1940 wedding dress - request for help from someone who knows fashion!

[sugartea]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post to the forum in some considerable time - I hope you are all well.

I'm hoping that someone out there with knowledge of 1940s fashion might be able to help me describe the outfit that my grandmother was wearing at her wedding that year. I have absolutely no knowledge of how to describe an outfit, particularly a lady's one!

The reason I ask is that I am writing an account of my grandparents' lives and I have reached the year of their marriage. I know next to nothing about their actual wedding day, but we have some lovely photos, and it occurred to me that one thing I could do would be to write about what my Grandma wore that day. Is there anyone out there who could help? I attach a couple of photos here.

Equally, if anyone out there might happen to know the make and model of the car in the attached picture, I would love to know that too.

Thanks so much in advance.

[Ruskie]

Welcome to rootschat sugartea. 

Newspaper reports usually describe wedding outfits in quite floury language and include lots of detail. It may not be the case during war time, and as your grandmother is wearing a smart outfit rather than a traditional wedding dress, detail may be less. I don’t have access to newspapers but maybe someone who does can dig up some examples for you.

They may describe the style of outfit, the fabric, the flowers used in the bouquet/buttonholes, colours of everything,  attendants - their names and what they wore, the regiment etc that the husband was in, where they went on honeymoon (probably not during war time), the church or register office where they married, information about the wedding breakfast - where it was held, and what they ate, other family in attendance, and their names - basically anything and everything.

Regarding the description of your grandmother’s outfit, I might leave that to someone else, but it looks like she might be wearing a “dress coat” - (unsure if that is the correct term). 

[Rena]

My mother had a "clutch coat", but it appears from surfing that this lady was wearing what was known as an "occasion coat" or "dress coat" of the period.

From the length of the outfit and the "peep toe" shoes, it could have been a 1947 "New Look" outfit.

[Ruskie]

In the group photo are the older folks, groom’s father and bride’s mother?

[Stanwix England]

I'm not a fashion expert by any means.

I would personally describe the dress as a cut out lace dress. It seems to be white or cream lace over a light coloured overlay, with a small dark coloured bow at the neck. She's wearing dark coloured peep toe shoes.

I'm not sure how you'd describe the hat. I think it's a dark felt. Looking at the hats on this link, it is maybe closest to a Homburg or Fedora, but it's difficult to say given the angles.

https://vintagedancer.com/1940s/1940s-hats/

The 'bag' is a horseshoe charm for good luck, likely made from cardboard and ribbon, the flower on it might be made from paper.

https://www.magpiewedding.com/vintage-weddings/wedding-memories-lucky-horseshoe-charms/

[Viktoria]

I have seen that  style of coat described as an “ edge to edge coat” ,it is lovely
and so nice to see the floral dress underneath.
A perfect fit too.
The hat would be described as “ off the face “ and the flowers ,properly a corsage , are in lieu of a bouquet.
I can’t see a horseshoe,nor the actual toes of the shoes but what seems to be a shine on the Bride’s shoes.
What a strong resemblance there is between the groom and his father.
Clothes were on coupons and so people did not have many ,that outfit would be her best one for a few years.
Gosh, how lovely and simple by comparison with todays ‘ “ Big Weddings”.
Bet it lasted well!
Viktoria.

[Andrew Tarr]

Newspaper reports usually describe wedding outfits in quite floury language ...

I like that idea - presumably you meant flowery ? 

[suey]

The corsage is white carnations with a bit of fern behind.  Used at weddings for buttonholes for many years.  Apparently carnations and ferns are now coming back into fashion.

Could the coat be cream and accessories navy blue. 
I agree with looking for a newspaper report, I have one that even listed the wedding presents and who gave them. Also the gift of necklaces given by the groom to the bridesmaids .

[aghadowey]

It is certainly a horseshoe on a ribbon rather than a handbag.
I think the shoes have a bow across across the arch on the light bit on each shoe is an open bit between the bows and the toes- sort of like these-
https://www.rubyshoo.com/ruby-shoo-willow-high-cut-ribbon-tie-shoe-in-red-noir-138800?09402RDNR165L033605
(if they were peep-toe shoes her feet would be way too small)