Category Archives: Fashion

Movie Weddings – “Star Wars: The Attack of the Clones”

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In this post I will discuss the wedding dress worn by Padme Amidala when she married Anakin Skywalker in the 2002 “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” film.  The brief wedding scene comes at the end of the film and the beautiful dress has become something that people really remember as probably one of the most iconic movie costumes in recent times.!  But before I talk about Amidala’s dress, let’s set the scene for how and when the wedding takes place.

“Attack of the Clones” is the second film of the prequels in the Star Wars series.  In the movie the galaxy is on the brink of civil war with the Galactic Republic and the Separatists.   Anakin (a Jedi apprentice) and Amidala (recently elected Queen of Naboo before becoming a Senator for the Chommell sector in the Galactic Republic Senate) have traveled to Geonosis in an attempt to save the Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  The pair has fallen in love but it must be keep a secret because, as a Jedi in training, Anakin would be expelled from the Jedi Order by the Jedi Council if a romance was discovered.  In the final scene of the movie Amidala and Anakin are secretly married on a terrace overlooking a picturesque lake with two droids looking on as witnesses, C3PO and R2D2.  (Special Note: The wedding scene was filmed at the Villa Balbianello in Lenno, Italy which overlooking the beautiful Lake Como)

So, now let’s discuss the beautiful wedding dress of Padme Amidala.

The dress was created by the film’s costume designer Trisha Biggar and is a lovely A-line full-length gown made from ivory silk fabric with a delicate overlay of antique ivory lace attached to antique tulle that is accented with hand-beaded with seed pearls.  In addition to the lace, 300 yards of French knit braid were used in an intricate pattern to further embellish the dress.  (Special Note: The inspiration for the gown came from an antique lace bedspread that the costume designer had found in a local store)

The perfect matching full-length coat is worn open to reveal the dress underneath and features blowing elbow-length sleeves that taper to the wrists with the French knit braid arranged in the same swirling pattern that was used on the dress.  The coat has a slight train and the material used is the same as the dress and edged in more antique lace which is accented with ivory pearls.

The stunning wedding veil of Amidala features lace material gathered onto the head to create a cap with a gentle scallop hem falling across the forehead and to the waist down the back.  The cap is beautifully embellished with antique ivory silk flowers, hand-beaded pearls and nine pearl beaded swags accented teardrop pearls.  In the film, to complete the romantic look, Amidala wears her long hair falling loosely in soft curls.

It is Interesting to note that with the time in the distant future, the “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” wedding dress of Amidala seems to have a definite vintage design influenced from the past, it has been said that the film’s costume designer created the dress to reflect an Edwardian-era style.

Upon looking specifically at the wedding veil of Amidala, it is very similar in the design style of the one worn by Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon when she married Prince Albert (the future King George VI) in 1923.  Although the material used is significantly different, the veil’s draping onto the forehead and the way it frames the eyes is the same.

In my opinion, when I look at Amidala’s wedding dress I think that it looks like it dates back even further in time.  The design to me is very reminiscent of a medieval style of dress that a young maiden would wear when marrying her “knight in shining amour”.

Here are two vintage sewing patterns that could be used to replicate a similar style of wedding dress and veil of Amidala’s film version.

A British Royal Bride – Queen Victoria

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Previously I featured a post about the British Royal Wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert which took place on February 10, 1840 at the Chapel Royal, St. James Palace.  Queen Victoria set many trends during her long reign and she directly influenced the traditions of the British Royal weddings, such as the use of myrtle in the bridal bouquet. She is also credited for starting the custom of a bride wearing a white wedding dress which is still a popular choice for many modern brides.  This post will be about Queen Victoria as a British Royal bride and I will discuss what she wore on her wedding day including all the items of her bridal ensemble and jewelry.

 Queen Victoria’s wedding dress and bridal accessories

The wedding dress custom until the Georgian Era was that ordinary brides of the working class often wore their “best dress” on their wedding day, usually made in a dark and durable material.  Brides of the upper class would wear dresses especially made for the occasion to show their wealthy status.  Royal brides wore elaborate dresses made in gold or silver fabric sometimes embroidered with silk threads and embellished with semi-precious stones as was befitting their royal status.

When it came time for Queen Victoria’s wedding, she decided that she wanted to wear a white or ivory bridal gown and she also wanted to used the opportunity to promote the British fabric manufacturing industry.  Her dress was made of the finest white satin provided by Spitalfields in London and featured a bodice top and a full pleated skirt.  The skirt included Honiton lace and had a detachable train that measured 18 feet in length and was accented with a border of orange blossom sprays.  The separate top also featured Honiton lace accents across the bodice and on the sleeves. (Special Note: Queen Victoria’s wedding gown has been carefully preserved and is now part of the British Royal collection and was most recently put on display at Kensington Palace in 2012.  It is questionable as to whether the dress will be further exhibited due its fragile condition)

Queen Victoria’s wedding dress

Queen Victoria’s bridal shoes were made by Gundry & Sons of London.  The shoes were made of white satin to match the dress, it has been noted that the shoes were approximately a size 3.  The shoes was a typical design of the Georgian Era and had flat leather soles with no heels and featured a square toe trimmed with six bands of ribbon with additional ribbons used to tie the shoe onto the foot.

         

Queen Victoria’s bridal shoes

On her wedding day, Queen Victoria wore a bridal veil made of Honiton lace but instead of wearing a diamond tiara that would have befit her royal status she chose to secure the veil to her head with a wreath of orange blossoms.  Orange blossoms were often worn by brides to symbolize chastity and fertility.

Queen Victoria bridal veil and wreath
(photograph from royalcollection.org.uk)

Historical Note: Queen Victoria wore her bridal veil many times in the years following her wedding day for such family events as her children’s christenings, the wedding of her eldest daughter Princess Victoria in 1858 and her youngest son Leopold’s wedding in 1882.  She loaned the bridal veil to her youngest daughter when Princess Beatrice married in 1885, she was the only one of the five daughters to be given this honor.  Queen Victoria wore her bridal veil for the last time underneath her famous small crown for the formal portrait of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.  When she died a few years later in 1901 her request was to be buried alongside her beloved husband, Prince Albert, who was laid to rest almost 40 years earlier in 1861 at Frogmore in the Windsor Great Park.  As a final tribute to her beloved husband, the Queen also requested the she be buried wearing her wedding veil)

Queen Victoria wearing her bridal veil at the time of her Golden Jubilee

On her wedding day Queen Victoria carried a small bouquet of snowdrops which were Prince Albert’s favorite flower.  Legend has it that clippings from the myrtle in Queen Victoria’s bridal bouquet have been used by every royal bride since the time of her wedding including most recently by Catherine Middleton when she married Prince William in 2011.  The tradition of the myrtle first started when the Princess Royal Victoria, the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, used a clipping of Queen Victoria’s myrtle when she married Prince Frederick of Prussia in 1958.  The tradition continued thereafter for the weddings of Queen Victoria and Price Albert’s other four daughters.  (Special Note: The myrtle planted during Queen Victoria’s time, that still grows in the garden at Osborne House, did not come from her bridal bouquet but originally came from a nosegay presented by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Prince Albert’s homeland of Germany several years after her wedding)

Queen Victoria’s wedding jewelry

In 1847, Queen Victoria commissioned Franz Xaver Winterhalter to paint a portrait of her wearing her wedding dress as an anniversary present for Prince Albert. In the Winterhalter portrait the Queen is seen wearing the Turkish diamond necklace and earrings and the insignia of the Order of the Garter.  Back in 1838, Queen Victoria was given a collection of several diamonds by Sultan Mahmud of Turkey.  The next year, the Queen commissioned the Royal jewelers, Rundell & Bridge, to create a necklace and earrings using the Turkish diamonds.

Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

The necklace featured three diamond rosettes connected by three strands of diamonds; the center rosette was larger than the two rosettes on either side.  Strung behind the second rosettes are two rows of diamonds connected by two large oval diamonds; the necklace clasp had a large diamond framed by smaller diamonds.  The matching Turkish earrings featured two small rosettes connected by three rows of diamonds; it has been noted that the earrings were very heavy to wear.  In the years following her wedding, Queen Victoria wore the Turkish jewelry set for several important events in her life, such as the christening of her children. (Special Note:  After Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, the Turkish diamond set was given to her son, the Duke of Connaught.  Unfortunately, the set is no longer a part of the British Royal Collection)

Queen Victoria’s Turkish necklace

On the bodice of her wedding dress Queen Victoria pinned a large sapphire and diamond brooch that was a wedding present from Prince Albert which he had given to her the day before their wedding.  The center stone is a large oblong blue sapphire surrounded by twelve round diamonds and set in gold.  (Special Note: After Prince Albert’s death in 1861, the brooch became very sentimental to Queen Victoria and she wore it frequently on many occasions during her long life.  When Queen Victoria died in 1901, this important historical brooch was given to the British Crown. Several Queen Consorts have worn the brooch over the years that followed including the present Queen Elizabeth II)

Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond brooch

Queen Victoria’s going-away outfit

After the wedding at St. James Palace and the reception at Buckingham Palace, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert departed London to travel to nearby Windsor Castle for a four day honeymoon.  Before leaving, the Queen changed into a white satin pelisse dress trimmed in swan feathers.  She also wore a white velvet bonnet trimmed with orange blossoms accented with marabou feathers.  The Prince wore a plain dark traveling suit with a dark coat.

Queen Victoria’s going-away dress

Queen Victoria’s going-way bonnet
(photograph of the bonnet is from the royalcollection.org.uk)

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s anniversary photographs

In researching this post, I found several photos that were labeled as the wedding photos of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  This is misleading because at the time of their wedding they were both 20 years old and on closer examination of the photographs the couple is noticeably older.  In fact, there were no photographs taken on the day of the wedding in 1840 the reason being that photography was a relatively new technology and camera techniques were still being developed.  (Special Note: As photography methods improved over the following years Queen Victoria and Prince Albert became increasingly interested and felt that the relatively new photographic technology should be included in the Great Exhibition of 1851)

The Queen felt that the new medium was important and from a historical perspective her reign should be recorded in photographs  On May 11, 1854 a series of photographs were taken by Roger Fenton at Buckingham Palace.  By that time the Queen and Prince had been married almost fifteen years and the photographs would be used to mark the occasion.  The Queen was dress in flowing white dress with a small train which were embellished with orange blossoms, she also wore her bridal veil and a wreath of orange blossoms.  The Prince was dressed in military uniform.  (Special Note: These are the photographs most often referred to incorrectly as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert wedding photographs)

One of the photographs of a series taken on May 11, 1854

For more detailed information about the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, please click on the links.

Christian Dior – the French Fashion Designer

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In this post I will discuss the life and career of Christian Dior who was the French designer which changed the clothing industry in 1947 with his revolutionary “New Look” fashion collection that still continues to influence the fashion industry in modern times.  (Special Note: The timeless Dior designs detailed in this post would be a great inspiration for a classic wedding style for either a bride and/or bridesmaid dress)

A brief history of the life and career of Christian Dior

Christian Dior was born on January 21, 1905 in Granville located in northern France.  When Dior was five years old his family moved to Paris and he dreamed of becoming an architect.  But his parents wanted him to be a diplomat and with this family pressure Dior enrolled in the Ecole des Sciences Politques in 1925 to study political science.

After graduating in 1928 Dior chose to follow his artistic ambitions and, with the financial assistance of his father, he opened an art gallery.  Dior had a mild success for a few years until the collapse of his father’s company causing Dior to run out of money which forced him to close the gallery.

While struggling to overcome this set back, Dior supplemented his income by using his artistic talents to sell fashion sketches and people began to notice his design talents.  As a result, he was soon hired to work as an assistant to the well-known fashion designer Robert Piguet.  But, once again after only a few short years, Dior’s plans were altered when he enlisted in the French army in 1940.  After his military service ended in 1942, Dior was hired by another designer, Lucien LeLong.  During this time he worked in German-occupied Paris designing dresses for the wives of Nazi officer living in the city.

After World War II, business in the recently liberated France greatly increased and Dior had a unique idea for women’s fashion.  With wartime supply shortages and a general lack of creative design resulting in relatively androgynous styles that were often made in inexpensive but durable fabrics.  In December 1946, funded by Marcel Boussac, Dior established the House of Dior.  By February 1947 Dior had created his first Spring/Summer fashion collection, it became known as the “New Look”’. The debut collection featured 90 outfits that were distinctly feminine in style with cinched waists aided by a corset and full skirts with mild padding at the hips, the clothes were also made in luxurious fabrics.  Dior received widespread press coverage for his designs when the British Royal family and Hollywood movies stars were seen wearing Dior’s clothing.

To create the feminine silhouette that Dior had envisioned an intricate interior support system for the dresses.  In the photo shown below, the back of a dress is opened to reveal a cotton bobbinette corselet inside.  The W-shaped underwire uses boning with additional support in the bust area to create the proper shape for the bodice, to secure the assembly sturdy hooks and eyes were used for closure.  This clever mechanism created the cinched waist and the attached petticoat made of tulle netting with slight padding completed the feminine silhouette.

photo of a 1955 Dior dress interior
showing the corseted bodice and attached tulle net petticoat

Dior’s innovative “New Look” fashion designs sometimes meet with opposition from feminist groups which felt that his style overly sexualized women.  Another complaint was that the corseted designs with the boned underpinnings that created the feminine silhouette could also be extremely uncomfortable and restrictive for women to wear for extended periods of time.  An additional concern was the extensive use of expensive fabrics so recently after the rationing brought on by World War II and for this reason the Dior clothes were often considered an extravagant expense.  But despite these comments, Dior was undeterred and he continued to design and make his clothing in this ultra-feminine style.

In 1957 Dior appeared on the cover of Time magazine to mark his ten successful years in the fashion industry.  Then, a short time after the issue was published Dior left for a vacation in Italy and while there he died from a heart attack.  Yves Saint Laurent, who had been personally hired by Dior as his head assistant in 1955, was quickly appointed the artistic director of the House of Dior.

The fashion designs of Christian Dior           

Dior was known for changing the world of fashion with his innovative designs featuring tailored suits and dresses with defined waistlines and full or flared skirts made in the best silks and wool fabrics.  His designs were not limited to daytime fashions and he also created stunning evening dresses made in luxurious fabrics and accented with beautiful beading or embroidery.  (Special Note: Any of the Dior designs detailed below would be a great inspiration for a classic wedding style for either an elegant bridal dress or perhaps lovely dresses for the bridesmaids)

Perhaps the most iconic dress from Dior’s famous debut fashion collection of 1947 was the Bar suit.  The ivory tussore silk jacket with a button closure featured a tailored collar and lapels.  The black wool crepe skirt had an underpinning of a stiff taffeta petticoat for fullness which was lined in cream silk and the hip are slightly padding to further the illusion of an smaller waist.

                                            The Bar Suit
photo from the www.metmuseum.org

Shown below are three examples of Dior cocktail dresses from the mid-1950s showing distinctly feminine silhouettes.

Dior was not limited to day and cocktail dresses and he also designed lovely evening dresses using fabrics such as silk, satin and tulle which were embellished with beading and embroidery.  Shown below are several examples of dresses dating back to Dior collections from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s.

  1949 Venus evening dress

1949 Junon evening dress

1952 Palmyre evening dress

1955 Soiree Fleury evening dress

Queen Alexandra – the Fashion Icon

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The Princess of Wales was a fashion icon in her day … but wait … I’m not talking about Princess Diana but Princess Alexandra.  Princess Alexandra of Denmark married Prince Albert Edward, the son of Queen Victoria, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on March 1863.  Princess Alexandra was barely 18 years old at the time of the wedding and she was very beautiful and tall in stature with a slim figure which was in sharp contrast to the women of the time who had much fuller figures.  (Queen Victoria was barely five feet tall and rather plump!)

Princess Alexandra’s wedding dress was created by Charles Worth, an English fashion designer working in France, who dominated Parisian fashion at the end of nineteenth century.  Following the tradition started by Queen Victoria, Princess Alexandra selected an ivory gown, with a separate bodice top and full skirt made of English silk with a Honiton lace overlay featuring elaborate embroidered symbols of an English rose, an Irish shamrock and a Scottish thistle.  The gown was further embellished with orange blossoms and myrtle garlands and the silver moiré train was 21 feet in length and she wore a veil of Honiton lace with a wreath of even more orange blossoms and myrtle.  Her bridal bouquet was made of white rosebuds, lilies of the valley, rare orchids, orange blossoms and of course the traditional sprigs of myrtle said to have been grown from a planting taken from Queen Victoria’s wedding bouquet 23 years earlier.  Prince Albert Edward gave her a wedding present of a pearl necklace, earrings and brooch which she wore along with an opal and diamond bracelet that was a gift from Queen Victoria.  (For more information about the wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra and A British Royal Bride – Princess Alexandra, please click on the link )

 Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra at the time of their engagement Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra on their wedding day

At the time that Alexandra came to England to marry the heir to the throne it had been a few years since the death of the Queen Victoria’s husband, her beloved Prince Albert, and the Queen had withdrawn from society stifled by her grief and a self-imposed period of prolonged mourning.  Prince Albert Edward was heir to the throne and as the Prince of Wales he was put into service as the Queen’s representative for official functions and together the royal couple proved to be extremely popular with the public.  Prince Albert Edward soon became obsessed with royal protocol and dressing in proper clothes for every occasion and it was not unusual for him to completely change his clothing a dozen times a day.  Taking on her new role as Princess of Wales, Alexandra was always acutely aware of her royal duty to dress appropriately for official functions and whenever she was seen in public she was always elegantly dressed in fashions made with the finest fabrics that flattered her.

Princess Alexandra was also very creative in adapting her style of clothing to mask several physical impediments.  It was said that she had a scar on her neck, possibly from surgery when she was a child, and she would wear day dresses with high collars and in the evening she wore multiple layers of pearls or diamond necklaces that would cover her neck, these were known as collier de chein meaning collar necklace.  This style of jewelry became very popular with society ladies and a fashion trend was soon started.

Princess Alexandra also developed a curvature of the spine which was a complication from rheumatic fever that she contracted in 1867.  As a result, she walked with a distinct limp for several years and she very cleverly adapted her clothing to distract from the physical disability thereby minimizing attention to the problem, or so she thought!  The public noticed anyway, calling it the “Alexandra Limp”, and in a strange way it caused another fashion trend.  Ladies so admired everything about Princess Alexandra that they were soon emulating the limp by wearing special pairs of shoes in different heel heights or walked with canes.  The strange trend did not last long because women fashions were soon changing from dresses with full skirts to more tapered ones causing women to walk with smaller steps and thus eliminating the “need” to limp.

In 1901, Queen Victoria died and Prince Albert Edward became King Edward VII.  As Queen Alexandra prepared for the coronation she knew she wanted a very special gown and she called upon her friend, Lady Curzon, to help her.  The Coronation Day was set for June when the weather in London would be hot and since the Queen would already be wearing a heavy velvet robe as part of her coronation regalia the material for the dress was made of lightweight net with metallic embroidery.   Lady Curzon oversaw the making of the beautiful material which was created in India and the fabric was embroidered with the symbols of England (rose), Ireland (shamrock) and Scotland (thistle) which would represent the countries that King Edward would rule.

Part of Queen Alexandra’s coronation regalia included a Queen Consort crown that was especially made for her to wear.  In 1849, the East India Company had acquired the large 186 carat diamond, known as the Kohinoor Diamond, which was given to Queen Victoria.  The Kohinoor diamond was said to be cursed and if any male wore it he would surely lose the throne.  Queen Victoria, being female, did not fear the curse and the Kohinoor diamond was cut into a smaller 105 carat diamond which Queen Victoria wore set in a brooch.  After the death of Queen Victoria, the Kohinoor Diamond was set into the Queen Consort’s crown instead of King’s crown to avoid the possibility of the validity of the curse.  Queen Alexandra’s crown had a platinum frame designed as circlet accented with four large crosses (the center cross was set with the Kohinoor Diamond and the other crosses and four large fluerde-lis were set with “smaller” diamonds) and formed the base of the crown.  Four arches were set with three rows of diamonds each and gently curved to join together and then topped with a diamond encrusted orb and cross at the center, approximately 3688 diamonds were used.    An inner lining of purple velvet was used under the arches and ermine lined the base so that it would set comfortably on the Queen’s head.

(Special Royal Note: The custom continued afterwards with the Kohinoor Diamond always worn in the Queen Consort’s crown, this was done for Queen Mary at the coronation of George V and Queen Elizabeth at the coronation of George VI but for their daughter’s coronation, Queen Elizabeth II wore the St. Edward’s Crown that has been used to crown every sovereign since 1661.

To complete her coronation ensemble, Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria’s diamond bracelet and earrings.  Then she layered even more jewels across the front her coronation gown and they were stitched onto the fabric.  At her waist she wore the Dagmar necklace (a reminder of her Danish heritage) as a stomacher and several diamond earrings were added to the necklace as pendants.  She also wore a set of Queen Victoria’s diamond bow brooches pinned down the front of the gown with additional emerald earrings suspended from the bows as pendants. Around her neck Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria’s large diamond necklace and her customary strands of several pearl necklaces.  Needless to say, the bodice of her coronation dress sparkled beautifully!

During the reign of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, which became known as the Edwardian Age (1901-1910), women fashions changed from dresses with full skirts worn with several layers of undergarments to dresses with tapered skirts, tight laced corsets and bustled trains accented with layers of lace and beaded appliques.  Queen Alexandra continued to influence fashion and King Edward spent lavishly on a large wardrobe of dresses and countless pieces of jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, brooches and tiaras.  The King was very interested in what the Queen wore and he was always aware of royal protocol and correct dress, in fact the King once reprimanded the Queen for wearing her Garter sash incorrectly and had her change it immediately before leaving the palace!

     

After the death of King Edward VII in 1910, Queen Alexandra took on a smaller role as Queen Mother and she quietly retired to her country home Sandringham to allow her son, King George V to begin his reign.  The youthful appearance that had remained with her throughout the years had begun to fade and she took to wearing heavy make-up and veils to shield her aging face.  She slowly removed herself from public as her hearing and eyesight began to fail and she spent an increasing amount of time with her children, grandchildren and her beloved dogs.

Over the following years, Alexandra health slowly declined and she developed severe rheumatism in her legs and she lost her eyesight as well as her hearing due to a hereditary condition inherited from her mother, she was almost completely deaf.  On November 20, 1925 the Dowager Queen Alexandra died at Sandringham after suffering a heart attack.  She is buried next to her husband in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Hartnell’s Famous White Wardrobe

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In this post I will discuss the Famous White Wardrobe of 1938 that Norman Hartnell created for Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother).  I will also briefly discuss the fashion career of Hartnell and his work with the Royal family.  I offer this information regarding the dress designs of Hartnell to perhaps provide inspiration for a mature mother or grandmother of the bride or groom planning what to wear for the wedding.

Norman Hartnell (born June 12, 1901 died June 8, 1979) was a British fashion designer and is best known as the dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and later, her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.  In the mid-1930s, Hartnell had firmly established himself as a successful designer specializing in elegant afternoon and evening dresses for the London society.  He also designed wedding and bridesmaid dresses for several British Royal Weddings.  The Duchess of York (later known as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) met Hartnell for the first time in 1935 when her young daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess, were bridesmaids in the wedding of Prince Henry (the Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V) to Lady Alice.  Unfortunately, due to the death of Lady Alice’s father the large state wedding scheduled for Westminster Abbey was cancelled and the royal couple was married in a smaller private ceremony at the Chapel Royal in St. James Palace so the public only saw Princess Alice’s going-away outfit that Hartnell had designed.

In 1937, when her husband, Albert, unexpectedly became King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (formerly known as the Duchess of York) felt obligated to use her current dress designer, Madame Handley-Seymour, to create her coronation gown.  Several years earlier, in 1923, on the recommendation of her future mother-in-law Queen Mary, the Duchess of York had commissioned Handley-Seymour to design her wedding dress and had since used her to create her royal wardrobe.  But, Queen Elizabeth had been so impressed with the dresses Hartnell had created previously for her daughters that she commissioned him to design the gowns for her Maids of Honor at the coronation.

Once again, Queen Elizabeth was so pleased with the maids coronation dresses that afterwards Hartnell began to exclusively create her entire royal wardrobe.  Then in 1938, prior to a scheduled Royal Tour planned to France, the Queen’s mother the Countess of Strathmore died and the trip was postponed for three weeks. Hartnell had been commissioned to design 30 outfits for the upcoming visit but since the Royal Court Mourning period required a somber wardrobe the colorful outfits he had designed were deemed inappropriate.  This Royal Tour was extremely important to build a solid political alliance between Britain and France especially at that time due to the growing hostilities in Europe and appearances were also very important in establishing a good impression.

The tradition dedicated for Court Mourning allowed black clothing but after an extended period of time eventually purple and mauve colored dresses.  These colors would set the wrong tone for the visit and would also be a highly unsuitable choice during the hot summer months in France.  Hartnell came up with a solution to the problems when he discovered that in the past white was previously used as an acceptable color during the Court Mourning period.  So, in less than three weeks new dresses were created and the Queen left London wearing somber black but arrived in Paris with an entire wardrobe of white dresses.

   

      

Normally not known as a fashion icon, especially in her later years, the famous “White Wardrobe” worn by the Queen in Paris during the Royal Tour of France in 1938 caused an international fashion sensation.  Hartnell had designed romantic day and evening dresses made of beautiful white fabrics such as the finest silks, chiffons, lace and tulle which were embellished with sequin and pearls.  Inspired by a Winterhalter portrait of Queen Victoria, Hartnell incorporated crinoline into the dress designs and the Queen also revived a past fashion trend by accessorizing her outfits with lovely parasols to match each dress.  With the great press coverage and wonderful reviews of her clothing, the Queen wanted to commemorate the success of the Paris visit by commissioning her favorite royal photographer, Cecil Beaton, to document the beautiful Hartnell dresses in a series of portraits taken in the State Rooms and gardens of Buckingham Palace.

 

In 1940, Hartnell received the highest honor of a Royal Warrant as the principal dress designer for the Queen and he continued to make her royal wardrobe over the years for her daily Royal engagements and other events, such as the 1947 South Africa Royal Tour.  Hartnell also increased his work with the Royal Family by designing dresses for the Queen’s two daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, as they grew into beautiful young women.  In 1947, he was commissioned to create Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress when she married Prince Phillip and later when her father, King George VI, died Hartnell designed her coronation dress in 1953 when she became Queen Elizabeth II.

(For more detailed information about Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress, please click on the link to A Royal Bride – Princess Elizabeth.  For information about Queen Elizabeth’s coronation dress, please click on the link to Queen Elizabeth II Coronation.

A British Royal Bride – Catherine Middleton

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In the ongoing series on British Royal Brides, this post will feature Catherine Middleton.  The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England (for more detailed information about the wedding ceremony and reception, please click on the link).  In this post I will discuss Catherine’s wedding dress and accessories which she wore as well as the bridal bouquet that she carried on her wedding day. 

Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress and accessories

Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander Mc Queen, a London-based designer.  The identity of the designer was a secret much like thirty years before with Diana, the Princess of Wales.  The dress was made of ivory and white satin gazar that featured a boned bodice with a deep v neckline, long sleeves and padded hips under a full skirt gathered in soft pleats to form a type of bustle in the back with a train that measured almost 9 feet in length.  The beautiful lace pattern of the bodice and skirt overlay featured the flowers of the United Kingdom, which are the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, the daffodil for Wales and the shamrock for Ireland.

Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress

Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress back showing bustle

Catherine Middleton’s wedding train

The wedding veil was made of layers of ivory silk tulle which was held in place with the Cartier Halo tiara that was on loan from Queen Elizabeth II, the groom’s grandmother.    The tiara was purchased in 1936 by King George VI for his wife (Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) and later she gave it to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth (the current Queen Elizabeth II) for her 18th birthday.  Underneath the veil Catherine had her dark brown hair worn in a half-up, half-down style which fell into soft curls.

Catherine Middleton’s wedding veil – front

Catherine Middleton’s wedding veil – back

Cartier Halo tiara

Catherine’s shoes worn on her wedding day were custom made by Alexander McQueen under the direction of Sarah Burton.  The shoes were a classic pump style made in ivory duchesse satin and covered with hand-embroidered lace to match the wedding dress.

Catherine Middleton’s wedding shoe

For her wedding day Catherine wore a beautiful set of diamond earring by Robinson Pelham that were a gift from her parents.  The earrings featured oak leaves with a pave diamond set acorn suspended in the center, this was in keeping with the design of the Middleton family new coat of arms which features acorns and oak leaves. The earrings beautifully coordinated with the Cartier Halo tiara. 

Catherine Middleton wearing the acorn and oak leaves earrings on her wedding day

the Robinson Pelham diamond pave acorn and oak leaves earrings

Special Note:  The Middleton Coat of Arms was created especially for the royal wedding and the acorn and oak leaves depicted have long been an English symbol of strength.  The three acorns represent the three children of Michael and Carole Middleton; Catherine, Philippa and James.  The blue and the red colors are from the flag of the United Kingdom and the gold chevron represents the family of Carole Middleton whose maiden name is Goldsmith.  The two thin white chevrons on either side of the gold chevron are said to represent the mountains and the outdoor activities that the Middleton family enjoys together.   

the Middleton coat of arms

Catherine Middleton’s wedding bouquet

Catherine Middleton’s wedding bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and is a classic small bouquet made of three different types of white flowers and two types of foliage that were selected not only for their beauty but also for their special meaning.  The flowers and foliage used were the lily of the valley meaning the return to happiness, sweet William to honor her new husband and it also means gallantry, hyacinth meaning constancy of love, ivy for fidelity and affection and myrtle for love and hope.  The myrtle was picked from the garden of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight and a sprig of this green foliage has been used in the wedding bouquets of English Royal brides since the wedding of Princess Victoria in 1858, she was the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.    

Catherine Middleton’s wedding bouquet

For more information on the wedding flowers and special trees used for Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s wedding ceremony, please click on the link.

Special Note:  A British Royal tradition was started at the wedding of Prince Albert and Lady Bowes-Lyons (later to be known as King George VI and Quenn Elizabeth), the royal couple were the parents of the current Queen Elizabeth II and the great grandparents of Prince William.  The Royal couple were married on April 26, 1923 and in a spontaneous gesture Lady Elizabeth, to honor her brother Fergus who had died a few years earlier in World War I, laid her bridal bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Since that time, Royal brides have also laid their bouquets on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the one exception that instead of it being placed prior to the start of the ceremony, the bouquet is laid on the sacred spot afterwards.  This is a lovely tradition most recently done by Catherine Middleton at her wedding to Prince William.