Princess, movie star, or pauper — history told through three centuries of wedding dresses

From restrictive bustles to bared bosoms and short hemlines, the wedding dress is a great communicator of society's norms and class structures. A wedding dress exhibition taking place in Dunmanway next month showcases 300 years of wedding trends and history

Gwen Mc Guirk with a selection of dresses. Picture: Victoria Mannix Photography

Mon, 20 Nov, 2023 - 07:38

Helen O’Callaghan

Sharon Tate wore hers five inches above the knee in 1968; Queen Victoria began the trend for white wedding dresses; and in the 1940s women wore a practical tailored suit on their big day. Just some of the fascinating details that will emerge at an event set to take place in Dunmanway in early December telling the story of the wedding dress from 1840 right into the 21st century.

The Dress — Three Centuries of Weddings is the result of a collaboration between two West Cork-based women — one passionate about history, the other about fashion. History consultant Michelle O’Mahony and couturier/film costumier Gwen Mc Guirk have organised the event as a fundraiser for Dunmanway Historical Association (DHA).