1960′s Wedding Gowns

Retro-style weddings are more and more preferred by the brides nowadays, and the style from 50s and 60s seems to be the favorite one. It is quite fascinating to look back into the history of wedding fashion and find out the changes that have occurred over the years. The 60s were the years that generated waves of cultural changes, both in art, music, fashion design and behavior. These were the years when rock'n'roll was born, the years that created the monsters Hollywoodian stars, the years that the hippie movement started to show its style, for in the 70s to be at its peaks, the years where the long wedding dresses carried the influence of short casual skirts.

The American wedding gown designers adapted the dresses according to the style of famous French fashion designers, which brought the version of Givenchy's sack-like dress into a wedding dress that had a fullness merely of the skirt and height and width of the rounded neck. So, one by one, the changes made their way through the wedding fashion, resulting in more sophisticated looks, shorter dresses, portrait- collars that became a real in-vogue.

Across the Atlantic, in UK, the British designers influenced by the "swinging sixties" created a highly individualized style with mini skirts to wear for the wedding gowns. At the same time, the A-line made its appearance to display a fresh look, widely accepted, maybe because it offered women a release from the awful girdle that had oppressed them during the 50s. These 1960's wedding gowns lacked sleeves in the favor of formal gloves or had sleeves only three quarter length.

At their midst, the 60s fashion was about to change as the Vietnam war was knocking at the door. This is when the hippie movement became a lifestyle for those seeking peace and spiritual paths. This style encompassed the exact opposite of what was present before its appearance: hair left long and unstyled, and the hemlines  went to define what was known to be Maxi and the ankle length of the dress called Midi. And due to this fact the wedding gown took a style that combined Empire and Victorian inspired A-line dresses, some of them with flowing angel bell sleeves and flower trims. The trains were also on fashion; they were made from sheer net embellished with Venice lace, being often attached at the upper back shoulder.

The veils were an accessory displayed in bouffant short style, fixed to the hair in such a manner that conferred height of the hairstyle. These accessories have been replaced by hats in the shape of a pill box adorned with beads or pieces of tulle to add a stylish note to an ordinary casual hat. The 1968 year had weddings designed to be natural and carefree, but not everyone adopted this hippie style, since many women preferred to use plenty of hairspray and tail combs, continuing to do the same into the 70s.

Going back to the 1960s wedding gowns for your present 21 century wedding ceremony is not such a bad idea; the years of 60s carried with them a variety of styles that one can hardly make a pick when it comes to the wedding dress.