Bridal Fashions – Spring 1846

Early Victorian Bridal Couture in Les Modes Parisiennes

This authentic hand-colored fashion plate published on May 10, 1846, in the prominent French journal Les Modes Parisiennes offers a rare look into early Victorian high-society style. The antique print features an elegant domestic setting where a bride in her morning wedding costume stands alongside a companion in formal day wear. Exhibiting the definitive mid-19th-century silhouette, this historical engraving emphasizes the tight, pointed bodices and dome-shaped pleated skirts that defined aristocratic European fashion houses.

Antique Silk Wedding Costume and Striped Promenade Dress Design

The detailed French typography credits renowned Parisian artisans of the era, including lace by Violard and corsets by Josselin. On the left, the Victorian bride models a sophisticated satin or silk morning wedding dress (costume de mariée, toilette du matin) featuring a tailored buttoned bodice, a pleated skirt, and an elegant white lace veil with a floral crown. On the right, her companion wears a vibrant blue and white striped promenade gown adorned with horizontal dark lace trim, accessorized with a striking yellow brimmed bonnet.