origin it dates back to Queen Victoria in the 19th Century. Before then, brides wore a gown in the color of their choosing, and often it was not even a new dress, just their best dress. The idea that was designed to be worn only once was one of absolute luxury.

It has long had associations with purity; it is not only brides who wear white, after all, but also babies being baptized, children receiving their First Communion, and young ladies being introduced to society as debutantes. If you go back a few decades to the time when it was deemed mandatory for all first time brides to be virgins, then yes, white gowns were reserved for the young and innocent bride. If a woman who was known to be a "loose" woman, in the parlance of the day, there would surely have been quite a bit of nasty whispering going on behind her back. Needless to say, second time brides never wore white, favoring pastels like light blue or pale pink.

Times have changed, however, and there is no longer an expectation that a bride-to-be is saving herself for the honeymoon. That particular fiction is especially hard to maintain when the couple has been living together for five years before they tie the knot, and even more ludicrous when their children precede the bells. And yet, most first time brides will still wear white or ivory gowns. Besides, etiquette would dictate that making rude comments about the bride is a far greater sin than her choice of gown color.

So, the answer is yes, it is certainly fine for a first time bride to wear the gown of her choosing, in white or any color that she likes. (Because the corollary being acceptable for any bride is that no bride should be required to wear white, if she favors another color.) That said, older first time brides or those being remarried will often consider wearing ivory or champagne colored wedding dresses instead of pure white. Not only will they avoid any comments about the state of their purity, but these colors tend to be more flattering, elegant, and sophisticated.

If a second time bride does decide, she should aim to find one that is more mature and chic, rather than the sort of princess-like gown that would be suitable on a young ingenue. Slim silhouettes and form fitting styles are very elegant in white and will look more appropriate. Even in a lovely silk could work, especially when it is accessorized with classic pearl bridal jewelry. A little tip for any second time brides: do not re-wear the same bridal jewelry that you did for your first ceremony; it is better to treat yourself to a new pearl necklace that will not be a reminder of the previous day.

Really, ladies, these days almost anything goes when it comes to wedding attire. The bride can wear white, red, or even black, if it suits her personal style. Although it has many long associations in our culture, in the end, the color white is just a color, and can be worn by any bride who wishes to do so. [via]