Who can resist the allure of the 30s, with all the glamour it conveys? I'm often intrigued by the gorgeous vintage wedding dresses I've sourced, so I have done a little research into the subject...
Beautiful white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip
One question that interested me was, why it is so difficult to find beautiful gowns in great condition that pre-date the 30s? Well, the main reason is the introduction of Rayon. This fantastic strong fabric was originally called Artificial Silk, and was immediately embraced by all the major fashion houses. It was perfect for the draped styles of the day - it ruched and hung so beautifully, as it had a wonderful weight to it.
Stunning white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip
Rayon was also more affordable than silk too - a huge advantage during the Depression Era. So whereas so many of the 1920s silk and chiffon gowns have lost their appeal, due to the silk 'breaking down', the stronger 1930s Rayon dresses can be restored to their full beauty with a little know-how and a lot of love. There are certainly some amazing vintage wedding gowns from earlier decades, but dresses from the 30s seem to have lasted so well.
The main influence for the shape of 1930s wedding dresses was Hollywood. As the Great Depression drastically altered peoples lives, Hollywood films offered escapism and glamour. And so wedding gowns were modelled on the evening gowns worn by the Stars.
Simply glamorous. VIOLETTE 1930s-inspired silk wedding dress, from £1450
Hem-lines had started to rise in the 1920s, but they fell right back to the floor in the 30s, and simplicity and pared-down elegance became the only way for the modern bride. Madeleine Vionnet’s 1920s and 1930s dramatic bias cut gowns had a huge influence on fashion, and revolutionised the way dresses fitted. Although this technique had been used earlier, in the 1930s it was developing into a new way of dressing.
Slinky white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip
Other features of the dresses - like the cowl neck and draping - reinforced the fluid idea of the design and became part of the whole. Low backs and open backs were subtly sexy, and combined with the sinuous fabrics, made a striking statement.
Subtly sexy - white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip
VIOLETTE 1930s-inspired silk wedding dress with lace sleeves, from £1450
VIOLETTE 1930s-style wedding dress with petal sleeves in silk satin, from £1450
It was during also the 30s that the idea of a 'white wedding' really took root. This was not a new idea - the white wedding dress was originally popularised by Queen Victoria. But from the 30s onwards, manufacturers started to produce gowns specifically for the bride, and the bridal gown became a cherished possession.
VIOLETTE 1930s-style dress with chantilly lace inserts, £1450
The white dress was promoted as an ideal from an earlier age. During the First World War and the Depression, brides had simply worn a suit or a day dress, so the new style of wedding dress heralded a return to glamour and romance.
Movie-star glamour! White 1930s satin dress priced £1250 incl slip
Hollywood romance in white silk satin, VIOLETTE from £1450
The dresses required little in the way of ornamentation. Diamante dress clips were worn and still look great today. And beaded necklines were also popular in the later part of the decade. Technological developments during the 30s meant that costume jewellery was better made and much more widely available. There are many fabulous examples of 1930s diamante brooches and dress clips in fantastic condition, which look perfect with a satin gown.
VIOLETTE 1930s-style dress worn with diamante dress clips
At present I have around eight or nine beautiful 1930s vintage dresses - including the two original beauties shown here - priced between £950 and £1350. (Dresses of this age are never lined as the ladies always wore a slip, so the price includes an individually-matched slip of the same age and style as the dress.)
And of course, my vintage-inspired Heavenly Collection features a number of 1930s-style dresses such as Violette shown here in different versions, priced from £1450.
VIOLETTE in silk, from my vintage-inspired Heavenly Collection
Dear Reader I just watched the beautiful Grace Kelly in one of my all-time favourite movies, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.
Grace Kelly in Rear Window
As always, Grace looks stunning in a range of wonderful 1950s dresses. I was inspired to find out more, so for my first post after the Oscars I'd like to take a look at Grace Kelly’s classic vintage style...
Grace Kelly in To Catch A Thief
The costume designer for many of Grace’s films was the renowned Edith Head, who worked at Paramount Pictures from 1924 to 1967. Here, Edith set the style for Hollywood's 'golden age' of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, when she designed for all the great leading actresses including Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Bette Davis.
Edith Head with her amazing eight Oscars!
Head was nominated for 35 Oscars, and won eight (more than any other costume designer before or since.) You might recognise some of her most famous creations, as seen on the great movie clips here. And she designed the dress Grace wore to collect her own Oscar in 1955 - an ice blue silk satin dress with a matching floor length coat. This is arguably one of the best-loved Oscar gowns of all time. It is also reputed to be the most expensive Oscar dress ever made, as the satin alone cost $4000!
Grace Kelly collects her Oscar, wearing Edith Head
Ice blue satin Edith Head gown
But now back to Rear Window...! Head clearly enjoyed dolling up Grace Kelly’s fashion-loving socialite in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller. In Edith's words,
“Hitchcock told me I’d have a field day. I knew that the girl had the model look, but I’d seen her only in ‘High Noon’ and I wasn’t prepared...
What Grace has is an elegance all her own. The white gloves are her trademark, so is the smooth hair. She looks that way even after sleeping all night on a plane."
Edith also enjoyed her creative partnership with Hitchcock, translating his strong vision for each character into costumes. Together they achieved the most wonderful results.
Grace Kelly and James Stewart in Rear Window
Grace Kelly wears Edith Head
To Catch A Thief
Publicity shots for Rear Window
Edith developed a close relationship with Grace (as she did with many of the stars she dressed). And she naturally assumed that she would be invited to design her wedding dress. Grace however chose another superbly talented designer: Helen Rose who worked at MGM studios. And we all know the spectacular results!
Grace Kelly in Helen Rose wedding dress
Grace Kelly in Helen Rose wedding dress
Many Hollywood stars came to depend on Edith, and would specifically ask for her when they worked on a film. She had a long career, and left a legacy of some of the most beautiful movie costumes ever made. Pixar even paid tribute to Head in their animated movie 'The Incredibles', with the character Edna Mode who designed all the superheroes' costumes!
c. The Incredibles, Buena Vista Pictures 2004
The real Edith Head working in her Paramount Pictures studio!
I'll take a look at Edith's costumes for other stars in later posts, there are so many to admire! Thanks for visiting today. Love Helena Heavenly Vintage Brides
All photos with thanks to Robert Lawler Photography
