Wedded Perfection: Two Centuries of Wedding Gowns

'Wedded Perfection: Two Centuries of Wedding Gowns' is a fresh exploration of the significance of the wedding dress and the wedding ceremony since the early 1800s. Drawing on the outstanding collection of wedding gowns at the Cincinnati Art museum, 'Wedded Perfection' examines the reasons why women wear what they wear for their wedding and how fashionable styles of wedding gowns have been and continue to be influenced by ritual theory, wedding customs, and evolving attitudes towards women and their perceived role within the institution of marriage. It also discusses the commercialisation of weddings in the post World War II era and the democratisation of the white single use wedding gown for lower and middle class brides between 1880 and 1920. There is an interpretive entry for each gown, accompanied by a full-length colour image, original photos, comparative illustrations and information about the designers.