Something Borrowed, Something (Wallis) Blue
Have you gone royally mad after all the crazy Windsor Wedding coverage!? The media has been tireless. How much more could they say about the dress. Oh, the dress! Well…there has been an extortionate amount of coverage on the blogosphere as well. I’ve discovered a number of mentions of the history of royal wedding gowns. I was flicking through my copy of Fifty Dresses That Changed The World and a certain image struck me profoundly.
Do you see The King’s Speech? Do you remember the elegant and long-limbed Wallis Simpson? Whom King George VII abdicated his throne for in order to marry? Must have been quite a gal. Well, she was married in quite the dress. Due to the delicate circumstances of the time, it was vital to express a feeling of restraint whilst retaining glamour. I think this was achieved and the silhouette remains striking and true to Simpson‘s sartorial self.
A sleek floor length gown with matching long-sleeved jacket in a specially concocted ”Wallis Blue” hue to match the bride’s eyes (since faded). It was designed by a Paris-based American designer, Mainbocher and went on to be one of the most copied dresses of all time. It reflects a very different air of the recent days celebrations. Restrained, austere, less concern with protocol and tradition but still flattering and glamorous. Lovely.
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