Hi Queen Victoria got married in 1840 and it took until 1899 for the fashion to get to Mountfield, a small village in East Sussex England. My 101 year old Mother in Law often tells the tale of her Aunt Flora who was the first person in the village to wear a white wedding dress. As you can imagine it caused quite a stir as prior to that all brides wore a new or best 'costume' (suit) and then wore this for best for many years to come. There was never enough money for such luxuries as a dress that would never wear again. Flora may have been influenced by her new husband as he came from London where I assume they were a little more ahead in the fashion stakes! >From Angela in cold damp Sussex England --- On Sun, 17/7/11, lynrbai...@desupernet.net <lynrbai...@desupernet.net> wrote:
From: lynrbai...@desupernet.net <lynrbai...@desupernet.net> Subject: Re: [lace] Re: Lace - White To: elationrelat...@yahoo.com Cc: lace@arachne.com Date: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 23:55 Dear Sue et al, I agree, and find sense with what you say, except for white wedding dresses. It is my understanding that white wedding dresses only came into vogue when Queen Victoria wore white to her wedding. Before that, I believe they were many different colors. They were your best dress for several years thereafter, and made to be worn in that way. Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where the weather is still summer, but it's getting a bit hotter and more humid than perfect. And it's supposed to get more so tomorrow. Air conditioning is a good thing. -----Original Message----- >From: Susan Reishus <elationrelat...@yahoo.com> >Sent: Jul 17, 2011 10:01 AM >To: Arachne Lace <lace@arachne.com> >Subject: [lace] Re: Lace - White > >"I would also bet that keeping clothing white was very difficult and >expensive in the middle ages and so that also showed off a person's >wealth." >Liz Redford >"White meant rich." Lyn in PA > >*** > >That is what first came to >mind for me. My grandmother and mother had to have everything "white" of the >whitest white, (which I always felt was tied to my grandmother's UK royal >lineage, which most all of us have in some type or way...). The energy and >knowledge it takes to keep a white blouse or linens a white white, takes some >knowing. My elders had a disdain for anything less, and my mother would bring >home white towels and whiten them more, before they could be used. Then they >were used once, and washed again. > >Something cream or ecru could be fudged and >worn again, I suppose, but a white lace collar against the skin would at least >pick up oils and need to be cleaned again, to make sure it didn't yellow. >Doing all of that work (especially the ruffled works) would require it as a >part time job, just for one. I would also suppose (as I think someone >mentioned) that white thread at that time would cost more, as it was >additionally processed. Traditionally, most people have dark hair, and so >pure white is more flattering to wear. > >I find myself cringing at natural >colored fibers as they look soiled or aged or uncared for, and think that is >the unconscious reason why colored lace isn't often embraced...it could >indicate there was a stain, or something of lesser quality was colored to >cover it up. Cream and ecru (and colors) are also difficult to clean, as they >tend to whiten, whereas white can be treated with no concern other than >damaging the fibers themselves. Nowadays we have such gorgeous colors to >choose from, that I hope that perspective fades. > > >To me, white has always >appeared as purity, esteem, regality, etc. I suppose white christening gowns >and brides dresses, nuns collars, etc., validate that. > > >I am knitting white >tip towels and hand towels, and when asked what I am doing, the first comment >is, "Oh that will be hard to clean!" when I feel it is quite the opposite. My >sister got similar comments to her queries about why most things were white, >when buying heirloom pieces for all the family in Belgium. The sales clerks >said you can get white really clean and remove stains, but really hard with >anything else. > > >Best, >Susan Reishus > >- >To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: >unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to >arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: >http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003 - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
