Are you curious if brides used to wear a purple wedding dress or what is the meaning of picking this color as the wedding gown? Perhaps you’ve also dreamed of wearing a purple wedding dress, but don’t know how to pick the flattering style.
This article covers everything you need to know about purple wedding dresses. You’ll even know how to style and what items to incorporate with your purple wedding gown to look your best and showcase this royal color.
Purple Wedding Dress History, Meaning, and How To Wear
History Of Purple Wedding Dresses
American brides and purple wedding dresses
Interestingly, colored wedding dresses, including gowns worn by brides in the 19th century, include purple dresses. Even though the iconic white wedding dress worn by Queen Victoria started the trend of wearing white among brides, colored dresses, like purple wedding dresses, still dominated early America, as seen in the exhibit at Framingham History Center.
But by the 20th century, Americans would pick white as the only color for their wedding dresses. This can be attributed to the middle-class spending on one-time-use dresses like white and high-maintenance wedding gowns.
It was also possible to use affordable fabrics that look like expensive white luxury fabrics. And by the 1920s, purple wedding dresses and other colored gowns became uncommon.
Irish brides and purple wedding dresses
According to Oldmoores Almanac, white wedding dresses are not considered traditional or popular with the Irish, but instead, related to brides in mourning, similar to how other cultures wear black to signify grief. From 1850 to 1880, mauve and lilac wedding dresses were even common among Irish brides.
One can also relate colors like purple for the wedding dress as it was apparent among the middle class back in the day. And besides purple, the modest Irish bride might pick green, blue, or brown for her wedding gown but not white.
More so, while the trend of wearing a white wedding dress started around the war years, Irish brides still opt for colored wedding dresses. One can only conclude that Irish brides wear whatever color they like for their weddings.
What Does A Purple Wedding Dress Mean?
The shade of purple wedding dress can symbolize different things. However, purple is popularly known as a symbol of royalty, so wearing a purple wedding dress can indicate social status.
Some brides who value spirituality and religion may also wear a purple wedding gown as it’s associated with the belief that there is something greater than humankind. And finally, purple can evoke a sense of mystery, which makes it a fantastic choice for the bride that loves the obscure.
These are the other potential meanings behind different purple wedding gowns:
- Tyrian purple wedding dress: wealth and power
- Majorelle purple: empathy and loyalty
- Lavender wedding dress: femininity, modesty, and compassion
- Indigo wedding dress: imagination and spirituality
What Cultures Wear Purple Wedding Dresses?
Purple is an unconventional wedding dress color, but non-white wedding dresses are gaining popularity among American brides. Wearing a unique color for the wedding gown is a form of expression and statement among bold and out-of-the-box brides.
However, did you know that other colors on wedding dresses are also practiced in different cultures? Purple can mean different things among brides in Asia, Africa, and South America.
Chinese brides
Chinese brides are known for wearing red wedding dresses, but reddish-purple wedding dresses are also popular. Purple clothing is only worn by emperors, which is why reddish-purple wedding dresses symbolize royalty in China.
Indian and Tibetan brides
Another culture known for wearing different colors for their bridal gowns is Indian brides. And like Chinese brides, wedding dresses in reddish-purple colors are also common in India.
Light purple colors are considered sacred, so wearing a purple wedding dress can symbolize devotion and faith. Tibetan brides sometimes wear lilac and lavender wedding dresses for this reason.
Nigerian and Ghanaian brides
African brides also wear purple wedding dresses; interestingly, white is not as common for wedding gowns in Nigeria and Ghana. Nigerian brides pick whatever color they want, so it’s not uncommon to see them wearing purple.
On the other hand, Ghanaian brides will wear wedding dresses with unique colors and patterns based on their family’s traditions. Some Ghanaian wedding dresses feature purple among the patterns and colors.
Thai and Brazillian Brides
Both Thai and Brazilian brides may wear lilac wedding dresses as the color is associated with the symbolism behind pink. However, dark and deep purple colors are not common in wedding dresses because it’s associated with mourning, similar to how black is perceived in other cultures.
So if you’re a bride who wants to honor her roots, you want to look up the meaning of purple for your culture. You can also incorporate the color in other bridal items or details on your traditional white wedding dress.
Are you interested to know about other non-white wedding dresses? Here’s what do wedding dress colors mean.
Why Do Some Brides Wear Purple?
Purple wedding dresses can mean different things to each bride. Some view purple as a symbol of nobility, wealth, faith, loyalty, or even mysteriousness.
Wearing a non-traditional wedding dress color is also a way to convey uniqueness and create a more memorable look for the wedding. And depending on the purple shade, the color can enhance the bride’s complexion and showcase her natural beauty.
Is it okay to wear a purple wedding dress?
It’s okay to wear a purple wedding dress, depending on the type of wedding you’re having. Your cultural background and a traditional wedding ceremony might find wearing another dress color besides white disrespectful.
Some cultures also associate deep purple colors with mourning. And for brides who might feel like they’d be stressed in explaining their chosen wedding dress color, you can always pick a muted purple shade for your wedding dress.
How To Style A Purple Wedding Dress
Make the most of your beautiful wedding dress color by wearing the best jewelry and shoes to pair with a purple wedding dress. Still, pick the accessories that complement you and would be practical for your wedding type.
What color shoes to wear with a purple wedding dress?
-
Beige
The best shoe color to wear with a purple wedding dress is beige because it’s neutral and would look fantastic with whatever shade of purple you wear. Beige also complements most skin tones if you’re wearing a short wedding gown.
-
Silver
If your purple wedding dress does not have too many details, you want to add impact to the bridal attire with silver shoes. They’re often associated with bridal footwear, and you can even pick up embellished shiny shoes.
-
White
Another classic bridal shoe color that suits a purple wedding gown is white, and it’s also practical since you can pair it with other outfit colors after the wedding. Compare off-white or optic white to see what complements your wedding dress’s specific purple shade.
-
Black
Some brides who picked a purple wedding dress are going for a gothic look. And for this, you can never go wrong with black shoes. It can even be a pair of stylish booths that would look great with purple tulle.
-
Red
Do you want a sultry appeal with your purple wedding dress? Red can also look good for shoes with a lilac or purple wedding dress.
What jewelry and accessories goes with a purple wedding dress?
-
Gold or rose gold
Brides wearing purple wedding dresses can always go right with gold or rose gold jewelry. These items are also especially flattering for those with a warm skin tone.
However, make sure all the pieces you’re wearing are cohesive. For example, if you wear a rose gold necklace, your earrings should also be rose gold to avoid looking mismatched and all over the place.
-
Silver or pearls
The details in your purple wedding dress can inspire the jewelry you’ll wear. For example, some embellished wedding gowns feature pearls, so the bride can wear pearl drop earrings or a pearl choker with her purple wedding dress.
Silver is also a neutral piece of jewelry that complements most brides. And if it’s a simple-looking purple wedding dress, you can opt for silver jewelry with purple gemstones.
How To Find A Purple Wedding Dress That Will Flatter Me?
What’s the shade of the purple wedding dress?
Identify your skin undertone, whether you have neutral, warm, or cool skin. For example, bluish-purple wedding gowns are best for brides with warm skin tones.
On the other hand, Tyrian and Byzantium purple shades would be the best purple color choice for brides with cool skin undertones. And if you want a dark purple wedding dress, you’re in luck with a neutral skin tone, as it will flatter you best.
You can check our guide on what color wedding dress should I wear to know what will enhance your beauty best.
What’s a flattering wedding gown silhouette for my body type?
Besides knowing the shade of purple that will enhance your natural complexion, the wedding dress silhouette of the purple dress should also flatter your body type. The A-line silhouette is universally flattering, so it can be your top choice if you’re unsure.
It cinches the waist and draws attention away from the belly. But for those wearing a purple dress for appeal and who want to look sultry, you can consider fitted satin wedding dresses like the mermaid or sheath.
And, of course, purple is a royal color, so it’s only right to go for a ball gown with purple chiffon or tulle. You can achieve the princess look effortlessly by knowing what goes under the wedding dress to make it poofy.
Conclusion
And that’s it! We hope we had covered everything you want to know about a purple wedding dress, which is even a popular color choice for brides before white became popular.
The meaning of wearing purple is attributed to royalty, mysteriousness, and even spirituality. And when it comes to finding a flattering purple wedding dress, consider the dress silhouette and the specific shade of purple that would flatter your body and skin type.