For all you ladies in red …
Let’s face it. Just the thought of getting married in a RED wedding dress is a travesty that could make most women, well… see red. Western brides-to-be traditionally consider weddings and all the accoutrements to be symbolic of a woman’s purity, innocence, and virginity and that a flagrant intrusion of such a passionate and violent color is usually considered in poor taste – if not taboo.
Does this look like a violent color and poor taste? Definitely not! This is such a pretty wedding dress in red from Tomy Mariage.
What most brides don’t realize, however, is that culturally and historically, the use of red in weddings is quite common, especially in Buddhist and Hindu cultures where the color is a symbol of good luck. In fact, the tradition of wearing white bridal gowns is fairly recent, made popular only after Queen Victoria’s marriage in 1840 - and the subsequent marriages of her daughters in 1858 and 1863 - wherein they all wore simple white satin dresses with an orange blossom wreath headdress and lace veil. And because royal weddings have always influenced the wedding ceremonies of non-royal couples (with the brides often imitating the princesses’ style of dress), it’s no wonder how the tradition has stuck to this day.
Modern French designer Tomy Mariage showing off latest red wedding dress trend. French people are not one bit shy to wear red on their wedding day.
Prior to the Victorian era, most women were wedded in their “best dress,” regardless of color. The considerations for such a choice were mostly practical, as the dress could be worn for more than one occasion and often reflected the bride’s (and her family’s) social standing. Thus, wedding gowns were designed in styles fashionable for the time: high-necked and long-sleeved for day, or low-necked and sleeveless for evening – in all varieties of rich materials and colors, including blue and red.
In hindsight, it’s ironic that a woman whose name is synonymous with prudery and strict decorum actually started a long-lasting fashion trend that continues to be hot to this day. Petite, weak-chinned Victoria – history’s most enduring fashion icon! Who would’ve thought?
(And no, I’m not talking about Victoria Beckham, mind)
She had the right idea, though. Despite the rags of the day criticizing Queen Vicky’s choice of ensemble as shockingly “plain,” the color white suddenly became the fitting symbol of a milieu marked by moral austerity and prosperity brought about by the Industrial Revolution (with white once considered a symbol of wealth). All other colors – especially red – fell out of favor for a bride’s wedding trousseau.
A white dress should take a backseat to the new emerging trend.
So, with the modern woman’s general disdain for all things old-fashioned and, well, Victorian; why is it that even the most liberal and unconventional of brides choose to retain a seemingly antiquated wedding tradition in this age of Pucci prints, M.A.C. Viva Glam, and rock n’ roll? Really, what’s wrong about wearing a flashy color like red to your marriage?
In a nutshell? If there’s just one day we’d like to project an illusion of being good girls, it’s our wedding day. And white equals good. Red equals bad?
Definitely not the sentiments here at RedHotBrides.com
Okay, not that millions of Indian and Chinese women have it all wrong by wearing red bedecked with gold bling on their special day. But the Red vs. White debate is purely a Western issue backed up by years of history (a.k.a. superstition?), cultural anthropology – and of being a persistent little thorn in feminism’s side (yes, today’s women have no problem burning their bras, but seemingly have trouble parting with that white, poufy, mutton-sleeved lace parachute and donating it to the Salvation Army).
Tomy Mariage 2008 Bridal Prestige Collection
Therefore, Red, how art thy villainized so?
- Red is frequently used as a symbol of guilt or sin, and is often connected with lust. The color’s use as a stigma against the very sanctity of marriage is best and most famously illustrated in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel, “The Scarlet Letter” about a Puritanical woman punished for her adultery by being ostracized and having a red letter “A” sewn into the bosom of her clothes. Curiously, the popularity of the novel not only coincided with the white wedding trend but also with red falling out of favor with married women who obviously didn’t want to project an air of unfaithfulness. That was 1850. Today is year 2008 and red is in again. I promise you will not be hanged at the altar for wearing red but rather would be admired heavily instead.
- Although red is the de facto color associated with brothels and prostitution, hence the coining of such terms as the red-light district, don’t let this stop you from wearing your beautiful red gown. In the Eastern Culture, red is the color of luck. Chinese adorn themselves with red ornaments and decorate their homes with red furniture and paint. The younger, more fashionable and more modern guests will probably look at you with admiration for going with a new tradition and setting a new trend. After seeing you walk down the aisle, looking splendidly clad in red velvet, other brides-to-be will surely want to consider following in your footsteps.
- “Here comes the bride, all dressed in white …” will probably not be the appropriate song as you are walking towards the altar in a red dress. You have two choices, you many opt to stick with tradition on this one, or choose a different song such as “Wedding March” by Mozart. To go even further, you can opt for a modern love song for your wedding procession - Lady in Red comes to mind.
- It’s going to be difficult coordinating a red gown with other colors, from the accessories down to the flowers and table arrangements because you have grown seeing white wedding dresses and have all sorts of ideas already that may be hard to get out of your mind. Your best choices for contrast would be gold, black, and white.
Now, if your name is Aishwarya Rai or if you worship at the altar of a god with four arms and an elephant’s head, then the wearing of red during your wedding is not only expected, but very auspicious. For a majority of Western brides, a red wedding dress is a novelty and many are fathoming it to be the new wave of fashion. Nevertheless, should you decide to go red hot and wear a beautiful red wedding gown on your wedding, plan around the color carefully and tactfully to give you that desirable red glow. After all, the whole point of throwing a wedding for yourself, your groom, your family, and friends is to share in the joy of a new chapter in your life. Make sure everyone remembers YOU and your happiness on your wedding day.
-Clarissa, Copyrighted 2008 RedHotBrides.com
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