“The bride wore white” was printed so often in wedding announcements in the late 18th and 19th centuries that it became a stock phrase. Yet, for much of history, white dresses were often too expensive, hard to keep clean and only for the elite.
“Until the 19th century, people wore a variety of colors — red, green, blue — without regard to any symbolism, and they usually chose a style that allowed them to keep wearing the dress for other occasions,” said Stephanie Coontz, a historian and the author of several books about gender and family.
After Queen Victoria wore a white gown to marry Prince Albert in 1840, wearing white became a fashion trend for brides in the Western world. (In countries like China or India, brides often wear red to symbolize luck, while in Africa they typically wear a blend of colors to symbolize joy.)
In the West, white would eventually become a symbol of sexual purity. In some strict religious circles, if a bride wasn’t a virgin, she was often pressured to wear off-white.
“By the wedding day, the dress becomes an insurance policy against gossip or even eternal damnation,” said Aly Thompson, a family therapist in Westlake Village, Calif., who specializes in religious trauma. “If I wear white, no one can say I’ve failed. But if I don’t, I risk exposure. I risk not belonging.”
But while the white dress has long symbolized purity and tradition, fabric colors today often reflect personal style and cultural meaning. Shades of beige, cream and ivory are also increasingly popular. Still, purity culture lingers: Some brides say they feel pressured by family and religious expectations to wear white — and, in some cases, off-white.
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