In the book Gone with the Wind, after Scarlett O’Hara married Charles Hamilton, she wore a “second day dress” to Melanie Hamilton’s wedding to Ashley the next day. Then, it was written that had Charles not rushed off to war, she would have had third day, fourth day, and fifth day dresses to wear to parties and balls held in her honor.
What are these dresses? What is their significance?
Well, googling it turned up all sorts of museum quality ancient dresses, apparently since wedding celebrations for those of status went on for days, one needed special finery not quite as special as the real wedding dress for the subsequent parties.
Thanks RindaRinda I just zoned out looking at pictures of incredibly detailed dresses for a half hour, and boy am I grateful customs have changed. Not one of the admittedly beautiful gowns looked remotely comfortable!
Well, like it says in the book, couples didn’t leave for their wedding trips immediately after the wedding like they do now. They hung around home for a week or so, and friends and neighbors threw parties to honor the newlyweds. It simply wouldn’t do to go to a ball in your honor wearing everyday clothes, or to keep showing up in the same ballgown. So, as Tonya said, brides had a collection of dresses that were fancy, but not as fancy as the bridal gown, made specifically to wear to these post-wedding parties and dances.