Peculiarities
In Russia, every girl of marriageable age was obliged to prepare in advance a wedding outfit for herself , consisting of several dresses - for matchmaking, ransom, wedding, feast.
The craftswomen sewed and decorated sundresses with their own hands, trying to demonstrate all their skills and outdo their girlfriends. Often, girls were so carried away by the decor - stones, pearls, gold embroidery - that the total weight of the outfit reached half a pound. It was difficult and uncomfortable to walk in it, but such beauty made it possible to demonstrate the wealth and wealth of the family.
Modern fashion does not require such sacrifices, changing and adapting folk traditions to the requirements of customers. Original and comfortable wedding dresses “a la russe”, often just stylized to match the national flavor, are distinguished by their variety and allow you to look extraordinary.
Interesting! The wedding dress was passed down from mother to daughter and kept as a valuable family heirloom.
Characteristic features of a wedding dress in the national Russian style:
- simplicity of cut;
- hand embroidery with traditional motifs;
- multi-layered: the girls wore a sundress and a shower warmer over their undershirt - something like a modern jacket with rich trimmings.
What does the groom's suit look like?
Important! Traditionally, the bride embroidered the groom's shirt. This action was considered an important rite: the girl conveyed her message through prayers and chants.
The groom's wedding attire was approximately the same throughout Rus'. It consisted of trousers, a shirt and a belt. The shirt was no less bright than the bride's clothes. She was certainly decorated with ornaments on the chest and sleeves. If the shirt was white, then the embroidery was red. Bright red shirts were embroidered with gold threads.
The length of the shirt reached the hips and even lower. A richly decorated belt was tied around the waist. An interesting feature is that the men’s belt was embroidered with the same motif as the bride’s sundress.
Colors, fabrics, cuts
The color scheme for wedding dresses in the Slavic style includes the entire spectrum of shades, but the predominant ones are pure and rich:
- red;
- blue: from sky blue to dark cobalt;
- gold;
- white;
- green;
- silver.
The imagination of designers is unlimited. As a wedding option, they are ready to offer a dress with blue-blue Gzhel patterns or an outfit boldly decorated with red, black and gold Khokhloma. On the catwalks you can see the wedding image of a merchant’s daughter, wrapped in luxurious furs and a Pavloposad scarf, or a slender schoolgirl in a fitted gray-blue dress with a muff in her hands and soft felt boots.
For a wedding dress in the Russian style, natural fabrics are chosen , the texture of which depends on the style: from affordable cotton and linen to luxurious satin, chiffon, silk, shantung, brocade, taffeta, organza and original two-layer quilted fabrics.
The ethnic flavor is emphasized by the characteristic features of the cut:
- flashlight sleeve;
- voluminous skirt with a long train;
- wide embroidered belt;
- embroidered bodice;
- hem flared from the waist.
A Russian style dress has the same hem length on all sides. As a rule, the skirt reaches the floor or mid-calf. The style can be any - flared, tapered, straight, A-shaped.
Meanings of wedding embroidery and symbolism on a dress
Numerous ornaments were embroidered on a wedding suit for a reason. It was believed that each of them has a sacred meaning. The future married life of the newlyweds depended on the image on the dress. For example:
- the tree of life means the beginning of a new stage in life;
- Bogodar - the favor of the Gods towards the newly-made family;
- Belobog is a symbol of everyday joy, love, light in the house;
- the star means the opening of the Universe and grace from the Heavenly powers;
- Volot is a symbol of human strength. Very often embroidered on the groom's shirt.
Models in folk style with photos
Stylized white
Delicate embroidery fits perfectly into the concept of a wedding dress. Today designers offer various embroidery design options:
- giving it volume;
- decoration with ribbons;
- decoration with rhinestones, pearls, precious stones.
Each of them is good in its own way, but all of them, without a doubt, create a festive image in the Slavic style.
The classic wedding dress is designed in white tones. The successful fashion for white came to us only in the 19th century, while before that, wedding dresses were sewn in red.
Interesting! White is the color of purity and innocence. Red in Rus' is a symbol of beauty and life.
For a Slavic stylized wedding, a straight-cut white linen or cotton dress with embroidered scarlet or blue patterns, which will become the highlight of the look, is perfect. Both the whole dress and individual elements are embroidered - hem, sleeves, bodice, belt. You can complement the outfit with a string of pearls or a belt to match the embroidery.
So that nothing distracts attention from the stunning decor, the cut of the dress should be as simple as possible, without an excessive amount of ruffles and flounces. It is the embroidery that will become the central decoration of the dress (except for the bride, of course).
You can complement the embroidered outfit with a lace cape. In Rus' it was highly valued, because the lace fabric allowed girls to demonstrate their own talents in handling bobbins.
The silhouette should be chosen that is most comfortable for the bride. White linen dresses with A-line embroidery are very popular, emphasizing the strengths of the figure and hiding flaws, looking feminine and light.
Sundress
A sundress is the closest option to an ethnic wedding dress. Brides are offered various models of sundresses:
- tight to the floor;
- with a fluffy shin-length skirt;
- loose fit;
- flared from the chest.
All styles have one thing in common - beautiful embroidery (with ribbons, beads or silk thread) or a printed design in the Khokhloma or Gzhel traditions, which make the wedding dress original and elegant.
A light sundress with a deep neckline is ideal for a summer wedding. You can leave your shoulders open or wear a sundress over a silk or cotton shirt.
A wedding sundress complete with a shower warmer is suitable for a holiday in the cool season. You can choose both traditional colors (white, red, blue) and unusual combinations of green-gold, blue-silver, yellow-red.
, which is sewn on, look original and unusual
- vertical stripes along the entire length;
- on the bodice or skirt;
- on the sleeves.
Idea! A long lace sleeve and a floor-length skirt will turn the bride into a noblewoman - self-sufficient and confident in her own beauty.
Linen is considered one of the popular materials for a sundress, and this model goes perfectly with a wreath of wildflowers. If you want to add a luxurious touch to your look, choose a brocade sundress.
If you want to surprise your guests, buy or sew to order a bright red straight-cut sundress , which girls in Russia wore when they got married. Ribbons woven into the braid will complement the delicate look, and large pearl earrings and beads will be the finishing touch.
With embroidery and patterns
A wedding dress “a la russe” with embroidery and patterns can have a full or tight skirt with or without a train. The details of the model fade into the background, giving way to the proscenium decoration.
Among the Slavs, embroidery served as a talisman, so it was placed in places where the body came into contact with the outside world - the turn of the sleeve, collar, hem. Currently, few people think about this sacred meaning. Rather, embroidery is a popular decorative option.
Both classic patterns and their reinterpreted variations are used to decorate a wedding dress . Each embroidered design had a special meaning among the Slavs. Thus, the herringbone ladder personified the tree of life and symbolized fertility, strong connections with relatives, and the ability to hear the world. The snowflake (symbol of the Slavic god Belobog) was able to prevent discord and preserve the hearth, and the cross of Lada protected from the evil eye, gave spiritual harmony and promised the birth of healthy offspring.
Today, designers decorate the sleeves, skirt, bodice or belt of a wedding dress with embroidered floral and geometric patterns, which are only partially reminiscent of the old Russian versions. To add chic to the look, embroidery is complemented with lace, rhinestones, stones, and beads.
Advice! Hand-embroidered wedding dresses are especially valuable, but such models cost an order of magnitude higher than their stamped counterparts.
Fans of the classics who want to add a little originality to their outfit will love a white wedding dress with matching embroidery. In such an outfit it will be possible to combine both modern trends and the traditions of ancestors.
Prepare your sleigh in the summer, and prepare your dress from childhood
In some regions there was a tradition according to which the bride had to embroider her own outfit. So the girl could work on her future wedding dress from childhood. Thanks to this, all the guests at the wedding could see what a craftswoman the girl was. Over time, this tradition became obsolete, and the sundress was embroidered by the whole family. Often the outfit was passed down by inheritance, especially in poor families. Sometimes such dresses were entire works of art: made of red silk or brocade, embroidered with gold and beads, decorated with ribbons - they could be put on display in a museum right now.
Festive costume of the bride of Kostroma. (wysotsky.com)
Early in the morning before the wedding, the groom handed over the “groom’s box” to the bride’s house. It contained rings, a veil, and wedding candles. The groom also prepared shoes for the bride. This was also symbolic: the girl left her parents’ house to go to her groom in order to continue going through life with him. The shoes were put on the feet by the “wedding boy” - often the bride’s younger brother. And the girl was dressed by her mother or some kind of stylists - “outfitters”.
Slavic accessories
To create a complete bridal look, use accessories that will harmoniously fit into the overall ensemble:
- hoop;
- wreath of wild flowers;
- ribbons woven into the hair;
- multi-tiered veil;
- a string of pearls or large bright beads;
- fur;
- a scarf or shawl with tassels (perfect for a photo shoot, when the bride will throw a beautiful scarf over her shoulders or skillfully tie it on her head);
- kokoshnik - ideally complements a traditional wedding sundress;
- lace capes.
For a winter celebration, choose furs and muffs, and for a summer celebration, choose beautiful lace capes, wreaths, pearl beads or bright gemstones. It is better to buy shoes in a neutral shade (white or beige) - when moving, they should not be dissonant with a magnificent dress.
Suitable styles
For a bride who has decided to choose a dress in the Russian style, several beautiful models and styles are suitable. Let's look at them in more detail.
In the Russian national style, dresses made of linen with decorative embroidery look very advantageous. In summer, an outfit made from this lightweight fabric will be appropriate. If a girl has a traditional Slavic appearance, then this option will emphasize her natural beauty, eye and hair color. The style will provide maximum comfort in hot summer weather and will hide all figure imperfections, if necessary. A linen wedding dress in Russian folk style is light, unusual and always looks original.
The peculiarity of a wedding dress for a wedding in the Russian A-line style is the smooth transition from the bodice line to the flared skirt. This wedding style makes your figure look slimmer. The neckline is made in the form of a small or deep neckline. The train and various frills add their effect. The Russian flavor in this image is provided by embroidery made of gold or red threads (roses and other ornaments).
Wedding dresses in the national Russian style also look very unusual and solemn. Tulle, satin, lace and other materials are used to sew such dresses. To add a Slavic flavor, the dress is embroidered with patterns, the skirt can be complemented with red inserts. The red embroidery on the corset gives a special effect.
A Russian-style bride's look would not be complete without the appropriate accessories. A wedding headdress plays an important role and can be made as:
- a colorful kokoshnik - it is better to use it instead of a traditional tiara to give a Russian flavor;
- a veil embroidered with patterns and flowers - an integral element of the bride’s image;
- a wreath woven from wildflowers;
- ribbons to match the entire outfit, it can be embroidered;
- an elegant fur hat (usually white), well suited for a wedding held in winter.
Red shoes (shoes or boots) will help complete the wedding look in the Slavic style. As jewelry, choose massive earrings, a beautiful necklace, and bracelets. National style scarves with traditional patterns will look interesting.
Wedding dresses in the Russian style, photos of which always look juicy and bright, are becoming increasingly popular among girls getting ready to get married. Moreover, it is now possible to create any model, be it an analogue of a traditional sundress from the Middle Ages or modern versions with ornaments. Using ethnic motifs in her dress, the bride not only looks original, but also reflects the Russian spirit at the holiday with her entire appearance.
Stylists' recommendations
A few simple rules for choosing a dress in the Russian style:
- the “a la Russe” style does not exclude from the catalogs fluffy dresses reminiscent of the ballroom cut of the times of Imperial Russia, but the central model is still the Russian sundress ;
- the presence of embroidery is a prerequisite, because it is what gives the image a national character;
- the chosen dress should not only be beautiful and original, but also very comfortable - you will have to spend the whole day in it, so the chosen model should not hinder movement or cause discomfort;
- outfits made from natural fabrics look most harmonious in the theme of a Russian wedding.
Don't rush to buy the first dress you like. Try on several options to end up falling in love with the perfect “a la russe” wedding dress.
On a note! In the old days, wedding dresses were designed in a strict style - a long sundress and covered shoulders. A woman had to honor and maintain chastity, honor and respect for her ancestors.
Who is it suitable for?
There is no traditional concept of who wedding dresses are suitable for. A wedding dress is a mandatory wedding attribute. This is a life changing event. She will forever remain both in memory and in photos and videos. Naturally, any bride will want to look irresistible on this day.
The styles of wedding dresses are very diverse. Each has its own advantages and decorative options. Don't think of a wedding dress as one of a kind. You can diversify any dress into a Russian version quite simply and effortlessly. Take, for example, the year that recently entered the modern style. It is worth adding a traditional Russian cape to it and any bride will find unique elegance in it.
Or combine such options as traditional French Provence framed with Slavic lace. No bride will go unnoticed in this image of elegance and romance.
Traditional Russian sundress. In the past, every girl was a standard of beauty and modesty.
Modern fashion has not left our girls deprived of attention. The image of a wedding dress conceals both the simplicity and charm of the Russian soul
Russian sundresses especially suit plumper girls and women.
History of Russian wedding dress
Gone are the days when Russian girls dressed up in red wedding sundresses. Truly beautiful robes were luxuriously embroidered.
With the baptism of Rus', they were replaced by wedding dresses of a very simple and modest appearance, sometimes even black. For a family celebration, especially revered by the people, on the contrary, a luxurious dress of various shades of red was taken from the chests, it could be crimson, cherry or scarlet, red or crimson, which symbolized life, joy and love.
Initially, the girl wore a shirt with ornaments embroidered with her own hands. The sundress, as bright as the shirt, was an indicator of how skilled the bride was. It was also an indicator of the well-being of her parents. A luxurious brocade mantle decorated with pearls was a sign that the bride was from a princely family.
In general, the weight of the outfit could be more than 10 kilograms due to its rich decoration, which included furs, precious stones, embroidery with gold threads, pearls and beads.
Creating a formal dress was a long and labor-intensive process, since there were still a large number of full petticoats. Its value was great and therefore it was passed down from generation to generation. It was a kind of piece of jewelry, a relic that was treated with due respect.
Girls from poor families were forced to decorate their heads with the simplest wreath of wildflowers. Brides from wealthier families decorated their heads with a kokoshnik and a hoop, or wove multi-colored ribbons into their braids. Noble metals and bronze served as decoration for the newlywed’s neck and as an indicator of the financial viability of the family.
The times of Peter the Great changed a lot, including wedding attire. In the hinterlands of the Russian Empire, little changed, but the aristocrats were forced to follow the fashion of Europe with white ball gowns.
In the post-revolutionary period, people's idea of a wedding dress also changed. Luxurious attire was no longer viewed with enthusiasm and most people preferred modest attire for the wedding ceremony.
Only in the early 70s did brides regain the right to look graceful, sophisticated and delightful on this special day.
Today the situation is radically different - each bride is looking for a unique outfit that will personify her desires and dreams. And the girls were lucky, just in time the unique and inimitable details of the traditional Russian costume returned to fashion.
A little history
The cut and styles of national costumes are determined by the way of life of a particular people. Thus, in Russia, with its specific climate, the national costumes of the northern and southern regions have significant differences. And such diversity in clothing is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for modern fashion designers.
Outerwear also differed in great variety. Warmers and fur coats were traditionally made from fur. The choice of furs, of course, depended on material capabilities. Peasant women mainly wore sheepskin, hare, and squirrel sheepskin coats. The ladies dressed up in sable and beaver coats. They warmed their hands in fur muffs or wore mittens.
A mandatory element of a woman's costume was a headdress. Girls could limit themselves to a ribbon bandage, and on holidays they wore kokoshniks. Married women hid their hair under a bun and wore a headscarf. In winter, shawls were used for warmth.
Beauty secrets of flax
Amazingly beautiful Russian women's dresses attract the eye and create a warm atmosphere. When you look at the combination of soft lines and bright fields of embroidery, you get a feeling of something familiar and familiar for a long time.
Agree, there is something elusively attractive in every embodied image. The combination of simple details combined into complex compositions is inspiring. And at the same time, the gaze never tires of scanning every feature.
Russian style is a whole universe that embodies:
-the beauty of simple lines;
- highlights the individuality of the owner;
- forms attractive shapes, decorating any figure;
-unobtrusively focuses attention on the national idea. Consequently, the Russian style dress, in which it is created from simple and natural fabrics, immediately becomes a decoration for a woman and a message to the world around her.
Consequently, the Russian style dress, in which it is created from simple and natural fabrics, immediately becomes an adornment for a woman and a message to the world around her.
