Choosing Your Gothic Wedding Dress

The term "gothic" when used in art can refer to a 12th century movement. In literature, it's a period from the 18th century which combined romance and horror. The post-modern use of the term covers fashion, music and art which draws from the 18th century form and Victorian revival and fuses it with modern influences and elements. This can be an elegant source of inspiration for the modern bride and her wedding dress.

A Gothic wedding dress can be modern, Romantic or Victorian in style. It might be black, white, red or even a jewel-tone. One of the latest trends is a stempunk wedding, which often finds combined themes or accents which straddle the world of the Victorians, the Edwardians and hte Frontier West of North America. Whether you are doing a Gothic wedding dress for a costume event or for a real wedding, this Hub will help you.

Here are some suggestions for bringing a more Gothic look and feel to your choice of wedding dress.

Color choices:

• Black - Choosing black as the color for your wedding dress will give it a very Gothic feel and look, especially as the main wedding dress color in Western cultures is white.
• Red - A color that's been traditional for Asian weddings, this makes a bright and bold statement for a Gothic bride.
• Purple - A popular color accent in modern Gothic fashion, dark shades of purple bring a formal feeling without being black.
• Antiqued White - Tea-stained can be the perfect moody non-white for a Gothic bride who likes a lighter palatte. Runs the gamut from the palest off-whites to gentle creams or even tan with hints of rusted brown for a very aged look.

Fabric Choices:

• Velvet - The richness of texture and depth of color makes velvet a fantastic choice for a Gothic wedding dress.
• Brocade - The subtle texture provided by a brocade makes a nice choice for a spring or summer Gothic wedding dress.
• Lace - The texture of lace can lend a vintage or modern feeling to a wedding dress. If you want to go more Victorian, why not some lovely black mourning lace?
• Tulle - If you'd like a lot of stiff "froth" there's nothing like adding some layers or cascades of tulle.

Style Choices:

• Victorian - This is the classic for an old Gothic feeling.
• Edwardian - A touch more romantic and less morbid than Victorianism.
• Modern Gothic - A corset or fetish influence bring a modern Gothic style.
• Baroque - Heavier lines, ornate trim, deep jewel tones with a formal tone.

Veiling - A long veil is definitely the sort of accent a gothic bride would wear. Skip the pearls and tiara. Consider attaching the veil to a floral head wreath or a period hat.

Gloves - Elbow or opera-length gloves are a wonderful addition to a gothic wedding dress. Velvet or lace are good choices, in either black or a matching color. Skip the white glove look.

Flowers - Again, leave the white flower routine to the mundane brides. Try dark roses in burgundy, deep red, blue, purple or black. Go for a long, flowing bouquet over a tiny bunch.

Vintage/antiques - Handkerchiefs, parasols, lace fans, garters and more can accessorize your wedding dress and accentuate the gothic stylings.

Shoes - Choose from coordinated period shoes or boots to character or dance shoes.