Looking for Turkish wedding gowns? Want to know what makes a wedding dress typically Turkish? Read on for more facts & information…
Turkey is located between Europe and Asia and elements of both cultures are reflected in Turkish bridal gowns. The Western influence first became apparent near the turn of the 20th century when brides began wearing white rather than colored bridal dresses. Traditionally, young women in Turkey dressed in plain clothes as a sign of modesty until they married and their wedding dress was the first fancy, embellished costume they wore. Traditional Turkish wedding costumes were made in jewel tone colors and heavily embroidered with gold thread.
Modern Turkish Wedding Dresses
Slowly, the pastel colors popular in Europe found their way into Turkish fashion and in 1898, a white gown was worn by a royal bride. Soon after most Turkish wedding gowns were made in white and colored gowns went out of fashion, especially in urban areas. The style of Turkish wedding gowns is often determined by the religion of the bride since orthodox Muslim brides wear conservative gowns and cover their hair when in public. At one time, as a sign of modesty, Christian brides covered their shoulders and arms when in church, but Western bridal gowns started baring more skin in the late 20th century and modern European bridal gowns often leave the arms, shoulders and upper back bare and many feature decolletage.
Lace Embroidered Wedding Gowns
Since Christian brides in Turkey usually wear European style wedding gowns, the most discernible difference is in gowns worn by Muslim brides. As a rule, these gowns have high necklines and long sleeves. Veils may be worn with the gowns, but they are worn over a headdress that covers the bride’s hair completely. While Christian brides may opt for short dresses, gowns worn by more conservative Muslim brides are always floor length. They have many of the same elements as Western bridal gowns and are often embellished with lace, embroidery, beading and flowers. Many have the trains that are popular with European and American brides. Mermaid style gowns are not worn by orthodox Muslim women and their wedding gowns generally feature a fitted bodice with a full skirt.
Avant Garde Wedding Dresses
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Western fashion designers have been introducing more color into their wedding gown designs and this trend is becoming popular among Turkish fashion designers. Recent runway shows have featured Turkish wedding gowns with colored embroidery and one designer showed a black bridal dress. As Europe moves away from traditional white bridal designs, it is likely that nearby Turkey will pick up the trend. Affluent Turkish brides usually have separate gowns for the engagement party, henna ceremony and wedding and they will probably enjoy choosing from a greater variety of wedding gown options.
