Gothic Wedding Dresses For Effect
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Looking for Gothic wedding dresses? Gothic is much more than a fashion statement! It expresses an inner commitment to boldness, sexuality, spirituality, and possibly the supernatural.
If you're interested in Gothic wedding dresses, you can learn more about its early influences and how you can use it to your best advantage on your wedding day.
The original Goths came from Eastern Germanic tribes that migrated into Europe from Sweden around the time of the second century. Eventually they populated the Baltic region, and most of them became Christians. They thrived for about 400 years, and even after they began to die out their influences remained in some European dialects and architecture. There was really nothing very much of intrigue about them.
But the term itself gained popularity after the medieval centuries, in the 1700s, with Europeans who were fascinated by their Romanesque and Renaissance architecture-picture the high arches and flying buttresses of the old churches throughout Europe and England. In the 1800s, Horace Walpole wrote a novel called The Castle of Otranto, considered the first Gothic novel, containing all the elements of superstition, subterfuge, and conflict-all on account of love, of course. As the years went by, a fascination with anything dark and mysterious came to be known as Gothic.
The Origin of Gothic Wedding Dresses
Gothic fashions, then, take their origins from the Elizabethan era -going back to the medieval- as well as the influences of the Victorian years. Women who dressed in the sweeping skirts, corsets, veils, and capes of Gothic influence were considered to be mysterious and bewitching. They possibly had power over their men stemming not from witchcraft but from the intensity of their sexuality and desirability. If that's true, then there is no more important day to make such a powerful statement about yourself than on your wedding day!
Typical Gothic wedding dresses -which are, of course, anything but typical- comprise a decorated bodice or corset, skirt, a veil, and generous amounts of black lace:
- Look for Juliet or gigot (leg of mutton) sleeves if you want a dress with sleeves. Juliet sleeves are long and tight with a puff at the top. Gigot sleeves are wide at the top but fitted from elbow to wrist. Also popular are the sleeves that flow down to the wrist and then are captured with lace, ending in a bell. And sleeveless or even strapless gowns are quite popular today.
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Most Gothic wedding dresses emphasize the corset or bodice. This top part of the dress fits closely around the bosom and down to the waist. Sometimes the waist is dropped to hip level, with a pelvic girdle-that is, material that belts or hugs the dress around the hips.
· Another popular corset style features lacing, either along the front from the neckline to the waist, or down the entire back of the dress. Some of today's alternate fashions tweak that a bit by putting the lacing on the side of the dress, atop an insert.
· Veils are long, dramatic, and full of lace! You won't find plain tulle or netting here...the Gothic headpiece is decorated with anything from swirling florals all the way to...spiders!
· Lace is an important touch to all Gothic wedding dresses. It was typical of the Gothic fashions of yore, and it makes such a beautiful statement today. Look for lace fingerless gloves, decorated with satin rosettes. Expect satin-edged or fringed shawls.
· Today's Gothic wedding dresses feature skirts in just about any style. The true flared ball gown style is often topped with layers of chiffon or tulle as well as lace or ribbons. You can even choose a style that comes with a reducible bottom hoop. Flared skirts and mermaid styles are also popular. There is no one Gothic silhouette; as a bride, you want to find the style that suits your own beauty and proportions.
· This trumpet style wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline and a beautiful, rounded court length train has an elegant, elaborate pattern covering the sheer fabric. Reminisce of 1920’s, Art deco design. The sequins sewn throughout the dress is giving it that extra sparkle. The Black tulle cape can be worn around the waist or neck as a train, for a dramatic flourish.
- Beading and crystals play an important role. They can decorate the bodice of the gown in a webbed design or in floral coils. You'll find them on just about all accessories, including garters, purses, shawls, and gloves.
- Red is the second most popular color after black-bright and vivid. The Gothic bride is nothing if not bold!
- Deep turquoise indicates spiritual sensitivity and psychic perception.
- Purple signifies mystery and magic.
- Deep blue represents spirituality and peace.
- More medieval and delicate, the lilac gown-overlaid with vertical ribs of black lace-suits many of today's brides.
- Gothic brides boldly apply color contrasts. Look for the black dress with the red accents, or vice verse. Or a white gown with either black or red accents.
Color is one of the most exciting aspects of Gothic wedding dresses. Most Gothic gowns are black, it's true...evocative of the enigmatic temptresses who made these styles popular. But, remembering that your gown is meant to play up your best features, you can choose from quite a wide variety of other color options.
If you enjoy making your own fashion statement, remember the one thing that's consistent about Gothic style wedding dresses is that ...everything is possible!
You can wear what you like, however you like it. As long as you feel special and beautiful in your dress on your special day, then it is the right one for you.
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