Wedding Guest Dresses Inspired by the Victoria Series
Photo via Hello Magazine
“Even in my dreams I never imagined that I should find so much love on earth.” -Prince Albert, in a letter to Queen Victoria prior to their wedding
“As the strains of the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus began to play, an angelic vision of beauty unfurled.”
The first time I fell in love with the Victoria series, it was with a color: a queenly teal. During the opening credits, Jenna Coleman as Victoria is filmed in various stages of her royal career. Hair down and looking girlish; then hair upswept with a tiara; eyes mischievous and flickering, then set in the most commanding gaze, her growing authority shimmering through her manners. Victoria changes, but her teal background does not.
Deeper than peacock and bluer than emerald, it is a jewel tone that doesn’t feel like one. Instantly, I was besotted. This was the most ravishing, regal color I could envision; sophisticated, sublime; a color that belonged in the parlors of the great old homes and the glittering settings of royal jewels. I wanted to live inside this color. (Fun fact: for a time, I did. My family and I completely renovated a century-old estate home whose palette was undoubtedly inspired by the series).
Photos, top left to bottom right: Frock Flicks, Hypatian, Happy Buddha Breathing, Doctor Who.
Little did I know the splendor that would follow when the series depicted Victoria’s wedding day.
Photos, left to right: Mademoiselle La Piquante, Digital Spy.
As the strains of the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus began to play, an angelic vision of beauty unfurled. There was the cathedral, so exquisite, so storied. Candles in various stages of melt, a candelabras with a profusion of white flowers. Then there was Victoria, with her crown of mockorange (!!) and jasmine (“no diamonds.”). The dress was, of course, an exquisite, creamy white— a color chosen to display the lustrous English silk and delicate lace. Behind Victoria stood Lord Melbourne, looking so serious, more than vaguely possessive, and devastatingly handsome. Victoria and Albert shared gazes that were at once tender and intense; so soulful, so sustained, and in his case, so smoldering— their chemistry was palpable. I’m difficult to please, as far as weddings is concerned, and I wondered what it was about this one that overcame me like it did.
I think it stems from the fact that the wedding felt as reverential as a wedding deserves to feel.
As formal and as graceful. It touched a higher strain, and that’s what beauty, in its ideal form, should do. Make you yearn for something beyond. And there were endearing touches and little idiosyncrasies that rescued the wedding from coldness—the crown of flowers, for instance. Of course, Victoria was the first to popularize the white dress. We hardly remember her as an individualist or style icon, but many things about her wedding were iconic.
Photos, left to right: Hello Magazine, Pinterest.
“A wedding like this doesn’t apologize for its exquisite beauty and serious devotion.”
How prone we are to forget the sacred privilege of living our lives to God; how seldom our hands tremble to receive the gift of each new day. We forget our reverence even in those moments that most demand it— moments like those belonging to a wedding. Today, so many weddings are apologized for, both in the design and tone—jokes are made, games are played, and at some point these gestures can start to infantilize the bride and groom. Even modern wedding vows contain jokes and references to the commonest parts of everyday life— something I’ve always felt was out of place at the altar, vowing union before God. It’s as though some are afraid of admitting how important, beautiful, and sacred this commitment really is. Perhaps the vulnerability can be uncomfortable, as well as the momentous quality of the occasion. But I love a wedding that makes no apologies for its formality, tone, craftsmanship, or beauty. I cherish vows that take seriously this lifelong, sacred commitment. A wedding like this doesn’t apologize for its exquisite beauty and serious devotion. This wedding, in the Victoria Series, at least looked as formal as a wedding deserves.
I must issue the caveat that I do not agree with everything the series dramatizes; I believe in the Biblical standard of Christian marriage and principles. What I am drawn to in Victoria is the age it covers, the historical fashion and interiors, and the seemingly lost arts of modesty, decorum, dignity, and mystery— values we can seek to revive today in and through a pure and close walk with Christ. The only things that are truly pure are the things of God, so while it’s lovely to admire a wedding for its visual beauty and formality— for its appearance of dignity— I am deeply aware that the only true purity, righteousness, and loveliness is Christ’s. I am covering this series strictly from a fashion standpoint, with the awareness of its limitations.
That said, if you’d like to channel the fashion of Victoria, I’ve created a Victoria-Inspired Wedding Guest Edit that evokes the colors, style, dignity, and formality of this visually splendid series.
Photo via Hello Magazine
Photos, left to right: Pinterest, Daily Mail.
Jenna Coleman’s Victoria is, in my opinion, one of the most exquisitely dressed onscreen characters, perhaps of all time. Her costumes mature as she does, beginning with dresses in pale colors with puff sleeves, and becoming sleeker and darker over time. Among her most memorable looks, there is a diaphanous, teal blue, silk dress, worn as she shares a passionate piano duet and then dances with Albert for the first time (this dress is pictured first on this blog post). This color and style, more than any other, embodies the essence of this Victoria.
Then there is a pale blue and gold brocade gown, which looks positively made for strolling formal topiary gardens. A seafoam green gown with deeply ruffled neckline and sleeves becomes fairytale beautiful when paired with opera gloves. And some of Victoria’s most smashing looks are her equestrian ensembles, including a forest green riding costume with a bit of military flair. Pure white frocks look lovely for letter writing or daytime engagements, and the silhouettes of these gowns follow the fashions of the times, from the delightfully girlish, puffed sleeves of the late 1830s to the sleek styles of the 1840s, featuring long, close-flitting sleeves and pleated bodices.
Photos, top left to bottom right: Pinterest, The Enchanted Storybook, Pinterest, The Lady in Tweed.
When Victoria appears in a delicate, floral printed dress the morning after her engagement to Albert, she looks as fresh as morning dew. We first see the gown flush with candlelight, when Victoria proposes to Albert. But it is the following morning, outside of the palace and in the garden, when we can fully appreciate the gown’s gentle, peach color and delicate, floral pattern. Victoria and Albert seem a bit dazed in these moments, unable to believe their love is real. They steal away to share a hidden embrace, to whisper an exchange. To be alone, if only for a moment, and drink in the dazzling experience of being in love. This gown is the perfect choice for these enchanted moments.
Image via Vogue
“we can always channel the heart, essence, and colors—and of course, the hint of Victoriana—associated with our favorite costumes and characters.”
At times, Victoria commands our attention with her authority, as when is outfitted in a State dress, worn to the christening of her eldest child. This costume in particular displays the weighty history and dazzling trappings of royalty: the garter ribbon, diamond-encrusted image of St. George, garter star, and garter, worn cleverly on the sleeve of Victoria’s dress (a stroke of ingenuity, for skirts in that era were required to conceal the leg, where the garter is of course traditionally worn). We see only a glimpse of her Coronation gown, but oh, how splendid it is, with oversized puff sleeves and flawless lace. In moments of solemn splendor, she appears wearing the George IV Diamond Diadem Tiara (the tiara I wished the Princess of Wales had worn to the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla— if you're in the mood for more royal fashion, more on that here.). And of course, Victoria is a vision in her wedding gown, with its lovely, off-the-shoulder puffed sleeves, v-shaped waistline done in the basque style, and deep Honiton lace flounce, adorned with Albert’s gift of a sapphire brooch. While poised, Victoria is not at her most commanding in these moments, without her crown and the trappings of royalty. Her imperial gaze softens to something more tender and devoted, and rather than queenly she appears ethereal.
When selecting the ideal wedding or party guest dress—or wedding dress, for that matter—selections may not be as sumptuous. But we can always channel the heart, essence, and colors—and of course, the hint of Victoriana—associated with our favorite costumes and characters.
Photos, top left to bottom right: Masterpiece | PBS, Pinterest, Daily Mail, Masterpiece | PBS Twitter (X).
Notable on this Edit are the sumptuous shades I associate with Victoria: her signature deep teal, and a jewel box collection of supporting colors like sapphire, olive, and peacock. These deep and dazzling shades are ideal for Autumn/Winter weddings and event fashion— I can imagine many of them worn with a fur stole or beneath a fur coat. For winter wedding fashion, like a royal event, requires careful planning and choreography; gloves, coats, and accessories must provide both warmth and drama. The walk from the car to the venue, or from the reception to the sparkler sendoff, should be a fashionable one. Imagine walking in from the cold, shrugging out of your coat to reveal one of these gowns— now that would be a fashion moment, nay, a queenly moment.
How beautifully these gowns would belong to grand wedding settings. Just imagine wearing one as you walk the gravel pathway of a stately old home or graceful château, enrobed in flowers and aglow with candlelight. In this setting, wearing this dress, you would feel as though you had been transported back, centuries ago, to a time when elegance, decorum, and order guided the smallest interactions. To days when everyday dressing was a formal event, when romances were epistolary, and dates took the form of long walks through botanical gardens and cordial conversations mid-ballroom waltz.
Heavy fabrics like cloqué and organza jacquard communicate a sense of grandeur and authoritative beauty. Something about the weight of the fabrics feels royal, bringing to mind heavy cloaks and robes. How striking these fabrics look in unexpected hues like black and periwinkle— what an arresting combination!
The period details hardly end there, however. Look for Victorian elements, like dramatic puff sleeves, interpreted in an artistic way— as when the sleeve falls from the shoulder, carefree. Floor-sweeping skirts practically beg for a ballroom to dance in, and what could be more royal than a long train? (One designer playfully promises the gown’s sweeping train “leaves a trace of emerald dust” in its wake). A brocade gown features a pearl- and-crystal-encrusted buckle, an embellishment which evokes the feeling of a queen’s heirloom brooch (and inspires the search for matching jewelry). Even the Victorian’s signature corsetry has a moment in gowns like the Emerald Palace Puff Gown, a study in contrast with its tightly cinched waist and cloud-like, puff sleeves.
While a Victoria-inspired Edit should communicate stateliness, gravitas, and grandeur, there are also those soft and ethereal dresses, like Victoria’s garden dress and her letter-writing frocks. How equally lovely it is to embrace these gentle, feminine looks, in gowns as light as gossamer. Billowing sleeves look beautifully Victorian, while details like ruffled necklines, Swiss-dot netting, and fine stripes further convey a “once upon a time” feeling. This collection of dresses in mint, chartreuse, and cloud white look and feel like a daydream. They are the kind of dresses you would wear to run through the garden, or to write secret letters, sheltered behind a topiary or column.
I am particularly drawn to a chartreuse dress whose cloudlike layers float atop a turtleneck under layer, crafted from dotted lace fabric. The sweetheart bodice (although far more plunging than anything from Victoria’s era) looks exquisite with bishop sleeves. And then there is a charming detail— something that gives the dress a certain je ne sais quoi— a tiny bow at the neckline, so sweet, so exactly it. Sometimes, a decorative bow does more than even fine jewelry can, and Victoria’s wedding day directive— “no diamonds”— yields unforgettable results.
Among the Edit’s many recurrent motifs, statement sleeves are perhaps the most gorgeous. I adore a high fashion take on the Victoria gigot sleeve, which puffs dramatically and becomes fitted at the wrist. Some sleeves on the Edit look like the delicate folds of a peony flower, all creamy layers of organza, while others appear closer to angel’s wings. Tulle frills fall from the cuffs of some sleeves, a detail that would move beautifully with the wearer, as she accepts a bouquet, reaches for a glass, or extends a hand to receive a gentleman’s kiss. In each instance, the sleeves command attention and lend the gowns a certain poetry.
Many of the gowns on this Edit feature ribbon detailing, whether in the form of soft bows or intricate embellishment. Most charming, to my eye, is a garland of bows, designed on a tulle gown in the most striking, nude shade— a color that, with the pink sequins, looks almost peach. In a subtle way, some of the ribbon and scroll designs evoke the stateliness and beauty of a royal crest. Beribboned and beguiling, these gowns offer a creative take on period styling— not at all literal reproductions, they impart more of an essence, an air of nostalgia.
And, it must be said, if you cannot live in a castle, then you can at least carry one, in the form of the delightful little château purse. This castle comes complete with glittering lookout tours, elaborate scrollwork, and a grand entrance with (naturally) a heart-shaped door-knocker. A bit of whimsy does an outfit— and a person— good; after all, should we ever truly outgrow our love for fairy stories?
A real couture moment, writes author Adam Gopnik, speaks to something in us that longs for formality. “It’s all too much, and that’s where the loveliness— the couture moment— begins. The clothes are extravagant and unreal, but they don’t seem camp. They don’t seem artificial and out of this world, just symbolic of a common human hope that the world could be something other than it is— younger and more musical and better lit. It proposes that the little moments of seduction on which, when we look back, so much of our life depends, could unfold as formally as they deserve to, and all dressed up… love walking down a runway instead of just meeting you outside the movie theater.”
The Victoria wedding spoke to my longing for formality, an art which our culture has so completely lost. I believe I am not alone in my wistfulness; many of us are drawn to nostalgic dressing because it speaks not simply to our fashion sensibilities but to our romantic, old souls. To our longing for etiquette and elegance, handwritten letters and small courtesies. We wish our social interactions were more polite and measured. We long for events that unfold with some degree of thoughtfulness and prudence. We miss the days when courtship was serious and was beautifully, painstakingly choreographed. The days when a man communicated the deepening of his affections through something as subtle as the choice of flowers, and a woman communicated her acceptance merely by the way she held her bouquet. We have lost the art of such subtlety, such decency. Does anyone any longer know how to take a hand with tenderness, to respond with a glance or the flutter of an eyelash? Better yet, one had the assurance that these small acts of affection were inevitably building to something. A sense of order guided each moment, and courtship had a shape, a design: every garden walk, bouquet of flowers, and letter exchanged pointed directly and inevitably to lifelong devotion.
If we cannot recover a lost age, we can cling to lost virtues. We can determinedly go against the grain of our culture. Perhaps we can revive the old-fashioned arts that made days a little gentler, a little easier to bear. We can dress with modesty, femininity, and decency. Even the smallest interactions can be undertaken with great love, care, and grace; if we want to rise above, we can find a way. We truly can take the time to write handwritten letters of thanks, to elevate our speech and have measured and lovely conversations, and to handle the common, everyday things of life with a sweet and gentle touch.
But of course, clothes and traditions alone cannot make the heart truly modest and pure— only God can cleanse our hearts of sin and sanctify us (1 John 1:7, 9; Psalm 51:7, 10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Only Christ can make us righteous and pure by clothing us with His very own righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). To return to an age of decency and innocence, we don’t need to romanticize a past century or past people; they are simply as fallen as we are. The only One who can make us pure is with us still, receiving sinners to Himself, and cleansing them and justifying them. Today, even now, we can live our lives purely, set apart for God. When we walk with reverence for Him, we recover an eternal rest, a purity which belonged to no particular age but belongs exclusively to Him.
As the Victoria Series progresses, we see Victoria and Albert establish their roles as monarchs. In the face of sweeping changes and the turning tides of public opinion, their marriage is a constant that ground them, and their leadership is depicted as flowing from their loving union as husband and wife. Their loyalty and allegiance to one another is moving.
“Everything changes, Victoria,” declares Albert, “except us.”
Image via Daily Mail
Thank God that in a world of ceaseless change, His truth remains sure. Thanks be to God that the eternal virtues do not belong to any particular era. If we cannot return to a lost age, may we still seek its traditions, and enduring loyalty and love to God first and then others. We can move and even dress with the very modesty, grace, and decency we long to recover in life and revive. Perhaps when we ourselves walk with reverence and expectancy, life becomes lovelier in return. May we nurture first our inner purity and loveliness, and may our actions, our dressing, our conduct and conversation, reflect the loveliness, purity, gentleness, beauty, and holiness that belongs to Christ alone. How wonderful to behold: if we are in Christ, we hear Him whisper to our hearts that we are “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). As believers, we are His children, His heirs; sons and daughters of the King of Kings (Romans 8:17). We remember the dignity or our position in Christ, and assert our royal privileges. We learn to walk and move with the royalty and dignity Christ confers upon us.
When we walk near to Him, we recover the cadence of rest and the quality of reverence our hearts long for.
Wishing you moments that unfold with formality, ceremony, dignity, and grace.
“You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” -Isaiah 62:3
“The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
Her clothing is woven with gold.” -Psalm 45:!3
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