The traditional white wedding dress symbolizes purity and chastity, two virtues a woman about to get married was supposed to have in the past. The bridal custom of wearing white started in the XVI century but it was given a boost when Queen Victoria decided to wear a white wedding gown instead of the silver dress royal brides used to wear at that time. Another monarch, Mary Queen of Scots, had worn white before when she married François II of France. However, her choice did not become popular then since white was the official colour of mourning in France at the time. It is believed Mary had chosen white since she was very fond of that colour and her white wedding dress surely must have highlighted her bright auburn hair and her hazel-brown eyes.
What Colour Said About the Bride
There were several superstitions concerning wedding dresses as it was believed each colour carried a special significance for the bride:
- Brown: the bride would never leave town. The implication was that her husband would never rise in life or acquire riches.
- Pearl: the bride would live in a whirl.
- Red: the bride wished herself dead. It was believed that if a bride wore red, she and her husband would fight before their first anniversary or her husband would die soon.
- Yellow: the bride felt ashamed of the man who was marrying her.
- Green: the bride was ashamed to be seen. Except for the Irish, this colour represented promiscuity since it was believed the green staining of the dress was due to rolling in grassy fields. In Lowland Scotland it was considered to be an “ill-omened” colour and not only the bride but also the wedding guests were forbidden to wear it. No green vegetables were served at the wedding feast either.
- Pink: the bride’s spirit would sink.
- Grey: the bride would go far away.
- Black: the bride should never look back. In general black was considered to bring bad luck since it was the colour of widows and it symbolized death.
- Blue: ever-lasting true love. The blue in the traditional wedding rhyme: ”Something old, something new Something borrowed, something blue” symbolized love, modesty and fidelity. Blue therefore has been popular since it means constancy. In some parts of Yorkshire, however, there is a local saying that “if dressed in blue, she is sure to rue”.
BY:Novie
