Wedding Style Revolutions that We Love
April, 26 2022
Just like every other trend, wedding fashion trends seem to change at the speed of light. Someone who might have married in 2016 or 2017, is already feeling that some of their style choices (while beautiful) are outdated as per the 2022 bridal fashion trend. If that much can change for a wedding dress history in just three to four years, what on earth could a wedding have looked like decades ago? Or a century ago? Well, it turns out that a lot was the same, even though a lot was different.
If we talk about traditional wedding dresses, then they sure have changed a lot over the years. From shoulder pads to long sleeves, to lovely and romantic “princess” style, to form-fitting couture, there has been an endless wedding style revolution that brides of every era have loved. Do you think that a traditional bride of the 1950s would dream of wearing what our millennial brides are wearing today for their wedding day? Well, to get the answer you need to check out the wedding style revolutions that have happened over the years in this latest blog. While the classic white wedding gown has been around since the 19th century, style and bridal taste have significantly transformed over time. So, just for you, here’s the timeline of the decades we have created to show this evolution! So, enjoy your green tea and relish this blast from the past!
In the 1910s, When Loose Wedding Dresses Were the Trend
The era of 1910 had a huge significance in history. It was the time of World War 1. And during that time, smart, and practical fashion took precedence over more ornate looks. If we look back at the history of bridal fashion during the 1910s, bridal fashion was more modern and chic and was taking a deliberate step away from Victorian aesthetics. Skirts were shortened slightly just above the ankle. The fashion trend in the 1910s was more sensuous and contemporary. Talking about bridal fashion, then in the 1910s, the majority of brides wore floor-length, floaty wedding dresses which allow the brides to move more easily on their wedding day. There is one wedding activity we know and everyone just loves it even today from that era is the dancing! The wedding dance gives endless photography opportunities to affordable and professional wedding photographers to capture all the candid and full-filled moments in the great frame! During the 1910s, dancing at weddings became a custom, with dances like the turkey trot coming into the trend, these styles of wedding dresses were a perfect fit for brides of that time.
The 1920s was the Era for More sophisticated, Flapper-Style Wedding Dresses
The roaring 20s was a time of alluring beauty, vintage, and endless fun! For all the brides who wanted to channel their inner Daisy Buchanan, the 20s was a perfect time. In the 20s, bridal fashion was all about embroidered lace and ornate wedding dresses with elegant and charming beading perfectly glamorizing all the flapper brides of the Jazz Age! With so much glamor to cherish, adore, and wear, this is one of the major reasons why 20s style wedding dresses are still in Vogue! Wedding dresses designed in the 20s are some of the most iconic styles to date, and our millennial brides are still crushing over them like anything. The 20s was the time when wedding dresses were all about the beaded bodice, fringed skirts, and minimal, yet classy and elegant bridal accessories. Loose, straight silhouettes, and not to forget floor-length wedding veils that perfectly flowed into trains were some of the trending bridal fashions in the 20s.
The 1930s was all About Silk or Rayon Wedding Dresses
If we talk about the wedding dresses from the 1930s, they were typically very simple yet elegant and statement-making. The 30s era was all about figure-skimming silhouettes featuring high necklines, and long sleeves. Most of the 1930s fashion was highly inspired by the silver screen and wedding dresses were no different. The 30s was also known as the Depression era, and the wedding dresses designed during that era were simpler, but their ladylike classy cuts did exude elegance and sensuousness in the best possible way. The majority of 30s wedding dresses were about tighter fits and slightly dropped waist! Shining and slinky silk and satin perfectly characterized the 30s wedding dresses, as these two fabrics were believed to make a bride feel like a starlet she was at that time. With minimal sparkling, sun hats, or tiara style headdresses, 30s wedding fashion trends still tend to inspire our today’s fashion-forward brides.
High Neck and Long-Sleeved Wedding Gowns stayed in Fashion till the 1940s
There was very little change in the bridal fashion of the 40s time as compared to that of in the 30s. Wedding dresses from the 40s were just an extension of those from the 1930s. The bridal fashion of the 40s kept wedding dresses classic with movie star-inspired looks. In the 40s brides preferred to slip into slim-fit wedding dresses with high necklines and long sleeves. The 40s was wartime, and our wartime brides preferred to walk down the aisle in long, gathered sleeves and corsets that accentuated the perfect and sensuous hourglass figure.
It was all about ballgowns and also Strapless Style Wedding Dresses in the 1950s
In the 50s bridal fashion was hugely dominated by ball gowns with huge skirts. The 50s witnessed a shift in the bridal industry. At that time brides wanted high fashion wedding dresses and looked to their current Hollywood movie stars for their wedding dress inspiration. The ball gown wedding dresses with a simple and elegant sweetheart neckline, and small waist was a huge trend in the 50s that every other bride wanted to wear for a wedding dress on her big day! Ball gown style wedding dresses gave an impression of a Disney princess, which every bride likes no matter which era it is. In the 50s, famous fashion brand, Dior launched its new collection “New Look” featuring cinched waists and full skirts not only highly influenced all the soon-to-be brides but also made a huge impact on the wedding fashion industry.
Well, the 50s also introduced the strapless trend as a reaction to the high-neck and long-sleeved wedding dresses that came before that era! Not all the brides were ready to ditch the long sleeves, but this fashion trend started in a very small way and it is a huge trend currently.
The 1960s features Slimmer Wedding Dresses, again!
After the voluminous ballgown of the 50s era, brides again shifted back to wearing slimmer-fitted “column” wedding dresses in the 60s. By the 1960s, bridal fashion became more popular with every passing day. The traditional white wedding dresses continued to transform in every possible way. Well, in the 60s, there was a new interest that we got to witness in the department of bridal accessories. Not to forget the wedding dresses, they also underwent a makeover. Hems began to rise, and wedding gowns were simple in shape as compared to the years before! So, if you think you are a hippie at heart, the mod, straight silhouettes, and boat neckline of the swinging 60s might be a cup of tea or we say a perfect fit for you, like literally, then you can consider wearing 60s inspired wedding dress for your 2022 wedding. The 60s was the time when tea length and short wedding dresses made a huge bridal fashion trend and were highly followed by brides of that time. Even today, many of our modern-day romantic brides are preferring short wedding dresses for weddings like beach weddings! Along with short wedding dresses, mutton sleeves also came into the trend. In the 60s, a large number of long-sleeved wedding dresses featured puffy elbows, gracefully couples with high necklines.
Sleeves Got Even Bigger in the 1970s
Well, the 70s was a popular time as it was the rise of disco! The rise of disco with show-stopping bell-bottom pants was everywhere. If we talk about bridal fashion in the 70s, it was the bohemian style. The bohemian style was one of the greatest and peculiar hallmarks of 1970s wedding dresses. In the 70s, wedding dresses were all about long and flowy sleeves cascading down from the forearm. Puffy sleeves with a high neckline were a chic trend in the 70s bridal fashion industry. More soft and feminine than eclectic, the wedding dresses designed in the 70s were of draped material to attain a unique look that was an incredible combination of both romantic and classic with a little hint of whimsicalness. The 1970s wedding dresses were a sheer example of ethereal romance perfectly meeting the timeless classiness in the best possible way! The 70s was the time when even bridesmaids' dresses also became very interesting and colorful.
Strapless Wedding Dresses Made A Comeback in the 1980s With “BIG” Bridal Fashion Trend
Strapless wedding dresses became a major thing in the 80s! Back in the 80s, it was a bit difficult to buy anything that wasn’t strapless and the same was the trend in the wedding dress industry. If we have to describe the bridal fashion of the 80s, there is only one word that suits the best “BIG”. Big was the theme of the 1980 bridal wedding day look. From wild hair to the puffed sleeves, and not to forget the oversize skirts, it was really different and extremely unique in the 80s! The 80s was the time of teased hairstyles and some of the greatest music we have ever heard! Stunning cathedral trains and collared necklines were flawlessly made to vogue, all thanks to lovely and stunning Princess Diana’s royal wedding dress, designed with lace and frills. The wedding gowns during this era were all about beautiful lace and beading! Sleeves continued to grow as well as headpieces if we talk about bridal accessories. And lastly, how can we forget the detachable shoulder pads!
In the late 80s, tighter wedding dresses made a huge sensation. Cross-fitting wedding dresses were on the list of every bride by the late 1980s!
Gloves made their entry into Bridal Fashion in the 90s!
Well, the 90s was the time when the wedding industry boomed like anything. In the 90s, weddings became bigger, better, and much more extravagant and expensive. The brides of the 90s were not much interested in intricate embellishments or layered skirts or ornate appliques. They were much more into the simplicity of a slinky, sexier sheath wedding gown crafted of nothing but the softest and most delicate fabric- silk. In the 90s, wedding dresses came to be commonly known as “princess dresses”. The sleeves of the wedding dress became less popular and gloves were introduced. In the 90s, bridal gloves were often must-have bridal accessories. In addition to gloves, the 90s also witnessed a rise in hair and makeup trends, which of course added immensely to each bride's wedding day look!
The 90s also saw the beautiful introduction of more chic and modern, flirty silhouettes from the American wedding dress designer Lazaro! The tight-fitting wedding dress that looked nothing like a tango dress was also a huge trend in the 90s.
The 2000s was All About Cha-Cha slides & A-Line Wedding Dresses
2000 was the era of personalized weddings and course the ‘cha-cha slide”! By the year 2000, the bridal fashion industry got a little more diversified. It was the time of long flowing and a bit tighter wedding gowns. In 2000, strapless wedding gowns rocked the bridal fashion industry. Shinier and soft fabrics like satin and taffeta were the most common and also popular that were used in the 2000s for the designing of wedding dresses. Wedding gowns worn by brides in the era of 2000 were more of bling than lacey details. Ball gowns were a favorite, and colored sashes or appliqués were chosen, along with spaghetti straps.
Sleeves made a Royal Return in the 2010s
When brides have pretty much forgotten about sleeves, the era of 2010 welcomed back sleeves with a little twist and chicness. How can anyone forget Kate Middleton's wedding and her gorgeous designer wedding dress, yes, her wedding dress had long sleeves! And since then, sleeves are back in trend in the bridal fashion industry. There is no denying that 2010 did serve as the era of photo booths, textured flowers, and innovative and extremely creative wedding ceremony setups! In 2010, brides were happy to see that shoulder pads were left in the 80s. Wedding dresses designed in 2010 were more form-fitting. 2010 was the era when mermaid-style wedding dresses were introduced and also became popular amongst future brides with alluring and elegant beading, flowers, and light tool skirts!
2010 is All About Wedding Dresses that Suits a Bride’s Personality
With every passing day, the wedding industry continues to grow and change. The bridal fashion undergoes a huge makeover now and then. Currently, weddings are more elaborate than ever before, with an average cost of over 40k! Wedding dresses worn by our modern-day brides are very modern and chic with see-through and chic detailing, mesh, and netting. These days brides are more focused on slipping into a wedding dress that gracefully and perfectly reflects brides' personalities and style in the best possible way! The choices are just endless these days. Blush and nude undertones are also becoming increasingly more popular to satisfy even the pickiest of brides!